Lesson Plan
New Year, New Me: Goal Growers
Students will reflect on their past year, identify personal strengths, and set one to two simple, achievable goals for the new year, fostering self-awareness and positive self-talk.
Teaching students to set goals early helps them develop crucial self-awareness and builds a foundation for achieving future aspirations. It empowers them to recognize their strengths and confidently work towards personal growth.
Audience
Grades 1-4
Time
45-60 minutes
Approach
Visual aids, storytelling, and collaborative sharing make goal-setting fun and accessible.
Materials
Smartboard or Projector, Goal Growers Slide Deck, Whiteboard or Chart Paper, Markers/Crayons, My Goal Leaf Worksheet, Goal Growers Activity Guide, Construction Paper (various colors), Scissors (child-safe), Glue Sticks, and Optional: Picture books about goal setting or growth mindset
Prep
Teacher Preparation
20 minutes
- Review the Goal Growers Lesson Plan and all generated materials, including the Goal Growers Slide Deck, My Goal Leaf Worksheet, and Goal Growers Activity Guide.
- Print enough copies of the My Goal Leaf Worksheet for each student.
- Gather construction paper, child-safe scissors, glue sticks, and markers/crayons.
- Prepare a space on the whiteboard or chart paper to write down shared strengths and goals.
- (Optional) Select a relevant picture book about goal setting or growth mindset to read aloud.
Step 1
Introduction: Welcome & Reflection (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Begin by greeting students and introducing the topic: New Year, New Goals! (Display Slide 1: Welcome).
- Ask students: "What does 'new year, new me' mean to you?" Allow for a few student responses.
- Lead a brief reflection on the past year using the Goal Growers Slide Deck (Slides 2-3). Ask: "What's something awesome you did last year? What's something new you learned?"
- Emphasize that every year brings new opportunities to grow and learn, just like a plant grows taller and stronger. (Display Slide 4: Plant Growth Metaphor).
Step 2
Discovering Strengths (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Transition to discussing personal strengths. Ask: "What are you good at? What makes you special?" (Display Slide 5: My Strengths).
- Explain that recognizing our strengths is the first step to setting great goals. Give a few simple examples (e.g., "I'm good at sharing," "I'm a fast runner," "I'm a kind friend").
- Have students share one strength with a partner or the whole class. Write down some examples on the whiteboard/chart paper.
Step 3
What is a Goal? (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Introduce the concept of a 'goal.' (Display Slide 6: What's a Goal?). Explain it simply: "A goal is something you want to achieve or get better at! It's like planting a seed and helping it grow."
Step 4
Setting SMART-ish Goals (15 minutes)
15 minutes
- Guide students to brainstorm simple, achievable goals for the new year. (Display Slide 7: Growing My Goals).
- Introduce the idea of making goals
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Slide Deck
New Year, New Me: Goal Growers!
Welcome, Future Goal Growers!
Welcome students and get them excited for a new year and new opportunities! Ask a few students what 'new year, new me' means to them.
Last Year's Awesome Moments!
What's something super cool you did or learned in the past year?
Ask students to think about something awesome they did last year. Encourage sharing positive experiences.
Growing From Last Year
Did you learn something new? Did you get better at something?
Prompt students to reflect on anything new they learned or a skill they improved. This helps connect to personal growth.
Like a Growing Plant!
Every year is a chance to grow, just like a little seed grows into a big, strong plant!
Introduce the plant growth metaphor. Explain that just like plants grow from seeds, we can grow and get better at things too!
What Makes You Special?
What are your superpowers? What are you really good at doing? (These are your strengths!)
Ask students what they are good at. Encourage them to think broadly about their talents, not just school subjects. Give examples.
What's a Goal?
A goal is something you want to achieve, learn, or get better at. It's like planting a special seed for your future self!
Define 'goal' in simple terms. Emphasize that it's something they want to achieve or improve.
Growing My Goals
Let's think about what seeds we want to plant for the new year. What do you want to grow?
Explain that we'll be thinking about goals like planting seeds. We choose what we want to grow!
Making Our Goals Grow BIG!
How can we make our goals strong so they will really grow?
- Specific: What exactly do you want to do?
- Achievable: Can you really do it?
- Time-bound: When will you try to do it by?
Introduce the concept of making goals 'SMART-ish' for younger kids: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Simplify for their age.
My Goal Leaf Worksheet
Time to write down your goal and make it beautiful! Think of your goal as a leaf on our big goal tree.
Transition to the worksheet activity. Explain they will write their goal and draw a picture.
The Goal Growers Tree
We will add our goal leaves to our special 'Goal Growers Tree' to help us remember our goals and celebrate our growth!
Introduce the idea of the 'Goal Growers Tree' activity where their goal leaves will be added.
You Are All Goal Growers!
You've reflected, found your strengths, and set amazing goals! Remember, you are all capable of growing and achieving great things!
Review the day's learning and reinforce the positive message about goal setting and personal growth.
Activity
Goal Growers Tree Activity
Objective: Students will visually represent their personal goals by creating a collective "Goal Growers Tree" to celebrate and remember their aspirations for the new year.
Materials:
- Large sheet of butcher paper or a bulletin board (for the tree trunk and branches)
- Brown construction paper (for tree trunk and branches, if not drawn directly)
- Green construction paper (for leaves, various shades)
- Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
- My Goal Leaf Worksheet (already completed by students)
- Scissors (child-safe)
- Glue sticks or tape
- Optional: Real leaves, glitter, other decorative items
Instructions:
Part 1: Building Our Tree (Teacher-Led / Collaborative)
- Prepare the Tree Base: Before the activity, draw or cut out a large tree trunk and branches from brown construction paper and affix it to your butcher paper or bulletin board. This will be the base for your "Goal Growers Tree."
- Introduce the Tree: Explain to students that just like a real tree grows stronger with many leaves, our class "Goal Growers Tree" will grow with all of their personal goals.
Part 2: Decorating Your Goal Leaf (Student-Led)
- Review the Worksheet: Remind students of the goal they wrote down on their My Goal Leaf Worksheet.
- Cut Out Your Leaf: Instruct students to carefully cut out their goal leaf from the worksheet. Encourage them to stay as close to the outline as possible.
- Decorate Your Leaf: Provide students with green construction paper (and optional decorative items). They can glue their worksheet leaf onto a larger green construction paper leaf for added durability and aesthetic, or simply decorate the existing worksheet leaf. Encourage them to add their own personal touch – drawings, patterns, or colors that represent their goal or what makes them special.
Part 3: Adding Leaves to the Tree (Collaborative)
- Share Your Goal (Optional): Invite students to come up one by one (or in small groups) to share their goal with the class if they feel comfortable. Reinforce positive listening and encouragement from classmates.
- Place Your Leaf: After sharing, instruct students to use glue or tape to attach their decorated goal leaf to one of the branches of the "Goal Growers Tree." Encourage them to find a spot where their leaf can grow alongside their classmates.
- Observe the Growing Tree: As more students add their leaves, pause to admire the collective "Goal Growers Tree" and discuss how it represents all the amazing things everyone wants to achieve this year.
Discussion Prompts During Activity:
- "How does it feel to see our tree grow with all our goals?"
- "What do you notice about all the different goals?"
- "How can we help each other achieve our goals throughout the year?"
Worksheet
My Goal Leaf Worksheet
Name: __________________________
My Strengths: What makes me special? (Draw or write one thing!)
My New Year's Goal: What is one thing I want to grow or get better at this year?
How will I help my goal grow? (What steps can I take?)
Draw a picture of your goal!
(Cut out this leaf when you are done to add it to our Goal Growers Tree!)