School Counseling Activity Plan

Assignment #1
Unit Title: Planning for the Future
Introduction: This unit is designed to present the importance of planning ahead for a students
education. Through these three classroom guidance lessons focusing on academic development,
freshmen in high school will be given the basic tools to stay on track, graduate, and attend the
best post-secondary option for their strengths and interests. The purpose of this lesson is to
educate 9th grade students on graduation requirements, the importance of understanding their
high school transcript, and the resources available to make a smart choice regarding postsecondary decisions. This unit should take place towards the beginning of the year over three
consecutive weeks, so students can understand how their GPA, even in 9th grade, can and will
affect their educational future. Students will most likely not know what a GPA is, and it is
necessary for them to understand it before the first marking period is over, because it can and
will affect their future. These sessions are designed to be conducted in 3 consecutive weeks
during an advisement period, or potentially condensed into one advisement session with
additional take home materials if there are significant time restraints.
ASCA Standards
Standard B: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose
from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college
A:B2.3 Develop and implement annual plan of study to maximize academic ability and
achievement
A:B2.4 Apply knowledge of aptitudes and interests to goal settings
A:B2.5 Use problem solving and decision-making skills to assess progress toward educational
goals
A:B2.6 Understand the relationship between classroom performance and success in school
Georgia Quality Core Curriculum Standards
Strand: B. Educational and Occupational Exploration
Topic: Understanding the relationship between educational achievement and career planning
Standard: Demonstrate how to apply academic and vocational skills to personal interests
Standard: Describe how education relates to the section of college majors, further
training, and/or entry into the job market
Integration and Inclusion
This unit would have to be adapted and changed to fit the needs of all the students in the school.
For ESOL students, I would look into finding a translator or working with their individual

teacher to teach the unit in their native tongue. I would incorporate additional resources for them
as well. For students with physical and learning disabilities, I would cater the unit towards their
individual needs. I would give them a variety of options for post-secondary opportunities. It
would also be appropriate to include some career exploration and potential openings for them.

Lesson 1: Graduation Requirements

Participants: High School; 9th grade
Materials Needed:
Handout: Graduation Requirements Pre-Test
School course description books or enrollment guides
List of Graduation Requirements
Mapping It Out Worksheet
Time Frame: 30-45 minutes
Description of Procedures:

Give instructions on how to complete the pre-test. Remind students that you are just
getting a feel for what they know already and by the end of the unit, they should learn
everything they need to know and more.
o Students can complete the pre-test individually or in small groups to foster
communication and teamwork
Counselor will facilitate a discussion based on the students answers. Have the students
explain their answers and create a dialogue discussing them.
Pass out each a Mapping It Out worksheet to each student
o Tell them to follow along with the discussion and fill in the appropriate boxes as
you go over requirements in each grade level
o Notify them that the middle and bottom section will be used at another time

Counselor will then go in to detail about the academic requirements for the following
year and then briefly discuss the requirements for the remaining years.
o Allow students to ask questions about the requirements
o Give students time to fill out specific requirements on their Mapping It Out
worksheets
Remind students about pre-requisite courses and importance of taking rigorous courses

Talk about class rank and when grades start to be important

Ask for final questions from students

Collect their Mapping It Out worksheets as they walk out the door, they will use them the
next time you come

Lesson 2: Evaluating Transcripts: What does a GPA mean?

Participants: High School; 9th grade
Materials Needed:
Copies of student transcripts and example transcripts from three made up students
Whiteboard, SMART Board, or other means to display the formula to calculate GPA including
the assigned values for letter grades
Handout: Evaluation of transcripts worksheet
Handout: Graduation Requirements Post-test
Time Frame: 30-45 minutes
Description of Procedures:

Welcome students to the second lesson of the three-part unit on Planning for their Future

Ask students if they know what a GPA is. Allow them to ask questions before you present
on what a GPA is.
o Put up the A-F Academic Scale and the assigned values for letter grades according
to GPA on the whiteboard or SMART board
o Explain to students that each numeric grade is assigned a number 0-4. Once you
add up the numeric values you take the average, or divide it by the number of
original grades you received
o Notify students that GPA is very important during high school and in the years
after high school.

GPA calculations start after their first semester in 9th grade, so it is very
important that they start off high school on a positive note
o Present to students that colleges look at GPA when accepting applications for
admissions. The higher the GPA, the more likely they will be admitted to the
college or university.
Show the average GPAs of the most recent freshman class at a variety of
colleges, universities, and technical schools
o Give an example of a child by writing it out on the board and doing the math with
the computer calculator
Ask students which schools the particular student should apply for

After doing an example, or two, together with the class. Pass out each students
individual transcript from their past 8th grade semester and the Graduation Requirements
Post-test
o The SMART Board or whiteboard should show the numeric values associated
with the letter grades and the average GPAs of the state colleges and universities
o Allow students to use their phones to complete the math.
o Collect the worksheets as students leave the classroom

Lesson 3: Develop a Personal Plan of Study

Participants: High School; 9th grade
Materials Needed:
Mapping It Out Worksheet
Computer (have students meet for this lesson in a computer lab)
Smartboard or whiteboard to write down directions and present information
Time Frame: 30-45 minutes
Description of Procedures:

List the career clusters on the whiteboard and briefly describe each cluster. Give the
students examples of the types of jobs each cluster has
Have students log in to their gacollege411 account at www.gacollege411.org
o If students have not created one yet, allow time for students to create an account

Click on the tab that says Career Planning

o Next, click on the first section titled Learn about yourself
o Now find the Career Cluster Survey
Tell students to complete this survey so they can determine which career
cluster would be most compatible with their interests
Give the students time to complete the survey. This should take about 10 minutes.
Remind students to stay on their results page till everyone is ready to move on.
When everyone has completed the survey, have the students click on Add to Portfolio
o Ask the students if this cluster describes them and their interests, if yes, have them
click on View careers in this cluster
o If the student does not resonate with this cluster walk around and see if any of
their other top rated clusters seems more like them.
If so, have them click on the graph to explore careers in their chosen
cluster
Ask the students to save 3 potential careers to their portfolio
o Be walking around to assist students with adding to portfolio
As students are adding the careers to their portfolio, pass out the Mapping It Out
Worksheet
o As students explore potential careers, have them write these potential careers in
the middle section of their Mapping It Out worksheets
Pass out Unit Survey
o Tell students that they do not have to write their name on the survey. You are just
trying to see what they liked and disliked about the unit, and ways it can be
improved for future students.
The Post Unit Survey is the ticket out the door. When students are done they can leave.

References
American School Counselor Association (2004). ASCA
National Standards for Students. Alexandria, VA: Author.
High School Unit and Lesson Plans. (n.d.). Retrieved February 06, 2016, from
https://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/guidance-counseling/curriculum/highschool-unit-and-lesson-plans
School Guidance and Counseling Standards. (2003, August 22). Retrieved February 9, 2016,

from https://www.georgiastandards.org/standards/GPS Support Docs/QCC Guidance 912.pdf

Appendix A

Graduation Requirements Pre/Post-Test

1.

_______ is the number of credits required to graduate from _____________________.

(my high school)

2.

____________________classes include English, math, science, social studies.

3.

________ credits are required in foreign language in order to graduate.

4.

An example of the fine arts is ______________________________________________.

5.

How many physical education classes are required for graduation? _________________

6.

G.P.A. is the acronym for _______________________________________________.

7.

When does the calculation of your high school G.P.A. begin? _________________

8.

What does class rank mean? ______________________________________________

9.
High School Transcripts begin with courses at the _________________ grade level.
(This question will be added in the post-test)
10. My 8th grade GPA was _______________. Based on this I should apply to:
_______________________________________________________________.

Printed name
______________________________________________________________________
First
MI
Last
_________________________________
Signature

Appendix B

Mapping Out Your Personal Plan of Study

Freshman Year (9th Grade)

Junior Year (11th Grade)

Units

Units

Subject

Subject

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________
Career Cluster You Identify
with according to
Gacollege411:
______________________
3 Potential Career Paths

Sophomore Year (10th Grade)

Senior Year (12th Grade)

Units

Units

Subject

____ ________________
____ ________________

Education/training
required:

Subject

____ ________________
____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

____ ________________

What are some key school or communitybased clubs, organizations, or activities

will help you on your way?

Where can you gain more information

about your ultimate career goals and the
requirements needed to achieve that
goal?

Who can give you support and

encouragement when you get
lost?

Appendix C:
Planning for the Future Post Unit Survey
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5-strongly agree, 4-agree, 3-neither agree nor disagree, 2-disagree,
and 1-strongly disagree, please circle the number that corresponds to your experience while
participating in Planning for the Future Unit
(1) I understand how to begin a plan for my academic future
1

(2) I am able to match my passions and interests to a future career

1

(3) The information given to me was helpful, informative, and interesting

1

(4) I am more aware of how my performance in the classroom affects my success post-high
school
1

(5) This unit helped me formulate a long-term career goal

1

(6) I have the tools and resources available to reach my post-secondary goals
1

(7) This unit would be helpful to other students in my school

1

What did you like best about the unit?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What could the counselor improve on to make the unit more interesting or helpful to future
students?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your feedback! I enjoyed getting to work with you for the past three lessons.
My door is always open for you!