“Ready, Set, Goal”

Academic Skills Group Curriculum

Crystal Garcia & Jay Villafuerte
Agenda

◆ Needs Assessment
◆ Small Group Action Plan
◆ Student Selection
◆ Pre-Assessment + Consent Form
◆ Group Goals
◆ Pre-Post Test
◆ Process, Perception & Outcome Data
◆ Lessons
◆ Perception + Outcome Data → Results
◆ Implications & Future Directions
Needs Assessment

◆ 45% of 5th graders below grade level math standards

◆ 35% of 5th graders below English Language Arts standards
◆ Teacher Referrals
◆ Goal: Prepare students who are about to enter middle
school with the appropriate academic skills needed to:
◆ Bring up their current academic levels
◆ Academically transition to middle school
◇ Attain the skills for transition
Student Selection

◆ Invited all students with more than 5 1’s or 2’s

on their report cards to the counseling center
for explanation of the group and individual
intake interviews
◆ Students selected based on:
◆ Interest in group and fit
◆ Continuation at the school
◆ Parent consent
Pre Assessment
Consent Form
Small Group Goals
Our small group focused on supporting our 5th grade
students in developing the attitudes, knowledge, and
skills for academic success and middle school
transition. We did this by helping them develop
academic skills through lessons such as: creating
SMART Goals, identifying learning styles and study
strategies, Growth v. Fixed mindset, and others. We
hoped that these skills would help increase homework
completion rates and improved grades.
 Process Data

◆ Who: 18 5th grade students, 3 groups of 6

◆ What: Academic Small Group
◆ Where: Counseling Office
◆ When: 3:00-3:35 PM
 Perception Data

Attitudes
% of students who believe they can excel at any subject in school.
% of students who believe they can improve their grades if they study more.
% of students who believe they are ready to move on to middle school.
% of students who believe they can create a SMART Goal.
Knowledge
% of students who can define Growth Mindset.
% of students who can identify good examples of organization.
% of students who can recognize learning styles.
Skills
% of students who can create a statement displaying a Growth Mindset.
Outcome Data

Achievement Related
◆ Increased homework completion rates
- Powerschool

Achievement
◆ Increased grades
- End of 2nd trimester
 Lessons

◆ Week 1: Let’s Get Started 1/8/18

◆ Week 2: Growth vs. Fixed Mindset 1/15/18
◆ Week 3: SMART Goals 1/22/18
◆ Week 4: Get Organized! 1/29/18
◆ Week 5: How Do I Learn? 2/5/18
◆ Week 6: Getting Into My Zone 2/12/18
◆ Week 7: Middle School Transition 2/19/18
◆ Week 8: That’s A Wrap! (Closure) 2/26/18
 Lesson 3: SMART Goals

Learning Objective(s):

1. Students will learn what a SMART goal is.

2. Student will be able to create a personal

SMART goal.

3. Student will be able to answer what the

acronym “SMART” stands for.
 Lesson 5: How Do I Learn?

◆ Lesson Objectives:
◆ Identify their personal learning styles by taking a learning styles
inventory.
◆ Learn about 2 different strategies to complement their learning
styles.
◆ Understand why it is important to recognize learning styles by
completing a ticket out the door.
◆ Pre/Post Test
◆ Explanation of learning styles + inventory
◆ Highlight study strategies
◆ Emphasize that some people have a dominant learning style or a
combination of the 3 different kinds.
 Lesson 7: Middle School Transition

Pamphlet Review:
● ​SC gathered informational material from the
local middle schools prior to this activity.
● Asked students to share which middle school
they plan to attend, and/or clarified which
middle schools are in their region.
Lesson Content:
● ​Explained the difference between academics in
elementary school and middle school.
● Discussed the enrollment topics (i.e. Classes,
electives, extracurriculars).
● Compared the block schedule and period
system.
● Touched on GPA and promotion requirements.
● Got them excited about their transition to
middle school.
 Perception Data

Attitudes
97 % of students believe they can excel at any subject in school
100 % of students believe they can improve their grades if they study more
80 % of students believe they are ready to move on to middle school
100 % of students believe they can create a SMART Goal
Knowledge
93 % of students who can define Growth Mindset.
98 % of students who can identify good examples of organization.
100 % of students who can recognize learning styles.
Skills
100 % of students who can create a statement displaying a Growth Mindset
 Outcome Data

◆ Achievement Related:
◆ Teachers reported a 50% increase in
completed homework assignments.

◆ Achievement:
◆ There was a 78% increase in academic
performance based on 2nd trimester grades.
Implications and Future Directions

Overall, the small group sessions had a positive effect on students’

academic performance. We saw a exceptional increase in student
grades at the end of the 2nd trimester.

In the future, we would like to focus our attention on certain

concepts during specific lessons in order to manage group time
more efficiently. We would also like to deliver these lessons to our
5th graders during the first trimester based off of their 4th grade 3rd
trimester grades to better prepare them early on in the school year.
Thanks!
Any questions?
gloriacrystalgarcia@gmail.com
jvillafuerte@sdsu.edu