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Goal Power

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Giselle Ramirez

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Goal Power Blueprint

Students will learn to craft personalized S.M.A.R.T. counseling goals and refine them through peer feedback to boost motivation and accountability.

By setting clear, achievable goals and engaging peers in feedback, students build self-efficacy, motivation, and a supportive accountability network.

Audience

9th Grade Students

Time

40 minutes

Approach

Guided S.M.A.R.T. goal crafting with peer feedback and reflection.

Materials

  • Power-Up Presentation, - Goal Builder Sheet, - Peer Power Circle Guide, and - Goal Clarity Rubric

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

  • Review the Power-Up Presentation slides.
  • Print enough copies of the Goal Builder Sheet and Goal Clarity Rubric for each student.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Peer Power Circle Guide discussion prompts and roles.
  • Arrange seating in a circle or small clusters to facilitate peer interaction.

Step 1

Introduction & Overview

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain the purpose: building self-efficacy through goal setting.
  • Share today’s objective and agenda via the Power-Up Presentation.
  • Define ‘goal’ and introduce the S.M.A.R.T. framework.

Step 2

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Review

5 minutes

  • Use slides to break down each S.M.A.R.T. component: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
  • Provide real-life examples of S.M.A.R.T. vs. vague goals.
  • Answer student questions to ensure clarity.

Step 3

Draft Personal Goals

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Goal Builder Sheet.
  • Ask students to individually draft one counseling-related goal using the S.M.A.R.T. criteria.
  • Circulate to offer guidance and encourage specificity.

Step 4

Peer Power Circle

10 minutes

  • Organize students into their Peer Power Circle groups (3–4 per circle).
  • Use the Peer Power Circle Guide to structure feedback:
    • Speaker shares goal aloud.
    • Listeners ask clarifying questions and offer suggestions.
    • Rotate until all students have shared.
  • Encourage positive, constructive feedback.

Step 5

Refine Goals

5 minutes

  • Have each student revisit their draft and apply insights from peer feedback.
  • Use the Goal Clarity Rubric to self-assess and refine their goal.
  • Teacher spot-checks a few rubrics and provides targeted tips.

Step 6

Share & Commit

5 minutes

  • Invite volunteers to share their final goal with the whole group.
  • Encourage students to state one action they will take this week toward their goal.
  • Conclude by emphasizing ongoing accountability and support among peers.
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Slide Deck

Goal Power: Crafting Your S.M.A.R.T. Counseling Goals

A Tier 2 small-group intervention to boost self-efficacy through goal setting, peer support, and accountability.

Welcome students, introduce yourself and the purpose of today’s session. Explain that by the end, they’ll have a clear, personal counseling goal.

Agenda & Objectives

• Objective: Learn to write and refine S.M.A.R.T. counseling goals
• 5 min – Intro & S.M.A.R.T. overview
• 10 min – Draft personal goal
• 10 min – Peer Power Circle
• 5 min – Refine with rubric
• 5 min – Share & commit

Briefly walk through each bullet. Emphasize that they will draft, refine, and share goals in today’s 40 minutes.

What Is a Goal?

A goal is a clear statement of what you want to achieve and by when. It helps you focus, plan, and track progress.

Define “goal” in students’ own words. Reinforce that a goal guides action and measures progress.

Introducing S.M.A.R.T.

Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Relevant – Time-bound

Use this framework to turn vague hopes into clear, actionable goals.

Introduce the S.M.A.R.T. acronym. You’ll dive into each component next.

Specific

Be precise about what you want to accomplish.
Example: “Improve my study habits” vs. “Review math notes for 20 minutes three times a week.”

Explain “Specific.” Ask for a volunteer example from everyday life.

Measurable

Include criteria that let you track progress and know when you’ve succeeded.
Example: “Increase reading speed” vs. “Read 10 pages daily.”

Discuss how to measure success. Illustrate difference between a quality and a number where relevant.

Achievable

Set a goal that challenges you but is within reach.
Example: “Write a 2,000-word essay in one day” vs. “Write 500 words daily for four days.”

Ensure goals are realistic given time, resources, and skills. Invite students to consider their workload.

Relevant

Align your goal with your values, needs, or broader plans.
Example: “Learn skateboarding tricks” vs. “Practice three times weekly to build fitness and confidence.”

Show relevance by linking to personal needs or long-term aims. Ask: Why does this matter?

Time-bound

Assign a deadline or schedule to stay accountable.
Example: “Finish the science project” vs. “Complete my science project by next Friday.”

Explain why a deadline matters. Discuss consequences of missing deadlines.

Vague vs. SMART Comparison

Vague: “Get better at managing stress.”
SMART: “Practice deep breathing for five minutes every morning for two weeks to reduce test anxiety.”

Contrast a vague vs. a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Elicit student observations on what improved.

Draft Your Personal Goal

• Grab your Goal Builder Sheet
• Write one counseling goal using S.M.A.R.T. format
• Aim for clarity and specificity

Distribute the Goal Builder Sheet. Explain each field: goal statement, S.M.A.R.T. criteria, action steps.

Peer Power Circle

• Groups of 3–4
• Speaker reads goal
• Listeners ask questions, offer suggestions (Peer Power Circle Guide)
• Rotate until all share

Show the peer roles: Speaker and Listeners. Clarify timing and feedback guidelines.

Refine & Self-Assess

• Use the rubric to evaluate your goal’s clarity
• Tweak wording and deadlines based on feedback
• Check off each S.M.A.R.T. component

Hand out the Goal Clarity Rubric. Highlight key criteria they’ll score themselves on.

Share & Commit

• Who will share their S.M.A.R.T. goal?
• State one action you’ll take this week
• Remember: Your peers are your accountability partners!

Invite volunteers to share their finalized goals and one next-step action. Encourage applause for each.

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Worksheet

Goal Builder Sheet

Use this sheet to draft your counseling goal using the S.M.A.R.T. framework.

  1. Your Counseling Goal Statement:











  1. Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?






  1. Measurable: How will you know you’ve met this goal?






  1. Achievable: What resources or skills make this goal possible?






  1. Relevant: Why is this goal important to you?






  1. Time-bound: When will you complete this goal?




  1. Action Steps: List the steps you will take.








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Discussion

Peer Power Circle Guide

Use this guide to give and receive thoughtful feedback on your S.M.A.R.T. counseling goals. Follow the steps below, take on roles fairly, and use the question stems and norms to keep the conversation positive, focused, and productive.

Purpose

• Strengthen goals through peer insights
• Practice active listening and respectful feedback
• Build a supportive accountability network

Roles & Responsibilities

1. Speaker (1 student per round)
• Reads your draft goal aloud.
• Listens to questions and suggestions without interrupting.
• Takes notes for refinement.

2. Listener (All other group members)
• Listen actively and show engagement.
• Ask clarifying questions.
• Offer constructive suggestions aligned to S.M.A.R.T. criteria.
• Use “I” language and specific examples.

Rotate roles until every student has been the Speaker once.

Conversation Norms

  • Assume positive intentions.
  • Speak kindly and respectfully.
  • Keep feedback focused on the goal, not the person.
  • Stay solution-oriented: offer alternatives, not just criticisms.
  • Be concise—help peers use time effectively.

Step-by-Step Process (10 minutes total)

  1. Speaker Shares (1 minute)
    • Read your S.M.A.R.T. goal draft clearly.
  2. Clarifying Questions (1 minute)
    • Listeners ask questions to ensure they understand the goal.
    • Examples: “Can you explain what you mean by…?”
  3. Positive Feedback (1 minute)
    • Listeners point out the goal’s strengths.
    • Examples: “I like that your goal is time-bound because…”
  4. Suggestions & Growth (1–2 minutes)
    • Offer ideas to make the goal more Specific, Measurable, etc.
    • Examples: “I wonder if you could add a number to…?”
  5. Speaker Response (30 seconds)
    • Thank listeners.
    • Ask any final clarifying question.
  6. Rotate to the next Speaker.

Question & Feedback Stems

Clarifying Questions:
• “Can you say more about…?”
• “What will you measure to know you’ve succeeded?”

Positive Feedback:
• “I notice you used a clear deadline when…”
• “It’s helpful that your goal is relevant because…”

Constructive Suggestions:
• “I wonder if adding _____ would make it more measurable.”
• “Have you thought about setting a check-in date by…?”

Wrap-Up Reflection (2 minutes)

After everyone has shared:

  1. Each student names one concrete revision they will make.
  2. Identify one peer to check in with mid-week on progress.
  3. Reinforce that this circle is your ongoing support network.

Turn to your Goal Clarity Rubric next and start refining!

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Rubric

Goal Clarity Rubric

Use this rubric to evaluate the clarity and quality of your S.M.A.R.T. counseling goal. Circle the level that best describes your goal for each criterion, then refine accordingly.

Criterion4 – Excellent3 – Proficient2 – Developing1 – Beginning
SpecificThe goal clearly defines what will be achieved with precise, detailed descriptions.The goal is clear but could include more precise details.The goal is somewhat vague and lacks sufficient detail.The goal is unclear and lacks specificity.
MeasurableSuccess criteria are quantifiable and well-defined (e.g., numbers, frequency).Measurable components are present but could be more precise.Measurement criteria are vague or incomplete.No clear measurement criteria are provided.
AchievableThe goal is realistic and supported by identified resources or skills.The goal is mostly achievable but may require additional support.The goal may be challenging without a clear plan or resources.The goal is unrealistic or lacks necessary support.
RelevantThe goal aligns strongly with personal values and counseling objectives.The goal is relevant but its connection could be made clearer.Relevance is marginal; the goal loosely relates to broader objectives.The goal does not demonstrate clear relevance.
Time-boundA clear, realistic deadline or schedule is specified (e.g., by date or frequency).A deadline is given but may need adjustment for feasibility.The timeframe is vague or too broad.No deadline or timeframe is provided.

After circling your scores, revise any criteria rated 2 or below. Check off each S.M.A.R.T. component once refined:

  • Specific - [ ] Measurable - [ ] Achievable - [ ] Relevant - [ ] Time-bound
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