Central to the EL Education curriculum is a focus on "habits of character" and social-emotional learning. In this unit, students continue to work to become effective learners, developing mindsets and skills for success in college, career, and life (e.g., initiative, responsibility, perseverance, and collaboration). Students also continue to work to become ethical people, treating others well and standing up for what is right (e.g., empathy, integrity, respect, and compassion). Additionally, students begin to work to contribute to a better world, putting their learning to use to improve communities (e.g., citizenship and service).

In this unit, as students read A Long Walk to Water, they witness evidence of respect, empathy, collaboration, perseverance, taking initiative, and making the world a better place and discuss what these look and sound like in the text. Also, students focus on the habits of character of respect, empathy, and compassion as they respond to one another's ideas and skills in written work and in discussions, and they focus on integrity and perseverance as they work independently on assessments. Finally, as students develop an ebook about a Lost Boy or Girl of Sudan, they help others in the class grow as they assist with technology and writing. Also, because students will share their ebooks with an elementary school child in their community, they focus on using their learning to improve their community.