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Aim High Quest

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Lesson Plan

Aim High Quest Lesson Plan

Guide the student to identify one emotional and one academic goal for the year, break each into actionable steps, and commit to their first action.

Clarifying goals channels emotions into positive motivation, fosters resilience in grief, and promotes academic focus and self-awareness.

Audience

Middle School Student (7th Grade)

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided discussion and hands-on worksheet

Materials

Aim High Quest Goal-Setting Worksheet, Personal Reflection Journal Template, and Motivational Quote Cards

Prep

Materials Review & Setup

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up & Emotional Check-In

5 minutes

  • Greet the student warmly and invite them to share how they’re feeling today
  • Acknowledge any lingering emotions and validate their experience
  • Emphasize that this is a safe space for honest reflection

Step 2

Explore Aspirations

7 minutes

  • Ask the student to recall a moment last year when they felt proud academically or emotionally
  • Use prompts: Which activities lifted your mood? Which subjects felt rewarding?
  • Note key themes to guide goal selection

Step 3

Goal-Setting Worksheet Completion

10 minutes

  • Provide the Aim High Quest Goal-Setting Worksheet
  • Support the student in defining one emotional goal (e.g., practice deep breathing when stressed) and one academic goal (e.g., raise math grade by one letter)
  • Help break each goal into 2–3 SMART action steps
  • Encourage clarity and achievable timelines

Step 4

Reflection & Commitment

8 minutes

  • Ask the student to reflect on their chosen goals using the Personal Reflection Journal Template
  • Discuss potential obstacles and brainstorm strategies to overcome them
  • Let the student select a Motivational Quote Card that resonates
  • Have the student state the first action they will take and set a follow-up check-in time
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Discussion

Aim High Quest Discussion

Objective:
Support the student in reflecting on emotions and experiences to shape meaningful emotional and academic goals.

Discussion Guidelines:

  • Listen actively and speak honestly.
  • Respect each other’s thoughts and feelings.
  • This is a safe space—there’s no right or wrong answer.

1. Warm-Up & Emotional Check-In (5 min)

  1. How are you feeling right now as we begin?





  2. Can you name one word that describes your current mood?





Follow-Up Prompts:

  • What happened today or this week that might explain that feeling?
  • If your mood were a color or weather, what would it be?

2. Reflecting on Past Strengths (7 min)

  1. Think back to last year: when did you feel really proud of yourself—either in school or personally?











  2. What was happening in that moment? Who was with you?











Follow-Up Prompts:

  • Which subjects or activities felt most rewarding?
  • What skills or habits helped you succeed then?

3. Identifying Your Goals (10 min)

  1. Based on what you shared, what is one emotional goal you’d like to focus on this year?
    (e.g., "I want to notice when I’m getting upset and use a breathing exercise.")











  2. What is one academic goal you’d like to set?
    (e.g., "I want to improve my math grade by one letter.")











Follow-Up Prompts:

  • Why did you choose these goals?
  • How will achieving these make you feel?

4. Exploring Challenges & Supports (8 min)

  1. What might make it difficult to reach your emotional goal?











  2. Who or what can help you stay on track (e.g., a friend, teacher, routine)?











Follow-Up Prompts:

  • Have you faced similar challenges before? How did you handle them?
  • What new strategy could you try if things get tough?

Next Steps

End of Discussion

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Activity

Aim High Quest Activity

Use this worksheet to turn your ideas into clear, SMART goals with actionable steps.

1. My Emotional Goal

  1. I want to focus on this emotion or skill (e.g., stay calm when stressed):











  2. Why this goal matters to me:











  3. SMART Action Steps for My Emotional Goal:
StepSpecific ActionTimeline (By When)Who Can Help/Support
1
2
3

(Tip: Make each action clear and achievable.)

2. My Academic Goal

  1. I want to achieve this in school (e.g., improve math grade by one letter):











  2. Why this goal matters to me:











  3. SMART Action Steps for My Academic Goal:
StepSpecific ActionTimeline (By When)Who Can Help/Support
1
2
3

(Aim for steps you can complete this week or month.)

3. Anticipating Challenges & Supports

  1. What might make it hard to reach these goals?











  2. What strategies can you use if you face these obstacles?











  3. Who will remind or encourage you along the way?











4. My First Action & Follow-Up

  1. My very first step (today or this week) will be:











  2. I will check in on this step on (date/time):





Choose a Motivational Quote Card that inspires you and place it where you’ll see it every day.

Good luck on your Aim High Quest! You’ve got this.
— End of Worksheet

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