Guidance Counselor Resources

Elementary

Building a Positive School Environment - empower students to be responsible and caring members of our school community
Counseling and Guidance Lesson Plans - lessons K-12
Effective Character Education - Eleven principles that serve as criteria schools and other groups can use to plan a character education effort and to evaluate available character education programs, books, and curriculum resources.
Elementary & Middle School Guidance Lesson Plans - some dead links but worth a look
Elementary Counseling Classroom Units - classroom guidance units split up by Kindergarten through 2nd Grade, 3rd through 4th grade and 5th through 6th grade.
Elementary Curriculum Lesson Plans - from the Tucson Unified School District
Giraffe Heroes Project - people who are willing to stick their necks out and take responsibility for solving tough problems, on the planet and on the block
Indiana Classroom Guidance Lessons - K-12
School Counselor - Lesson Plans Sorted by Title
School Counselor Resources - many ideas, lessons and activities
Student Developmental Issues - Four articles about development of children and adolescents

Secondary

Adolescent - Social Skills for Middle School Students - Lesson plans
Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker...what will my next career be? - WebQuest
Career Activities and Vocational Lesson Plans - interactive sites providing online activities and lessons plans relating to career exploration, career decision making and career guidance
Career Development and Guidance - worksheets, handouts and workbooks
Career Preparation Curriculum - students will explore a variety of career options, identify their interests and abilities, and ultimately make informed decisions regarding postsecondary training and/or educational programs that are necessary to fulfill their career goals
Career Portfolio - answers the questions; what is a portfolio, and why are professionals using them
Class activities about the work place - ideas for classes and workshops about work and family issues. You will find suggestions for class exercises, case studies, talking points, PowerPoint slides, and publications recommended for further reading.
Counseling and Guidance Lesson Plans - lessons K-12
Dictionary Of Occupational Titles - complete Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) as supplied electronically by the US Dept. of Labor
Entrepreneurs in the Classroom: M.Y.O.B. Spells Success - article and curriculum
Guidance Lesson Plans - grades 9-12
How to Choose a Major for College - The more information you have about yourself, majors and careers, the easier it is to choose a major
Middle School Counseling Classroom Units/Lessons - topics include drug alcohol prevention, conflict management, bully prevention and using courage in positive ways
My First Resume - practice filling out this kid-friendly resume
Online Career Assessment Tools - select those that are free from a big list of assessment tools
Planning for Life After High School - planning curriculum for students 6th through 12th grade
Test of Workplace Skills - practice three Essential Skills needed in all types of occupations
Vocational Education Lesson Plans - from Education World
What Do I Want To Be When I'm Older? - Lesson plan
What Will You DO With Your Life? - Webquest - explore career possibilities and prepare for a 20 year class reunion

Individual Lesson Plans by Topic

Community and Diversity
1. Elementary
  1. Coming Together - This exercise is about space and the visualization of three-dimensional space. It is also metaphorically about developing communities.
  2. Cultural Banners - create a "cultural banner" expressing values, traditions, activities, and places important in their families
  3. Exploring Stereotypes: First Thoughts - general statements about a group of people based on incomplete information
  4. Exploring Students' Similarities and Differences - whole spectrum of differences among people, especially the ones subject to bias
  5. Good Apples - respect and accept individual differences
  6. Reading to End Racism - activities for elementary school
  7. Think Differently - encourage dialogue among children with differing opinions
Drug Abuse
1. "The Dangers of Drug Abuse" - [grades 4-7] Students this age should understand that they will be faced with a variety of decisions regarding their health, and that some of them might involve substances of abuse
Feelings
1. Elementary
  1. Emotion Walk - Get the students thinking about moving their bodies, and about clearly understanding the ways their bodies can move, and the ways they do move in various situations
  2. Feelings Charade - help open up communication with and among students about their feelings
  3. The Heart Story - encourages students to consider the effect of "put-downs" and to think about how to express "put-ups"
  4. Listening Well - [grades 3-5] being able to listen to people well is an important skill that can help us prevent conflicts and solve conflicts that do happen in a way that leaves everybody satisfied
  5. Life, Loss and Grief - [grades K-2] Unit plan Masters of Disaster: In the Aftermath [by the American National Red Cross]
  6. Life, Loss and Grief - [grades 3-5] Unit plan Masters of Disaster: In the Aftermath ; by the American National Red Cross
  7. Social Emotional Learning - Lesson grade(s) K-1; Coping Skills: Anger/Frustration Management Awareness/Expression of Feelings
    Problem Solving
  8. Social Skills for Elementary School Children: Hot Frogs Activity - activity used in groups to assist elementary school children in identifying and naming feelings
  9. The Solution Square: Strategies for Conflict Resolution - uses literature as a springboard for learning about conflict-resolution strategies
2. Middle/ High School
  1. Adolescent - Social Skills for Middle School Students - lesson plans
  2. Brain-Based Learning and Feelings - a reading passage, a KWLH chart and an anticipation/reaction chart for questions before and after the reading
  3. Emotions and Feelings - enhance student’s oral and social skills using EPAL, Telecollaboration, by communicating their feelings and emotions with other students around the world.
  4. I-Messages and the Assertiveness Line - useful in dealing with problems that come up with friends and family, people who are likely to care about our feelings
  5. Managing Feelings - categorize coping strategies as positive, negative, neutral and time-out behaviors
  6. Metaphors for Expressing Feelings - examine how feelings are described and expressed in a poem
Friendship, Kindness, and Belonging
1. Elementary
  1. The ABCDE Approach - Problem solving; what to do in situations
  2. "Antsy" for Others - [K-2] gain an understanding of respect for themselves and others
  3. Art for the Common Good: Junkanoo! - [3-5] examine how group dynamics work, especially when minority rights need to be protected
  4. Be strong, be mean, or give in? - [3-5] decide how to balance their own interests in relation to the interests of other people
  5. Forgiving - [K-2] explore idea of forgiving people who have hurt you .
  6. Friendship - Uses Eric Carle's Do You Want to Be My Friend? to teach about friendship
  7. Friendship and Belonging - [K-2] - foster healthy friendships and belonging among their peers
  8. Friendship Flowers - discussing friends and the good qualities that a friend should posses
  9. Friendship Unit - Scroll to Unit two; many lessons to select from
  10. Friendship Unit - [K-2] poems and songs
  11. "K" is for Kind - recognize acts of kindness through reading and language experiences and to encourage children to share acts of kindness with someone special.
  12. Kindness - list of multimedia art activities that can be used to explore the theme of kindnesslist of multimedia art activities that can be used to explore the theme of kindness
  13. Kindness - collection of lesson plans will help your students gain experience in giving and receiving kindness
  14. Living the Dream: 100 Acts of Kindness - [K-2] allows students to participate in Dr. King’s dream by doing 100 acts of kindness
2. Middle / High School
  1. Advise and Consent - understand the concept of limiting power in governmental decision-making
Personal Safety Skills
1. Bike Saftey Word Search - bike saftey words
2. Fire Safety - songs and activities
3. Food Safety from Farm to Fork -This unit provides fifth through seventh graders a better understanding of food safety through real-life examples and enjoyable activities.
4. Prevent Wildfires - [K-6] how wildfires start and how to help prevent wildfires
5. Safety Tips With Officer Buckle and Gloria - help students develop awareness of themselves and their surroundings
6. Smarty Electric Safety - coloring book to print with safety tips about electricity
7. Strangers - [K-1] dangers of going with strangers
8. Middle School
  1. Be Smart, Be Safe! - (middle school) Lesson Plan
Relate School to Life Experiences - relationship of academics to the world of work, and to life at home and in the community
1. Talents and Jobs – They Are RELATED! - find out what you like and are good at before deciding what type of job you would like
2. Time Management -
  1. "It's About Time" - [grades 3-8] Students develop an appreciation of time by comparing and contrasting time to money, and understand how to “budget their time” wisely.
  2. Time Management Game - game board
Self Knowledge and Interpersonal Skills - Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.
1. Respect
  1. Elementary
    1. Property: Ownership, Respect, and Responsibility - [K-2] people's property needs to be respected and the use of property involves responsibility
    2. Respecting Differences - observe that people, even friends, may disagree in their opinions
    3. What is Respect? - [K-2] technology integrated lesson
  2. Middle/ High School
    1. Character Education - Respect for Self, Property, Others and The Environment - unit on respect for self, property, others and the environment, an essential quality of good character. Students will apply research skills, open-ended discussions, keyboarding skills, digital photography, and cooperative learning experiences to investigate and internalize the meaning of respect
    2. Teaching Social Responsibility - learn skills to help them work productively in a group, as well as skills in organizing, problem-solving, consensus-building and decision-making
  2. Self Esteem Resources
Self Knowledge Applications - make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals

"Making Money" - directs students to set goals and strive for something they may want

Stress
1. "Benefits of Exercise" - Exercise can reduce the effects of stress, stimulate brain activity, regulate some health concerns, and give us an overall appearance of well-being.
2. Bag it - [3-5] Stress has a major effect on feelings
3. Unexpressed Emotions - understand how reactions to an event can cause feelings of stress