Skills for Growing

Skills for Growing (SFG) capitalizes on the enormous potential of children and directs their creative energies into becoming capable and healthy young people with a sense of direction, solid skills, and a strong commitment to their families, schools and communities. Re-designed in 2009, curriculum changes include new photos, graphics and packaging. Updates include new rationale, resources and research. A new drug information guide and supplemental bullying prevention lessons can be found in the Curriculum Updates section of this Web site.

It is recommended that SFG be taught a minimum of once per week during the school year. One session is any of the following: a Unit Introductory Activity, Discovering, Connecting and Practicing Phases of a lesson, or one activity from the Applying Phase of a lesson. Applying Phase activities provide numerous options in various subject areas for teachers to select and align with students' needs. Total lessons for SFG vary from 24-27 depending on grade level.

SFG complements and supports many aspects of the elementary school curriculum, and is designed for integration into several of the required subject areas of most states and provinces. Schools may choose to adopt SFG as the core selected curriculum for an existing subject area; integrate the program into one or more related areas of the curriculum such as social studies, language arts or health; use the program as a foundation to support state and local initiatives in areas such as social and emotional learning, character education or drug and violence prevention; or teach the program as a separate course involving all students and adults. Visit Program Resources to view a variety of curriculum maps.

Implementation Models

Sample Lessons

Grade K-5 Products