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Test Anxiety Lesson Plans Grade Level: Seventh Length: 6 weeksLength of Sessions: 35 minutes (one class period per session)Number of Members: 8Gender of Members: mixed Group Rationale: The pressure for students to succeed academically is constantly increasing (Erford, 2010). With the constant updates to tests, added pressure, and the constant reminder for students to do well they are becoming more and more anxious in the time leading up to the test that when it comes time to taking the test itself their fears do not allow them to perform at their best (Erford, 2010). Test anxiety is a growing problem for students (Erford, 2010; Lowe, 2014; Lowe, 2015). About 33 percent of students in 2014 were known to experience some form of test anxiety (Lowe, 2014). Situation-specific trait anxiety is a way to explain test anxiety (Lowe, 2014). This means that not every student will experience test anxiety, each student who does experience it will cause various symptoms, and that some areas may become more drastic than others (Lowe, 2014). Test anxiety can lead to students not performing well on exams, dropping out of school at younger ages, experiencing increasing learning disabilities, lower academic performance, increased mental and physical health problems, and increased truancy in school (Lowe, 2014; Lowe, 2015). It can also lead to lower self esteem and a decrease in motivations for students who feel they will not succeed or that it is impossible for them to do well no matter how much they prepare (Lowe, 2014). Goals: The goal of these lessons is to help students find ways to cope with their test anxiety. It is also to help students develop knowledge about test anxiety and to learn skills in order to reduce test anxiety. These lessons will help students recognize that they are not alone and that their classmates may be experiencing the same anxiety. ASCA Model Standards (Mindsets and Behaviors): Mindset: 1.2. Self-confidence in the ability to succeed. Behaviors: 2.3. Learning strategies: Use time-management, organizational and study skills2.5. Self-Management: Demonstrate perseverance to achieve long and short term goals Target Population: The target population will consist of students who have been recommended by their sixth grade teachers to have some difficulties when it came to taking tests. These difficulties would include but are not limited to poor academic scores, not having enough time on exams or with assignments, presenting poor study skills, or presenting signs of anxiety while test taking. Pre-Screening: The sixth grade teachers at the elementary school identified the now seventh grade students who had been facing those difficulties in order to provide them with this extra support as they moved on to the junior high school. Following teacher recommendations the counselor will discuss with the student and parents about the group that they will have the option to be a part of in the following year. Typically this meeting will take place during the student's end of the year meeting where they generally will also sign up for courses they would like to take in the upcoming school year. While this meeting generally does not involve the student’s parents, the counselor will reach out to these particular parents in order to involve them in the process and hopefully gain their support as well as the students. Leadership Style: The leadership style used will be modified democratic. This allows both the counselor and students to have input in what is going to take place. While the counselor is the one setting the tone and providing the activities the students will have the opportunity to provide insight into what will occur. Evaluation – The goals and specific objectives will be assessed in multiple different ways. Each student will be asked to take a pretest before the program begins. Along with that the teacher who previously recommended the student will be asked to provide some information and observations that they feel would be beneficial for the counselor to be aware of before beginning the group. Throughout the program the various activities will serve as assessments of the knowledge and skills that the students will be learning throughout the program. For example, there will be worksheets and homework assignments during certain sessions. Each of these assignments will help the counselor evaluate the student's progress throughout the group sessions. In order to receive information about the overall program the counselor will also provide students with a posttest. This will include the same questions that the counselor provided in the beginning of the group, along with some feedback questions in order to see what they believed could have been done differently in order to make the program more helpful in the future. In order to keep track of the students participating in the group attendance will be taken at the beginning of each session. To be able to view changes that may occur throughout the sessions the counselor will use the grades of the students before beginning the program and then collect the grades of the students during and following the program in order to track their progress throughout the program. Week One - Pre-Survey (given before sessions begin by school counselor) Objective/OutcomeAssessmentEvaluationStudents will be able to complete a pretest on test anxietyStudents will be able to identify factors that may influence test anxiety.Students will be able to identify general coping mechanisms.Students will be able to attend 5/6 group sessionsOutcome data: Academic grades before the program will be used as baseline data.PretestQuestionnaire describing their anxiety triggers and feelings associated.Poster activity listing what they currently use as coping mechanismsAttendance 100% of students will complete the pretest100% of students will identify 2-3 triggers of anxiety while testing100% of students will identify 2-3 coping mechanisms to use with testing anxiety All students will have been successful in attending 5 out of 6 sessionsEvaluation: Academic grades following all group sessions will be used to measure changes at the end of the group.Materials:Chart to write out expectations and guidelines Feelings Check in/out chartCoping mechanisms poster Procedure: In order to best manage time during the group the counselor will be asking the students to fill out the pretests before the group begins. This way they will not have to spend time doing so in the first group session and they will have more opportunities to do activities. IntroductionConfidentiality discussionRules and expectations discussion What to expect throughout the group sessionsInformation about where to find the counselor if necessary outside of the groupFeeling check in: This allows students to let the counselor and their peers know where they are at before the group begins. It can help them to feel more comfortable knowing someone not only cares how they are feeling but even to help them build relationships when someone else says they are feeling the same or similar to them. Icebreaker: Name Tags: While some students may already know everyone elses name in the group it can be a fun way to let each student design a name tag using materials that can be associated with some of their favorite things. Activity:(Morton, 2016) This prezi will be used in order to provide students with the basic information they will need to know about anxiety-specifically test anxiety.Activity: Whiteboard/poster board/paper: Writing out anxious thoughts, anxious feelings in your body, and anxious feelings. Followed by a group discussion.Strategies/tip sheets to help students manage test anxiety Tips to decrease test anxietyWrap up and explanation of what to expect in future sessions, questions/concerns from students…I can statements. Students will pass around a sheet of paper that have a list of “I Can” statements on it. This will allow them to have self talk at the end of the session. Feelings check out: end the session with a feeling check out in order to see where each student stands with what happened throughout the session. Homework: Journal: List of coping mechanisms that they use now and another list of coping mechanisms that they would like to try. Week TwoObjective/OutcomeStrategy/ActivityEvaluation/AssessmentStudents will be able to identify the feelings associated with test anxietyStudents will be able to hand in and discuss homework assignment from week 1Working in pairs to discuss anxious feelingsWorksheet will be completed before start of session100% of students will complete the anxious worksheet100% of students will participate in monitored discussion and have completed homework assignment from week 1Materials:-Feeling check in-Worksheets for anxious feelings-TeensHealth website or worksheet whichever is availableIntroductionConfidentiality discussionRules and expectations Information about where to find the counselor if necessary outside of the groupFeeling check in: This allows students to let the counselor and their peers know where they are at before the group begins. It can help them to feel more comfortable knowing someone not only cares how they are feeling but even to help them build relationships when someone else says they are feeling the same or similar to them. Icebreaker: Beach ball: Since these students are just beginning in the high school they may not all know one another. This icebreaker will allow them to get to know different things about one another that they may normally never ask. For example: what is your favorite cartoon or what is your favorite flavor of ice cream. Activity: Start with a recap of the first session and what the students learned so far. Ask students to share their journal assignment from week one (if they feel comfortable)Begin activity discussing what anxious feelings are to each student. What do you feelWhy do you feel that wayHow do you feelWhat can you doWork in pairs in order to answer these questions and then come back together as a group to share what each other thought.Use this website in order to better explain what test anxiety is and what students can do to help (TeensHealth, 2013) Wrap up and explanation of what to expect in future sessions, questions/concerns from students…I can statements. Students will pass around a sheet of paper that have a list of “I Can” statements on it. This will allow them to have self talk at the end of the session.Beach ball: If time allows add in the ice breaker again in order to give the students the chance to leave on a high note rather than leaving feeling like things will never change. (Always remembering that this can be more difficult for some than others so this will give some students what they need in order to want to come back the next week.)Feelings check out: end the session with a feeling check out in order to see where each student stands with what happened throughout the session. Homework: Journal: List of coping mechanisms that they use now and another list of coping mechanisms that they would like to try.Week ThreeObjective/OutcomeStrategy/ActivityEvaluation/AssessmentStudents will be able to discuss the differences between different coping mechanisms when dealing with test anxiety.Students will complete the homework assignment from week 2Video presentations to see what is positive and negative coping mechanismsList of coping mechanisms they would like to discussAll students will participate in monitored discussions100% of students will participate and list 2-3 coping mechanismsVideosFeelings check inIntroductionConfidentiality discussionRules and expectations discussion What to expect throughout the group sessionsInformation about where to find the counselor if necessary outside of the groupFeeling check in: This allows students to let the counselor and their peers know where they are at before the group begins. It can help them to feel more comfortable knowing someone not only cares how they are feeling but even to help them build relationships when someone else says they are feeling the same or similar to them. Activity: Test anxiety videos: show students various videos on test anxietyAsk the students to discuss with one another what they took away from each video (Video suggestions at the end of lessons)Discuss as a group their thoughts on the videos and what they wish was included and what they really likedWrap up and explanation of what to expect in future sessions, questions/concerns from students…I can statements. Students will pass around a sheet of paper that have a list of “I Can” statements on it. This will allow them to have self talk at the end of the session.Feelings check out: end the session with a feeling check out in order to see where each student stands with what happened throughout the session. Homework: Journal: List of coping mechanisms that they use now and another list of coping mechanisms that they would like to try. Week FourObjective/OutcomeStrategy/ActivityEvaluation/AssessmentStudents will be able to identify mindful activities in order to help with test anxiety.Group discussion and demonstrations100% of students will participate in monitored discussionsMaterials:-Feelings check in -Paper-Pen/pencilIntroductionConfidentiality discussionRules and expectations discussion What to expect throughout the group sessionsInformation about where to find the counselor if necessary outside of the groupFeeling check in: This allows students to let the counselor and their peers know where they are at before the group begins. It can help them to feel more comfortable knowing someone not only cares how they are feeling but even to help them build relationships when someone else says they are feeling the same or similar to them. Activity: Discussing various relaxation techniques that students can use in order to help with their test anxiety. Some of the examples will be used from the presentation during week one (Morton, 2016). Deep breathing: practicing taking deep breaths and maybe even closing your eyes for a few seconds in order to push those unnecessary thoughts out of your mind and to make room for all of the knowledge you have learned and are ready to put to use for the exam. Mindful minute: starting the exam with a mindful minute whether it is done on your own or as a class can help settle your nerves before beginning the test. It will allow you to arrive fully in the room and relax for a minute before jumping into the work ahead of you. Small snack/drink: may not seem like a mental necessity but if you constantly are focusing on the rumbles of your stomach or how thirsty you are you will lack the focus needed in order to complete the test. Wrap up and explanation of what to expect in future sessions, questions/concerns from students…I can statements. Students will pass around a sheet of paper that have a list of “I Can” statements on it. This will allow them to have self talk at the end of the session.Feelings check out: end the session with a feeling check out in order to see where each student stands with what happened throughout the session. Week Five Objective/Outcome?Strategy/ActivityEvaluation/Assessment1. Students will be able to identify physical activities in order to help with test anxiety.2.Students will be able to map out the time they should spend doing various activities discussed.1. Simon Says ice breaker, group discussions2. Creation of calendars1.All students will participate in monitored demonstration of the game activity2. All students will have completed the calendar and presented them during the monitored discussionMaterials:-Calendar print out-Feelings check inIntroductionConfidentiality discussionRules and expectations discussion What to expect throughout the group sessionsInformation about where to find the counselor if necessary outside of the groupFeeling check in: This allows students to let the counselor and their peers know where they are at before the group begins. It can help them to feel more comfortable knowing someone not only cares how they are feeling but even to help them build relationships when someone else says they are feeling the same or similar to them. Activity: Demonstrating some activities for students to utilize before taking exams in order to lower their anxieties Eat a full healthy meal: ask students to give examples of healthy versus unhealthy mealsFind a good program of exercise: ask students to give examples of both what they do now and what they could do Get a good night’s sleep; ask students how many hours they believe they should receiveBuild a routine: while this is not necessarily physical, building a routine will allow the students to put together a schedule of what they should be doing at certain times of the day. This will allow them to become more organized and stay on top of things. Provide calendars for students for one month and ask them to fill in what they should be doing each week on them. Wrap up and explanation of what to expect in future sessions, questions/concerns from students…I can statements. Students will pass around a sheet of paper that have a list of “I Can” statements on it. This will allow them to have self talk at the end of the session.Feelings check out: end the session with a feeling check out in order to see where each student stands with what happened throughout the session. Homework: Journal: Write about how these sessions have helped or not so far. Also continue to work on your calendar. Reminder there is only one more session. Week SixObjective/Outcome Strategy/ActivityEvaluation/Assessment1.Students will be able to identify what they have learned throughout the sessions.2.Students will be able to explain changes they would like made to the program.3. Students will participate in calendar presentations1.Posttest2.Monitored discussions3.Calendar printout1.All students will complete the posttest2.100% of students will participate in group session3.All students will present calendars in a monitored discussionIntroductionConfidentiality discussionRules and expectations discussion What to expect throughout the group sessionsInformation about where to find the counselor if necessary outside of the groupFeeling check in: This allows students to let the counselor and their peers know where they are at before the group begins. It can help them to feel more comfortable knowing someone not only cares how they are feeling but even to help them build relationships when someone else says they are feeling the same or similar to them. Activity: Ask students to show off their calendars and the ideas that they have come up with in order to keep them on track after the session ends. Posttest to close out the sessions (same as pretest with some added open ended questions as well)Wrap up of all of the sessionsAn explanation of what they have learned throughout each sessionThank all students for participatingProvide additional resources or information for all students Give students the opportunity to ask for extra help if necessary I can statements. Students will pass around a sheet of paper that have a list of “I Can” statements on it. Thank them for participating! Last time they will meet as a group.References?Erford, B. T. (2010). Professional school counseling: A handbook of theories, programs, & practices. Austin, TX: CAPS Press.Lowe, P (2014). The test anxiety measure for adolescents. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 32.Lowe, P (2015). Should test anxiety be measured for males and females? Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 33.Morton, S. (2016). Managing test anxiety. Prezi. Retrieved on 2016 September 15 from Other Resources:Is it possible to overcome test anxiety? links: be more advanced: ................
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