Adam Hanson

Group Lessons
Old Dominion University

Lesson name: Kindergarten to 1st: Easy and Fun

Purpose: Kindergarteners who are transitioning to 1st grade will face many challenges, as they
experience several firsts. To start, they will be expected to stay awake throughout the entire
school day, whereas many of them will have attended a half-day kindergarten, and others will
have had a full-day broken up by a designated nap time. Physically, this will be exhausting for
some. Another first is that kindergarten teachers often deliver instruction in a student-centered
format, whereas most first grade teachers use more of a lecture-style format (Sink, Edwards &
Weir, 2007). This change can be scary and confusing for transitioning students. In addition, as
students have difficulties that lead to irritability and emotional instability at home, concerns and
complaints by parents increase, leading to more time spent in the classroom and at home
performing problem-solving measures rather than curriculum development and learning.
Competencies:
VSCA Competencies: Client/Student Empowerment; Client/Student Advocacy; Community
Collaboration; Systems Advocacy; Culturally Appropriate Intervention Strategies
ASCA Competencies: I-A-5; I-A-6; I-A-8; I-B-2; I-B-3; I-B-5; I-C-7; II-A-1; II-A-4; II-C-1; IIIA-3; III-A-5; II-B-1a
Goal: The goal of this lesson is to help ensure a smooth transition for incoming 1st grade
students.
Steps:
The steps are as follows:
1. With kindergarten and 1st grade teacher collaborators, schedule an evening during the
summer for soon-to-be incoming 1st grade students to visit the school with their
parents.
2. During this visit, they will have the opportunity to independently visit and explore
the 1st grade classroom environment.
3. Also, they will be addressed by the School Counselor, the Kindergarten teacher(s),
and the 1st grade teacher(s).
4. Students will be given basic instruction on what to expect when they enter the 1st
grade classroom in terms of academics, behavior, and scheduling.
5. Parents will be given basic information on some of the developmental characteristics
of this age group, as well as some strategies for helping to ease the transition
between grade levels.
Data Collection: In order to track the success of this lesson, data will be kept on the number of
behavioral incidents of incoming 1st grade students during the 1st quarter of the school year. Data
will also be kept on the number of parent communications regarding transitional difficulties with
students. This data will be compared to the same data sets collected over the previous two years.
Success will be indicated by at least a 10% decrease in the number of behavioral incidents during
the 1st quarter, and a 10% decrease in the number of parent communications regarding
transitional difficulties. Teachers will track this information and report it to the School

Counselor, who will code and consolidate it and report it to the Principal to be distributed back to
teachers and later, parents.
Follow Up: Students who are in need of additional assistance, as identified by either teachers or
parents, will be offered additional support by the School Counselor, in collaboration with the
teacher.
Supplies: All 1st Grade Classrooms; All Kindergarten and 1st Grade Staff; School Counseling
Staff
Specialized Accommodations: This lesson is designed for all students, and includes auditory,
visual, and hands on components.
References
American School Counselor Association (2004). ASCA National Standards for Students.
Alexandria, VA: Author.
Kaffenberger, C., Davis, T., Gilchrist-Banks, S., & Grothaus, T. Virginia School Counselor
Association, (2008). Virginia professional school counseling program manual
Sink, C. A., Edwards, C. N., & Weir, S. J. (2007). Helping children transition from kindergarten
to first grade. Professional School Counseling, 10(3), 233-237.