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Counselor Connection Quest

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Lesson Plan

Counselor Connection Lesson Plan

Students will meet the school counselor, learn about the counselor’s role, and build rapport through a collaborative ice-breaker, so they understand how and when to seek support.

Building an early connection with the counselor creates a welcoming environment, fosters trust, and encourages students to seek support, boosting emotional well-being and academic success.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive introduction and team-building activity.

Materials

Prep

Review Materials and Setup

10 minutes

Step 1

Welcome and Introduction

5 minutes

  • Greet students warmly and introduce yourself as the school counselor.
  • Present an overview of your role using the Counselor Introduction Slide Deck.
  • Explain how you support students’ academic, social, and emotional needs.

Step 2

Role Exploration

5 minutes

  • Ask students what they think a school counselor does; record responses on the board.
  • Clarify common misconceptions and highlight examples of counselor support.
  • Invite questions and note ideas on sticky notes for later reference.

Step 3

Ice-Breaker Team-Building Activity

15 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups and distribute Counselor Ice-Breaker Prompt Cards.
  • Set a timer (2 minutes per card) for students to discuss prompts such as “Share a hobby” or “Your favorite school subject.”
  • After each round, groups share one interesting fact about a teammate with the class to foster connections.

Step 4

Wrap-Up and Reflection

5 minutes

  • Summarize the counselor’s role and key takeaways from the activity.
  • Remind students how to reach you and reinforce that support is always available.
  • Collect sticky notes and ask students to write one thing they learned or feel comfortable asking about.
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Slide Deck

Welcome, 7th Graders!

Hello! I’m Ms. Smith, your school counselor. Today we’ll get to know each other, explore my role, and have a fun team-building activity so you know how I can support you.

Welcome everyone! Smile and introduce yourself. Say your name, pronouns if you like, and share one fun fact about yourself to set a friendly tone.

What Does a School Counselor Do?

• Academic support (study strategies, goal-setting)
• Social guidance (friendships, conflict resolution)
• Emotional support (handling stress & feelings)
• Group workshops (e.g., stress management)

Ask students to shout out ideas when you reveal each bullet. Engage them with quick examples: e.g., “Who needs help studying for a big test?”

Services I Offer

• One-on-one meetings
• Small group sessions
• Crisis & safety support
• College & career planning
• Peer mediation

Briefly describe each service. For peer mediation, explain how you train students to help classmates resolve conflicts.

How to Reach Me

Location: Room 102 (next to the library)

Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Email: counselor@school.edu

Sign-up sheet & appointment request outside my door

Emphasize that everything discussed is confidential (with safety exceptions). Explain how to sign up for an appointment using the sheet or online form.

Team-Building Ice-Breaker

  1. Form groups of 4–5 students
  2. Each group gets a prompt card
  3. Discuss the prompt for 2 minutes
  4. Rotate cards and repeat
  5. Each group shares one fun fact with the class

Explain the ice-breaker steps clearly. Model one round if time allows, then hand out prompt cards and start the timer.

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Activity

Counselor Ice-Breaker Prompt Cards

Print and cut apart these 12 prompt cards. Distribute one card per group at a time. After 2 minutes of discussion, groups pass their card to the next group and draw a new one.

  1. Share one of your favorite hobbies and explain why you enjoy it.


  2. What is your favorite school subject and what makes it interesting to you?


  3. Describe a book, movie, or TV show you recently enjoyed and why.


  4. Name one place you’d love to visit and something you’d like to do there.


  5. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?


  6. Share one goal you have for this school year.


  7. What is one of your proudest accomplishments so far?


  8. Describe your ideal weekend. What activities would you do?


  9. Share one thing that always makes you laugh or smile.


  10. If you could learn any new skill instantly, what would it be and why?


  11. What is your favorite way to relax after a busy day?


  12. Share one thing you appreciate about your school or community.


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Cool Down

Exit Ticket Reflection

Name: ________________________ Date: ________________


  1. What is one thing you learned today about the counselor’s role?





  2. How comfortable do you feel asking the counselor for help?

    ○ Very comfortable ○ Somewhat comfortable ○ Not comfortable


  3. Share one thing you feel more confident about after today’s session.





  4. Write one question or thought you still have about the counselor or their services.





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