SMART Goals Worksheet

Instructions:
Use the SMART framework to write a clear academic goal and label each component below.

1. Write your SMART goal:

1. Break down your goal:

Specific

Describe the exact details of your goal. What do you want to accomplish?

Measurable

Explain how you will track or measure your progress.

Achievable

Describe why this goal is realistic for you to accomplish.

Relevant

Explain how this goal connects to your academic success or personal growth.

Time-Bound

State the deadline or timeframe for completing your goal.

Keep this worksheet for reference and bring it to our next session on goal-setting and planning.

Session 1 Script

Introduction to Goal-Setting (2 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, Brain Bosses! Please take your seats and get settled. Today we’re going to talk about a very important topic: goals. Goals help us know where we're going and what we want to achieve.

Teacher: "First, can someone raise their hand and tell me what a goal is?"
Pause to collect 2–3 responses
Teacher: "Thank you! A goal is a target or outcome you want to reach. Goals give us direction and help organize our efforts. Today, I’m going to show you how to make your goals clear and achievable using something called the SMART criteria."

Explain SMART Criteria (4 minutes)

Teacher: "Let’s look at the slide titled ‘Introducing SMART Goals.’ SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. I’ll explain each letter and then ask you to share your own words."

1. Teacher: "Specific means your goal is detailed and clear — it answers the questions: Who? What? Where?"
   Teacher: "For example, instead of saying ‘read more,’ you might say ‘read 10 pages of a book every day.’"
   Teacher: "Can someone restate what Specific means?"
   Pause for answer
2. Teacher: "Measurable means you can track your progress — you have a way to count or check your results."
   Teacher: "In our example, you’d count the pages you read each day."
   Teacher: "Who can tell me what Measurable means in their own words?"
   Pause for answer
3. Teacher: "Achievable means your goal is realistic for you to complete, based on your time and resources."
   Teacher: "Studying 30 minutes each day is something you can reasonably do after school."
   Teacher: "Why do you think it’s important for a goal to be achievable?"
   Pause for answer
4. Teacher: "Relevant means the goal matters to you and connects to something you care about or want to improve."
   Teacher: "For instance, choosing a goal that helps your overall math grade if improving math is important to you."
   Teacher: "Can someone give me an example of a goal that might NOT feel relevant?"
   Pause for answer
5. Teacher: "Time-Bound means your goal has a deadline or timeframe. Without a deadline, it’s easy to put it off."
   Teacher: "What might happen if we don’t set a time frame for our goal?"
   Pause for answer

Teacher: "Great job! Now that we know each SMART element, let’s see how to put them all together."

Model a SMART Goal (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Here is a vague goal: ‘Do better in math.’ I want to show you how I turn that into a SMART goal. I’ll think out loud so you can see my process."

• Teacher (thinking out loud): "I want it to be Specific: ‘I will earn at least 85% on my next math quiz.’
• Teacher: ‘That’s Measurable because I can check my exact quiz score.’
• Teacher: ‘It’s Achievable because I plan to study 30 minutes each day after school for one week.’
• Teacher: ‘It’s Relevant because improving my quiz score helps my overall grade.’
• Teacher: ‘And it’s Time-Bound because I set the deadline as one week for my next quiz.’

Teacher: "Put it all together:
‘I will earn at least 85% on my next math quiz by studying 30 minutes each day after school for one week.’"

Teacher: "Notice how each SMART part is included. Now you’ll try it yourself!"

Student Practice (4 minutes)

Teacher: "Now it’s your turn! I’m passing out the SMART Goals Worksheet. On your worksheet, write one academic goal and label each SMART component."
Teacher: "If you’re stuck, look back at the slide or raise your hand and I’ll come help you. You have four minutes — go!"

Teacher circulates and supports students individually. Possible prompts:

• "Can you show me where your goal is Specific?"
• "How will you measure your progress?"
• "Why is this goal important to you?"

Share & Wrap-Up (2 minutes)

Teacher: "Time’s up! Would two or three volunteers like to share their SMART goal? Raise your hand if you’d like to go first."
Select volunteers
Teacher: "Thank you, [Student Name]. Let’s look at your goal. How did you make it Specific?"
Pause for student response
Teacher: "And how is it Measurable?"
Pause for response

Teacher: "Wonderful job today, everyone! Keep your worksheet and bring it to our next session on planning. You now have the tool you need to set clear, achievable goals. Have a great day!"

Goal Brainstorm

Time: 3 minutes
Materials: Paper or whiteboard and marker/pencil

Instructions:

1. In one sentence, write your own definition of a goal.

1. List two academic goals you’d like to achieve this semester:
   a.
   
   
   
   b.
   
   
   
2. List two personal goals you have outside of school:
   a.
   
   
   
   b.
   
   
   
3. Turn to a partner and share one of your goals.

This quick activity helps activate your prior knowledge about why goals matter before we dive into SMART criteria.

Goal Reflection

Time: 2 minutes

Instructions:
Answer the prompts below to reflect on today’s SMART goal lesson and plan your next steps.

1. Which SMART component (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) was most helpful for you today?

1. Which SMART component was the most challenging, and why?

1. Write one academic SMART goal you will work on before our next session.

1. What strategy will you use to stay on track with your goal?

Task Planning Worksheet

Instructions:
Choose an upcoming homework assignment or project. Use this worksheet to break it down into clear steps, put them in order, and estimate how long each will take.

1. Identify Your Final Goal

What exactly do you want to finish?

2. Brainstorm All Necessary Steps

List every task you think you’ll need to complete your goal. Don’t worry about order yet—just write them all down.

3. Sequence Your Steps

Put the tasks above in the order you plan to do them. Write the step number from Section 2 next to each sequence slot.

Step 1: _____ (from #___)

Step 2: _____ (from #___)

Step 3: _____ (from #___)

Step 4: _____ (from #___)

Step 5: _____ (from #___)

Step 6: _____ (from #___)

4. Estimate Time for Each Step

Next to each ordered step, write how many minutes or hours you think it will take.

Step 1: ____________

Step 2: ____________

Step 3: ____________

Step 4: ____________

Step 5: ____________

Step 6: ____________

5. Plan Your To-Do List

Transfer the first 3–5 steps onto your To-Do List Template for tomorrow.

Tip: Check off each item as you finish it to stay on track and feel accomplished!

To-Do List Template

Date: ________________________

Instructions:
List the tasks you plan to complete tomorrow. For each task, write the step you identified on your Task Planning Worksheet, estimate how long it will take, and check it off when you’re finished.

1. ☐ Step 1: ____________________________________ (Time: ____________)

1. ☐ Step 2: ____________________________________ (Time: ____________)

1. ☐ Step 3: ____________________________________ (Time: ____________)

1. ☐ Step 4: ____________________________________ (Time: ____________)

1. ☐ Step 5: ____________________________________ (Time: ____________)

1. ☐ Step 6: ____________________________________ (Time: ____________)

Tip: Use this list each evening to plan your work. Checking off tasks helps you see your progress and stay motivated!

Overwhelm Meter

Time: 3 minutes
Materials: Paper or whiteboard and marker/pencil

Instructions:

1. On your paper (or whiteboard), draw a horizontal line. Mark the left end “1 = Not overwhelmed” and the right end “5 = Very overwhelmed.”

1. Think of an upcoming big assignment or project. Place an “X” on the line where your current feeling falls (1–5).

1. Under your “X,” write one word to explain why you chose that number.

1. Turn to a partner and share:
   • Your number on the meter
   • The one word you wrote
   • One thing that might help you feel less overwhelmed

Purpose: This quick check-in helps us notice our feelings about large tasks before we learn strategies to manage them.

Planning Reflection

Time: 2 minutes

Instructions:
Answer the prompts below to reflect on today’s task‐planning session and plan how you’ll use your steps and to‐do list.

1. Which planning step (Identify goal, Brainstorm steps, Sequence steps, or Estimate time) helped you most today, and why?

1. Which planning step was the most challenging for you, and why?

1. Choose one upcoming assignment or project. Write its name and explain how you will break it down using the Task Planning Worksheet.

1. How will you use your To-Do List Template to stay on track and check off tasks as you complete them?

Binder Organization Checklist

Instructions:
Use this checklist to set up and maintain your physical binder for each class. Check off each step when you complete it, and use the blanks to add your details.

1. ☐ Gather Materials
   • Binders, dividers, pocket folders, labels/stickers
   • List of your classes:
   a. ____________________________
   
   
   b. ____________________________
   
   
   c. ____________________________
   
   
2. ☐ Label Dividers
   Write the class name and date range on each divider tab.
   • Divider 1: __________________ (e.g., Math: Jan–Mar)
   
   
   • Divider 2: __________________ (e.g., English: Jan–Mar)
   
   
   • Divider 3: __________________
   
   
3. ☐ Insert Pocket Folders
   Add a pocket folder for loose handouts and assignments.
   • Number of folders: ________
   • Class for this folder: __________________________
   
   
4. ☐ Arrange Papers by Date or Topic
   Place handouts and completed work in the correct section.
   • Example: __________________________ (e.g., Handout on fractions – 02/14)
   
   
5. ☐ Remove Unneeded Papers
   Clear out old or irrelevant pages so your binder stays neat.
   • Papers to recycle or file elsewhere: __________________________
   
   
6. ☐ Personalize & Decorate
   Use color-coding, stickers, or labels to make your sections easy to find.
   • Decoration idea: __________________________
   
   

Tip:
Check your binder every Friday. Remove trash, add new handouts, and make sure each section is up to date!

Digital Folder Organization Guide

Instructions:
Use this guide to create and maintain a clear digital folder system for each class. Follow each step below and fill in your details.

1. Class & Main Folder

Class Name: ____________________________

Main Folder Name: (Example: Math_2024_Sem1)

2. Create Subfolders

Inside your main class folder, create these three subfolders:

1. Assignments
2. Notes
3. Resources

List any extra subfolders you need (e.g., Projects, Handouts):

3. Naming Conventions

Use a consistent format so you can find files quickly.
Format Examples:
• Assignment: Class_Assign_YYYY-MM-DD
• Note: Class_Note_Topic
• Resource: Class_Res_Subject

Your Sample File Names:

• Assignment: ____________________________
  
  
  
  
• Note: ____________________________
  
  
  
  
• Resource: ____________________________
  
  
  
  

4. Organizing & Backing Up

1. Choose a storage location (e.g., Google Drive, OneDrive):

   ---

   
   
   
2. Set up automatic sync or backup (circle one):
   • Sync Daily • Sync Weekly • Manual Backup
   
   
   
   
3. Version Control: When you update a file, add a version number at the end (e.g., _v2).
   
   
   
   

5. Maintenance Plan

1. When will you check your folders for organization and cleanup?

   ---

   
   
   
2. What will you do with old or irrelevant files?
   • Delete • Archive in a separate folder
   
   
   
   

Tip: A quick weekly check keeps your digital workspace clutter-free and saves time when you need to find important files.

Organization Show & Tell

Time: 3 minutes
Materials: Your binder or digital device with your current folder setup

Instructions:

1. Think about how you currently organize your class materials (physical binder or digital folders).
2. Turn to a partner and show your system. Explain one feature you like and one challenge you face.
3. On the back of this page (or on a sticky note), write:
   • Strength of my system:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • One thing I want to improve:
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Two volunteers will share their system and improvements with the class.

Purpose: Seeing peers’ strategies gives you new ideas and helps you reflect on improving your own organization system.

Org Reflection

Time: 2 minutes

Instructions:
Answer the prompts below to reflect on today’s organization session and plan how you’ll maintain your systems.

1. What is one thing you like about your newly organized binder system and why?

1. What is one challenge you still have with organizing your binder, and how will you address it?

1. Describe your digital folder structure for one class, using the Digital Folder Organization Guide.

1. What habit will you practice weekly to keep both your binder and digital folders up to date?