Instructor’s Manual
Course Title: College Success Skills
Day 1: Introduction
Learning Objective:
Students will be able to explain the overall instructional objectives of the course.
(Understanding)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Provide overview of learning objectives:
 Student will be able to identify student success strategies
 Student will be able to demonstrate several effective study techniques
 Student will be able to identify useful techniques for role of student
2. Discuss attendance and class participation expectations, review participation rubric.
Participation Rubric
Evaluation:
Student questions/feedback
Materials:
 Elmo projector
Day 1: Free Write
Learning Objective:
Students will express ideas and opinions about what success looks like. (Analysis)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Begin class with free write topics displayed. Free Write Topics
2. Direct students to choose one of the seven topics, then reflect and write about their
thoughts and opinions. Proper grammar and conventions are not important for this
assignment, encourage students to give more attention to the ideas rather than mechanics.
3. Encourage students to use full 15 minutes for reflecting and writing.
4. Facilitate student discussion.
Evaluation:
Free write response and discussion
Materials:
 Elmo projector
 paper
Day 1: Reading Strategies
Learning Objective:
Review variety of reading strategies including muscle reading and SQR3 method; how to employ
reading techniques for studying (Understanding)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Present Reading Strategies power point. Reading Strategies Power point
2. Referring to the text book Becoming a Master Student, Chapter 4 pages 124-130 and
SQR3R handout, break class into three groups. SQ3R Methods
3. Direct the groups to review one of the following techniques:
 SQ3R
 Muscle Reading
 Tough Reading
4. Direct the groups to review their assigned technique and develop a group presentation
summarizing the specific techniques.
5. Allow 30-45 minutes for this task. Groups can use paper, electronic media or other
creative ways to present information.
Evaluation:
Group presentation of: Muscle Reading, Reading tough subjects, SQR3; measured by “Group
presentation rubric” Group Presentation Rubric
Materials:
 Text book
 Elmo projector
 Butcher paper
 Powerpoint
 Word document
 Index cards
Day 1: Memorization techniques
Learning Objective:
Students will identify 4 memorization techniques: “Organize it, Use your body, Use your brain,
Recall it” (Understanding)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Referring to the text book Becoming a Master Student, Chapter 3 pages 102-107. Read
the text aloud as group.
2. Discuss “Using Q-Cards to Reinforce Memory” on page 107.
3. Brainstorm other types of memorization techniques as a group.
4. Handout memorization techniques worksheet, allow students time in class to complete
worksheet either individually or in pairs. Memorization Techniques
5. Review worksheets as a class, facilitate class discussion in the areas that students seem
unsure of.
6. Encourage students to hold on to worksheet as reference for future use.
Evaluation:
Completed worksheet categorizing 20 strategies into 4 techniques
Memorization Techniques
Materials:
 Memorization worksheet
 Text book
Day 2: Test taking
Learning Objectives:
Describe test taking strategies: “predicting test questions, what to do during the test, after the
test” (Understanding)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Display outline of “general test taking strategies” on overhead and discuss/lecture to
class. Test Taking Strategies
2. Referring to the text book Becoming a Master Student, Chapter, 6, pages 177-186, break
class into four groups to review:
 What to do before the test
 Ways to predict test questions
 What to do during the test
 The test isn’t over….
3. Direct the groups to review their assigned section. Students should summarize and
prepare to lead a class discussion for each of their new areas of expertise. Allow 30 – 45
minutes for this task.
4. Allow each group to present the information and lead a class discussion.
Evaluation:
Class discussion; measured by “Class discussion rubric” Class Discussion Rubric
Materials:
 Text book
 Elmo projector
 Butcher paper
 Powerpoint
 Word document
 Index cards
Day 2: Note taking
Learning Objectives:
Identify note taking strategies: “General, Cornell, Mind mapping, Outlining, Combining
formats” (Understanding)
Demonstrate note-taking using observe, record, review during class lecture. (Application)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Provide lecture with outline displayed on overhead reviewing general note taking
strategies. Note Taking Techniques
2. Referring to the text book Becoming a Master Student, Chapter, 5, pages 150-159, break
class into three groups to review:
 Observe
 Record
 Review
3. Direct the groups to review, and develop a group presentation summarizing the specific
techniques. Allow 30 – 45 minutes for this task. Groups can use paper, electronic media
or other creative ways to present information.
4. Present lecture on Multiple Intelligences.
5. Direct students to practice effective note taking using one of the methods learned.
Evaluation:
Group Presentation; measured by “Group presentation rubric” Group Presentation Rubric
Individual student notes recording “MI Lecture” measured by “note taking rubric” Note Taking
Rubric
Materials:
 Text book
 Elmo projector
 Butcher paper
 Powerpoint
 Word document
 Index cards
Day 3: Student Success Strategies
Learning Objectives:
Students will:
 Compare strategies that are both useful and detrimental
 Analyze how strategies will be used in role of student
 Examine pertinence of information (analysis)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Pass out various student success articles/info sheets in a random order to students.
College Success Strategies
Effective Study Habits for College Students 1
Effective Study Habits for College Students
Effective Study Skills Article
Ten Tips You Need to Survive College
The 7 Habits of Successful Students
2. Direct students to read their assigned article.
3. Direct students to address the following in a 5 paragraph essay.
4. Review essay rubric that will assess their writing conventions within this assignment.
 Summarize the main point of the article.
 Discuss how you may incorporate at least two ideas into your own life.
 Do you agree or disagree with the article? Why or why not?
5. Review essay rubric that will assess their writing conventions within this assignment.
6. Give “Five Paragraph Essay Diagram” Handout for reference. Essay Structure
Evaluation:
Student success essay measured by “Essay Rubric” Essay Rubric
Materials:
 Success topics/articles
 essay guide
 computers
Day 4: Final Project
Learning Objectives:
Students will formulate a self evaluation of their skills, level of confidence, and strategies
learned by a project, demonstration, presentation, or paper. (Evaluation)
Instructional Procedures:
The purpose of the final project is to provide an opportunity for students to self-assess their
progress and outcomes of the class. Because many of the topics covered allow for
personalization as they are implemented in practice, there is not one right or wrong reason for
adopting specific strategies. Therefore, the final project allows for students to reflect on the
strategies that may work best for them and provides the opportunity to discuss how new skills
will be applied.
1. Direct students to reflect upon the information and new skills learned throughout the
course. Direct them to produce a final project that answers the following questions:
 Name at least one thing you have learned that you believe will increase your
ability to succeed in college.
 Describe your current level of confidence in your abilities as a student.

Identify at least one thing you plan to implement your first quarter of college that
will help you manage the transition to college.
2. The final project can be done in any fashion the student chooses: paper, power point,
poster, flyer, student led class discussion, etc.
Evaluation:
Final Project measured by final project rubric. Final Project Rubric
Materials:
 Butcher paper
 Power point
 Poster paper
 Flyer
 Elmo projector
 Computers
 Previous class handouts
Day 5: Survival Guide
Learning Objectives:
Students will construct a survival guide written for future students (Synthesis)
Instructional Procedures:
1. Direct students to review the topics covered throughout the week, and choose between 13 items that they determine as the most important, relevant, and/or useful that future
students could use.
2. Each tip will be added to the existing “Survival Guide for students by students” which
each person receives prior to leaving the class.
Evaluation:
Letter written to future students
Materials:
 Guide booklet
 Computers
Day 5: Presentation of Final Project
Students will present their final project. Final Project Rubric