About the store
I’m a veteran K–8 school counselor who believes the moments between the bells matter just as much as what happens in the classroom. I’ve spent years walking alongside students as they navigate emotions, friendships, attendance struggles, and academic challenges—and supporting families through those same journeys.
Life Between Bells was created to give counselors ready-to-use tools that are meaningful, student-centered, and rooted in real school life. These lessons are designed to help students feel seen, learn practical skills, and grow in confidence—while saving counselors valuable time.
If you need technical support, please inquire of TPT and your tech assistants at your school site. If you still have problems, you can reach out to lifebetweenbells@gmail.com. The prior sarahduncan@lifebetweenbells.com (email) is currently not in service as the hosting site is no longer operational.
Read more
All resources
Filters
Grade
Subject
Resource type
Standard
Language
Programs & methods
Supports
Time Management Guidance Lesson
Do your sixth through eighth grade students struggle with Time Management? This low prep and simple study skills presentation will increase their self awareness about how they spend their time. ▶ ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors:M 3. Positive attitude toward work and learning. B-LS 3. Time-Management, organizational and study skills. B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions. B-SMS 8. Balance of school, home, and community activities. ▶ This product includes: ✅ A link to copy my Google Slides Time
5th - 9th
Character Education, School Counseling
Middle School Counseling Curriculum GROWING BUNDLE!
Are you trying to run a strong, organized, and effective middle school counseling program—while juggling everything else on your plate? Between crisis response, scheduling, behavior support, and constant interruptions…it can feel nearly impossible to: Plan engaging lessons Run consistent small groups Track meaningful data Support high-need students And still build a proactive, school-wide program You’re not alone—and you shouldn’t have to build it all from scratch. Are you trying to build
6th - 8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Middle School Study Skills BUNDLE
Support your middle school students in building the academic habits they need to succeed — without creating more prep work for yourself. The Middle School Study Skills Bundle includes a complete progression of engaging, developmentally appropriate lessons for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students. Each lesson is intentionally designed to strengthen executive functioning, improve academic confidence, and help students take ownership of their learning.From foundational habits in 6th grade to advanced
6th - 8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
6th Grade Study Skills: Time Management Organizational Skills Guidance Lesson
Are your sixth graders struggling with organizational skills, time management, work completion, or productivity? This low to no prep time management lesson covers all these skills and let's you provide students with instructions to organize their assignments, activities, and resources efficiently. Walk your students through the use of a weekly planner to manage tasks and projects. And allow your students to get creative and become more self aware by letting them visually show how they use t
6th
School Counseling, Social Emotional Learning
Bullying Prevention Curriculum Bundle K-8
Teach every grade level — Kindergarten through 8th — how to build empathy, confidence, and leadership through an age-appropriate, year-to-year bullying prevention program.This comprehensive K–8 Bullying Prevention Curriculum from Life Between Bells gives counselors and educators everything they need to guide students from awareness → empathy → leadership → action.Each grade-level lesson is scaffolded to meet developmental levels while maintaining a consistent, unifying message: “Your choices
K - 8th
School Counseling, School Psychology, Social Emotional Learning
Middle School MTSS Attendance Bundle
Are tardies and absences keeping your students from reaching their goals?Change your school’s attendance culture with this all-in-one 6–8 Attendance Growth Curriculum Bundle designed for school counselors and teachers. This complete package provides everything you need to teach, track, and improve student attendance while engaging families and building a positive school-wide culture around showing up every day. What’s Included: 6–8 Attendance Lesson Plans (3 lessons) – Age-appropriate, ASCA-al
6th - 8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Elementary MTSS Attendance Bundle
Struggling to find engaging, age-appropriate attendance lessons for your grade level? Ignite your school’s attendance culture with this all-in-one K–5th Attendance Growth Curriculum Bundle designed for school counselors and teachers. This complete package provides everything you need to teach, track, and improve student attendance while engaging families and building a positive school-wide culture around showing up every day. What’s Included: K–5 Attendance Lesson Plans (6 lessons) – Age-appro
K - 5th
School Counseling, School Psychology
K-8 Attendance Bundle
Transform your school’s attendance culture with this all-in-one K–8 Attendance Growth Curriculum Bundle designed for school counselors and teachers. This complete package provides everything you need to teach, track, and improve student attendance while engaging families and building a positive school-wide culture around showing up every day. What’s Included: K–8 Attendance Lesson Plans (9 lessons) – Age-appropriate, ASCA-aligned classroom guidance lessons that teach students why attendanc
Not Specific
School Counseling, School Psychology
Level Up Attendance Small Group Middle School
Middle schoolers face unique obstacles that can lead to absenteeism or chronic tardiness—peer dynamics, increased academic pressure, mental health challenges, and new independence. This 6th–8th Grade Attendance Growth Small Group Counseling Curriculum tackles these challenges head-on with engaging, age-appropriate activities, discussions, and flexible thinking lessons that connect attendance to both present success and future opportunities. Created for school counselors and educators, this 6-
6th - 8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Also included in: K-8 Attendance Bundle
Study Smarter: Study Skills 8th Grade BUNDLE
Help your 8th-grade students build the study skills they need to succeed in high school and beyond with this comprehensive Study Skills Bundle designed specifically for school counselors. This bundle includes engaging, ready-to-use lessons that focus on key executive functioning skills such as time management, note-taking, test preparation, and effective study strategies. Each lesson is designed to be interactive, relevant, and easy to implement during classroom guidance lessons. Students will
8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
K-5 Bullying Prevention Bundle
Save time, build confidence, and empower your students to stand up for kindness with this complete K–5 Bullying Prevention Lesson Bundle!Each grade-level lesson is developmentally designed to build year-over-year understanding—from identifying what bullying looks like in Kindergarten, to practicing Upstander strategies and empathy in the upper grades. Every lesson includes ready-to-use slides, hands-on activities, counselor discussion prompts, and ASCA TM -aligned objectives to make teaching b
K - 5th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Pro Study Skills 7th Grade BUNDLE
The 7th Grade Pro Study Skills Bundle is a structured, data-driven set of classroom counseling lessons designed to strengthen academic ownership, executive functioning, and self-advocacy skills in seventh-grade students. These lessons help build upon prior skills taught during 6th Grade with the Building Strong Study Habits Lessons, or can be used as a stand-alone intervention for your 7th-grade students. “Ownership, Organization, and Academic Confidence” 7th grade is the bridge year: Aca
7th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Attendance Classroom Guidance Lesson
Start the conversation about Good School Attendance with this engaging, low prep, editable and simple presentation for sixth through ninth grade students. This Lesson allows students to look at 2 Case Studies to show the power of presence and attendance both in school and in life. Have a young man read Jamar’s story and have a young lady read Monica’s story. Have them discuss the Table Topics with a partner and then go through the questions allowing time to answer. Included are some additional f
6th - 9th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Show Up and Shine Attendance Small Group
Help your youngest learners build positive school habits with this 2nd–3rd Grade Attendance Growth Small Group Counseling Curriculum. Designed specifically for elementary students, this 5-week program provides engaging lessons and discussions that encourage responsibility, routine-building, and problem-solving around tardiness and absences. Perfect for school counselors and educators, this resource supports early intervention for attendance concerns before patterns become long-term struggles.
2nd - 3rd
School Counseling, School Psychology
Also included in: K-8 Attendance Bundle
6-8th Grade Suicide Prevention Lesson Bundle for Middle School
Save hours of prep with this Middle School Wellness & Suicide Prevention Counseling Lessons Bundle! Designed specifically for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students, these lessons cover emotional management, coping skills, mental health awareness, and suicide prevention in a way that’s age-appropriate and impactful. Each grade-level lesson includes editable slides, interactive student activities, and printable worksheets to help students build resilience, recognize warning signs, and know how to as
6th - 8th
School Counseling, School Psychology, Social Emotional Learning
Building Strong Study Habits 6th Grade BUNDLE
The transition to middle school can feel overwhelming for students. Increased academic expectations, multiple teachers, and growing independence make study skills and executive functioning more important than ever. This 6th Grade Study Skills Counseling Bundle includes three intentionally sequenced lessons that work together to help students plan, organize, and manage their time effectively. Each lesson is counselor-led, student-friendly, and built with ASCA alignment and data collection in
6th
School Counseling, School Psychology
First Grade Bullying Prevention Guidance Lesson
Help your 1st graders learn how to recognize, prevent, and respond to bullying with this engaging, low-prep lesson! Be a Buddy, Not a Bully! is a 25-30 minute bullying prevention guidance lesson created specifically for young learners. Using an original story ( Trouble at Recess), interactive discussions, and the Stop–Walk–Talk strategy, this lesson makes tough topics simple, concrete, and age-appropriate. Kindergarten: Social story on kindness & safe choices 1st Grade: Story-based lesson on
1st
School Counseling, School Psychology
Also included in: K-5 Bullying Prevention Bundle
Middle School Bully Prevention Lessons
Help your middle schoolers understand — and change — the culture of bullying on campus! This 3-lesson Bullying Prevention Bundle includes everything you need for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade guidance lessons that build on each other year after year. Students don’t just learn what bullying is — they explore how their choices, energy, and leadership can create ripple effects that transform their school community. Together, these lessons create a cohesive, leadership-centered SEL progression that em
6th - 8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
The Real World Connection Attendance Guidance Lesson for Eighth Grade
Equip your students with the understanding that attendance isn’t just about showing up for school—it’s about preparing for life. This engaging 8th grade attendance lesson helps students recognize the long-term impact of their daily habits, linking attendance directly to future career success and personal responsibility. ✔ ASCA-Aligned – Targets perseverance, self-motivation, and self-management standards (B-LS 4, B-SMS 5). ✔ Interactive & Relatable – Includes hiring scenarios, real-life math
8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Also included in: K-8 Attendance Bundle
Study Smarter: Testing Strategies and Motivation
Help your middle school students reduce test anxiety, improve test-taking strategies, and stay motivated through the end of the school year with this engaging, low-prep school counseling lesson! In this 8th-grade classroom guidance lesson, students learn how to prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally for tests while practicing real-life test-taking scenarios. This lesson also builds self-motivation and goal-setting skills, helping students push through end-of-year fatigue and finish str
8th
School Counseling, School Psychology
Also included in: Study Smarter: Study Skills 8th Grade BUNDLE
Showing 1-20 of 114 results
About the store
Experience
I’m a veteran K–8 school counselor who believes the moments between the bells matter just as much as what happens in the classroom. I’ve spent years walking alongside students as they navigate emotions, friendships, attendance struggles, and academic challenges—and supporting families through those same journeys.
Life Between Bells was created to give counselors ready-to-use tools that are meaningful, student-centered, and rooted in real school life. These lessons are designed to help students feel seen, learn practical skills, and grow in confidence—while saving counselors valuable time.
If you need technical support, please inquire of TPT and your tech assistants at your school site. If you still have problems, you can reach out to lifebetweenbells@gmail.com. The prior sarahduncan@lifebetweenbells.com (email) is currently not in service as the hosting site is no longer operational.
Teaching style
To learn more, sail right over to my blog at: https://lifebetweenbells.com or join us at https://www.youtube.com/@lifebetweenbells (coming soon!)
Awards & shining teacher moments
2017
-Presented at CASC Conference with other Graduate Students about landing your first School Counseling job.
2018-2019
-Student was saved from a crisis situation at home and came back at the end of the year to say "Can I get a picture with you? I want to always remember the one who saved my life." When I get discouraged, I remember that I made a difference for that one. And each year thereafter I look for the one student where I know I made an impact. YOU MATTER COUNSELOR!
2020
-One of two school counselors in my district elected to the Social Emotional Learning and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Planning Task Force during the Covid Lockdowns.
-Initiated and created a school counseling Google Site during the Lockdowns which is still used by my district today.
2024
-PBIS Coach for my district's Virtual Academy (LAVA). Lead, facilitated, and ran the school's PBIS program.
-Co-lead district staff presentations on the importance of Self Care and lead a Self Care Workshop for our district's ASB 8th Grade Students.
My own education history
BA in Psychology from CSU Channel Islands.
MA in Educational and Clinical Counseling from Azusa Pacific University with a PPS Credential.
+ Participated in these PD's over the years: Capturing Kids Hearts, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support and SWIS Program, Trauma Informed Practices, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, School Refusal and Chronic Absenteeism, Behavioral Intervention Plans, Non-Suicidal Self Injury 101 Training, 504 Training, SST Training, Threat Assessments, Suicide Assessments, DART Training, Reducing Anxiety in the Classroom, Check-in Check-out, PREPaRE Training, Crisis Response Webinar, Social and Emotional Learning through the Arts, Second Step, WebEx Training, De-escalation, RAMP Training, Google Classroom, Google Sites, Catapult EMS Training, Protecting Students During the Pandemic: Detecting, Preventing, and Addressing Child Abuse in the Online Classroom, Middle School and Elementary School Attendance Best Practices Forum, Mental Wellness and Supporting Students in Foster Care, Foster Care Student Rights, Community Circles, A2A/ATTEND Attendance Data System, ASCA Model Training, Parent Project Training, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children 101 CAST LA, Human Trafficking PD, Hatching Results Training, iReady Data Training, The Importance of Family Engagement, Virtual Learning Through Independent Study, Restorative Practices and Attendance Considerations, Sown to Grow Program etc.
TPT is the largest marketplace for PreK-12 resources, powered by a community of educators.
IXL family of brands