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Reflect & Renew

Lesson Plan

Reflect & Renew

Students will reflect on positive experiences and accomplishments from the past year and identify one simple, achievable goal for the new year, fostering self-awareness and positive future planning.

Reflecting on achievements builds self-esteem and helps students recognize their progress. Setting simple goals empowers them to take ownership of their future and promotes a sense of purpose and well-being.

Audience

9-12th Grade Students with Cognitive Developmental Disabilities

Time

35 minutes

Approach

Through guided discussion and visual prompts, students will share reflections and set a new year goal.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Reflect & Renew Slide Deck, and My New Year's Goal Worksheet

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's a Happy Memory from 2025?

5 minutes

  • Teacher: "Welcome, everyone! Today we're going to think about what made us happy in the past year, 2025, and then dream a little about 2026. Let's start with a warm-up!"
    * Display Reflect & Renew Slide Deck - Slide 1.
    * Teacher: "Look at the picture on the slide. It shows people doing fun things! Can you remember one happy thing you did, saw, or felt in 2025? It could be something big like a special trip, or small like eating your favorite snack. Turn to a partner and share one happy memory."
    * Provide sentence starters if needed: "My happy memory is..." or "I felt happy when..."
    * Call on a few students to share their memories with the whole class, reinforcing positive sharing.

Step 2

Reflecting on 2025: My Accomplishments!

10 minutes

  • Display Reflect & Renew Slide Deck - Slide 2.
    * Teacher: "Great job sharing! Now, let's think about things you did well in 2025. This isn't just about school; it could be anything! Did you learn a new game? Help a friend? Try a new food?"
    * Display Reflect & Renew Slide Deck - Slide 3.
    * Teacher: "Look at these examples. Maybe you learned to cook a simple meal, or remembered to brush your teeth every morning. What's one thing you're proud of doing in 2025? It doesn't have to be perfect, just something you tried your best at."
    * Facilitate a class discussion, offering clear prompts and options. For example: "Did anyone try a new sport?" "Did you help your family with something?" "Did you make a new friend?"
    * Encourage students to use simple words or gestures to share. Prompt students with limited verbal skills to point to pictures on the slide that represent something they did well, or use yes/no responses.

Step 3

Looking Ahead to 2026: My Simple Goal!

15 minutes

  • Display Reflect & Renew Slide Deck - Slide 4.
    * Teacher: "Now that we've celebrated 2025, let's look forward to 2026! A new year is like a fresh start. We can think about one small, simple thing we want to try or do in 2026."
    * Display Reflect & Renew Slide Deck - Slide 5.
    * Teacher: "This is called a 'goal' or a 'resolution.' It's a promise to yourself. It should be something you can do, not something too hard. Like 'drink more water' or 'help clean up.'"
    * Introduce the My New Year's Goal Worksheet. Distribute the worksheets and pens.
    * Teacher: "On your worksheet, you'll see some ideas. Choose one goal you like, or tell me your own simple goal for 2026. For example, 'I want to try a new fruit.' Or 'I want to say please and thank you more.'"
    * Circulate and provide individualized support. For students with low writing skills, offer to scribe their chosen goal or help them circle an option. For students who can write small sentences, guide them to write one simple sentence.
    * Display Reflect & Renew Slide Deck - Slide 6.
    * Teacher: "When you're done, you can draw a picture of yourself doing your goal if you like!"
    * Bring the class back together. Call on a few volunteers to share their simple goal for 2026. Reinforce that even small goals are great achievements.

Step 4

Wrap-Up: High Five for New Year Goals!

5 minutes

  • Teacher: "Fantastic work everyone! We reflected on happy memories and accomplishments, and now we have simple, awesome goals for 2026!"
    * Teacher: "Give yourself a high five for being so thoughtful today! Remember, small steps lead to big successes. We're going to have a great 2026!"
    * Collect the My New Year's Goal Worksheet or allow students to keep them as a reminder.
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Slide Deck

Hello, 2026!

What made you happy in 2025?

  • A special day?
  • A fun activity?
  • Something you saw or heard?

Happy people outside

Welcome students. Explain that today we'll think about happy memories from last year (2025) and simple goals for the new year (2026). Ask students to turn and share one happy memory with a partner. Provide sentence starters like "My happy memory is..." or "I felt happy when..." Call on a few students to share.

Looking Back: What did I do well in 2025?

Think about:

  • Things you learned
  • Things you tried
  • Ways you helped others
  • Things you got better at

Person thinking with question marks

Transition to thinking about accomplishments. Explain that accomplishments are things they did well or tried their best at. Reassure them it doesn't have to be perfect. Ask for examples like learning a new game or helping a friend. Guide the discussion with prompts.

My 2025 Wins!

Examples:

  • Learned a new game
  • Helped a friend
  • Remembered my jacket
  • Tried a new food
  • Cleaned my room

Checkmark icon with happy face

Provide concrete examples to help students generate their own ideas. Encourage them to point to pictures or use simple words. Ask specific questions like, "Did anyone try a new food?" or "Did you remember to do something new?"

Looking Forward: Hello, 2026!

A New Year, A Fresh Start!

  • What small, simple thing do you want to try?
  • What small, simple thing do you want to do?

Sparkling new calendar page

Introduce the idea of 2026 as a fresh start and setting a simple goal. Emphasize "simple" and "achievable." Explain it's a promise to themselves.

My Simple Goal for 2026!

Ideas for your goal:

  • Drink more water
  • Help clean up
  • Say "please" and "thank you"
  • Try a new healthy snack
  • Read for 5 minutes a day

Lightbulb with gears turning

Give examples of simple goals. Explain that they will choose one or create their own on the worksheet. Circulate and provide individual support, helping students with writing or scribing their answers.

Share Your Goal!

Write or draw your simple goal for 2026.

  • What will you try to do?

Happy students sharing ideas

Explain that students can draw a picture of their goal if they want to. Allow time for drawing and writing. Bring the class back together and ask for volunteers to share their goals.

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Worksheet

My New Year's Goal for 2026!

Part 1: What did I do well in 2025? (Circle one or more!)

  • I helped my family.
  • I tried a new food.
  • I remembered something important.
  • I was kind to a friend.
  • I learned a new game.
  • I cleaned my room.
  • Something else great I did:


Part 2: My Simple Goal for 2026 (Circle one, or write/draw your own!)

I want to...

  • Drink more water.
  • Help clean up.
  • Say "please" and "thank you" more.
  • Try a new healthy snack.
  • Read for 5 minutes a day.
  • Share my toys.
  • Smile more often.

My own simple goal is:

Draw a picture of you doing your goal in 2026!













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