Lesson Plan
Level Up Your Life
Students will be able to define personal goals, explain the importance of setting goals, and identify the components of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
Understanding how to set effective goals helps students take ownership of their learning and personal growth, fostering a sense of accomplishment and direction in their lives.
Audience
7th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Discussion, direct instruction, and guided practice.
Materials
Smart Goals Slide Deck (#smart-goals-slide-deck), Goal Setting Warm-Up (#goal-setting-warm-up), My SMART Goal Worksheet (#my-smart-goal-worksheet), and Goal Setting Cool-Down (#goal-setting-cool-down)
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Smart Goals Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print copies of the My SMART Goal Worksheet for each student.
- Prepare the Goal Setting Warm-Up and Goal Setting Cool-Down.
Step 1
Introduction & Warm-Up
5 minutes
- Greet students and introduce the topic of goal setting.
- Facilitate the Goal Setting Warm-Up by asking students to think about something they want to achieve.
- Briefly discuss their initial thoughts and connect them to the idea of goals.
Step 2
What Are Goals & Why Set Them?
7 minutes
- Present the initial slides of the Smart Goals Slide Deck to define goals and explain their importance.
- Encourage student participation through questions and examples related to their lives.
- Discuss benefits such as achieving dreams, staying motivated, and building confidence.
Step 3
Introducing SMART Goals
10 minutes
- Continue with the Smart Goals Slide Deck to introduce the SMART goal framework.
- Go through each component (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) with examples relevant to 7th graders.
- Facilitate a brief discussion to check for understanding, asking students to identify if example goals are SMART or not.
Step 4
My SMART Goal Activity
5 minutes
- Distribute the My SMART Goal Worksheet.
- Guide students through the process of writing their own SMART goal, using the worksheet as a guide.
- Circulate around the room to offer support and answer questions as students begin to draft their goals.
Step 5
Wrap-Up & Cool-Down
3 minutes
- Ask a few students to share a component of their goal (optional, depending on time and comfort level).
- Conclude the lesson with the Goal Setting Cool-Down, prompting students to reflect on one thing they learned about setting goals.
Slide Deck
Level Up Your Life: Setting Awesome Goals!
What do you want to achieve?
How do you get there?
Welcome students and introduce the topic of goal setting. Ask them to think about something they want to achieve, either in school or personally. This leads into the warm-up activity. Explain that today's lesson will help them understand how to make those 'wants' into actual goals.
What is a Goal?
It's a desired result or something you want to achieve in the future.
Think of it as your target!
Define what a goal is in simple terms. Emphasize that a goal is something you aim for or want to achieve. Ask for a few student examples of things they want to accomplish.
Why Set Goals?
Gives you direction.
Helps you stay motivated.
Boosts your confidence.
Turns dreams into reality!
Discuss why setting goals is important. Connect it to real-life benefits for 7th graders, like improving grades, learning a new skill, or becoming a better athlete. Ask students to share one reason they think goal setting is helpful.
Meet SMART Goals!
A powerful way to make your goals clear and achievable.
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achievable
R - Relevant
T - Time-bound
Introduce the SMART acronym. Explain that it's a tool to help them create clear and achievable goals. State that each letter stands for a characteristic of a good goal. This is an overview slide.
S is for Specific
Your goal should be clear and well-defined.
Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Explain 'Specific.' Provide examples like 'I want to improve my math grade' (not specific) vs. 'I want to raise my math grade to an A in Algebra' (specific). Ask students to think about how they could make a general goal more specific.
M is for Measurable
You need a way to track your progress and know when you've succeeded.
How much? How many? How will I know when it's accomplished?
Explain 'Measurable.' How will they know if they've reached their goal? Provide examples: 'I want to read more' (not measurable) vs. 'I want to read one book per month' (measurable). Emphasize the importance of tracking progress.
A is for Achievable
Is your goal realistic and something you can actually accomplish?
It should challenge you, but not be impossible.
Explain 'Achievable.' The goal should be challenging but realistic. Discuss the difference between 'I want to fly to the moon' (not achievable) and 'I want to learn to juggle three balls' (achievable with practice).
R is for Relevant
Does this goal matter to you? Does it align with your values and other objectives?
Is it worthwhile? Is this the right time?
Explain 'Relevant.' The goal should matter to them and align with what they want. 'I want to learn French' (relevant if they plan to travel) vs. 'I want to learn to yodel' (maybe not relevant to their current life). Ask why a goal might be relevant to them.
T is for Time-Bound
Your goal needs a clear deadline or target date.
When will I achieve this goal?
Explain 'Time-bound.' Every goal needs a deadline. 'I want to save money' (no time-bound) vs. 'I want to save $50 by the end of next month' (time-bound). Discuss the motivation a deadline provides.
Putting it all Together: SMART Goals!
Remember, SMART goals are:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Now, let's set your own SMART goal!
Summarize SMART goals. Remind students that using this framework helps them create effective goals. Transition to the worksheet where they will apply what they've learned to set their own goal.
Warm Up
Goal Setting Warm-Up
Think about something you want to achieve. It could be in school, a personal skill, or anything else!
What is it?
Why do you want to achieve it?
Worksheet
My SMART Goal Worksheet
Now it's your turn to create a SMART goal! Follow the steps below.
1. My Goal Idea:
What is a general idea of something you want to achieve? (Don't worry about making it SMART yet!)
2. Make it SMART!
S - Specific
What exactly do you want to achieve? Who is involved? What resources might you need?
My Specific Goal:
M - Measurable
How will you know when you've achieved your goal? What progress can you track?
How I'll Measure It:
A - Achievable
Is this goal realistic for you to accomplish? Do you have the skills or can you learn them? Is it challenging but possible?
Why My Goal is Achievable:
R - Relevant
Why is this goal important to you? How does it connect to your life or other aspirations?
Why My Goal is Relevant:
T - Time-Bound
When will you achieve this goal? What is your deadline?
My Deadline:
My Completed SMART Goal Statement:
(Put all the pieces together into one clear statement!)
Cool Down
Goal Setting Cool-Down
What is one new thing you learned about setting goals today?