Unit: Academic Success Skills

Lesson #1: Study Skills

Grade 9
Time: 30-45 minutes
School Counselor: Lisa
Content Standards:
Mindset Standards
1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and
physical well-being
2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed
3. Sense of belonging in the school environment
4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term
career success
5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes
6. Positive attitude toward work and learning
Behavior Standards: Learning Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.
9.

Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions

Demonstrate creativity
Use time-management, organizational and study skills
Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning
Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions

Behavior Standards: Self-Management Skills

3. Demonstrate ability to work independently
7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem
Behavior Standards: Social Skills
7. Use leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse team
Performance Goals:
Students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Gather, analyze and apply information to ideas

Recognize and effectively solve problems with current studying habit(s)
Use problem-solving and decision-making skills to assess progress toward educational goals
Apply the study skills necessary for academic success at each grade level

Goal of the Lesson: Review and evaluate each students time management and study skills. Counselor
will collect student Personal Study Skills & Habits Survey to identify individuals that need additional
support with specific study skill strategies. Students will select a particular habit they can improve on
and create a plan for improvement.
Materials: Personal Study Skills & Habits Survey, Study Skills Tip Sheet

Procedures and Discussion:

1. The counselor will begin the lesson by verbally asking the students What is a habit? Students
will have the opportunity to write their answers on the classroom whiteboard. This will lead to a
student-led discussion about habits (positive and negative). The counselor will need to keep the
discussions about various habits appropriate and encourage participation from all students.
2. The counselor will shift this discussion into a conversation focused on personal study-skills
habits. The counselor will ask, Do you use study-skills habits? Give students time to think and
verbally express their responses and place them on the whiteboard. The counselor can then
have students briefly share how these habits were developed or learned.
3. The counselor will then pass out the Personal Study Skills and Habits Review Survey. Give
students time to complete the survey and the questions at the end of the survey.
4. After the students have completed the survey and questions, the counselor should lead a class
discussion about the study-skills habits students consider to be their strongest and the studyskill habits students consider to be their weakest. Counselor should have options listed in a
graph form on the white board and students can mark their responses to see what responses
the class believes is their strongest and weakest areas.
5. Students will be asked to pick one study skills area they are weak in, and come up with at least 3
ways they can make improvements. Students will discuss their steps for improving their study
skills habits with their counselor during individual sessions/small-group sessions.
6. Next, the counselor can pass out the Study Skills Tip Sheet to students. The counselor should go
over the sheet with the student being sure to explain how these tips will help them be
successful in high school and beyond. The counselor should also be sure to discuss how study
skill habits may need to be practiced to be implemented successfully. One failed attempt does
not mean that the study skills tip is ineffective. The counselor should have students mark which
study-skills tips they are already using, and indicate at least 3 other tips they would be willing to
try.

Additional Resources:
MSCA Pointers for Students: Searching for Solutions: Improving Student Study-Skills (Call 1-800-2646722 or email msca@mvp.net for copies.)
Lesson adapted from:
Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Center
http://missouricareereducation.org/curr/cmd/guidanceplacementG/elearning

Evaluation:
Process Data: Take note of how may students participated in this lesson.
Perception: Pre/Post Personal Study Skills Survey; Attitudes: % of students who believe that effective
studying is beneficial to achieving their future goals; Skills: % of students who are able to identify
personal study habits that are most effective for them; Knowledge: % of students who understand that

are many tools and methods they can utilize to effectively study and these study skills will help them
achieve future goals
Outcome: Expect 100% of students to be able to self-recognize individual learning style and be able to
recognize 3 study habits that work best for them. Increased ability to self-recognize learning style.
Increased usage of effective study habits leading to higher performance in classes
Achievement: Students will complete worksheets and take a survey to learn the importance of
recognizing how they learn best and be able to effectively utilize strategies to get the most out of their
educational development. Increased GPA. Increased state standardized test scores. AR: Homework
Completion Rates
Follow Up: Counselors could pull students who are weak in the same study skills habits and do small
group lessons to work with those specific students on that specific skill.