Lesson Plan
Goal-Setting Roadmap
Students will learn to set a realistic personal goal, break it into manageable steps, and establish success criteria to track progress in a 25-minute session.
Teaching goal-setting builds self-management skills, encourages perseverance, and helps students experience accomplishment by planning and reflecting on their own objectives.
Audience
4th Grade
Time
25 minutes
Approach
Discussion, guided worksheets, and reflection.
Materials
- Whiteboard and markers, - Goal Getter Slides, - My 3 Goals Worksheet, - Steps Roadmap Activity Sheet, - Goal Success Criteria Rubric, and - Goal Reflection Cool-Down Sheet
Prep
Material Preparation
5 minutes
- Print copies of My 3 Goals Worksheet, Steps Roadmap Activity Sheet, Goal Success Criteria Rubric, and Goal Reflection Cool-Down Sheet.
- Queue up Goal Getter Slides on the classroom screen.
- Review the flow of slides and familiarize yourself with each activity.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Introducing Goals
5 minutes
- Ask students: “What’s a goal you’ve had recently (e.g., finishing a book, learning a new skill)?”
- Record examples on the whiteboard.
- Show Slides 1–2 of Goal Getter Slides to define what a goal is and why it matters.
Step 2
Goal-Setting Mini-Lesson
5 minutes
- Display Slide 3: SMART criteria (Simple explanation: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- Invite 2–3 volunteers to share a goal and discuss how it matches SMART principles.
Step 3
Breaking Down Goals
8 minutes
- Distribute My 3 Goals Worksheet and Steps Roadmap Activity Sheet.
- Students choose one personal goal on the worksheet.
- On the roadmap sheet, list 3–5 actionable steps toward that goal.
- Circulate and support students in making steps clear and realistic.
Step 4
Establishing Success Criteria
4 minutes
- Hand out the Goal Success Criteria Rubric.
- Review the rubric together: what does “excellent” progress look like vs. “needs work.”
- Students assign one criterion level to their goal steps and share with a partner.
Step 5
Cool-Down: Reflection & Next Steps
3 minutes
- Give each student a Goal Reflection Cool-Down Sheet.
- Prompt: “What’s one thing you’ll do tomorrow to move toward your goal?”
- Students write and (if time) share with the class.
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Slide Deck
Goal Getter
Setting and Achieving Your Personal Goals
Welcome students and set the tone. Introduce yourself and briefly explain that today they’ll learn how to set and reach personal goals.
What Is a Goal?
• A goal is something you want to do, learn, or become.
• Goals help us focus and grow.
• When we reach a goal, we feel proud!
Ask students to call out examples of goals they’ve had (finishing a game level, reading a chapter). Record a few on the board as you transition.
SMART Goals
S – Specific: Clear and focused
M – Measurable: You can track progress
A – Achievable: Realistic for you
R – Relevant: Matters to you now
T – Time-bound: Has a deadline
Briefly explain each SMART letter. Invite two volunteers to share a goal and label one or two letters.
Breaking Down Your Goal
- Choose one goal from your worksheet.
- List 3–5 clear steps to reach it.
- Make each step easy to understand and do.
Explain that they’ll use the My 3 Goals Worksheet and Steps Roadmap Activity Sheet. Show a simple arrow-road graphic.
Success Criteria
How will you know you’re on track?
Excellent – All steps done on time and correctly
Good – Most steps done, minor fixes needed
Needs Work – Steps unclear or incomplete
Display the rubric levels. Clarify what “excellent” looks like and relate it back to their steps.
Reflection & Next Steps
What’s one thing you’ll do tomorrow
to move toward your goal?
Write it down and make a plan!
Encourage everyone to write one action they’ll do tomorrow. Thank them and explain next: sharing or journaling later.
Worksheet
My 3 Goals Worksheet
Think of three personal goals you want to achieve. Write each goal below. Then, check each box if your goal meets the SMART criteria.
- Goal 1: ________________________________
• Specific? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Measurable? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Achievable? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Relevant? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Time-bound? Yes [ ] No [ ] - Goal 2: ________________________________
• Specific? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Measurable? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Achievable? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Relevant? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Time-bound? Yes [ ] No [ ] - Goal 3: ________________________________
• Specific? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Measurable? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Achievable? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Relevant? Yes [ ] No [ ]
• Time-bound? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Choose One Goal for Deeper Work
Which goal will you focus on first? ________________________________
Why did you choose this goal? Explain why it's important to you and how it will help you grow:
Now you’re ready to break down your chosen goal into steps on the Steps Roadmap Activity Sheet.
Activity
Steps Roadmap Activity Sheet
Use your chosen goal from the My 3 Goals Worksheet. Break it into clear, actionable steps. For each step, write what you’ll do, when you’ll do it, and track your progress.
Your Goal: ________________________________
Step 1: What will you do first?
_______________________________
Deadline: __ / __ / ____
Completed? Yes [ ] No [ ]
→→→
Step 2: Next action:
_______________________________
Deadline: __ / __ / ____
Completed? Yes [ ] No [ ]
→→→
Step 3: Next action:
_______________________________
Deadline: __ / __ / ____
Completed? Yes [ ] No [ ]
→→→
Step 4 (Optional): Next action:
_______________________________
Deadline: __ / __ / ____
Completed? Yes [ ] No [ ]
→→→
Step 5 (Optional): Next action:
_______________________________
Deadline: __ / __ / ____
Completed? Yes [ ] No [ ]
Reflection: Which step do you think will be most challenging? Why?
Rubric
Goal Success Criteria Rubric
Use this rubric to assess how well students have planned and tracked their goal steps. Circle or highlight the level that best describes your work for each criterion.
| Criterion | Excellent (3 points) | Good (2 points) | Needs Work (1 point) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarity of Steps | Steps are very clear, specific, and in logical order; anyone can follow them. | Steps are mostly clear and in order; a few details could be clearer. | Steps are vague, missing details, or out of sequence. |
| Completion of Steps | All listed steps are completed on time and marked clearly. | Most steps are completed; a few are late or partially done. | Many steps are incomplete or not attempted. |
| Tracking Accuracy | Progress is tracked consistently and accurately; deadlines noted. | Tracking is mostly complete; a few deadlines or checkmarks are missing. | Tracking is inconsistent, missing, or inaccurate. |
Cool Down
Goal Reflection Cool-Down Sheet
1. What’s one thing you’ll do tomorrow to move toward your goal?
2. How do you feel about taking this step? Why?