Steps to Success

Dianna Wyllie

Tier 3

Lesson Plan

Step-by-Step Strategy

Students will learn to identify a target behavior, decompose it into manageable steps, record progress on a chart, celebrate small wins, reflect in a journal, and self-assess using a rubric.

Breaking complex behaviors into bite-sized actions and tracking wins builds student motivation, self-awareness, and consistency in positive behavior change.

Audience

6th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided, hands-on step sequence

Materials

Small Wins, Big Impact, - Behavior Breakdown Chart, - Achievement Journal, and - Step Completion Rubric

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Review Small Wins, Big Impact slide-deck.
Print copies of the Behavior Breakdown Chart, Achievement Journal, and Step Completion Rubric.
Familiarize yourself with each resource’s layout and key talking points.

Step 1

Introduction & Purpose

5 minutes

Welcome the student and share the session goal: building a step-by-step plan for positive behavior.
Present key slides from Small Wins, Big Impact illustrating how small achievements lead to bigger success.
Emphasize that today we’ll practice defining behaviors and celebrating progress.

Step 2

Define Target Behavior

7 minutes

Ask the student to name one challenging behavior they want to improve.
On the Behavior Breakdown Chart, write the behavior at the top.
Discuss what that behavior looks like in real situations to ensure shared understanding.

Step 3

Break Behavior into Steps

7 minutes

Guide the student to list 3–5 smaller actions that comprise the target behavior (e.g., ‘Raise hand before speaking’ → ‘Wait for pause, lift hand, maintain patience’).
Fill each action into successive boxes on the Behavior Breakdown Chart.
Confirm each step is clear and achievable.

Step 4

Track Small Wins & Reflect

5 minutes

Explain how completing each small step counts as a ‘win.’
Have the student record their first win on the Achievement Journal: date, step completed, feeling rating.
Model a brief journal entry, focusing on positive language and emotions.

Step 5

Self-Assess & Plan Next Steps

6 minutes

Introduce the Step Completion Rubric with criteria (e.g., consistency, effort, self-control).
Have the student rate their performance on the initial step they attempted.
Discuss the rating and plan one concrete action to aim for in the next session.
Celebrate the student’s work and encourage continued tracking of wins.

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Slide Deck

Small Wins, Big Impact

How tiny steps can drive major progress in behavior and learning.

Welcome everyone! Today we’ll explore why focusing on small, manageable wins can lead to big improvements over time. Introduce yourself and the session focus.

What Are Small Wins?

• Small wins are minor, achievable actions or goals.
• They’re steps you can complete quickly and consistently.
• Each win builds your confidence and momentum.

Define the concept clearly. Use everyday language so students grasp the idea.

Why Small Wins Matter

• Boosts motivation and self-confidence
• Creates positive habits over time
• Reduces overwhelm by focusing on one step at a time

Highlight benefits to motivation and mindset. Encourage students to imagine how success feels.

Real-Life Examples

• Reading for 10 minutes each day
• Raising your hand once before chatting in class
• Completing one math problem without help

Share concrete examples relevant to sixth graders. Invite students to suggest their own examples.

The Science Behind It

• Each success releases “feel-good” brain chemicals
• Builds a sense of control and self-efficacy
• Small achievements accumulate into lasting change

Briefly mention research without jargon. Keep it engaging.

Today’s Steps to Success

Up next: We’ll use the Step-by-Step Strategy to break your target behavior into small steps, track wins, reflect in a journal, and self-assess with a rubric.

Let’s get started!

Transition to today’s individualized plan. Explain the next steps.

Worksheet

Behavior Breakdown Chart

Student Name: ______________________ Date: ____________

1. Target Behavior

Write the one challenging behavior you want to improve today:

_________________________________________

2. Break Your Behavior into Small Steps

List 3–5 smaller, clear actions that make up your target behavior. After you complete each step, check it off.

Step 1:
_________________________________________

[ ] Completed
Step 2:
_________________________________________

[ ] Completed
Step 3:
_________________________________________

[ ] Completed
Step 4 (optional):
_________________________________________

[ ] Completed
Step 5 (optional):
_________________________________________

[ ] Completed

Use this chart to focus on one small win at a time. Celebrate each step you complete!

Journal

Achievement Journal

Student Name: ______________________ Date: ____________

1. Step Completed

Describe which small behavior step you completed today:

_________________________________________

2. How I Feel

On a scale of 1 (not great) to 5 (awesome), rate how you feel after completing this step:

Rating (1–5): _____

What words best describe your feelings?

_________________________________________

3. Reflection

What went well, and why do you think that happened?

_________________________________________

What could you improve next time?

_________________________________________

4. Plan for Next Step

What is one small action you will try in our next session?

_________________________________________

Rubric

Step Completion Rubric

Use this rubric to rate how you completed your first small step. Circle the number that best describes your performance for each criterion.

Criteria	1 Beginning	2 Developing	3 Proficient	4 Exemplary
Clarity of Step	The step is vague or confusing.	Step is somewhat clear but missing details.	Step is clear and can be followed easily.	Step is very specific, detailed, and fully actionable.
Consistency	Tried the step rarely or not at all.	Completed the step some times, but unevenly.	Completed the step most times as planned.	Completed the step consistently without reminders.
Effort	Little or no effort was shown.	Pushed yourself a little, but easily discouraged.	Showed good effort and stayed focused.	Demonstrated strong effort, persistence, and positivity.
Self-Control	Had difficulty managing impulses.	Needed prompts to stay on task or calm down.	Controlled impulses and remained on task.	Maintained excellent self-control, even when challenged.

Scoring: Add up your circled numbers for a total out of 16.
Reflection: How can you move one level higher on each criterion next time?