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Counselor Connection

Lesson Plan

Counselor Connection Lesson Plan

Students will meet their school counselor, learn about academic, career, and social-emotional support services, and complete aligned pre- and post-surveys to reflect on their understanding and build trust.

Familiarizing 8th graders with counseling services fosters trust, encourages help-seeking behavior, and aligns with ASCA standards to support academic success, career readiness, and social-emotional development.

Audience

8th Grade Middle School Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive intro, surveys, presentation, and handout activity

Materials

Counselor Connection Pre-Survey, Counselor Connection Post-Survey, Counselor Connection Introduction Slides, Counseling Services Overview Handout, Projector, and Whiteboard and Markers

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Introductions

5 minutes

  • Greet students as they enter.
  • Introduce the school counselor and yourself.
  • Conduct a quick icebreaker: ask students to guess three things a school counselor does.

Step 2

Administer Pre-Survey

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Counselor Connection Pre-Survey.
  • Explain that responses are confidential and will guide support.
  • Allow students time to complete the survey individually.

Step 3

Counselor Services Presentation

15 minutes

  • Use Counselor Connection Introduction Slides to outline counseling services.
  • Discuss academic, career, and social-emotional support roles.
  • Invite questions and share examples of when to seek support.

Step 4

Handout Activity

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Counseling Services Overview Handout.
  • In pairs, students highlight two services they find most helpful.
  • Groups share highlights and discuss how they might use these services.

Step 5

Administer Post-Survey and Wrap-Up

10 minutes

  • Hand out the Counselor Connection Post-Survey.
  • Clarify any survey questions and allow time to complete.
  • Collect surveys and invite final questions.
  • Thank students and remind them how to schedule future visits.
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Slide Deck

Counselor Connection

Building Trust for Your Academic, Career, and Social-Emotional Growth

Welcome everyone! Today we’ll explore how I can support you. Use this slide to introduce the session and set a positive tone.

Today’s Agenda

• Meet Your School Counselor
• Academic Support Services
• Career Readiness Resources
• Social-Emotional Support
• Questions & Next Steps

Briefly walk students through what you’ll cover in the presentation portion.

Meet Your School Counselor

Name: Ms. Riley Jones
Office: Room 212 (next to the library)
Office Hours: Lunch & Study Hall
Passion: Helping students succeed and feel supported

Share your name, role, and background. Connect personally by mentioning something you enjoy about working with 8th graders.

Academic Support

• One-on-one goal setting and study plans
• Study skills workshops and time management tips
• Course selection guidance and transcript reviews
• Parent-teacher collaboration for academic success

Explain how you help students improve grades, organization, and study strategies. Give an example of a study-skills workshop.

Career Readiness

• Career interest assessments and discussions
• College and trade school exploration
• Goal-setting for short- and long-term plans
• Scholarship and internship information

Describe tools for career exploration and share a success story of a student finding a passion.

Social-Emotional Support

• Individual counseling on stress, anxiety, or conflicts
• Small-group workshops on communication and self-esteem
• Conflict resolution and peer mediation
• Referrals to community resources when needed

Highlight the range of social-emotional services. Emphasize confidentiality and trust.

When to Seek Support

• Feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork or stress
• Having trouble with friends or social situations
• Unsure about future plans or next steps
• Facing changes at home or personal challenges

Present real-life scenarios to help students recognize when they might want to talk with you.

How to Connect

• Stop by Room 212 during lunch or study hall
• Complete a quick request form in the office
• Email me at rjones@school.edu
• Ask your homeroom teacher to help you schedule

Walk students through the steps to schedule an appointment or drop by your office. Show them where to find request forms.

Questions & Answers

What would you like to know about counseling services?

Feel free to share any concerns or ideas!

Encourage students to ask anything—no question is too small. Use this time to clear up confusion.

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Worksheet

Counseling Services Overview

Below is a summary of the support services your school counselor provides. Read through each category and think about which ones might benefit you.

Academic Support

  • One-on-one goal setting and study plans
  • Study skills workshops and time management tips
  • Course selection guidance and transcript reviews

Career Readiness

  • Career interest assessments and discussion
  • College and trade school exploration
  • Goal-setting for short- and long-term plans
  • Scholarship and internship information

Social-Emotional Support

  • Individual counseling on stress, anxiety, or conflicts
  • Small-group workshops on communication and self-esteem
  • Conflict resolution and peer mediation
  • Referrals to community resources when needed

Activity

  1. Services I find most helpfulService 1: _________________________________
    Why did I choose this service?





    Service 2: _________________________________
    Why did I choose this service?





  2. When might I use these services? Describe a situation or challenge where you could reach out for support.










  3. My questions or additional thoughts about counseling services:






     
     
    Remember: Your counselor is here to help you succeed academically, explore future goals, and support your well-being.
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Warm Up

Counselor Icebreaker

Time: 5 minutes
Purpose: Get students thinking about the role of the school counselor and spark curiosity for the lesson ahead.

Instructions:

  1. Think quietly and write down three things you believe a school counselor does to support students.Role 1: _________________________________



    Role 2: _________________________________



    Role 3: _________________________________


  2. Turn to a partner and take turns sharing your three roles.
  3. As a class, we’ll call out some of your ideas. The counselor will confirm which roles match real services and explain a bit more about each.

This quick activity helps us see what you already know and what you’re curious to learn about counseling support.

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Quiz

ASCA Pre-Survey

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Quiz

ASCA Post-Survey

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