Lesson Plan
Students will meet the school counselor, understand the principle of confidentiality, learn to set SMART goals, and explore the Word of the Month, empowering them with trust-building and personal growth skills.
Building trust with the counselor and teaching confidentiality supports students’ emotional safety. SMART goal-setting fosters planning skills. Introducing a Word of the Month expands vocabulary and encourages positive behavior.
Audience
4th Grade Students
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive slides, scenario discussions, guided worksheets, and group sharing.
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print enough copies of the Confidentiality Scenarios Worksheet and SMART Goals Planning Sheet for each student.
- Queue up the Meet Your Counselor Slides on the classroom display.
- Post the Word-of-the-Month Poster in a visible area.
- Review definitions and examples of confidentiality, SMART goals, and the chosen word of the month.
Step 1
Introduction & Icebreaker
10 minutes
- Welcome students and introduce the school counselor using the Meet Your Counselor Slides.
- Icebreaker: "Two Truths and a Wish"—students share two true facts about themselves and one wish, counselor models first.
- Emphasize that the counselor is here to help and listen.
Step 2
Confidentiality Discussion
10 minutes
- Define confidentiality: information shared with the counselor stays private, with exceptions (safety concerns).
- Distribute the Confidentiality Scenarios Worksheet.
- In pairs, students read scenarios and decide if confidentiality applies; discuss why or why not.
- Share out a couple of examples whole-class.
Step 3
SMART Goals Mini-Lesson
15 minutes
- Introduce the SMART acronym (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) with a sample goal on the board.
- Distribute the SMART Goals Planning Sheet.
- Guide students to write their own SMART goal (academic, social, or personal).
- Circulate to support and provide feedback.
Step 4
Word of the Month Activity
5 minutes
- Reveal the Word of the Month on the Word-of-the-Month Poster.
- Read the definition and use the word in a sentence.
- Quick turn-and-talk: students share a sentence using the word.
Step 5
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket
5 minutes
- Ask volunteers to share one thing they learned about confidentiality and one SMART goal they wrote.
- Collect exit tickets: on a sticky note, students write their SMART goal and use the Word of the Month in one sentence.
- Remind students the counselor’s door is always open.
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Slide Deck
Meet Your School Counselor
Hello, I’m Ms. Rivera, your school counselor!
• I’m here to listen and help you solve problems.
• I support your academic, social, and emotional growth.
• Today we’ll play an icebreaker and learn some new skills.
Welcome students! Introduce yourself as the school counselor. Explain that today you’ll get to know each other and learn how I can help you.
Talking Points:
- My name and role at the school
- What school counselors do (listening, problem-solving, goal-setting support)
- Emphasize that my door is always open
Icebreaker: Two Truths and a Wish
- Think of two true facts about yourself.
- Think of one wish (something you’d like to learn or do).
- Share all three; classmates guess which is the wish.
Explain the icebreaker rules and model how to play. Encourage students to share safely and listen respectfully.
Script:
“Let’s play ‘Two Truths and a Wish.’ You’ll tell two true things about yourself and one wish you have. I’ll go first!”
What Is Confidentiality?
• Confidentiality means keeping your information private.
• You can trust me to listen without telling others.
• Exception: If you or someone else is not safe, I must tell to keep everyone safe.
Introduce confidentiality in kid-friendly language. Stress that it helps build trust, but safety comes first.
Script:
“Confidentiality means I keep what you share private. The only time I have to tell someone else is if you or someone is in danger.”
Confidentiality Scenarios
In pairs, read each story.
• Decide: Is it confidential?
• Discuss your reasons.
Get ready to share one example with the class.
Guide students through the upcoming worksheet activity. Explain they’ll read short stories and decide if they should stay private.
Prompt:
“Work with a partner. For each scenario: Should I keep it confidential? Why or why not?”
What Are SMART Goals?
S – Specific: What exactly will you do?
M – Measurable: How will you know you did it?
A – Achievable: Is it something you can do?
R – Relevant: Does it matter to you?
T – Time-bound: When will you finish?
Introduce SMART goals. Break down each letter and give a simple example (e.g., read for 15 minutes each day).
Script:
“A SMART goal is one you can plan and achieve. Let’s look at what SMART stands for.”
Write Your Own SMART Goal
- Choose a goal topic (e.g., reading, math, kindness).
- Fill in each SMART box on your sheet.
- Check: Is it specific? Measurable? Achievable? Relevant? Time-bound?
Explain how students will use the planning sheet to write their own goal. Circulate and help refine goals so they meet all SMART criteria.
Prompt:
“Write one SMART goal – it can be about school, friends, or personal growth.”
Word of the Month
Empathy (noun):
The ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
Use in a sentence: “I showed empathy when I listened to my friend.”
Reveal the Word of the Month. Read its definition and use it in a sentence. Encourage students to think of their own example.
Script:
“Our Word of the Month is ‘Empathy’ – understanding how others feel.”
Turn & Talk
Share one sentence with your partner using the Word of the Month:
“Empathy”
Prompt students to turn and talk using the word. Circulate and listen for correct usage.
Prompt:
“Turn to your partner and share one sentence using ‘empathy.’”
Wrap-Up & Reminder
• One thing I learned about confidentiality:
• One SMART goal I wrote:
Remember: You can visit me anytime you need help.
Wrap up the lesson and remind students they can always visit the counselor. Collect exit tickets and thank them for their participation.
Script:
“Great work today! Remember, my door is always open if you need to talk.”
Worksheet
Confidentiality Scenarios Worksheet
Instructions: Read each scenario below. Then answer the questions about confidentiality.
1. Scenario:
You tell the counselor you’re worried about the math test tomorrow because you didn’t study enough.
a) Should this be kept confidential? (Yes / No)
b) Why or why not?
2. Scenario:
A classmate tells the counselor that they want to hurt themselves because they’ve been feeling very sad for a long time.
a) Should this be kept confidential? (Yes / No)
b) Why or why not?
3. Scenario:
A student shares with the counselor that they saw a friend planning to bring a knife to school to scare someone.
a) Should this be kept confidential? (Yes / No)
b) Why or why not?
4. Scenario:
You tell the counselor that your pet died yesterday and you feel really sad about losing them.
a) Should this be kept confidential? (Yes / No)
b) Why or why not?
When you’ve finished, be ready to share one example and explain your reasoning with the class.
Worksheet
SMART Goals Planning Sheet
Instructions: Use this template to write your own SMART goal. Answer each question to make sure your goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
1. Specific: What exactly do I want to accomplish?
2. Measurable: How will I know I’ve achieved my goal? What will I count or track?
3. Achievable: What steps will I take to reach this goal? Do I have what I need?
4. Relevant: Why is this goal important to me? How does it help me grow?
5. Time-bound: When will I complete this goal? What is my deadline?
My SMART Goal Statement
Write your goal in one clear sentence, including all parts of SMART.
Be ready to share your SMART goal with the class!
Activity
Word of the Month Poster
Word: Empathy
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: The ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
Example Sentence:
“I showed empathy when I listened to my friend.”
Your Turn!
Write your own sentence using empathy:
Hang this poster in the classroom and revisit it during discussions and activities to reinforce the importance of empathy in our school community!