Teaching the Curriculum With Fidelity

In-depth training on how to teach the curriculum with fidelity will be included in the Educator Training Center, coming in early 2026. 

Teaching to support curriculum fidelity

Emily’s Hope Substance Use Prevention Curriculum was designed intentionally with content that is developmentally and age-appropriate, consistent and continual, in its scope and sequence, building knowledge and skill development from grade to grade.

The curriculum is designed to be supplemental, with flexibility to fit into your classroom and district’s yearly curriculum schedule. Its alignment with the National Consensus for School Health Education and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success supports skill development in these critical areas. The grade level Scope and Sequence highlights the aligned standards, main concepts, and student “I can…” statements for every lesson to provide you with the tools needed to incorporate the curriculum successfully in your instructional timeline.

Lesson Content and Instructional Sequence

To ensure curriculum fidelity, it is important that all lessons be taught at the intended grade levels to ensure that the developmentally and age-appropriate content is presented at the appropriate time for students.  The lessons are designed to support and build on each other.  Skipping a lesson prevents students from gaining valuable knowledge that will support their understanding of the content in the next lesson and/or grade level.

Materials you should have

• Vocabulary - Use the vocabulary definitions provided to create consistency from lesson to lesson and grade level to grade level.
• "I can..." statements - as you introduce the lesson, share the "I can..." statements with your students.
• Chapter book (Kdg-8th) - each lesson has a corresponding chapter in the grade-level book. These real-life stories, with the Emily's Hope characters, provide content that supports the lesson. These are provided in a physical chapter book and also as an e-book format within the lesson and the Teacher Portal. The lesson plan indicates at what point the chapter should be included. It can also be reviewed again after the lesson content to support the exit ticket process.
• Interactive activities - Activities that support engagement, collaboration, and hands-on experiences are included within the lesson. Review the activity for each lesson and ensure that you have included learning time for students to participate fully. At the middle school and high school level, it may be beneficial to provide additional learning sessions to allow students to create and complete the projects or activities that are included with the lesson.
• Grade level animations - Animations are included throughout the grade levels. These are short animations that reinforce the lesson content. The lesson plan will indicate when to watch the animation. They can also be used again at the end of the lesson to reinforce material or as a review for an upcoming lesson.
• Exit tickets - Each lesson includes an exit ticket. Exit tickets are provided to support student reflection and informal assessment of their understanding of the lesson material. You can incorporate these into instruction in a variety of ways to encourage student participation. When using exit tickets, make sure to plan for your review of the students' responses. This will support you with an informal assessment of the lesson. The following describes the exit ticket presentation for each grade level:
  • For students in Kindergarten and 1st grade, the exit ticket is presented as a resource for large group display. There is no activity sheet that requires students to write a response; however, having students draw a picture and write as they are able, for their response, is an option that would be age-appropriate.
  • For students in 2nd - 5th grade, the exit ticket is presented as a resource for large group display and as an activity sheet that can be printed out.
  • For 6th - 8th grade, the exit ticket is embedded as a part of the Student Activity Journal that accompanies each lesson. They can be printed for each student or used as an independent reflection, or large group, a small group, or a partner discussion.
• K-5th grade - Emily's Hope Song - The Emily's Hope song is included at the end of each lesson for Kindergarten through 5th grade. This song is designed to reinforce the key concepts of the curriculum. The use of the song supports students in remembering these key concepts in a fun and engaging way. As you use the song with your students, you can add movement and actions to support learning and engagement.

Plan ahead for success

• Review the lesson content and activities prior to teaching the lesson to ensure your understanding of the material.
• Have all materials and activities ready for use.
• Be aware of the amount of time you have in your learning session in relation to the lesson content. Lessons with more complex content or that encourage more questions from students can be delivered over multiple learning sessions.
• Review the supportive activities for each lesson and plan time for student engagement. Some activities or collaborative projects may require additional time to allow students to plan, create, and complete the activity.
• Consider how you can adapt the materials for ease of use. Some examples of how you can do this:
  • Print activity cards and laminate them so that they are reusable.
  • Print and laminate visuals and posters to support durability for student use.
  • Plan for any display or technology use. The physical chapter books can be effective for individual student use, small or large group reading. These books are also available within the Teacher Hub as an e-book for large group display.
• Be flexible. Consider a variety of ways in which you can use the activities to best meet the needs and interests of your students (individual, small group, a large group, hands-on materials, or displayed on your large screen). This can support engagement of students by providing variety and opportunities for shared learning.
• Consider how you can include cultural elements for your students that support the curriculum material and activities. 

Be comfortable with the conversation

Prepare yourself for the potential questions that might arise from students who may have personal experiences with substance use or substance use disorders.  The curriculum is designed to be engaging for students and create opportunities for them to feel comfortable in asking questions. Respect, honesty, and confidentiality are important when responding to student questions, concerns, and their shared experiences.

If you are asked a question that you don't know how to respond to:

• Acknowledge the student
• Clarify their question or concern
• Let them know you will find an answer or resource for them.
• Follow up with the student when you have the information or resource they need

Be aware of your own limitations and biases when supporting students. Use your resources and team members within your school to help support your students.

Understanding your district or organization's policies and procedures for supporting students and knowing how to access the resources of your school and community can assist you in feeling more prepared and better able to respond to and support 

Using Pre- and Post-Student Surveys Effectively

The use of pre- and post-student assessments is valuable in helping educators understand their students’ comprehension of the material presented in lessons, identify which lesson material may need to be reviewed for better comprehension, determine whether modifications or adaptations to the lesson are needed, and identify effective teaching strategies. 

Review the Guidelines for Administering Pre and Post Student Assessments before you begin teaching the lessons to ensure that you are using the assessments effectively and consistently.