Success Skills Group: Introduction

Group Session 1
Objectives: By the end of the session, members will be able to:
Explain the purpose of the weekly group
Check their grades online
Monitor their academic progress
ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain
o A:A1.1 Articulate feelings of competence and confidence as learners
o A:A1.5 Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning
o A:A3.1 Take responsibility for their actions
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success:
Category 1: Mindset Standards
o Mindset 2: Self-confidence in ability to succeed
o Mindset 6: Positive attitude toward work and learning
Category 2: Behavior Standards
o Self-Management Skills 2: Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control
Materials:
Group agreements
Group attendance sheet
Success Skills survey
Students goals & transcripts in folders
Grades graph sheets
Pencils & colored pencils
Computers (use lab?) or grades print out
1. Opening (5-10 minutes)
Welcome members to the group
As students are coming in (may be at slightly different times) ask them to quietly fill out the survey
Explain purpose of the group
o We are here for different reasons, but all of us want to improve in some area of school such as
our grades or behavior or getting prepared for high school (remember NOT to say they are all
here because of low grades, because that technically breaks confidentiality)
o We are here to help you improve through helping you check your grades and monitoring your
progress every week, and also helping you
2. Icebreaker Names & Ball of Questions (10 minutes)
Names: Go around the circle and ask everyone to share their name and a food they like. Ask group
members to do their best to listen to one anothers names, because theyll use names for the next
activity. One group leader starts first to model.
Ball of Questions: Explain that the ball has many questions listed to answer you will all take turns
tossing the ball to group members, and answer the question that lands closest to your right thumb.
Before you throw the ball to one another you have to say their name. If you forget, you can ask them

3. Group Expectations (5 minutes)

Now that group members know one another we want to set some expectations for our weekly meetings.
The Potter 3 Rs are to be ready, respectful, and responsible. What will that look like and sound like
when we are all meeting together?
Help students decide on expectations and ask them to write them down. Remember to include
confidentiality (and you can phrase it/write it down differently, as long as the concept is there)
Ask all members to sign
4. Check Grades & Grades Graph + Goals (15)
Explain that students are going to logon to check and graph their grades. Ask reasons why they think
this is important. Hand out their folders and ask them to quietly walk to a computer to logon, and
monitor as they are checking grades and graphing. If they notice missing assignments they can write
them down in their planner.
As they finish, ask students to take out their goal sheet and assess their progress this week.
If students finish earlier than others, ask students who do finish to fill in this sentence frame on the back
of their paper: One action I took towards my goal this week is _______________________.
5. Closure (3 minutes)
Go around: One action I took towards my goal this week is _______________________.
Thank students for attending
Remind students that Ms. Duarte will meet with them next week to check their grades

Success Skills Group: Negative Self Talk

Group Session 2

Objectives: By the end of the session, members will be able to:

Monitor their academic progress
Explain ways to reduce negative self-talk in order to produce higher self-esteem.
ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain
o A:A1.3 Take pride in work and achievement
Personal/Social Development Domain
o PS:A1.1 Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success
Category 1: Mindset Standards
o Mindset Standard 2: Self-confidence in ability to succeed
Materials:
Group agreements
Group attendance sheet
Students goals & transcripts in folders
Grades graph sheets
Pencils & colored pencils

Computers (use lab?) or grades print out

1. Opening (5minutes)
Welcome members to the group.
Review names name game
Remind students of purpose of the group & review group expectations
2. Grades Graph & Goals (15minutes)
Students check grades online & graph current percentages
Fill out goals sheet & weekly goal reflection
Discuss as a group
o Where are you at with your goal this week?
o What is one thing you are proud of?
Remind students of promotion criteria
3. Discussion (5 minutes)
Introduce the concept of negative self-talk. Explain to the participants that what they believe about
themselves is very important and can end up being true for them.
For example if they believe they are not good at something they are likely to behave accordingly.
Connect this concept to the idea of academic achievement.
4. Activity: Erasing the Negative Self-Talk (Adapted from Tearing Off Labels from the Why Try
Curriculum) (15 minutes)
Give each participant a sheet of paper and tell them to make a list of negative things they have thought
about themselves (or negative things others have said about them).
While the students are making their lists explain to them that negative thoughts have a way of piling up
on us. If our lists get too long it can feel as if there is no way to get out from under the negativity.
After a few minutes have each student share one thing they have written.
Next have the students look at each item on their list and think of a time when they behaved contrary to
that item (give example of what that would look like). For each exception they think of, have the
students cross off the negative item and write the positive next to it.
Have each participant share 1 or 2 of their positive replacements.
5a. Closing Activity (5 minutes)
Have each student write one positive thing about each other (maybe pass around a half sheet for every
student and everyone writes a compliment for that person) or I am an expert: each person gets an
opportunity to share something others have gone to them about because they are experts in it or one
positive word summarizing group
5b. Homework/Closure
Have the students keep track of how often they think negative things about themselves and challenge
them to counter those thoughts with something positive about themselves.

Success Skills Group: Organization

Group Session 3
Objectives: By the end of the session, members will be able to:
Monitor their academic progress
Explain why organization is important and two or more ways to stay organized
ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain
o A:A2.1 Apply time-management and task management skills
o A:B1.3 Apply the study skills necessary for academic success at each level
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success
Category 2: Behavior Standards
o Learning Strategies Standard 3: Use time-management, organizational and study skills
Materials:
Group agreements & group attendance sheet
Student folders: goals, grades graph, transcripts
Pencils & colored pencils
Computers (use lab?) or grades print out
Organization survey
1. Opening (5 minutes)
Welcome members to the group
Remind students of purpose of the group & review group expectations
2. Grades Graph & Goals (15 minutes)
Students check grades online & graph current percentages
Fill out goals sheet
Discuss as a group
o Where are you at with your goal this week?
o What is one thing that has helped you improve?
o What are you going to continue working on?
3. Organization (15 minutes)
Organization Scavenger Hunt
o Ask for students to find the following in
o 1st person gets 5 points, 2nd gets 3 points, 3rd gets 1 point
Sharpened pencil
Pen
Highlighter
Reading book
Blank binder paper
Eraser
Planner with objective and homework written for every class today
Discussion
o What do you think is the reason we played this game?
o What are reasons organization is important?

Organization Survey
o Ask students to fill out the survey
o What are their strengths? Areas of growth?
4. Closure (5 minutes)
What is one thing you can do this week to stay organized that will help you reach your goal?
http://www.fennimore.k12.wi.us/hspages/tech- ed/documents/OrganizationalandTimeManagementtipshandout.pdf

Success Skills Group: Importance of a Planner

Group Session 4
Objectives: By the end of the session, members will be able to:
Monitor their academic progress
Explain why having and utilizing a planner/some form of an agenda
ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain
o A:A2.1 Apply time-management and task management skills
o A:B1.3 Apply the study skills necessary for academic success at each level
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success:
Category 2: Behavior Standards
o Learning Strategies Standard 3: Use time-management, organizational and study skills
Materials:
Group agreements & group attendance sheet
Student folders: goals, grades graph, transcripts
Pencils & colored pencils
Computers (use lab?) or grades print out
Planners of each student (to bring to group)
1. Opening (5 minutes)
Welcome members to the group.
Names
Remind students of purpose of the group & review group expectations
2. Grades Graph & Goals (15 minutes)
Students check grades online & graph current percentages
Fill out goals sheet
Discuss as a group
o Where are you at with your goal this week?
o What is one thing that has helped you improve?
o What are you going to continue working on?

3. Planner Activity (10-15 minutes)

Have students sit in a circle and pass their planners around to their left
Students are to see 2 things they found helpful/things they would like to incorporate into their planner
and 1 thing they would recommend that person to do differently
Discussion
o What do you think is the reason we played this game?
o What are reasons organization is important?
o What did you like of the planners you saw/any recommendations?
4. Closure (5 minutes)
Use one word/phrase to describe what you learned today
What is one way that you plan to utilize your planner/what is important in regards to a planner?

Success Skills Group: Goals and Road Blocks

Group Session 5
Objective:
By the end of this session group members will be able to:
Monitor their academic progress
Create 3 SMART goals (1 having to be academic)
Identify road blocks that are set backs in achieving their goals
Identify 2 people that can help them achieve their goals
ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain:
o A:B2.5 Use problem solving and decision making skills to assess progress towards educational
goals
Personal Social Development Domain:
o PS:B1.12 Develop an Action plan to set and achieve realistic goals
ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success:
Category 2:Behavior Standards
o Social Skills Standard 3: Create relationships with adults that support success
o Learning Strategies Standard 6: Set high standards of quality
Materials:
Group agreements
Group attendance sheet
Students goals & transcripts in folders
Grades graph sheets
Markers
Blank pieces of paper
SMART Goals Sheet
1.

Step Into My Hood Ice Breaker (5 minutes)

Students will form a circle, making sure to have students face each other

Facilitator will ask a series of questions and every time a student feels a question/statement relates to
them they take a step into the circle-conveys that although they are different, they have
commonalities
2. SMART Goals (10 minutes)
Hand students the goal sheet
Explain what SMART goals are
Have students create 3 SMART goals-at least 1 be academic
3. Road Block Activity (15 minutes)
Have students create a roadmap to their success for their goals
Have students identify any road blocks that may come up
When boys explain their roadmaps to one another, the group will suggest ideas/tips that the student
can utilize to get over that particular road block
Have students identify 2 people who can help them reach their goals
4. Closing (5 minutes)
Name one thing they will do this week to work toward their goals

Success Skills Group: Learning Styles

Group Session 6
Objective:
By the end of this session group members will be able to:
Identify what learning style they are
Understand the importance of organization
Discuss ideas for better studying
ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain:
o A:A1.5 Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning
o A:A2.1 Apply time management and task management skills
Personal Social Development Domain:
o PS:A1.10 Identify self-strengths and assets
ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success:
Category 2: Behavior Standards
o Social Skills Standard 1: Demonstrate ability to assume responsibilities
o Learning Strategies Standard 3: Use time management and organizational and study skills
Materials:
Group agreements
Group attendance sheet
Students goals & transcripts in folders
Grades graph sheets
Learning Styles Scenario Sheet

Post it notes
Construction paper/butcher paper
Pennies
1. Penny Ice Breaker (5 minutes)
Each student gets a penny and share one significant event from the year on their penny
If a student has a penny with a year that they cannot relate to/were not born yet, then they can choose
a year that has not been used yet to share with the group
2. Learning Style Activity (10 minutes)
Hand students a sheet of the same scenario but utilizing the different learning styles to convey the
same answer
Students will circle which scenario (learning style) represents them the most-they may have
multiple answers
Girls will share which learning style they chose and why-explain once all girls have gone the
importance of knowing your learning style and how that can help you study
3. Post-It Activity (5-10 minutes)
Give the boys 3 post-it notes
Explain the scenario of a math test coming up this Friday and they have 4 days to study for it, how
do they do it?
Write one strategy for each post it note they have
Everyone will share their strategies and after every student goes they will stick their post-it note on
the piece of construction paper/butcher paper so they can see and learn from new strategies
4. Closing (5 minutes)
Name one thing they learned from group/ a strategy they will implement to study during the week
*Make sure to address the importance of organization and ask girls how they feel about their
organization

Success Skills Group: Stress Management

Group Session 7
Objective:
By the end of this session group members will be able to:
Monitor and manage their grades/academic goals
Identify what causes them stress
Identify 2 healthy strategies to utilize to cope with stress
ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain:
o A:A1.5 Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning
o A: C1.1 Demonstrate the ability to balance school, studies, extracurricular activities, leisure time
and family life
Personal Social Development Domain:

o PS:A1.10 Identify and express feeling

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success:
Category 2 Behavior Standards
o Social Skills Standard 1: Demonstrate ability to assume responsibilities
o Learning Strategies Standard 3: Use time management and organizational and study skills
Materials:
Group agreements
Group attendance sheet
Students goals & transcripts in folders
Grades graph sheets
Group expectations sheet
Stress and Coping map/worksheet
1. How You Feeling Ice Breaker (5 minutes)
Each group member is asked to share one adjective that explains how they feel today
They will not be able to use fine, good, alright, or I dont know
2. Stress and Coping Activity (10-15 minutes)
The facilitators will explain how stress can affect our personal lives and academics
Group members will identify and write in the middle circle all the stressors they have at both school
and home
Then they will identify and write in the outer circle how they feel when they are stressed
Next they will identify and write in another outer circle how they act when they are stressed, both on
their own and towards others-pause after this and address/brainstorm healthy ways to cope with
stress
In the last outer circle of the stress and coping map/worksheet the different ways they cope with
stress
Each student will share at least 2 strategies they wrote down/utilize to cope with stress
3. Resiliency Contract Activity-Closure (10 minutes)
Facilitators will pass out the Resiliency Contract and students will go around the circle, each
member taking a turn to read one of the lines from the contract
Each member will write at the bottom of the Contract one coping strategy they are going to focus on
using to be resilient-end with everyone stating what line stood out to them

Success Skills Group: Closure/Termination

Group Session 8
Objective:
By the end of this session group members will be able to:
Monitor and manage their grades/academic goals
Identify what causes them stress
Identify skills they plan to utilize to ensure academic/personal-social success

ASCA Standards:
Academic Development Domain:
o A:A1.5 Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning
Personal Social Development Domain:
o PS:A1.10 Identify and express feeling
ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success
Category Behavior Standards
o Self-Management Skills Standard 1: Demonstrate perseverance to achieve long- and short-term
goals
o Learning Strategies Standard 4: Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning
Materials:
Group attendance sheet
Group expectations sheet
Grade monitoring sheets
Reflection sheets
1 Introduction (15 minutes)
Welcome students
Have them fill out their monitoring sheets
Have them fill out the reflection portion of their goals sheets
2 Goals Discussion/Check In (15 minutes)
Address that this is the last time you will be meeting (as you mentioned in previous sessions)
Have students rate themselves (either thumbs up/1-5) on how they feel they did reaching their
goal(s) they established during the beginning of group (can be found on their reflection sheet)
Discuss why they feel this
3 Plan of Action (10 minutes)
Give every student a 3x5 index card where they will write down 4 strategies they plan to use in order
to reach success for both academic and behavior/personal aspects of their lives (so 2 for each)
Have students share 1 strategy from both
4 Closing (5 minutes)
Have students use one adjective about how group made them feel/how it helped them