How to Broaden Your Horizons: Effective Pre-K SEL Lesson

At the majestic peak of improvement lies the beauty of a new horizon, where new opportunities and experiences await. Pre-kindergartners can reach these heights by setting goals, learning new things, building the courage to try, and being persistent.

In this social-emotional learning lesson, pre-kindergartners learn what broadening their horizons means in their journey to self-improvement. While the sentence may contain big words, they soon understand that it means discovering and learning new things to improve themselves. It also means setting and achieving their goals.

To understand this concept in a simpler and more interesting way, the students listen to a conversation between StarBoy and StarGirl. They discuss how continuously learning helps them improve and expand their horizons. The students continue this conversation in a class discussion that follows, where they use the "Improving Myself" poster.

At the end of the lesson, the teacher encourages the students to broaden their horizons by setting goals for different aspects of their lives, such as their bodies, minds, self-management, getting along with others, and self-honesty. The young students promise to keep improving themselves; then, they update their progress on the Positive Behavior Chart.

Expanding their interests and knowledge by gaining new experiences can help pre-kindergartners broaden their horizons. Doing so can unlock a deeper understanding of the world around them and enable them to advance physically, intellectually, socially, and emotionally.

For example, pre-kindergartners can learn a new language and enter a whole new world different from theirs. Even something as simple as learning to ride a bike allows them to understand others’ thrill and satisfaction in balancing their weight and moving fast. Through these experiences, they can improve their motor skills, expand their knowledge, gain new friends, and feel happier about themselves.