Lesson Plan

Game Plan Blueprint

Students will set one SMART academic or personal goal and outline two perseverance actions to achieve it through sports analogies and peer feedback.

This lesson builds a growth mindset by teaching clear goal-setting and resilience strategies, empowering students to take ownership of their learning and persist through challenges.

Audience

7th & 8th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Sports video, direct teach, peer review, gallery walk

Materials

Game Plan Blueprint, - Level-Up Goals Slides, - Coach’s Pep-Talk Script, - SMART Goal Card, and - Goal Quality Check

Prep

Prepare Materials and Space

10 minutes

Print copies of SMART Goal Card and Goal Quality Check for each student
Queue up the sports highlight video and have speakers ready
Review the Level-Up Goals Slides and Coach’s Pep-Talk Script
Arrange desks or stations for easy peer review and gallery walk
Post chart paper or use bulletin board space for goal display

Step 1

Hook: Perseverance Discussion

5 minutes

Show 1–2 minutes of a sports highlight video illustrating overcoming setbacks
Ask students: “What challenges did the athlete face? How did they keep going?”
Connect their observations to perseverance in academics

Step 2

Teach SMART Goals

7 minutes

Present Level-Up Goals Slides explaining SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
Use Coach’s Pep-Talk Script to model enthusiasm and encouragement
Check for understanding with quick questions (e.g., “What makes a goal measurable?”)

Step 3

Draft Goal Cards

8 minutes

Distribute SMART Goal Card
Students write one SMART goal (academic or personal)
Then list two specific perseverance actions (e.g., practice daily, seek feedback)
Circulate and offer individual coaching

Step 4

Peer Review & Gallery Walk

6 minutes

Pair students to exchange goal cards
Apply the Goal Quality Check rubric to give constructive feedback
Post revised goal cards on wall or board for whole-class gallery walk
Students silently read 3–4 peers’ goals for inspiration

Step 5

Exit Ticket: Commitment Plan

4 minutes

Ask each student to share verbally one obstacle they might face and one strategy they’ll use to overcome it
Collect a quick written note on the back of their goal card with this plan
Reinforce growth mindset: “Challenges mean you’re growing!”

Slide Deck

Level-Up Your Goals!

Welcome to Growth Game Plan! Just like athletes train for their best performance, you'll learn to set strong goals that push you to succeed.

Introduce the idea of leveling up in sports and academics. Set an enthusiastic tone.

Growth Mindset Champ

Growth Mindset: Abilities can improve with effort
Fixed Mindset: Abilities are static

Think like a champion: embrace challenges and learn from mistakes!

Refer to a known athlete who after failures came back stronger. Ask students to briefly share experiences.

What Are SMART Goals?

SMART stands for:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound

Explain each letter briefly; mention SMART goals give clear direction.

Specific & Measurable

Specific: Clear and focused (e.g., “Read 10 pages daily”)

Measurable: Track progress (e.g., “Complete 5 practice problems”)

Emphasize that specificity and measurement help know when a goal is reached.

Achievable, Relevant & Time-Bound

Achievable: Challenging but possible

Relevant: Meaningful to you

Time-bound: Has a deadline (e.g., “by the end of this month”)

Discuss importance of realistic goals and deadlines.

Example SMART Goal

“I will raise my science grade from 78% to 88% by practicing 20 minutes daily and getting weekly feedback from my teacher.”

Break down how this example fits each SMART criterion.

Your Turn: Draft Your Goal

Use your SMART Goal Card to write one academic or personal SMART goal.

Also list two perseverance actions (e.g., “review notes nightly”, “ask a peer for help”).

Guide students to focus on meaningful goals. Remind them of perseverance actions.

Peer Review & Feedback

Exchange cards with a partner.
Use the Goal Quality Check to give feedback.
Refine your goal based on suggestions.

Encourage positive, specific feedback. Remind to reference rubric criteria.

Script

Coach’s Pep-Talk Script

Teacher (energized, like a coach on game day):
“All right, team—gather ‘round! Today we’re stepping onto the field of our own learning, and I want everyone at the top of their game. Just like athletes don’t hit the court without a plan, we’re not diving into the school year without a winning strategy.

First up, SMART goals. Think of SMART as your playbook:
• Specific: You need a clear target. (Pause) Who can tell me why ‘get better at math’ isn’t specific enough?

[Wait for 1–2 student responses]

• Measurable: You must see the scoreboard move. ‘Read 20 pages each day’ gives you a number to track.

• Achievable: We set a goal that’s challenging but not impossible. We don’t aim for the moon on our first practice.

• Relevant: The goal has to matter to you—it has to fuel your fire.

• Time-bound: A deadline keeps you driving forward. ‘By the end of the month’ or ‘before the next exam’—that urgency is like the final minutes on the clock.

When you combine these five, you have a SMART goal—a game-winning plan.

(Student check-in) Give me a quick shout-out: What SMART piece are you most excited about? (Pause for answers) Perfect!

Now, champions, every great plan needs muscle and heart. That’s where perseverance actions come in. Think of two drills you’ll run every day to keep your goal alive—‘practice flashcards for 10 minutes after school’ or ‘ask a classmate for help once a week.’ Those are your training routines.

By the end of today, each of you will have a SMART goal and two perseverance plays. Then we’ll rally together, swap cards for peer feedback, and refine our strategies—just like teammates reviewing each other’s technique.

Remember: the final score isn’t set from the start. It’s built one play at a time, one step of effort after another. So let’s suit up, set those SMART goals, and show our best performance yet!

(End with enthusiastic fist pump) Go team!”

Worksheet

SMART Goal Card

Name: _______________________ Date: _______________

1. My SMART Goal

Write one academic or personal goal that meets all SMART criteria.

Specific: What exactly do I want to achieve?

Measurable: How will I track my progress?

Achievable: Why is this goal realistic for me right now?

Relevant: How does this goal connect to my bigger dreams or needs?

Time-bound: What is my deadline for reaching this goal?

2. Perseverance Actions (Your Training Drills)

List two specific actions (drills) you will practice regularly to keep yourself on track.

Action Drill #1:
Action Drill #2:

Just like athletes follow a playbook, use this card as your personal game plan. Check back weekly to update your progress and stay in the winning mindset!

Rubric

Goal Quality Check

Use this 4-point rubric to evaluate your SMART goal and perseverance actions. Circle the level that best describes each criterion.

Criteria	4 – Exceeds Expectations	3 – Meets Expectations	2 – Approaching Expectations	1 – Beginning
Specific	Goal clearly states what, who, where, and why in precise detail.	Goal states what to achieve with some detail.	Goal is vague; missing one specific element (who/where/why).	Goal is unclear or too general (e.g., “do better”).
Measurable	Includes precise metrics/numbers and a clear tracking method (e.g., daily log/chart).	Includes a metric but lacks detail on how progress will be tracked.	Identifies a measure but it’s broad or incomplete.	No clear measure of success or way to track progress.
Achievable	Demonstrates a realistic plan with evidence of capability and resources.	Plan seems realistic with some justification.	Goal is somewhat realistic but feasibility explanation is weak.	Goal is unrealistic or has no justification for achievability.
Relevant	Strongly connects to personal or academic growth and long-term goals.	Shows a clear connection to personal relevance.	Connection is weak or only partially related to student goals.	No clear relevance or connection to student’s needs.
Time-bound	Specifies a clear deadline and intermediate milestones or checkpoints.	Specifies a clear deadline but no milestones.	Deadline is mentioned but not specific or is ambiguous.	No deadline or time frame is indicated.
Perseverance Actions	Lists two concrete, actionable drills with schedule/frequency (e.g., daily, weekly).	Lists two actions but lacks a clear schedule or step-by-step plan.	Lists only one action or actions are too vague.	No perseverance actions or actions are irrelevant.

Use feedback from this rubric to refine your goal and drills before posting your final plan.

Growth Game Plan

Frances Moore