Lesson Plan
My SMART Goals Workshop
Students will be able to define SMART goals and apply the SMART criteria to set personal, achievable goals aligned with their strengths and values.
Understanding and applying SMART goals empowers students to take control of their aspirations, fostering self-motivation, organization, and a clear path toward achieving what truly matters to them. This skill is crucial for academic success, personal growth, and future endeavors.
Audience
7th Grade Students
Time
50 minutes
Approach
Direct instruction, interactive discussion, and hands-on application of goal-setting principles.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Charting My Future Slide Deck, Markers or pens, SMART Goal Planner Worksheet, My Vision Board Project Guide, Art supplies for vision boards (magazines, glue sticks, scissors, poster board), and Vision Board Success Criteria Rubric
Prep
Gather Materials & Review Content
15 minutes
- Review the Charting My Future Slide Deck to ensure familiarity with the content and flow.
- Print copies of the SMART Goal Planner Worksheet for each student.
- Prepare or gather examples of SMART goals to use during the discussion.
- Collect necessary art supplies (magazines, glue sticks, scissors, poster board) for the My Vision Board Project Guide.
- Review the Vision Board Success Criteria Rubric for assessment understanding.
Step 1
Warm-Up: What's Your Dream?
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students: "If you could achieve one amazing thing in the next year, big or small, what would it be?"
- Have students briefly share their ideas with a partner or in a quick whole-class share-out. Introduce the idea that today's lesson will help them turn those dreams into achievable goals.
Step 2
Introduction to Goal Setting & SMART Goals
15 minutes
- Use the Charting My Future Slide Deck (Slides 1-5) to introduce the concept of goal setting and why it's important.
- Explain the acronym SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- Go through each component of SMART using examples on the slides, encouraging student input and questions.
- Facilitate a brief discussion: "Why is each part of SMART important for making a goal successful?"
Step 3
Applying SMART: Individual Goal Planning
15 minutes
- Distribute the SMART Goal Planner Worksheet.
- Instruct students to choose one personal goal they want to work on (it can be one from the warm-up or a new one).
- Guide students through filling out their worksheets, applying each SMART criterion to their chosen goal. Circulate the room to provide support, answer questions, and check for understanding.
- Prompt students with questions like: "How will you know when you've achieved this? What steps do you need to take?"
Step 4
Introduce: My Vision Board Project
10 minutes
- Introduce the My Vision Board Project Guide as a creative way to visualize and commit to their goals.
- Explain the concept of a vision board as a visual representation of their aspirations and goals, including the SMART goal they just planned.
- Distribute the Vision Board Success Criteria Rubric and review the expectations for the project.
- Briefly discuss the materials available for the vision boards and the timeline for the project (e.g., to be completed over the next week).
Step 5
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
5 minutes
- Ask students to reflect on the session and share one word that describes how they feel about setting goals now. Examples: "Hopeful," "Ready," "Focused," "Motivated."
- Collect the SMART Goal Planner Worksheet or have students keep them to refer to for their vision board project.
Slide Deck
Charting My Future: Setting SMART Goals
What do you want to achieve?
- In school?
- In your personal life?
- For your future?
Welcome students and introduce the topic of goal setting. Ask them about their dreams for the future to spark interest.
Why Set Goals?
- Direction: Gives you a path to follow.
- Motivation: Keeps you moving forward.
- Achievement: Helps you turn dreams into reality.
- Confidence: Builds belief in yourself.
Explain why setting goals is important for personal growth, academic success, and overall well-being. Connect it to their aspirations.
Introducing SMART Goals
A powerful way to make your goals real!
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Introduce the SMART acronym. Explain that it's a tool to make goals effective and achievable. Briefly touch on each letter, which will be explained in detail next.
S is for Specific
Your goal should be clear and well-defined.
- Bad Goal: "I want to get better grades."
- SMART Goal: "I want to improve my math grade from a C to a B by the end of the semester."
Ask yourself: What exactly do I want to achieve? Who is involved? Where will it happen?
Go through each letter of SMART with clear explanations and examples. Encourage students to think of their own examples for each point. Start with Specific.
M is for Measurable
You need to be able to track your progress.
- Bad Goal: "I want to read more."
- SMART Goal: "I want to read one non-school book per month."
Ask yourself: How will I know when I have reached my goal? How much? How many?
Explain Measurable. Emphasize the importance of tracking progress and knowing when a goal has been met.
A is for Achievable
Your goal should be challenging, but possible to reach.
- Bad Goal: "I want to learn to fly by next week."
- SMART Goal: "I want to learn 10 new Spanish words each week to prepare for my trip."
Ask yourself: Is this goal realistic? Do I have the resources and skills needed?
Discuss Achievable. Highlight the balance between challenging themselves and setting realistic goals.
R is for Relevant
Your goal should matter to you and align with your values.
- Bad Goal: "I want to eat a new vegetable every day (even though I hate vegetables)."
- SMART Goal: "I want to try one new vegetable each week to diversify my diet and improve my health."
Ask yourself: Is this goal important to me? Does it fit with my other goals? Is it the right time?
Explain Relevant. Connect goals to students' values and larger aspirations to make them more meaningful.
T is for Time-Bound
Your goal needs a clear deadline.
- Bad Goal: "I will finish my science project someday."
- SMART Goal: "I will complete my science project by Friday, October 27th."
Ask yourself: When will I achieve this goal? What is the deadline? What can I do today?
Finally, explain Time-bound. Stress the importance of deadlines for motivation and accountability.
Putting It All Together: Your SMART Goal
Now it's YOUR turn!
Think about a personal goal you want to achieve.
Let's make it SMART!
Summarize SMART goals and transition to the activity where students will apply what they've learned to their own goals.
Worksheet
SMART Goal Planner
Name: __________________________________ Date: _________________
My Goal Idea:
What is one goal you would like to achieve? (Don't worry about making it SMART yet, just your initial idea!)
Let's Make It SMART!
Use the questions below to turn your goal idea into a powerful SMART goal.
Specific: What exactly do I want to achieve?
- Who is involved?
- What do I want to accomplish?
- Where will it take place?
- Why is this goal important to me?
My Specific Goal Statement:
Measurable: How will I know when I have reached my goal?
- How much? How many? How often?
- What data or evidence will show my progress?
My Measurable Plan:
Achievable: Is this goal realistic and attainable?
- Do I have the necessary skills or resources?
- If not, what do I need to do to get them?
- Is it challenging, but not impossible?
My Achievability Check:
Relevant: Is this goal important to me and does it align with my values?
- Does it fit with my other goals and aspirations?
- Is it the right time for this goal?
My Relevance Statement:
Time-Bound: When will I achieve this goal?
- What is the deadline?
- What are the smaller deadlines or milestones along the way?
My Time-Bound Plan:
My Final SMART Goal:
Write out your complete SMART goal here!
Project Guide
My Vision Board: Visualizing Your Future
Project Goal:
To create a visual representation of your personal goals and aspirations, including the SMART goal you developed. A vision board helps you stay motivated and focused on what you want to achieve!
What is a Vision Board?
A vision board is a collage of images, words, and quotes that represent your dreams, goals, and ideal future. It's a powerful tool to inspire you and remind you of your path forward.
Materials You Will Need:
- Poster board, corkboard, or large piece of paper
- Magazines, newspapers, printed images from the internet
- Scissors
- Glue sticks or tape
- Markers, colored pencils, or paint (optional)
- Your SMART Goal Planner Worksheet
Instructions:
-
Reflect on Your Goals: Review your SMART Goal Planner Worksheet. Think about your specific SMART goal and other areas of your life where you have aspirations (e.g., academic, hobbies, personal growth, travel, future career).
-
Gather Your Inspiration: Look through magazines, newspapers, or search for images online. Cut out or print pictures, words, and phrases that represent:
- Your SMART goal
- Your dreams and aspirations
- Qualities you want to develop (e.g., confident, creative, organized)
- Experiences you want to have
- People who inspire you
-
Start Arranging: Before gluing anything down, arrange your collected images and words on your board. Play around with different layouts until you find one that feels right and inspires you.
-
Create Your Collage: Once you are happy with your arrangement, glue or tape everything securely onto your board.
-
Add Your Personal Touch:
- Write your main SMART goal clearly on the board.
- Add inspiring quotes or affirmations.
- Decorate with markers, drawings, or other embellishments.
-
Place It Where You Can See It: Put your finished vision board in a place where you will see it often – in your room, near your desk, or even as your computer background (if digital). This will serve as a daily reminder of your goals.
Presentation / Sharing:
Be prepared to briefly share your vision board with the class, explaining one or two key elements and how they relate to your goals. You will be assessed using the Vision Board Success Criteria Rubric.
Rubric
Vision Board Success Criteria Rubric
Student Name: ____________________________ Date: _________________
| Category | 4 - Exceeds Expectations | 3 - Meets Expectations | 2 - Approaches Expectations | 1 - Needs Support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMART Goal Inclusion | Clearly and prominently displays the personal SMART goal, demonstrating a deep understanding. | Clearly displays the personal SMART goal, demonstrating understanding. | Includes a personal goal, but it may not be clearly SMART or prominently displayed. | Does not clearly include a personal goal or it is not SMART. | |
| Relevance & Meaning | All images and words are highly relevant to personal goals/aspirations and deeply meaningful. | Most images and words are relevant to personal goals/aspirations and are meaningful. | Some images and words are relevant to personal goals/aspirations, but connections are weak. | Images and words show little to no connection to personal goals/aspirations. | |
| Visual Impact | Exceptional creativity and effort, resulting in a visually compelling and inspiring board. | Visually appealing and well-organized, showing good effort and creativity. | Board is somewhat organized, but may lack visual appeal or significant effort. | Board is disorganized, with little visual appeal or effort. | |
| Thoughtfulness | Demonstrates deep reflection and thoughtful selection of elements, with clear explanations. | Shows good reflection in the selection of elements, and explanations are generally clear. | Shows some reflection, but the purpose of some elements may be unclear. | Little to no reflection demonstrated in the selection or explanation of elements. | |
| Presentation | Confidently and clearly shares elements of the vision board, articulating their significance. | Clearly shares elements of the vision board, explaining their significance. | Attempts to share, but explanations may be unclear or limited. | Does not share or is unable to explain the vision board. |
Total Score: ______ / 20
Teacher Feedback: