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Goal Getters: Grow Your Brain!

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Chelsea Bowens

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

SMART Goals Lesson Plan

Students will be able to define SMART goals and create personal academic, social, and emotional regulation goals with a growth mindset for the upcoming term (2-4 months).

This lesson helps students take ownership of their learning and development, fostering self-awareness, resilience, and a proactive approach to achieving their goals.

Audience

2nd-5th Grade Students

Time

20-25 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, engaging activities, and guided practice will help students grasp and apply the SMART goal framework.

Materials

Growth Mindset Goal Getters Slide Deck, SMART Goal Safari Game, and My SMART Goals Worksheet

Prep

Gather Materials

5 minutes

  • Review the Growth Mindset Goal Getters Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
  • Print one copy of My SMART Goals Worksheet for each student.
  • Prepare materials for the SMART Goal Safari Game (e.g., small cards with goal examples, a hat/bag to draw from, or simply use verbal prompts).

Step 1

Hook: What's a Goal?

3 minutes

  • "Good morning, future goal-getters! Today, we're going on an adventure to learn how to set amazing goals for ourselves. But first, what even IS a goal? Turn to a partner and share your ideas!" (Allow 1 minute for discussion).
  • Bring the class back together. "Great ideas! A goal is like a target you want to hit, something you want to achieve or get better at."
  • Introduce the idea of growing their brain. "Our brains are like muscles, and just like muscles, they get stronger when we challenge them and try new things! We're going to learn how to set goals that help our brains grow."

Step 2

Discovering SMART Goals

7 minutes

  • "To make our goals super powerful, we're going to make them SMART! Does anyone know what SMART means?" (Allow a few student responses).
  • Present Growth Mindset Goal Getters Slide Deck slides 1-6.
  • Explain each letter of SMART with examples, emphasizing a growth mindset.
    • Specific: "What exactly do you want to achieve? Be super clear!"
    • Measurable: "How will you know when you've reached it? Can you count it?"
    • Achievable: "Is it something you can actually do? Is it a challenge, but still possible?"
    • Relevant: "Is this goal important to you? Does it help you grow?"
    • Time-bound: "When will you achieve this goal? Set a finish line!"
  • Provide examples for academic, social, and emotional goals.

Step 3

SMART Goal Safari Game

10 minutes

  • "Now that we know what makes a goal SMART, let's play a game called SMART Goal Safari Game! We'll practice spotting SMART goals and making not-so-SMART goals, SMART!"
  • Facilitate the game using the prompts from the SMART Goal Safari Game material. Encourage students to identify what makes a goal SMART or not, and how to improve it.
  • Focus on providing positive feedback and guiding discussions towards a growth mindset (e.g., "That's a great start! How could we make that goal even more specific?").

Step 4

My Own SMART Goals

5 minutes

  • "You are all amazing goal detectives! Now it's time to create your own SMART goals for the next term (about 2-4 months from now)."
  • Distribute My SMART Goals Worksheet.
  • "On your worksheet, you'll see space for an academic goal, a social goal, and an emotional regulation goal. Remember to make each one SMART!"
  • Circulate and assist students, providing prompts and encouragement. For students with IEPs or those needing extra support, offer sentence starters or one-on-one guidance.
    • Academic Example: "I want to read 10 chapter books by winter break."
    • Social Example: "I will invite a new person to play with me at recess once a week."
    • Emotional Regulation Example: "When I feel frustrated, I will take 3 deep breaths before reacting."

Step 5

Share & Celebrate

2 minutes

  • "Who would like to share one of their SMART goals with the class?"
  • "Remember, setting goals helps our brains grow, and even if we don't reach a goal exactly how we planned, we learn so much along the way. That's a growth mindset!"
  • Collect worksheets to review and provide feedback, or have students keep them in a designated spot to track progress.
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Slide Deck

Goal Getters: Grow Your Brain!

Let's Learn About SMART Goals!

Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of setting goals. Connect it to growing their brains.

What is a Goal?

A goal is something you want to achieve or get better at!
It's like a target for your brain to aim for!

Facilitate a brief discussion. Ask students for examples of things they want to achieve.

S is for Specific!

What EXACTLY do you want to achieve? Be super clear!
Not SMART: "I want to be good at math."
SMART: "I want to correctly answer 8 out of 10 addition problems on my worksheet."

Emphasize "exactly." Give a clear comparison between a vague and a specific goal.

M is for Measurable!

How will you know when you've reached it? Can you count it?
Not SMART: "I want to be nicer."
SMART: "I will say 'please' and 'thank you' to my classmates at least 3 times a day."

Explain that measuring helps us see our progress and celebrate small wins.

A is for Achievable!

Is it something you can actually do?
It should be a challenge that helps your brain grow, but still possible!
Not SMART: "I will fly to the moon by next week."
SMART: "I will practice my reading for 15 minutes every night."

Discuss the difference between a goal that's too easy, too hard, and just right. Connect it to "growing your brain muscle."

R is for Relevant!

Is this goal important to you? Does it help YOU grow?
Not SMART: "I will learn to juggle fire because my friend wants me to."
SMART: "I will help my friend when they are sad because I care about them."

Help students understand that their goals should matter to them.

T is for Time-Bound!

When will you achieve this goal? Set a finish line!
Not SMART: "I want to learn to ride my bike."
SMART: "I will learn to ride my bike without training wheels by the end of the month."

Explain that a deadline helps us stay focused and motivated.

Time to Practice!

Let's play the SMART Goal Safari Game!

Transition to the game.

Your SMART Goals!

Now it's your turn to create your own:
- Academic Goal
- Social Goal
- Emotional Regulation Goal
(Use your My SMART Goals Worksheet!)

Explain the three categories of goals and distribute the worksheet. Offer examples and support.

Keep Growing Your Brain!

Every goal you set, whether big or small, helps your brain get stronger!
You are a goal-getting superstar!

Encourage students and reiterate the growth mindset message.

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Game

SMART Goal Safari Game: Spot the SMART Goals!

Objective: Practice identifying SMART goals and transforming non-SMART goals into SMART ones.

Materials:

  • A list of goal examples (provided below, can be written on cards or simply read aloud)
  • Whiteboard or chart paper for recording ideas (optional)

How to Play:

  1. Introduce the Safari Guide: "Welcome, junior safari guides! Today, we're going on a 'SMART Goal Safari' to find the best goals. Our mission is to spot goals that are SMART and help goals that aren't quite SMART yet, get there!"
  2. Explain the Rules:
    • I will read a goal example.
    • As a class, or in small groups, you will decide: Is this a SMART goal? Why or why not?
    • If it's not SMART, we'll work together to make it SMART! Remember to think about Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
  3. Goal Examples (Read one at a time):
    • Goal 1: "I want to be a better reader."
      • (Discussion: Is it specific? Measurable? Achievable? Relevant? Time-bound? Answer: Not very SMART. How can we make it SMART?)
      • Possible SMARTer Version: "I will read for 15 minutes every school night and finish one chapter book each week for the next month."
    • Goal 2: "I will try to be nice to people sometimes."
      • (Discussion: What makes this tricky? "Sometimes" isn't measurable! Answer: Not SMART.)
      • Possible SMARTer Version: "I will say a kind word to at least two different classmates every day during school for one week."
    • Goal 3: "I will yell whenever I feel angry."
      • (Discussion: Is this a positive goal? Does it help us grow? Answer: Not SMART for emotional regulation, and not achievable in a positive way.)
      • Possible SMARTer Version: "When I feel angry, I will count to five slowly and then ask for help or a quiet space, for the next two weeks."
    • Goal 4: "By the end of the semester, I will correctly spell 8 out of 10 words on my weekly spelling test."
      • (Discussion: Is this Specific? Measurable? Achievable? Relevant? Time-bound? Answer: YES! This is a great SMART goal!)
    • Goal 5: "I want to make lots of friends."
      • (Discussion: "Lots" isn't specific or measurable. Answer: Not SMART.)
      • Possible SMARTer Version: "I will introduce myself to one new student at lunch each week for the next month."
    • Goal 6: "I will never feel sad again."
      • (Discussion: Is this achievable? Is it realistic? Answer: Not SMART - it's not achievable or realistic to never feel sad.)
      • Possible SMARTer Version: "When I feel sad, I will talk to a trusted adult or draw a picture about my feelings, at least three times this week."
  4. Encourage Participation: Ask open-ended questions like: "What part of SMART is missing here?", "How could we add a way to measure this goal?", "Is this a challenge that will help our brain grow?", "Why is this goal important to you?"
  5. Wrap-up: "Fantastic work, safari guides! You are becoming experts at spotting and creating SMART goals. Remember, setting SMART goals helps us grow our brains and achieve amazing things!"
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Worksheet

My SMART Goals Worksheet: Grow Your Brain!

Name: _________________________ Date: _______________

Hey Goal Getter! It's time to set some awesome goals that will help you learn, grow, and make your brain even stronger! Remember to make each goal S.M.A.R.T.!

My Academic Goal (What do I want to learn or get better at in school?)

Think about:

  • Specific: What exactly? (e.g., "reading more books," "doing math problems")
  • Measurable: How will you know you did it? (e.g., "finished 5 books," "got 8/10 right")
  • Achievable: Is it a challenge, but still possible?
  • Relevant: Is it important to you?
  • Time-bound: By when? (e.g., "by next month," "by spring break")

My Academic SMART Goal:











How I will work towards this goal:



My Social Goal (How can I be a better friend or classmate?)

Think about:

  • Specific: What exactly? (e.g., "playing with others," "sharing")
  • Measurable: How will you know you did it? (e.g., "invited 2 friends," "shared 3 times")
  • Achievable: Is it a challenge, but still possible?
  • Relevant: Is it important to you and your friendships?
  • Time-bound: By when?

My Social SMART Goal:











How I will work towards this goal:



My Emotional Regulation Goal (How can I better manage my feelings?)

Think about:

  • Specific: What exactly? (e.g., "when I feel mad," "when I feel frustrated")
  • Measurable: How will you know you did it? (e.g., "used breathing 4 times," "talked to an adult 2 times")
  • Achievable: Is it a challenge, but still possible?
  • Relevant: Is it important to you feeling calm and happy?
  • Time-bound: By when?

My Emotional Regulation SMART Goal:











How I will work towards this goal:



Remember: Even if things get tricky, keep trying! That's how your brain grows stronger! You got this!

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