Lesson 3 Theme: Academic Success Title:

Learning About Learning

School Counselor: Mary Beth McCormac
Activity: Classroom Lesson
Grade(s): 2
ASCA Mindsets: Academic

Behavior:
Self-confidence in ability to succeed
Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and
outcomes
Positive attitudes toward work and learning
Learning Strategies (LS)
LS Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning
Self-management (SM)
SM 3. Demonstrate ability to work independently
SM 6. Demonstrate ability to overcome barriers to learning
Social Skills (SS)
SS 1. Use effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills
SS 3. Create relationships with adults that support success
SS8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary
Standards for School Counseling Programs in Virginia Public Schools:
EA2 Understand the importance of individual effort, hard work, and
persistence
EA10 Recognize personal strengths and weaknesses related to learning
Arlington Public Schools:
A3.10 Evaluate individual effort, hard work, and persistence

Learning Objectives:
1 Adopt a growth mindset stretch your brain
2 Apply positive affect and thinking to learning
3 Identify personal strengths and weaknesses related to learning
Language Objectives:
1. Write a description of what areas are strengths and what areas need
improvement
Vocabulary:
Introduce important words that will help students understand the
lesson. Have students read mindset, persistence, challenge
Mindset- a particular way of thinking: a person's attitude or set of
opinions about something

Persistence- the quality that allows someone to continue doing

something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or
opposed by other people
Challenge- a difficult task or problem: something that is hard to do
Materials:
PowerPoint (back up Jacks Talent); Handout: Thumbs Up to Doing My
Best
Procedure:
Hook:
- Do you believe people are born with a certain level of intelligence and
that is as smart as they will be? Thumbs up, sideways, down
- Do you believe people are born with certain talents and those are the
only ones they can have? Thumbs up, sideways, down
Activity:
PowerPoint used as outline of discussion
Essential questions:
Read aloud
What do we need to do to learn?
How do we keep learning throughout our lives?
What are my personal strengths and weaknesses related to
learning?
Discuss each slide
Closure: Revisit learning objectives.
Connections Complete assignment to write about 2 strengths and challenges
Emphasize academic examples;
I read a lot of fiction; I want to read more non-fiction (long-term goal is
reading to learn not a grade or a score)
I know over 50 Spanish words; I want to be able to speak Spanish in
simple sentences (long-term goal is fluency in Spanish not an A in
Spanish on a Report Card)
Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected?
Process Data: Session documented on counselors calendar and log
submitted at end of month, enrollment (all students in grade level)

Perception Data: On handout for lessons, 95% of students identifying 2

strengths and challenges
Outcome Data: Attendance for the entire grade quarterly and annually.
Achievement-related and achievement data of students who are at-risk
based on report card grades
Follow Up: Assess if students who have trouble writing need to be
paired up with a peer that is willing to scribe or if any students could
not complete the handout need follow-up.
Citations:
Committee for Children. (2011). Second Step.
Deak, J. (2010). Your fantastic elastic brain. San Francisco, CA: Little Pickle
Press.
McCormac, M. E. (2015). Lesson Plan. Arlington, VA: Nottingham Elementary
School.