Lesson Plan
Goals for a Great Year! Lesson Plan
Students will be able to define a goal, understand its importance for personal growth, and identify one personal goal they would like to achieve in the new year, including a simple action step.
Understanding how to set and work towards simple goals helps 2nd graders develop self-management skills, build confidence, and foster a sense of responsibility and achievement, which are crucial for academic and social success.
Audience
2nd Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, guided reflection, and a drawing/writing activity.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Goals for a Great Year! Slide Deck, My New Year's Goal Worksheet, Lesson Script: Goals for a Great Year!, and Crayons, markers, or pencils
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Goals for a Great Year! Lesson Plan and all linked materials.
- Print one copy of the My New Year's Goal Worksheet per student.
- Ensure projector/whiteboard is ready for the Goals for a Great Year! Slide Deck.
- Gather crayons, markers, or pencils for students to use.
Step 1
Warm-Up: What's a Wish?
5 minutes
- Begin with an engaging question: "Who here has ever made a wish? What did you wish for?"
- Explain that sometimes we wish for things, but often we can make good things happen by making a plan and working towards it. This is called setting a goal.
- Introduce the idea of the New Year as a special time to think about new things we want to learn or accomplish.
Step 2
Introduction to Goals
10 minutes
- Use the Goals for a Great Year! Slide Deck to introduce the concept of a goal.
- Slide 1: "Goals for a Great Year!"
- Slide 2: "What is a Goal?" Explain a goal is something you want to learn or achieve. Give examples relevant to 2nd graders, such as reading a chapter book, mastering a math skill, or being a super helper in class.
- Slide 3: "Why Set Goals?" Discuss how goals help us grow, learn new things, feel proud, and make our year exciting. Share a personal, simple goal.
- Encourage students to share simple goals they might have, emphasizing that big or small, all goals are important.
Step 3
My New Year's Goal Activity
10 minutes
- Distribute the My New Year's Goal Worksheet and crayons/markers/pencils.
- Explain the worksheet: "On this paper, you will draw or write one goal you have for the new year. It could be something new you want to learn, a skill you want to get better at, or how you want to be a better friend or helper. Then, think about one small step you can take to reach that goal." - Circulate around the room, offering support and asking students about their goals and action steps. Provide examples if students are struggling.
- After they finish, ask a few volunteers to share their goals and how they plan to work towards them with the class.
Step 4
Cool-Down: Share Your Goal!
5 minutes
- Have each student hold up their My New Year's Goal Worksheet.
- Ask students to turn to a partner and tell them their goal and one way they will work towards it.
- Conclude by reminding students that working towards our goals helps us grow and makes the new year exciting! Collect worksheets if desired.
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Slide Deck
Goals for a Great Year!
What exciting things do you want to learn or do this year?
Welcome 2nd-grade students and introduce the exciting topic of the new year and setting goals. Encourage them to think about new things they're excited to learn or do this year.
What is a Goal?
A goal is something you want to learn, do, or achieve!
It's like making a special plan for yourself.
Explain what a goal is in simple terms. Use relatable examples for 2nd graders like mastering a new math fact, reading a chapter book, learning a new sport, or becoming a better helper at home or school. Emphasize that a goal is something we want to work towards and takes effort.
Why Set Goals?
Goals help us grow and learn new things!
They make us feel proud when we reach them!
They make our year exciting!
Discuss why setting goals is beneficial. Focus on the positive feelings of accomplishment, how goals help us improve, and how they make our learning journey exciting. Share a simple, personal goal of your own to model the concept, perhaps one that relates to school or a hobby.
Script
Lesson Script: Goals for a Great Year!
Warm-Up: What's a Wish? (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning, second-grade superstars! Who here has ever made a wish? You can close your eyes and think about it for a moment. What did you wish for? (Pause for responses or ask a few volunteers to share)."
Teacher: "Those are wonderful wishes! Sometimes we wish for things to happen, like magic. But often, we can actually make good things happen by making a plan and working hard. When we do that, it's called setting a goal."
Teacher: "Guess what? We've started a brand new year! It's a special time when we think about all the new and exciting things we want to learn, do, or accomplish. It's like having a fresh, clean page in a brand new book!"
Introduction to Goals (10 minutes)
(Display Goals for a Great Year! Slide Deck - Slide 1: "Goals for a Great Year!")
Teacher: "Look at our first slide! It says 'Goals for a Great Year!' We're going to talk about how we can make this new year super amazing for ourselves and for our classroom!"
(Display Goals for a Great Year! Slide Deck - Slide 2: "What is a Goal?")
Teacher: "Can anyone tell me in their own words what they think a goal might be? (Pause for responses)."
Teacher: "You've got some really thoughtful ideas! A goal is something you really want to learn how to do, or something you want to achieve. It's like a special mission you give yourself! For example, maybe your goal is to learn all your multiplication facts this year, or to read a chapter book all by yourself. Maybe you want to get really good at drawing, or your goal is to be a super helper to your friends or family. These are all excellent examples of goals."
Teacher: "What's one thing you might want to learn or do this new year? Think about it quietly for a moment. (Give students a moment to think and then call on a few to share simple ideas)."
(Display Goals for a Great Year! Slide Deck - Slide 3: "Why Set Goals?")
Teacher: "Now, why do we set goals? Look at our next slide! Goals help us grow and learn so much. And guess what? When you work hard and reach your goal, it makes you feel so incredibly proud and happy inside! It also makes our year more exciting because we have special things to work on and look forward to."
Teacher: "One of my goals this year is to learn some new fun songs to sing with you during our music time! I think it will be a fun way for us to learn together. What are some things you are excited to try or get better at?"
My New Year's Goal Activity (10 minutes)
Teacher: "You all have such wonderful and creative ideas! Now it's your turn to think about your own special goal for the new year. I have a My New Year's Goal Worksheet for everyone."
(Distribute My New Year's Goal Worksheet and crayons/markers/pencils.)
Teacher: "On this paper, you'll draw a picture of your goal, and if you can, write a word or two about it. Your goal could be something new you want to learn, a skill you want to get better at, or even something kind you want to do for others. After you draw your goal, I also want you to think about one small step you can take to start working towards that goal. For example, if your goal is to read a chapter book, a small step could be to read for 10 minutes every night."
(Circulate, offer help, and ask individual students about their goals and action steps. Prompt with examples if needed: "What math fact do you want to master? How can you practice it? Do you want to learn to ride your bike without training wheels? What's the first step?")
Teacher: "When you're finished, we'll share a few of our amazing goals and action steps with the class!"
Cool-Down: Share Your Goal! (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Alright, everyone, hold up your My New Year's Goal Worksheet so we can see all the fantastic goals you've set!"
Teacher: "Now, I want you to turn to a partner sitting next to you. Take turns telling your partner about your goal for the new year and one small step you will take to reach it. Listen carefully to your partner's goal too!"
(After a minute or two of sharing.)
Teacher: "Excellent sharing, everyone! Remember, working towards our goals helps us grow, learn new things, and makes the new year exciting and full of accomplishment! I can't wait to see all the wonderful things you achieve this year!"
Worksheet
My New Year's Goal!
My Goal is to:
Draw a picture of your goal for the new year! What do you want to learn or do this year?
I will try to reach my goal by:
Draw or write one way you will work towards your goal! Think of a small step you can take.