5th Grade Counseling Instruction

5th Grade Counseling Instruction 2025 – 2026 (Dodson)

Monday     Time: 10:15 AM      Ms. Samayoa – 5C

Monday     Time: 2:50 PM       Ms. Samayoa – 5D

Wednesday     Time: 9:00 AM     Ms. Loayes – 5B

Wednesday     Time: 2:50 PM     Ms. Loayes – 5A

5th Grade Lunch Bunch Permission Form 2025-26 School Year

Unit 1: Skills for School

Overarching Mindset and Behavior – M 2. Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and others in the school environment

8/27/2025 – L1: Computer Safety and Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) with ITC Paul Maniscalco

B-LS 5. Media and technology skills to enhance learning

9/2/2025 – L2: Getting to Better Know Your School Counselor

B-SS 3. Positive relationships with adults to support success

9/8/2025 – L3: Building Connections with Adults and Classmates

B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

9/15/2025 – L4: Valuing Each Other: Stereotype Detectives

B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

9/22/2025 – L5: Self-Efficacy and Growth Mindset

M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

9/29/2025 – No Counseling Lesson 

Mr. Ivan Lopez, APS Coordinator of Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, will be presenting a lesson on The Power of Kindness. This is a special APS lesson presented to all 5th graders. It covers the APS Code of Conduct, safety, attendance, language/hate speech, title IX behaviors, fighting/violence, threats, etc.

Ms. Lee will be sending letters home 9-19-25 with more details.

10/6/2025 – L6: Cyber Bullying

B-SS5 – Demonstrate ethical decision making and social responsibility

Unit 2: Emotional Management

Overarching Mindset and Behavior: M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being

10/13/2025 –  L7: Understanding the Brain’s Role in Emotional Management: Students will define emotional management and explore 6 regions of the brain and some of their basic functions.

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers to learning

10/20/2025 – L8: Understanding and Naming Emotions (Stop – Name Your Feeling ): Students will gain a better understanding of what happens in their body with emotions and will name their emotions and the emotions of others.

B-LS 1. Critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions

10/27/2025 – L9: Name Your Zone and Regulate: Students will review the ZONES of Regulation program, identify feelings and zones, and apply the tools/strategies needed to regulate.

B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control

11/3/2025 – L10: Emotional Management and Reframing Your Thoughts: Students will gain a better understanding of how our thoughts affect our feelings and behaviors and reframe negative thoughts to neutral or positive thoughts.

B-SMS7. Effective Coping Skills

11/10/2025 – L11: Managing Anxiety and Stress: Students will define anxiety and stress and gain skills and strategies to manage anxious and stressful feelings.

B-SMS7. Effective Coping Skills

11/17/2025 – L12: Middle School Options: Students will become familiar with the middle schools in Arlington and their focus, learn about middle school options and transfers, and learn about APS’ application process.

B-LS 1. Critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions

11/24/2025 – No Lesson (Short Week)

12/1/2025 – L13: SPECIAL CHILD PROTECTION LESSON: Students will Recognize unsafe and unwanted touches, Recognize the private body parts rule and the never keep secrets rule, Refuse unsafe and unwanted touches assertively, and apply Reporting skills in response to scenarios when someone has broken the touching or private body parts rule. (Letters sent home November 14th)

B-SMS 9. Personal safety skills

12/8/2025 – L14: SPECIAL Substance Abuse Prevention Lesson taught by APS Substance Abuse Prevention Counselor, Jenny Sexton (Letters sent home November 14th)

B-LS 1. Critical thinking skills to make informed decisions

12/15/2025 – No Lesson

Unit 3: Middle School Transitioning / Academic Planning 

Overarching Mindset and Behavior: B-SMS10 – Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities

11/17/2025 – L12: Middle School Options: Students will become familiar with the middle schools in Arlington and their focus, learn about middle school options and transfers, and learn about APS’ application process.

B-LS 1. Critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions

1/5/2026 – L15: Academic Planning: Academics: Students will learn about academic planning- what it is and why it is important and create an academic plan.

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

1/12/2026 (Samayoa) 1/21/2026 (Loayes) – L16: Academic Planning: Careers: Students will identify interests, strengths and abilities, become more aware of the 16 career clusters, identify a career currently interested in, and complete a 5th grade academic plan.

M 6. Understand that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term success

1/26/2026 – L17: Middle School Course Request Forms (CRFs)

B-LS 1. Critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions

2/2/2026 – L18: Learning About Middle School from MS Counselors: Middle school counselors will be at Key on Monday, February 2nd at 9:15 AM to talk about their school and program of studies.

B-SMS10 – Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities

2/9/2026 – L18: Academic Planning: Complete Academic Planning worksheet

2/??/2026 – L?? – Your Voice Matters Survey