Middle School Transition Lessons
Middle School Transitions:
Middle school students often have a hard time adjusting to the added responsibilities of middle school. In an effort to improve students’ organizational & study skills, the counselor will provide eight mini-lessons during regular WIN time once per six-day cycle during first quarter.
Additional academic support & intervention can be sought if students continue to struggle with organizational & study skills after first quarter.
Lesson #1: Developing & using a planner-- Students will review & discuss “9 Great Reasons to Use a Student Planner” & “Planner tips & tricks” Students will explore ways they can use their MacBook Airs to keep a planner, as well as other options for using a planner. The counselor will provide some paper options for those who prefer a hard copy. Students will be asked to commit to using their planner of choice until the next mini-lesson.
Lesson: Keeping a Planner
Planner Template #1- Daily Planner
Planner Template #2- Weekly Organizer
Planner Template #3- Weekly Planner
Planner Template #4- Homework Checklist
Lesson #2: Homework-- Students will determine an appropriate amount of time that they should spend doing homework per day. (70-80 minutes.) Students will brainstorm time when they can work on homework so that more of their out-of-school time can be used recreationally. Students will use an after-school scheduler to plan time for homework and other responsibilities first, and recreational activities after work has been done. Students will also identify a study space that they can complete work without distractions.
Lesson: Homework w/ After-School Scheduler
Lesson #3: Defining Priorities & Setting Goals-- Students will be shown a “Rock/Pebble/Water” analogy to compare to each day of their lives. Students will be asked to identify priorities in each category, and write a goal for each category using a ladder graphic organizer to outline actions to reach the goal.
Lesson: Defining Priorities & Setting Goals
Lesson #4: Interacting with Teachers-- Students will be asked to identify the best places to sit in a classroom to pay attention, and what they should do if they would like to be moved so that it is easier for them to pay attention. They will also review when it is appropriate to ask teachers questions, and why they should ask teachers questions to get help with school work. Students will also review strategies to help them focus if they are having a hard time paying attention in class.
Lesson: Interacting with Teachers (w/Answers)
Lesson #5: Reading Textbooks & Taking Notes-- Students will review strategies for taking notes & reading textbooks, and will get a cheat sheet to take with them to use in class to practice these strategies in real life. Students will also be introduced to graphic organizers and will be encouraged to use alternative note-taking strategies if traditional notes do not work for them.
Lesson: Reading Textbooks & Taking Notes
Graphic Organizers:
Lesson: Test Taking Strategies (w/Answers)
Lesson #7: Tracking Grades & Monitoring Goals-- Students will review how to check their grades on JMC and how to sign up if they are not already. Students will revisit their goals that they made earlier in the quarter to see if they are progressing toward their goals. If they are not reaching the goals, students should re-visit their goal sheets and identify what actions they have not done. Students who are still struggling with organizational issues should revisit weekly planners & after-school schedulers to get priorities back on track.
We will utilize resources from previous lessons. If you would like to set up JMC, contact the front office to get started.
Lesson #8: Self Care-- Students will review self-care and its effect on student performance. We will review food, exercise, and sleep as factors to consider for academic & school success through an activity where each student will need to identify whether or not an action is good or bad for themselves. Students will brainstorm additional ways to care for themselves.
Resources:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
Where’s My Stuff?
SOAR Study Skills
The Everything Guide to Study Skills
Middle school students often have a hard time adjusting to the added responsibilities of middle school. In an effort to improve students’ organizational & study skills, the counselor will provide eight mini-lessons during regular WIN time once per six-day cycle during first quarter.
Additional academic support & intervention can be sought if students continue to struggle with organizational & study skills after first quarter.
Lesson #1: Developing & using a planner-- Students will review & discuss “9 Great Reasons to Use a Student Planner” & “Planner tips & tricks” Students will explore ways they can use their MacBook Airs to keep a planner, as well as other options for using a planner. The counselor will provide some paper options for those who prefer a hard copy. Students will be asked to commit to using their planner of choice until the next mini-lesson.
Lesson: Keeping a Planner
Planner Template #1- Daily Planner
Planner Template #2- Weekly Organizer
Planner Template #3- Weekly Planner
Planner Template #4- Homework Checklist
Lesson #2: Homework-- Students will determine an appropriate amount of time that they should spend doing homework per day. (70-80 minutes.) Students will brainstorm time when they can work on homework so that more of their out-of-school time can be used recreationally. Students will use an after-school scheduler to plan time for homework and other responsibilities first, and recreational activities after work has been done. Students will also identify a study space that they can complete work without distractions.
Lesson: Homework w/ After-School Scheduler
Lesson #3: Defining Priorities & Setting Goals-- Students will be shown a “Rock/Pebble/Water” analogy to compare to each day of their lives. Students will be asked to identify priorities in each category, and write a goal for each category using a ladder graphic organizer to outline actions to reach the goal.
Lesson: Defining Priorities & Setting Goals
Lesson #4: Interacting with Teachers-- Students will be asked to identify the best places to sit in a classroom to pay attention, and what they should do if they would like to be moved so that it is easier for them to pay attention. They will also review when it is appropriate to ask teachers questions, and why they should ask teachers questions to get help with school work. Students will also review strategies to help them focus if they are having a hard time paying attention in class.
Lesson: Interacting with Teachers (w/Answers)
Lesson #5: Reading Textbooks & Taking Notes-- Students will review strategies for taking notes & reading textbooks, and will get a cheat sheet to take with them to use in class to practice these strategies in real life. Students will also be introduced to graphic organizers and will be encouraged to use alternative note-taking strategies if traditional notes do not work for them.
Lesson: Reading Textbooks & Taking Notes
Graphic Organizers:
- Story Pyramid
- Cause/Effect Chart
- KWL Chart
- ABC Brainstorming
- Sketching Vocabulary
- Concept Map/Web
- Sandwich Chart
Lesson: Test Taking Strategies (w/Answers)
Lesson #7: Tracking Grades & Monitoring Goals-- Students will review how to check their grades on JMC and how to sign up if they are not already. Students will revisit their goals that they made earlier in the quarter to see if they are progressing toward their goals. If they are not reaching the goals, students should re-visit their goal sheets and identify what actions they have not done. Students who are still struggling with organizational issues should revisit weekly planners & after-school schedulers to get priorities back on track.
We will utilize resources from previous lessons. If you would like to set up JMC, contact the front office to get started.
Lesson #8: Self Care-- Students will review self-care and its effect on student performance. We will review food, exercise, and sleep as factors to consider for academic & school success through an activity where each student will need to identify whether or not an action is good or bad for themselves. Students will brainstorm additional ways to care for themselves.
Resources:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
Where’s My Stuff?
SOAR Study Skills
The Everything Guide to Study Skills