Lesson Plan
Achievement Avenue Lesson Plan
Students will reflect on and celebrate personal milestones from the past year by sharing stories and crafting an 'Achievement Avenue' board to showcase their growth.
Building self-esteem through recognizing successes fosters positive peer relationships, encourages a growth mindset, and helps 2nd–3rd graders appreciate their progress.
Audience
2nd and 3rd Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Storytelling, discussion, and creative board construction.
Materials
- Achievement Avenue Slide Deck, - Achievement Avenue Project Guidelines, - Construction Paper (various colors), - Crayons and Markers, - Glue Sticks, - Sticky Notes, and - Chart Paper or Dry-Erase Board
Prep
Prepare Materials and Resources
15 minutes
- Print and load the Achievement Avenue Slide Deck for projection
- Print enough copies of the Achievement Avenue Project Guidelines for each student
- Gather art supplies: construction paper, crayons, markers, glue sticks, sticky notes
- Arrange classroom tables for group sharing and set up a display area for finished boards
Step 1
Introduction & Objective
10 minutes
- Display Slide 1–2 from the Achievement Avenue Slide Deck
- Explain: “An achievement is something you’ve done or learned that makes you proud.”
- Tell students they’ll share achievements and create an ‘Achievement Avenue’ board to celebrate growth
Step 2
Personal Reflection
10 minutes
- Distribute sticky notes and ask students to write 2–3 achievements from the past year (academic, social, personal)
- Prompt: What’s something new you learned? A challenge you overcame? A goal you reached?
Step 3
Story Sharing
10 minutes
- Have students pair up and take turns sharing one achievement
- Encourage active listening: partners ask a follow-up question about each other’s achievement
- Invite 3–4 volunteers to share their partner’s achievement with the whole class
Step 4
Board Creation
20 minutes
- Hand out the Achievement Avenue Project Guidelines and art supplies
- Instruct students to use construction paper as a base and arrange achievements along a drawn ‘avenue’ path
- Encourage illustrations or icons representing each achievement
- Circulate to support layout, spelling, and artistic ideas
Step 5
Gallery Walk & Reflection
10 minutes
- Display all boards around the room
- Students walk and view peers’ boards, leaving positive notes or stickers
- Gather back together and ask: What did you learn about your classmates? How does celebrating achievements feel?
Slide Deck
Achievement Avenue: Building Self-esteem
Welcome to Achievement Avenue!
Today, we’ll celebrate our personal successes from the past year.
Welcome students warmly. Introduce the slide deck’s theme: celebrating personal successes.
Today’s Objectives
• Define what an achievement is
• Reflect on personal successes
• Share and celebrate with peers
• Create your own ‘Achievement Avenue’ board
Read each objective aloud and ensure students understand the goals for today’s lesson.
What Is an Achievement?
An achievement is something you’ve done or learned that makes you proud!
Explain the definition and invite a few examples from students.
Reflection Prompts
Think of 2–3 achievements from the past year:
• Academic (e.g., learned to read a new word)
• Social (e.g., made a new friend)
• Personal (e.g., rode a bike)
Write each on a separate sticky note.
Guide students through thinking of different types of achievements.
Personal Reflection Activity
• Take sticky notes
• Write one achievement per note
• Use neat handwriting or draw a small icon
Distribute sticky notes and markers. Circulate as students write.
Story Sharing
• Pair up with a classmate
• Take turns sharing one achievement
• Ask a follow-up question to learn more
Model active listening: face partner, make eye contact, ask a follow-up question.
Board Creation
• Use construction paper as your base
• Arrange sticky notes along a drawn ‘avenue’ path
• Add illustrations or icons for each achievement
Refer to Achievement Avenue Project Guidelines for steps
Show a sample board if possible. Point out the link to the project guidelines.
Gallery Walk & Reflection
• Walk around to view classmates’ boards
• Leave positive notes or stickers
Afterward, discuss:
– What did you learn about your classmates?
– How does celebrating achievements feel?
Encourage positive feedback and model leaving a note or sticker on a peer’s board.
Keep Celebrating!
Remember your ‘Avenue’ of achievements and be proud of your growth every day!
Wrap up by reinforcing growth mindset and encouraging continued celebration of wins.
Project Guide
Achievement Avenue Project Guidelines
Purpose
Guide students through creating a visual “Achievement Avenue” board that highlights 3–5 personal milestones. This project reinforces self-esteem by celebrating growth and encouraging creative expression.
Materials Needed
- Construction paper (various colors)
- Sticky notes or small paper cut-outs
- Crayons, markers, and colored pencils
- Glue sticks or tape
- Stickers or decorative embellishments (optional)
Time Estimate
20–25 minutes
Steps
-
Plan Your Avenue
- On your base paper, lightly sketch a winding path or road.
- Consider how much space you’ll need for each achievement.
-
Select Your Achievements
- Choose 3–5 achievements from your reflection activity.
- Aim to include at least one academic, one social, and one personal milestone.
-
Arrange and Affix
- Write each achievement on a sticky note (or cut-out).
- Place and glue/tape them along the path in chronological order.
-
Illustrate & Decorate
- Draw small pictures or icons next to each achievement (e.g., a book for reading success).
- Add color, stickers, or borders to make your board vibrant.
-
Title & Labels
- Write “My Achievement Avenue” prominently at the top.
- Optionally label the start (“First Steps”) and end (“Keep Going!”) of your path.
-
Reflection Section
- At the bottom, write 2–3 sentences:
• What achievement are you most proud of?
• How did overcoming challenges feel?
- At the bottom, write 2–3 sentences:
-
Final Touches & Share
- Review for neatness and spelling.
- Stand by your board during the gallery walk and share your journey with classmates.
Success Criteria
- Displays at least 3 achievements
- Includes illustrations or icons for each milestone
- Board is colorful, neat, and readable
- Reflection writing is complete and thoughtful
Tips for Success
- Use bright, contrasting colors for visibility.
- Balance words and illustrations—avoid clutter.
- Check spelling before gluing down any labels.
Example Description
Imagine a green winding road drawn across a blue background. Along the bends you see sticky notes labeled “Learned to tie my shoes” (with a tiny shoe drawing) and “Made a new friend” (with two stick-figures high-fiving). At the end, a banner reads “Keep Going!” and a short reflection says: “I feel proud of how much I’ve grown and I’m excited for next year!”