GREAT FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOL

K-12 COUNSELING CURRICULUM

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: As a lifelong process, learning requires skills, knowledge and an assumption that learning is inherent in life.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

A. Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills that contribute to effective learning.	B. Students will complete school with the academic rigor and preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college.	C. Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work, to life at home, and to life in the community.
Enduring Understanding: A positive attitude, solid knowledge base, and good interpersonal skills will help me all my life.	Enduring Understanding: Education will increase my choices in life.	Enduring Understanding: My education is important to my future.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Our contribution to the world is dependent upon the connections we make among our personal attributes, our education, our skills, and our experiences.

CAREER STANDARDS

A. Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work and to make informed career decisions.	B. Students will employ strategies to achieve future career goals with success and satisfaction.	C. Students will understand the relationship among personal qualities, education, training, and the world of work.
Enduring Understanding: If I know how to find out about careers, I will make better decisions for my future.	Enduring Understanding: I will make better decisions for my future if I research and explore options available to me.	Enduring Understanding: The qualities I develop in myself and the skills I learn will help me be more successful in my future work.

PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Individual maturation in a complex and diverse society demands skilled interactions, understanding of self, empathy for others, and continuous reflection.

PERSONAL/SOCIAL STANDARDS

A. Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and interpersonal skills to help understand and respect self and others.	B. Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals.	C. Students will understand safety and survival skills.
Enduring Understanding: It is essential that I learn how to develop good relationships with others in my life and to know and understand myself.	Enduring Understanding: Planning increases the likelihood of success	Enduring Understanding: Developing skills and the internal strength to cope with and manage my life will help me with all that I do.

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: As a lifelong process, learning requires skills, knowledge and an assumption that learning is inherent in life.

Academic Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills that contribute to effective learning.

Enduring Understanding: A positive attitude, solid knowledge base, and good interpersonal skills will help me all my life.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
Aa1. I can write about the relationship between classroom performance and success in school. Aa2. I can list my interests and strengths that apply to improving academic success. (Multiple Intelligence, Learning Styles and Habits) Aa3. I can list behaviors that will promote success in both school and life.	Aa1. I can write about the relationship between learning and work. Aa2. I can apply knowledge of aptitudes and interests to goals. Aa3. I can list behaviors that will promote success in both school and life.	Aa1. I can write about the relationship between learning and work. Aa2. I can apply effective verbal and nonverbal communication to (academic) personal and social situations. Aa3. I can apply knowledge of aptitudes and interests to goals. Aa4. I can list behaviors that will promote success in both school and life.	How will this information help me? What does school have to do with life? Why should I participate in school? What do I do if I don’t understand something?

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: As a lifelong process, learning requires skills, knowledge and an assumption that learning is inherent in life.

Academic Standard B. Students will complete school with the academic rigor and preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college.

Enduring Understanding: Education will increase my choices in life.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
Ab1. I can list my interests and strengths that apply to improving academic success. (Multiple Intelligence, Learning Styles and Habits) Ab2. I can set goals Ab3. I can write about the relationship between classroom performance and success in school.	Ab1. I can write a plan to achieve my goals. Ab2. I can apply knowledge of aptitudes and interests to goals. Ab3. I can write about the relationship between classroom performance and success in school.	Ab1. I can monitor my progress toward my stated academic goals. Ab2. I can apply effective problem solving and decision making skills toward the achievement of my academic goals. Ab3. I can write about the relationship between classroom performance and success in school.	How will this information help me? What does school have to do with life? Why should I participate in school? What do I do if I don’t understand something?

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: As a lifelong process, learning requires skills, knowledge and an assumption that learning is inherent in life.

Academic Standard C: Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work, to life at home, and to life in the community.

Enduring Understanding: My education is important to my future.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
Ac1. I can relate how school success can predict community success. Ac2. I can list various community projects in which I might be interested.	Ac1. I can list behaviors that will promote success in both school and life.	Ac1. I can list behaviors that will promote success in both school and life.	How will this information help me? What does school have to do with life?

CAREER DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Our contribution to the world is dependent upon the connections we make among our personal attributes, our education, our skills, and our experiences.

Career Development Standard A. Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work and to make informed career decisions.

Enduring Understanding: If I know how to find out about careers, I will make better decisions for my future.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
Ca1. I can list personal strengths and interests.	Ca1. I can list personal strengths and interests in relation to the world of work. Ca2. I can identify a career cluster that fits with my strengths and interests.	Ca1. I can list several careers that fit my strengths and interests. Ca2. I can list several jobs that represent my strengths and interests. .	What are the careers that fit my strengths and interests?

CAREER DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Our contribution to the world is dependent upon the connections we make between our personal attributes, our education, our skills, and our experiences.

Career Development Standard B. Students will employ strategies to achieve future career goals with success and satisfaction.

Enduring Understanding: I will make better decisions for my future if I research and explore options available to me.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
Cb1. I can use the internet to learn more about an interesting career. Cb2. I can identify my strengths and interests.	Cb1. I can use the internet to learn more about an interesting career. Cb2. I can list two career clusters that represent my strengths and interests.	Cb1. I can use the internet to learn more about an interesting career. Cb2. I can list several jobs that represent my strengths and interests. Cb3. I can tell what work I might be doing in ten years.	Why do you need to know your strengths and interests? Where will you find information that matches your strengths and interests?

CAREER DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Our contribution to the world is dependent upon the connections we make between our personal attributes, our education, our skills, and our experiences.

Career Development Standard C. Students will understand the relationships among personal qualities, education, training, and the world of work.

Enduring Understanding: The qualities I develop in myself and the skills I learn will help me be more successful in my future work.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
		Cc1. I will acquire knowledge to achieve career goals Cc2. I can list several jobs that represent my strengths and interests. Cc3. I will apply skills to achieve career goals.	How will the skills and knowledge I acquire help me to achieve career goals?

PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Individual maturity in a complex and diverse society demands skilled interactions, understanding of self, empathy for others, and continuous reflection.

Personal/Social Standard A. Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and interpersonal skills to help understand and respect self and others.

Enduring Understanding: It is essential that I learn how to develop good relationships with others in my life and to know and understanding my self.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
P/Sa1. I can explain my responsible behavior in several school settings. P/Sa2. I can tell how my behavior is appropriate or not. P/Sa3. I can describe and demonstrate interpersonal skills. P/Sa4. I can demonstrate respectful verbal and nonverbal communication. P/Sa5. I can recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual ethnic and cultural diversity.	P/Sa1. I can explain my responsible behavior in several school settings. P/Sa2. I can tell how my behavior is appropriate or not. P/Sa3. I can describe and demonstrate interpersonal skills. P/Sa4. I can demonstrate respectful verbal and nonverbal communication. P/Sa5. I can demonstrate respect for self and others (social skills). P/Sa6. I can demonstrate respect and appreciation for individual, ethnic, and cultural diversity and recognize how my actions affect others.	P/Sa 1. I can tell how my behavior is appropriate or not. P/Sa2. I can recognize and assert personal boundaries, rights and privacy needs. P/Sa3. I can demonstrate cooperative behavior in small groups. P/Sa4. I can list characteristics of a responsible role model. P/Sa5. I can demonstrate respect for self and others (social skills). P/Sa6. I can demonstrate respect and appreciation for individual, ethnic, and cultural diversity and recognize how my actions affect others.	How will my behavior affect my relationships with others? What behaviors develop good relationships? How is understanding myself important to good relationships? How do I show acceptance and appreciation for ethnic and cultural diversity? How will understanding others’ differences help me build relationships with others?

PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Individual maturation in a complex and diverse society demands skilled interactions, understanding of self, empathy for others, and continuous reflection.

Personal Social Standard B. Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals.

Enduring Understanding: Planning increases the likelihood of success.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
P/Sb1. I can list the steps of a decision-making and problem-solving model. P/Sb3. I can learn the goal-setting process.	P/Sb1. I can calm down, use effective communication skills and solve personal problems. P/Sb3. I can set academic and personal goals and measure my progress.	P/Sb1. I can apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make safe and healthy choices. P/Sb3. I can set academic and personal goals and measure my progress.	How will my decisions help me be successful in life? How does planning help me achieve goals?

PERSONAL/SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

Big Idea: Individual maturity in a complex and diverse society demands skilled interactions, understanding of self, empathy for others, and continuous reflection.

Personal Social Standard C. Students will understand safety and survival skills

Enduring Understanding: Developing skills and the internal strength to cope with and manage my life will help me with all that I do.

BENCHMARKS

Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Essential Questions
P/Sc1. I can acquire personal safety skills. P/Sc2. I can identify the warning signs of a dangerous situation P/Sc3. I can list personal strategies for managing stress, conflict, and other life events. P/Sc4. I can learn about the emotional and physical dangers of substance use and abuse. P/Sc5. I can find help for solving problems and making decisions. P/Sc6. I can stop and think before I act.	P/Sc1. I can recognize and assert personal boundaries, rights and privacy needs. P/Sc2. I can identify dangerous peer situations. P/Sc3. I can demonstrate anger management. P/Sc4. I can learn about the emotional and physical dangers of substance use and abuse.	P/Sc1. I can recognize and assert personal boundaries, rights and privacy needs. P/Sc2. I can apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make safe and healthy choices. P/Sc3. I can apply coping skills for managing stress, conflict, and other life events. P/Sc4. I can learn about the physical and emotional dangers of substance use and abuse. P/Sc5. I can explain how peer pressure influences decisions.	How can you identify warning signs of a dangerous situation? How can you manage stress, conflict and other life events?