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Lesson Plan

Looking Back, Moving Forward Lesson Plan

Students will reflect on their academic and personal growth over the 8th grade year, celebrate their achievements, and set actionable goals for a successful transition to high school.

This structured end-of-year reflection fosters self-awareness, builds confidence, and supports emotional well-being. By recognizing their progress and setting goals, students gain clarity and motivation for the next chapter in high school.

Audience

8th Grade (Middle School Students)

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided journaling, small-group sharing, and goal-setting activities.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain the purpose: reflect on growth and plan for high school
  • Prompt: "What’s one thing you’re proud of from this year?"
  • Invite 3–4 volunteers to share brief answers
  • Establish group norms: respectful listening and confidentiality

Step 2

Journal Reflection

10 minutes

  • Distribute Guided Journal Reflection Worksheet
  • Read through prompts: personal strengths, challenges overcome, memorable moments
  • Set timer for 10 minutes; students write independently
  • Circulate to offer support and clarify prompts

Step 3

Small-Group Sharing

10 minutes

  • Form groups of 3–4 students
  • Each student shares one key insight from their reflection
  • Peers listen actively and ask supportive questions
  • Teacher circulates, affirms contributions, and notes common themes

Step 4

Cool-Down and Closure

5 minutes

  • Distribute High School Goal-Setting Template
  • Explain how to choose 1–2 SMART goals for high school (Specific, Measurable, Achievable)
  • Give students 3 minutes to complete their templates
  • Invite a few volunteers to share one goal
  • Thank students for their reflections and encourage them to keep their templates
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Worksheet

Guided Journal Reflection Worksheet

Name: ____________________________ Date: _______________

1. Personal Strengths

What personal strengths have you discovered about yourself this year? Describe at least two strengths and give an example of when you used each.











2. Challenges Overcome

Think of a challenge you faced this year—academic, social, or personal. Describe the challenge and explain the steps you took to overcome it. What did you learn about yourself?











3. Memorable Moments

Choose two moments from this school year that you’ll always remember. For each moment, write a sentence explaining why it stood out to you.

a) Moment #1:





Why it’s memorable:




b) Moment #2:





Why it’s memorable:




4. Growth Reflection

In which area (academic, social, emotional, creative, etc.) do you feel you’ve grown the most this year? Provide specific examples that show how you’ve changed or improved.











5. Looking Ahead

Based on your reflections above, what is one goal you’d like to set for yourself as you enter high school? (Be specific.)






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Worksheet

High School Goal-Setting Template

Name: ____________________________ Date: _______________

My Goal for High School

Write one clear goal you’d like to achieve in high school (academic, social, or personal). Be specific:

Goal: _________________________________________________






SMART Goal Breakdown

S – Specific: What exactly do you want to accomplish?

________________________________________________________



M – Measurable: How will you know when you’ve reached your goal? What evidence will show your success?

________________________________________________________



A – Achievable: What steps will you take? What resources or skills do you need?

________________________________________________________



R – Relevant: Why is this goal important to you? How will it help you in high school or beyond?

________________________________________________________



T – Time-Bound: When do you plan to achieve this goal? Set a deadline.

________________________________________________________



Action Plan

List three specific action steps you will take to reach your goal. Include a mini-deadline for each step.

StepActionDeadline
1._____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________

2._____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________

3._____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________

Monitoring Progress

How will you track your progress? (e.g., journal entries, check-ins with a mentor, progress charts.)

________________________________________________________






Celebration Plan

How will you celebrate once you achieve your goal? (Think of a reward or recognition.)

________________________________________________________






Keep this template somewhere you’ll see it often. Review and adjust your action plan as needed!

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Slide Deck

Looking Back, Moving Forward

End-of-Year Reflection & Goal-Setting

Welcome students to the session. Introduce yourself and explain today’s focus: reflecting on their 8th grade year and planning for high school.

Session Objectives

• Reflect on your growth this year
• Celebrate your achievements
• Set clear, actionable goals for high school

Read through each objective aloud. Emphasize why reflection and goal-setting matter for their growth and confidence.

Warm-Up: Pride Prompt

“What’s one thing you’re proud of from this year?”

• 2 minutes to think silently
• Volunteers share brief responses
• Establish listening norms

Explain group norms: one speaker at a time, respectful listening, confidentiality. Prompt 3-4 volunteers to share their proud moment.

Journal Reflection

Use your Guided Journal Reflection Worksheet:
• Personal strengths you discovered
• Challenges you overcame
• Two memorable moments

Write independently for 10 minutes.

Hand out the Guided Journal Reflection Worksheet. Set a timer for 10 minutes and encourage detailed responses.

Small-Group Sharing

• Form groups of 3–4
• Each student shares one key insight
• Group members ask supportive questions
• Listen actively and affirm each other

Arrange students into groups of 3–4. Encourage supportive questions and affirm common themes. Circulate and note patterns.

High School Goal-Setting

Complete your Goal-Setting Template:
• Choose 1–2 SMART goals
• Specific • Measurable • Achievable • Relevant • Time-bound

3 minutes to write

Distribute the High School Goal-Setting Template. Explain SMART criteria and set a 3-minute timer.

Closure & Next Steps

• Volunteers share one goal
• Keep your templates somewhere visible
• Reflect on progress regularly

Thank you for your reflections!

Invite a few volunteers to share one goal each. Reinforce the importance of keeping and reviewing their templates over the summer.

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