Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education [1], which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. Click here [2]to read the full app review.
Peekapak [2]
What’s It Like?
Peekapak offers complete teaching units for 10 topics in social and emotional learning. Kids explore these issues as they accompany Leo the hedgehog on his first day of school. They follow Leo and a mixture of human and animal characters throughout the school year in Peekaville. Each topic unit — such as empathy, honesty, teamwork, or self-regulation — consists of an introductory storybook, eight activities to do in the classroom, and eight activities to send home for kids to do with their parents.
Price: Free, Paid
Grades: K-5
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Detailed lesson plans use a variety of approaches to get kids engaged in the material.
Cons: There are no built-in assessment or reporting tools to help teachers track student progress.
Bottom line: These 10 SEL units provide teachers with almost everything they’ll need to spark positive character development in their students.