Circles Level 1

What It's About

In the education system, creating a safe and welcoming environment for students is paramount in their success. Among the many issues today’s teachers face, protecting your students from sexual abuse, bullying, and online predators is one of the most challenging. The Circles Level 1 curriculum is a comprehensive program designed to teach students how to manage and understand their own physical and emotional boundaries, as well as understanding the boundaries of others.

The package includes 107 minutes of instruction, which covers topics such as Consent and Boundaries, the 5 Fundamental Rights, and the Five Different Circle Rules. Each lesson comes with handouts and engaging activities to ensure that the students are actively participating and internalizing the concepts presented. In addition to the 107 minutes of instruction, the package includes one giant wall graph, 50 large laminated graph icons, 50 student personal graphs, 300 peel-n-stick icons, and a teacher’s guide. Each of the visual aids makes the learning experience concrete and easy to visualize. Also, everything is durable, making it a valuable investment for any school district.

As educators, we must equip ourselves with the necessary knowledge and teaching tools to keep our students safe. The Circles Level 1 program comes fully loaded with everything you need to create a safe classroom where students can learn social boundaries and avoid exploitation.

"I really love the new Circles program. The dialogue is straightforward and contemporary. Sofia is very relatable. The vignettes were done really well."

Cindy Garwood (Circles Queen)

What You Will Learn

The Circles Level 1 program stands out from other curriculum programs because it was developed with the help of leading experts in childhood sexual abuse prevention. Every aspect of the program was extensively tested in classrooms and was finalized with feedback from educators across the US. Rigorous testing ensures that the content is age-appropriate and relevant to students of different backgrounds. The main focus of Circles is to teach students about safe and appropriate social interaction. This updated edition includes a more in-depth description of the types of touch appropriate in each circle to ensure that students understand how to keep themselves safe.

Not only that, but there is now an emphasis on consensus and the right to refuse touch, even from people close to them. This helps students understand that they have the power to set boundaries and that those boundaries should be respected. One of the most significant improvements to the Circles program is the introduction of the Red Stranger Circle and the Red Stranger Space. These two new circles highlight the difference between total strangers who always stay far away and those strangers who may become part of a person’s social network, even if briefly.

This distinction helps students understand the importance of boundaries with strangers and how to recognize potential risks. The updated giant Circles wall graph reflects this improvement as well. The updated Teacher’s Guide enhances the curriculum with step-wise instructions for implementing the lessons contained in the Circles Curriculum and provides ideas for reinforcing the concepts presented.  The guide now includes discussion questions to survey strengths and weaknesses in the area of social-developmental education. These questions can be used as student pre-and post-tests and will help both you and your students gain valuable insights into their social development progress.

Part 1: Social Distance

The Circles Level 1 program is designed to help students understand their social boundaries. This is achieved by teaching them about the relationship between the level of intimacy between people and the way they touch, talk, and trust each other.

The program helps students identify relationship boundaries and relationship-specific behaviors. For example, it’s okay to hug your mother, but it’s not okay to hug the mail carrier.

Part II: Relationship Building

As students progress through the program, they will learn about the role of mutual choice in building relationships. They will understand that intimacy levels change as relationships change and that there needs to be a balance between the two. Teaching students about mutual choice is critical for protecting them from exploitation and other forms of abuse.

Part III: Sexuality Education

The Circles Level 1 program even includes a unit on sexuality education. This unit emphasizes 13 topics relevant to students in a comprehensive and age-appropriate way. The lessons are not video-based but are rich in support activities and discussion topics to help students grasp the concepts fully.

"So far I love it. Sofia is so much warmer. I'm impressed with the actors and how you added the peer relationships and teachers. The dialogue is similar to the old one, but much more appropriate."

Alexander Holt

After Completion

The Circles Level 1 Program is an essential tool for educators who want to teach their students how to recognize social boundaries and avoid exploitation. By completing this program, students will gain a better understanding of relationships, develop strong self-confidence, prevent sexual exploitation, and develop critical thinking skills.

They will engage in fun and interactive learning activities that make the learning experience both enjoyable and memorable.

As educators, it is our responsibility to provide our students with the resources they need to stay safe and informed – and the Circles Level 1 Program is an excellent starting point.

"I'm very impressed with the program. The characters are so much more relatable. I love the new content about peer acquaintances, bullying and cyber issues."

Shane Greer