7th Grade

Students in all grade levels will have age-appropriate lessons in the following areas:

Self- Awareness

Identifying Feelings

Identifying Traits

Social Awareness

Recognizing others feelings

Empathy

Disagreeing with others

Respect for other people’s feelings and belongings

Self- Management

Monitoring Stress and coping skills

Growth Mindset - Developing Grit

Showing Self Control

Goal Setting

Responsible Decision Making

Communicating

Appropriate behavior

Following rules

Safety

September: Safety and Self-Advocacy

During our September classroom lesson, students will explore the following areas:

Roles of the School Counselor
Curriculum topics for the year
Ways to schedule an appointment.
Identifying trusted adults in the school
Ways to report concerns of safety for oneself or others
Reasons to report safety concerns to a trusted adult
TIPs reporting tool on Sycamore
Ways to identify if behavior is bullying
Ways to practice healthy habits

October: Training the "Mental Wellness Muscle"

The academic and social "weight" can start to feel a bit heavier as students work through the rigor of upper middle school. This month, our lessons focused on a proactive approach to mental health. We discussed that just as athletes hit the gym to strengthen their bodies, we must intentionally work out our Mental Wellness Muscle to handle the stresses of middle school.

The 5 Dimensions of Health

We challenged students to look at their well-being through a "whole-person" lens. True stress management isn't just about one thing; it’s about balance across five key areas:

Physical: Moving the body, prioritizing sleep, and fueling up with nutrition.
Mental: Engaging the brain in learning, but also knowing when to "unplug" from screens.
Emotional: Identifying feelings and practicing self-compassion when things go wrong.
Social: Building a "support squad" of positive friends and setting healthy boundaries.
Spiritual: Finding purpose, practicing gratitude, and connecting with faith or core values.

Strategies for the "Overwhelmed" Moment

7th grade is a peak time for feeling "under pressure." We practiced concrete tools for when the "Mental Muscle" feels strained:

The "Brain Dump": Writing down every single worry or task to get it out of the head and onto paper.
Micro-Goals: Breaking a massive project or a stressful week into "just for today" steps.
Identifying the "Helper": Knowing exactly which friend or adult to turn to before a small stressor becomes a crisis.

Home Connection: Coaching Your Child’s Wellness

At 12 and 13 years old, students are beginning to take ownership of their own health. Here is how you can support their "Mental Muscle" training:

1. The "Check-In" Routine Instead of asking, "How was your day?", try using the 5 dimensions. "How is your 'Social Muscle' feeling today?" or "Did you do anything to fuel your 'Mental Muscle' today?" This helps them categorize their experiences and identify where they might be out of balance.

2. Model "Strategic Self-Care" Let your child see you managing your own stress in healthy ways. Say out loud: "I’ve had a really long day and my 'Emotional Muscle' is tired. I’m going to take a 15-minute walk to reset." This gives them permission to do the same.

3. The "Unplug" Challenge One of the biggest strains on the 7th-grade mental muscle is the constant "on" nature of social media. Help them set a "Digital Sunset"—a time when all devices are parked in a central location so their brains can enter a true state of rest.

4. Create a "Coping Toolkit" Encourage your child to make a list (on their phone or in a notebook) of "What Works for Me." This might include a specific playlist, a breathing exercise, or a person they can text when they feel overwhelmed. Having a plan before stress hits is the key to resilience.

Building Lifelong Strength

Our goal is for 7th graders to realize that experiencing stress is a normal part of life, but it doesn't have to break them. By training their wellness muscles now, they are building the endurance they need for 8th grade, high school, and beyond.

November: Unlocking Your Learning Style

This month, our 7th graders took a deep dive into Self-Discovery. As students move toward the higher demands of middle school, "working harder" isn't always the answer—often, the secret is working smarter by understanding their unique personality and cognitive style.

The "Why" Behind the Quiz

Students participated in a series of self-assessments to identify their dominant personality traits and learning preferences. We explored:

Personality & Learning: How traits like extraversion (learning through talk and action) or introversion (learning through reflection and observation) impact how they participate in class.
Thinking Styles: We compared Cognitive/Intuitive thinkers (who look for patterns and "big picture" logic) with Creative/Imaginative thinkers (who thrive on visual connections and outside-the-box projects).

Getty Images

The Student’s Toolbelt: Advanced Study Strategies

Once students identified how they think, we explored specialized "tools" to help them retain information more effectively:

The Memory Palace: A visualization technique where students "place" facts they need to remember in a familiar room in their mind.
Mnemonics & Acronyms: Creating catchy phrases (like PEMDAS for math or HOMES for the Great Lakes) to anchor complex lists.
Music & Rhythm: Using beat and melody to help memorize formulas or vocabulary.
Graphic Organizers: Helping creative thinkers "map out" their ideas visually.

Home Connection: Becoming a "Learning Coach"

You can help your 7th grader "own" their education by trying these strategies at home:

1. Ask "How," Not Just "What" When your child is studying for a test, ask: "What tool from your toolbelt are you using for this?" Are they drawing a map? Making a song? Building a Memory Palace? Encouraging them to use the strategy that fits their personality makes studying feel less like a chore.

2. Celebrate the "Thinking Style"

If they are an Intuitive Thinker: Ask them to explain the "big idea" or "the why" behind what they are learning.
If they are a Creative Thinker: Encourage them to use colored pens, sketches, or "mind maps" to organize their notes.

3. Practice the "Memory Palace" Together Have some fun with this! Ask your child to teach you how to "place" the grocery list in your kitchen using their new visualization skills. When they teach a concept to you, it reinforces their own mastery of the tool.

4. Normalize "Trial and Error" Not every tool works for every subject. If a mnemonic didn't help with a history quiz, encourage them to pivot. Say: "That tool didn't fit this job. Let's try a different one for the next chapter."

Empowering Independent Learners

By 7th grade, we want students to move away from "I'm just not good at this" and toward "I haven't found the right tool for this yet." By understanding their personality and learning style, they gain the confidence to tackle any subject with a plan.

December: The Art of Real-World Connection

This month, our 7th graders are exploring The Culture of Communication. In an age where most 12- and 13-year-olds are experts at emojis, streaks, and comments, we are noticing a decline in "pro-social" skills—the ability to navigate face-to-face interactions with confidence and empathy.

Digital vs. Pro-Social Communication

We discussed with the students how digital communication often lacks the "data" our brains need to connect, such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. This can lead to misunderstandings, a lack of empathy, and increased social anxiety. Our goal is to help students become "bilingual"—fluent in both digital shorthand and respectful, in-person dialogue.

We explored three primary communication styles:

Passive: Avoiding eye contact, mumbling, or staying silent when they have a need.
Aggressive: Interrupting, using a harsh tone, or "winning" the conversation at the expense of others.
Assertive (The Goal): Speaking clearly, looking people in the eye, and stating needs or opinions respectfully and firmly.

Home Connection: Coaching Your Child’s Social Skills

The transition to middle school is the perfect time to level up your child's communication. Here are four specific tips to encourage pro-social skills at home:

1. The "Eyes and Ears" Rule In a digital world, we often "multitask" while talking. At home, practice Full-Presence Communication. When your child is talking to you (or you to them), encourage phones to be face-down. This reinforces that eye contact is a sign of respect and active listening.

2. Scripting for Authority Figures: Many 7th graders feel intimidated talking to teachers or coaches. Help them "script" these interactions.

The Tip: Have them practice a "Teacher Check-in" out loud with you.
The Script: "Hi, [Teacher Name], I’m a bit confused about the homework. Could you explain the second part again when you have a moment?"

3. The "2-Second Pause" Digital communication is instant, but real conversation requires pacing. Encourage your child to wait two seconds after someone finishes speaking before they respond. This prevents interrupting and shows they are actually processing what was said, not just waiting for their turn to talk.

4. Transition from "Text" to "Talk" If you notice your child is having a conflict with a friend over a group chat or text, encourage them to "move the medium."

The Advice: "It sounds like this text thread is getting heated. Why don't you call them or talk to them at locker bay tomorrow? Tone is too hard to read on a screen."

5. Practice "Small Talk" Transitions: Social skills are like muscles; they need reps. Encourage your child to be the one to order their own food at a restaurant or check in at the dentist’s office. These "low-stakes" interactions build the confidence needed for bigger conversations.

Building Social Confidence

By teaching 7th graders how to communicate assertively, we are giving them a tool that reduces anxiety and builds stronger, healthier relationships. Thank you for helping us reinforce these skills by modeling them at home!

January: Relationships, Boundaries, and Digital Dynamics

In 7th grade, we move beyond basic friendship to discuss the spectrum of all relationships—including family, mentors, coaches, and the complexities of dating. We want students to understand that the standards for how they are treated should remain high across all these areas.

The Three Pillars: Trust, Communication, and Respect

We define a healthy relationship as one that stands firmly on three pillars. If one is missing, the relationship becomes unstable:

Trust: The foundation of safety. It is the belief that the other person has your best interests at heart.
Communication: The ability to express needs and boundaries without fear of retaliation.
Respect: Valuing a person's "No" just as much as their "Yes."

Identifying "Toxic" Traits and Red Flags

We use the term "Toxic" to describe relationships that are consistently draining, manipulative, or critical. Specifically, we explored:

Consent and Permission: We emphasize that a true friend or partner will never disregard your feelings or physical comfort. Consent is about active, enthusiastic permission, not just the absence of a "no."
The Digital Dynamic: We addressed specific middle school pressures, such as the expectation to share passwords as a "proof of loyalty" or being criticized for not responding to a text or tag instantly. We discussed that privacy is not the same as secrecy, and healthy relationships allow for digital space.

Home Connection: Navigating the Teen Social World

As your child’s world expands, your role as a "Safe Harbor" becomes even more critical. Here is how you can reinforce these 8th-grade lessons at home:

1. Define Digital Boundaries Together Discuss the "Password Pressure." Reinforce that they are the owners of their digital identity. You might say: "A person who respects you will respect your privacy. You don't owe anyone your passwords to prove you are a good friend."

2. Practice "The Slow Response" Encourage your child to "unplug" without guilt. If they feel anxious about not replying to a friend immediately, remind them: "Healthy friends understand that you have a life outside of your phone. You aren't 'ignoring' them; you are being present in your own home."

3. Discuss the "Check-In" on Comfort Ask your child how they know when they feel "safe" or "heard" in a friendship. Use the language from our lesson: "Does this person respect your 'no'? Do they make you feel like you have to change who you are to fit in?"

4. Model Self-Love and Assertiveness We taught the students that Self-Love is the best defense against toxic relationships. If a child knows their own value, they are less likely to accept poor treatment. Model this by speaking kindly about yourself and setting your own healthy boundaries with friends and family.

5. The "I-Statement" in Conflict When disagreements happen at home, encourage assertive communication over passive-aggressive "ignoring" or aggressive "shouting."

Instead of: "You always ignore me!"
Try: "I feel unimportant when you don't look up from your phone while I'm talking. I would like for us to have ten minutes of talk time without screens."

Empowering the Whole Student

By teaching 7th graders about consent, digital respect, and the "Pillars of Health," we are preparing them to enter 8th grade and high school with the confidence to choose relationships that empower them rather than diminish them.

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