GRiTspark & GRiTsel: Curriculum For Middle School (Grades 6-8)
The Foundation of Relational Intelligence Starts Here.
Middle school is where identity, belonging, habits, and peer influence accelerate. Students need practical tools for self-management, decision-making, and relationships, not one-time assemblies or posters on a wall.Â
Within the GRiT curriculum family, our middle school solutions include GRiTsel (Tier 1 weekly SELÂ Character Education) and GRiTspark (a deeper exploratory course rooted in neuroscience and relational intelligence).
Schedule a Discovery Call
Why Middle School, Why Now?
Most teens have not been taught how to:
- understand how their brain works (the neuroscience of learning)
- manage stress, pressure, and expectations
- make decisions from clarity instead of emotion
- follow through on commitments
- understand relational patterns (relational intelligence)
- build consistency and personal responsibility
- prepare for life after graduationÂ
These are not abstract SEL (Character Education) concepts. They are real-world skills tied directly to long-term leadership, independence, and success. GRiT gives schools a practical, results-driven framework grounded in the neuroscience of how students think, react, learn, and grow.
What GRiT Teaches Middle School Students
GRiTsel and GRiTspark introduces students to the same Compass they’ll use in high school and college, building a shared language across your entire school ecosystem.
Relational Intelligence (RQ)
Students learn to understand themselves, read others, communicate clearly, solve conflict, and build healthy relationships using simple, yet actionable executive-level tools refined for education.
Results: stronger peer connections, fewer conflicts, and better classroom culture.
Identity & Self-Leadership
Students discover who they are, how they think, and how they make decisions under stress. Then they learn to lead themselves through mindset, language mastery, values, and internal drivers.
Results: improved behavior, greater accountability, and stronger self-direction.
Emotional Regulation (EQ)
Students learn the neuroscience of stress, focus, and decision-making, gaining tools to regulate emotions, recover from setbacks, and stay composed under pressure.
Â
Results: fewer emotional blowups, calmer classrooms, and healthier coping skills.
Habits, Systems & Follow-Through
Students build the routines and internal systems that turn goals into consistent action through habit science, journaling, reflection, and accountability.
 Â
Results: improved academics, stronger attendance patterns, and long-term student agency.
What Students Build Through GRiT in Grades 6–8
Across both GRiTsel and GRiTspark, students build:
- self-awareness and identity language
- self-management and emotional regulation
- responsible decision-making
- relationship skills and communication
- empathy, perspective-taking, and social awareness
- habits, routines, and follow-through
- healthy tech boundaries and digital citizenship (grade-appropriate)
- early leadership skills rooted in responsibility and contribution
CASEL-Aligned for Credibility and Consistency
Both GRiTsel and GRiTspark are CASEL-aligned, supporting the CASEL 5 competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
Two Middle School Pathways
Most schools start with GRiTsel because it is the most accessible Tier 1 entry point. GRiTspark is a deeper course experience that strengthens neuroscience-based learning habits and leadership development. Schools can adopt either independently, but the greatest results are typically achieved when both are offered together.
GRiTsel
Tier 1, Most Accessible Entry Point
A weekly SEL (Character Education) system designed for all students through short, consistent, high-impact lessons.
- 36 weekly lessons at 20 minutes per week
- Tier 1 system for all students
- Grade-specific for 6, 7, and 8
- Turnkey and sustainable for staff
- Builds common language, stronger relationships, and better decision-making
- Best fit:Â advisory/homeroom
GRiTspark
Exploratory and Enrichment Course
A deeper, neuroscience-rooted course that builds learning habits, resilience, relational intelligence, and leadership.
- 45-day course taught in full class periods (50 min. lessons or 37.5 hours of instruction)
- Design-specific for 6, 7, or 8
- Designed for electives and exploratory settings
- Journaling, reflection, projects, and applied tools
- Builds strong foundations for high school readiness and leadership
- Best fit:Â electives and exploratory or leadership settings
Why Schools Adopt Both
Many schools implement GRiTsel to build a consistent Tier 1 SEL (Character Education) system. GRiTspark then provides a deeper, course-based learning experience that strengthens neuroscience-based learning habits and leadership development.
A common adoption pathway:
- Start GRiTsel for weekly consistency and a shared language schoolwide
- Add GRiTspark for deeper student learning and leadership practice
- Reinforce both through consistent tools, expectations, and measurement
GRiTsel (Grades 6–8)
Tier 1 Weekly SEL (Character Education) for All Students
GRiTsel is a Tier 1 SEL (Character Education) curriculum designed to serve all students through short, consistent, high-impact weekly lessons. It helps schools build a common language, strengthen relationships, and improve student decision-making while developing the core skills students need to thrive.
GRiTsel At-a-Glance
What Students Build in GRiTsel
What Schools Receive
Evidence of Learning and Measurement
GRiTspark (Grades 6–8)
A 45-Day Exploratory Course Rooted in Neuroscience and Relational Intelligence
GRiTspark is a deeper course experience built for electives and exploratory settings. It helps students understand how their brain learns, build stronger habits, develop resilience, and practice relational intelligence and early leadership skills through reflective and applied learning.
GRiTspark At-a-Glance
What Students Experience in GRiTspark
What Schools Receive
Evidence of Learning and Measurement
See the Full Data Behind GRiTsel & GRiTspark
Our district-facing White Paper and Data Addendum break down GRiT’s neuroscience foundation, implementation model, and measurable student outcomes across emotional regulation, attendance, behavior, and overall well-being.
Download the full reports to see how relational intelligence transforms student development in real time.
A Simple, Fast Implementation Timeline
GRiTedu is designed to launch quickly — without creating more work for your teachers. Most districts are fully up and running in 30 days or less.
Week One
Teacher Training
We meet with your admin lead to map the rollout and answer implementation questions. Teachers complete our train-the-trainer onboarding and certification using short, practical modules rooted in neuroscience and classroom-ready strategies.
Week Two
Kickoff & Curriculum Setup
Your school receives instant access to the full GRiTsel and/or GRiTspark curriculum, teacher playbook, and onboarding guidance. Everything is built to minimize prep time. Gain access to our professional learning community.
Week Three
Classroom Launch
Teachers begin delivering lessons with ready-made slide decks, activities, and scripts. GRiTspark and GRiTsel requires less than five minutes of prep per session, and support is available any time.
Week Four
Monitor Progress & Outcomes
Admins and teachers use GRiT’s built-in reflection tools and progress trackers to monitor skill development, emotional stability, and classroom culture. Adjustments are simple and supported.
Ready to See How GRiT Can Support Your Middle School?
GRiTspark is more than a curriculum it’s a neuroscience-backed framework that helps middle school students build the self-leadership, emotional stability, and clarity they need to thrive beyond graduation.
If you're exploring ways to support student mental wellness, equip students with real-world decision-making tools, or bring a results-driven SEL framework into your school, we’d love to walk you through what GRiTedu can offer.
Use the form to request more information, preview materials, or connect with our team about bringing GRiTspark to your middle school.
