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Goal Getter

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Lesson Plan

SMART Goals Framework

Students will learn the SMART goals framework and apply it to set a personal SMART goal, break it into actionable steps, and plan how to track their progress.

Teaching SMART goal-setting equips students with self-awareness, motivation, and planning skills, fostering confidence and real-life success.

Audience

7th Grade Student

Time

40 minutes

Approach

Model, practice, reflect.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction to SMART Goals

5 minutes

  • Present the SMART acronym: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
  • Use slides 1–3 of the Goal Getter Presentation
  • Ask student to share any past goal-setting experiences

Step 2

Model SMART Goal Setting

10 minutes

  • Teacher models crafting a SMART goal (e.g., improving study habits)
  • Explain each component in real time
  • Populate an example on the Action Steps Roadmap template

Step 3

Guided Practice

10 minutes

Step 4

Independent Planning

10 minutes

  • Student completes the Action Steps Roadmap
  • Define specific action steps, deadlines, and success metrics
  • Offer targeted support and clarification as needed

Step 5

Reflection and Next Steps

5 minutes

  • Review the finalized SMART goal and roadmap
  • Discuss strategies for tracking progress and using the rubric
  • Schedule a follow-up to monitor achievements and adjust as needed
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Slide Deck

Goal Getter: Setting SMART Goals

In this session, you will:

  • Learn what SMART goals are
  • See an example of a SMART goal
  • Create your own SMART goal
  • Plan action steps and track your progress

Welcome the student and introduce the session. Explain that by the end of today they will set a personal SMART goal, map out action steps, and learn how to track progress.

What Are SMART Goals?

• Specific: clear and well-defined
• Measurable: trackable and quantifiable
• Achievable: realistic and within reach
• Relevant: meaningful and aligned with you
• Time-bound: set within a deadline

Explain each part of the SMART acronym. Invite the student to share any goals they’ve set before and discuss how SMART can improve them.

SMART Goal Example

“By the end of this semester, I will raise my math grade from a B to an A by completing 15 extra practice problems each week, attending two tutoring sessions every week, and reviewing all quiz mistakes within 24 hours.”

• Specific: raise math grade from B to A
• Measurable: track weekly practice and quiz scores
• Achievable: 15 problems/week + 2 tutoring sessions
• Relevant: boosts overall academic success
• Time-bound: by the end of the semester

Walk through this example step by step. Highlight how each component aligns with the acronym.

Steps to Create Your SMART Goal

  1. Choose a goal topic you care about
  2. Make it Specific: who, what, where
  3. Decide how to Measure progress
  4. Check Achievability: skills & resources
  5. Ensure Relevance: why it matters to you
  6. Set a Time-bound deadline

Guide the student through each step of drafting their own SMART goal using the Personal Goal Planner.

Planning Your Action Steps

Use your Action Steps Roadmap to:

  • List each action step needed
  • Assign deadlines for each step
  • Define how you’ll measure success
  • Identify any resources or support you need

Introduce the Action Steps Roadmap. Show how to break the goal into smaller steps with timelines and success metrics.

Tracking Progress & Next Steps

• Review your goal and steps weekly
• Check off completed action items
• Adjust steps if you face obstacles
• Celebrate milestones to stay motivated
• Schedule a follow-up session to review progress

Discuss strategies for ongoing tracking, celebration, and adjustment. Reference the Goal Achievement Criteria when providing feedback during follow-up.

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Worksheet

Personal Goal Planner

1. Goal Topic

What is your goal about? Describe it in a few words.




2. Draft Your SMART Goal

Write a clear SMART goal sentence (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound):











3. Specific

What exactly do you want to achieve? Include who, what, where details.






4. Measurable

How will you measure your progress? What metrics will you use?






5. Achievable

Why is this goal realistic? What skills or resources will help you?






6. Relevant

How does this goal align with your values or long-term plans?






7. Time-bound

By what date or deadline will you achieve this goal?



8. Reflection: Potential Obstacles

What challenges might you face, and how could you overcome them?











9. How will you feel when you achieve this goal?

Describe the emotions or benefits you expect.






10. First Action Step

What is the first small step you can take right now to start moving toward your goal?






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Project Guide

Action Steps Roadmap

Use this table to break your SMART goal into clear, sequential steps. Fill in each column and check off Status as you complete each action.

StepAction StepDeadlineSuccess MetricResources/Support NeededStatus
1







[ ]
2







[ ]
3







[ ]
4







[ ]
5







[ ]

Instructions:

  1. Number each step in the order you plan to tackle them.
  2. Describe exactly what you will do in the “Action Step” column.
  3. Set a clear deadline for each step.
  4. Define how you will know the step is complete in “Success Metric.”
  5. List any resources (people, materials, tools) you will need.
  6. As you finish each step, mark the checkbox in “Status.”
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Rubric

Goal Achievement Criteria

This rubric guides the evaluation of your SMART goal, action plan, reflection, and tracking strategy. For each criterion, select the performance description that best matches your work.

CriteriaExcellentGoodNeeds Improvement
1. SMART Goal Quality• All five elements (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) are clearly and precisely defined.
• Goal is ambitious yet realistic.		• Three to four SMART elements are well defined.
• One element needs more detail or clarity.		• Fewer than three elements are defined.
• Goal is vague, unrealistic, or missing key components.
2. Action Steps Plan• Five or more sequential steps are listed.
• Each step has a deadline, success metric, and identified resources/support.		• Three to four steps are listed.
• Most steps include deadlines and metrics, but resources/support may be incomplete.		• Fewer than three steps or steps lack deadlines, metrics, or resource details.
3. Reflection on Obstacles & Strategies• Identifies multiple realistic challenges.
• Proposes clear, practical solutions for each obstacle.		• Identifies some common challenges.
• Suggests at least one reasonable way to overcome them.		• Few or no obstacles are identified.
• Little to no planning for how to manage issues.
4. Progress Tracking & Accountability• Presents a detailed tracking method (e.g., weekly check-ins, logs, metrics).
• Specifies who, when, and how progress will be reviewed.		• Outlines a basic tracking plan.
• May lack schedule details or specific accountability measures.		• No clear method for monitoring progress or keeping accountable.
5. Overall Feasibility & Clarity• Goal and plan form a coherent, realistic roadmap.
• Easily understood and achievable within the timeline.		• Plan is mostly logical but contains minor gaps in clarity or feasibility.• Plan is confusing, overly ambitious, or unlikely to be completed in the given timeframe.

Scoring Guide:

  • Excellent: You have fully met the expectations for this criterion.
  • Good: You are on the right track but can refine details for full success.
  • Needs Improvement: You must revisit this area to strengthen your goal or plan.

Use this Goal Achievement Criteria rubric to self-assess your work during planning and ask for feedback during follow-up sessions.

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Goal Getter • Lenny Learning