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Goals: Your Best Year Yet!

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Lesson Plan

Goals: Your Best Year Yet!

Students will be able to define what a goal is, identify the characteristics of a SMART goal, and set at least one personal academic goal for the new year.

Setting goals helps students focus their efforts, track progress, and build self-efficacy. This lesson teaches them a valuable life skill for personal and academic success.

Audience

5th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, direct instruction, and guided practice.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Goal Setting Warm-Up, Goal Setting Slide Deck, My New Year's Goals Worksheet, Goal Reflection Cool-Down, and Pencils or pens

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Begin by distributing the Goal Setting Warm-Up.
    - Ask students to reflect on their hopes for the new year.
    - Discuss a few student responses to build excitement and connect to prior knowledge.

Step 2

What are Goals?

5 minutes

  • Use the Goal Setting Slide Deck (Slide 1-2) to introduce the concept of goals.
    - Facilitate a brief discussion: 'What does it mean to set a goal?' 'Why do people set goals?'

Step 3

SMART Goals Explained

10 minutes

  • Continue with the Goal Setting Slide Deck (Slide 3-6) to introduce SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
    - Provide clear examples for each component, relating them to student experiences (e.g., 'I want to read more' vs. 'I will read one chapter of a new book every night before bed for January').
    - Encourage student participation in identifying if example goals are SMART or not.

Step 4

Setting My Goals

7 minutes

  • Distribute the My New Year's Goals Worksheet.
    - Guide students through setting their own academic or personal New Year's goal using the SMART framework.
    - Circulate around the room to offer support and answer questions.

Step 5

Wrap-Up & Reflection

3 minutes

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Slide Deck

Goals: Your Best Year Yet!

Welcome to a new year and new opportunities!

Today, we're going to talk about something super important for making this year awesome: Goals!

What do you hope to achieve this year?

Welcome students and prepare them for a new topic. Ask them to think about what a 'goal' might mean to them.

What's a Goal, Anyway?

A goal is something you want to achieve or a plan to do something in the future.

Think of it as a target you're aiming for!

  • What are some goals you've heard of?*
  • Why do people set goals?*

Introduce the idea of goals. Ask students for their initial thoughts on what a goal is or examples of goals they might have.

Making Your Goals SMART

To make your goals strong and achievable, we use something called SMART goals.

Each letter stands for something important!

Transition to SMART goals. Explain that not all goals are created equal and introduce the SMART acronym.

S is for Specific

Specific means your goal is clear and focused.

  • Instead of: "I want to get better at math."
  • Try: "I will practice my multiplication facts for 15 minutes every day after school."

Which one is clearer? Why?

Explain 'Specific'. Provide examples and non-examples. Encourage students to identify why one is specific and the other isn't.

M is for Measurable

Measurable means you can track your progress and know when you've reached your goal.

  • How will you know if you've done it?
  • How much? How many?

Example: If your goal is to read more, how can you measure that?

Explain 'Measurable'. Emphasize how to track progress.

A is for Achievable, R is for Relevant

Achievable means your goal is realistic and you can actually do it.

  • Is it something you can do?

Relevant means your goal matters to you and fits with what you want to achieve.

  • Is this goal important to you?
  • Will it help you grow?

Explain 'Achievable' and 'Relevant'. Highlight the importance of goals being realistic and important to the student.

T is for Time-Bound

Time-Bound means your goal has a deadline or a specific end date.

  • When will you achieve this goal?
  • By what date?

Example: "I will save enough money to buy a new book by the end of next month."

Explain 'Time-bound'. Stress the importance of a deadline.

Putting it all Together: SMART Goals

Remember, a great goal is:

  • Specific: Clear and focused.
  • Measurable: You can track it.
  • Achievable: It's realistic.
  • Relevant: It matters to you.
  • Time-Bound: It has a deadline.

Now, let's set YOUR amazing new year's goals!

Review all SMART elements and prepare students for their activity.

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Warm Up

My Hopes for the New Year!

Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about the new year. What are you excited about? What are some things you hope to do or achieve?

  1. One thing I am looking forward to in the new year is...



  2. If I could learn one new skill this year, it would be...



  3. One way I want to be a better friend/student/person is...



  4. My biggest hope for the new year is...






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Worksheet

My New Year's Goals: Make 'em SMART!

It's a new year, and it's time to set some awesome goals! Use what you've learned about SMART goals to create one goal you want to achieve. It can be about school, a hobby, helping others, or anything important to you!

My New Year's Goal Idea:

What is something you really want to achieve this year?







Let's Make It SMART!

Use the questions below to make your goal S.M.A.R.T.

S - Specific

  • What exactly do you want to achieve? Who else is involved? Where will it happen? Why is this goal important to you?







M - Measurable

  • How will you know when you've reached your goal? How much or how many? How will you track your progress?







A - Achievable

  • Is this goal realistic for you to accomplish? Do you have the tools or skills needed, or can you get them? Is it challenging but possible?







R - Relevant

  • Why is this goal important to you right now? How does it fit with your other dreams or aspirations? Is it truly your goal?







T - Time-Bound

  • When will you achieve this goal? What is your deadline? What are some smaller steps you can take by certain dates?







My Final SMART Goal for the New Year:

Write your complete, SMART goal here:













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Cool Down

Goal Reflection Cool-Down

Instructions: Before you leave, please answer these quick questions about today's lesson on goal setting.

  1. What is one new thing you learned about setting goals today?



  2. Why is it important to make your goals "specific"?



  3. What is one challenge you might face when trying to achieve your new year's goal?



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Goals: Your Best Year Yet! • Lenny Learning