SCHOOL COUNSELING CORE CURRICULUM

LESSON PLAN

SCHOOL COUNSELOR: Alicia Schkoll DATE: 06/25/16

LESSON TITLE: Connecting with Your School

GRADE LEVEL: High School 10th -12th grades

ACSA STUDENT DOMAIN: Academic Domain & Personal/ Social Development Domain

Standard:

Academic Domain
Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to effective
learning in school and across the life span.
Standard B: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose
from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college.
Standard C: Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to
life at home and in the community.

Personal/Social Development Domain

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them
understand and respect self and others.
Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals
Standard C: Students will understand safety and survival skills.

Competency:
A:A2 Acquire Skills for Improving Learning
A:A3 Achieve School Success
A:B1 Improve Learning
A:B2 Plan to Achieve Goals
A:C1 Relate School to Life Experiences

PS:A1 Acquire Self-knowledge

PS:A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills
PS:B1 Self-knowledge Application
PS:C1 Acquire Personal Safety Skills

Indicator:
A:A2.3 Use communications skills to know when and how to ask for help
when needed
A:A2.4 Apply knowledge and learning styles to positively influence
school performance
A:A3.1 Take responsibility for their actions
 A:A3.2 Demonstrate the ability to work independently, as well as the
ability to work cooperatively with other students
A:A3.3 Develop a broad range of interests and abilities
A:A3.4 Demonstrate dependability, productivity and initiative
A:A3.5 Share knowledge
A:B1.3 Apply the study skills necessary for academic success at each level
A:B1.4 Seek information and support from faculty, staff, family and peers
A:B1.5 Organize and apply academic information from a variety of
sources
A:B2.5 Use problem-solving and decision-making skills to assess progress
toward educational goals
A:B2.6 Understand the relationship between classroom performance and
success in school
A:C1.1 Demonstrate the ability to balance school, studies, extracurricular
activities, leisure time and family life
A:C1.2 Seek co-curricular and community experiences to enhance the
school experience

PS:A1.1 Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy

person
PS:A1.2 Identify values, attitudes and beliefs
PS:A1.9 Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups
PS:A1.10 Identify personal strengths and assets
PS:A2.6 Use effective communications skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and
nonverbal behavior
PS:A2.8 Learn how to make and keep friends
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:B1.5 Demonstrate when, where and how to seek help for solving
problems and making decisions
PS:C1.5 Differentiate between situations requiring peer support and
situations requiring adult professional help
PS:C1.6 Identify resource people in the school and community, and know
how to seek their help

Mindsets: Sense of belonging in the school environment

Positive attitude toward work and learning

Behaviors:
Learning Strategies
Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions
Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions
Participate in enrichment and extracurricular activities
Self-Management Skills
Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem
Demonstrate the ability to balance school, home and community activities
Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and
responsibilities

Social Skills
Create positive and supportive relationships with other students
Create relationships with adults that support success
Use effective collaboration and cooperation skills
Use leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse teams
Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary
Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment

GOAL/LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Students will learn the resources made available to them at John OConnell High School.
The goal of this program is to assist new transfer students in developing positive
relationships with fellow students and teachers.
They will learn about all the programs the school offers all students in academics, extra-
curricular activities, and student support services.
For students to establish connections with students and staff and experience a better
school connectedness and have a positive educational experience.

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR LESSON:

Pre and Post School Connectedness Survey
Paper
Writing Utensil
Various school resource flyers from sports, clubs, and student support services.
Student Scavenger Hunt Worksheet

STRATEGIES/PROCEDURES TO DELIVER LESSON:

Icebreaker: Concentric Circles (5 min)
o Have the students arrange themselves in an inside circle and an outside circle, the
inside facing out, forming pairs. Pairs discuss their answers to a getting-to-know-
you question, then rotate for the next question, forming a new partnership.
o Example of open ended questions to ask the group:
Do you play any sports? If so, which ones?
Do you consider yourself shy or outgoing? Why?
What was the last movie you saw? Did you like it?
Describe your perfect dinner.
What would you do with a million dollars?
What is one thing youre good at?
 Distribute Pre-test survey (APPENDIX A) (5 min)

Activity #1: Identifying Your Needs (7-10 min)

o In a silent writing exercise, students will write freely about what they personally
need to succeed in their high school career. Students will answer three questions;
What do you need to be emotionally healthy? What do you need to be physically
healthy? What do you need to be intellectually healthy?

Discussion: Have students share their responses and discuss any common themes.
(7-10 min)

Activity #2: Scavenger Hunt (APPENDIX B) (8 min)

o Display all the resource flyers around the room. Distribute the scavenger hunt
handout to all the students. Give the students approximately 8 minutes to walk
around the room to answer the questions on the handout.
Wrap Up: Spend the last two minutes to debrief and answer any questions the students
may have about programs and resources offered at the school.
Distribute Post Test after the first month of school.

RESULTS DATA COLLECTED:

Process Data (Projected number of students affected)
Perception Data (Collect pre/post data from at least two questions)
Outcome Data (Identify if it is achievement or behavioral data and how it is to be collected; if
no Outcome Data is being collected, delete the words Outcome Data)
 Appendix A: School Connectedness Pre- Post Test
Using the following scale, circle the number that indicates what is true for you at this moment:
1 = not at all, 2 = a little bit, 3 = somewhat, 4 = very much, 5 = extremely

1. I feel a part of my school community.

1 2 3 4 5

2. I am happy to be at this school.

1 2 3 4 5

3. I am treated fairly by teachers at this school.

1 2 3 4 5

4. I get along with my fellow students.

1 2 3 4 5

5. Please list student organizations/clubs that you are aware are offered at this school.

____________________ ____________________ ____________________

____________________ ____________________ ____________________

6. Circle all the Upper Division Labs offered at our school.

Environmental Technology Culinary/ Entrepreneurship

Building and Construction Trades Fashion

7. Maria is feeling stressed about completing her personal statement and college
applications. They are due soon and she still has a lot of work to complete. Who should
she go to for support in the school? Circle all that apply.

Teacher School Counselor

Afterschool Program Wellness Center

8. Since Sams grandmother died he has been sad and depressed instead of his usual upbeat
self. His friends have noticed he hasnt been eating at school and looks unhealthy. Who
should he go for support in the school? Circle all that apply.

Teacher School Counselor

Afterschool Program Wellness Center

 Appendix B: Student Scavenger Hunt

1. What is the name of your grade level counselor? _________________________________

2. List the four Upper Division Labs offered at this school.

____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________

Which one are you most interested in pursuing? __________________________________

3. Who do you contact if you want to start a club? __________________________________

4. List three clubs you would like to learn more about?

____________________ ____________________ ____________________

5. Where do you go if you need help with career or college planning? _________________

6. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed about school or life where do you go to

get help?

____________________

7. Where can you get academic support? _________________________________________

8. Name one community organization that collaborates with the school. ________________