Lesson Plan
Crafting SMART Goals
Students will learn to create a SMART goal focused on improving their task completion skills and draft their own Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound objective.
Writing SMART goals fosters students’ self-management and accountability, helping them break down tasks and achieve academic success.
Audience
12th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion and guided practice.
Materials
- SMART Goals Presentation Slides, - SMART Goal Criteria Handout, - SMART Goal Worksheet, - Sample SMART Goals Handout, - Whiteboard and Markers, and - Pens and Paper
Prep
Organize Materials
5 minutes
- Print copies of SMART Goal Worksheet and Sample SMART Goals Handout
- Prepare digital device and queue up SMART Goals Presentation Slides
- Review SMART Goal Criteria Handout to anticipate student questions
Step 1
Introduction and Hook
5 minutes
- Ask students: “What makes a goal meaningful?”
- Solicit volunteers to share recent goals or tasks they’ve set.
- Emphasize the importance of clear, actionable objectives for task completion.
Step 2
Explore SMART Criteria
7 minutes
- Display SMART Goals Presentation Slides and introduce each element of SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
- Distribute SMART Goal Criteria Handout.
- Discuss examples and clarify any questions.
Step 3
Analyze Sample Goals
5 minutes
- In pairs, review the Sample SMART Goals Handout.
- Identify which criteria each example meets and where it could improve.
- Share insights with the class.
Step 4
Write Personal SMART Goals
8 minutes
- Hand out the SMART Goal Worksheet.
- Students draft their own SMART goal focused on improving task completion skills.
- Encourage them to apply each SMART element explicitly.
Step 5
Share and Reflect
5 minutes
- Invite volunteers to read their SMART goals aloud.
- Classmates provide constructive feedback based on SMART criteria.
- Conclude by highlighting next steps: monitoring progress and adjusting goals as needed.
Slide Deck
Task Mastery: Craft SMART Goals
In this session, you'll learn to set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals to boost your task completion skills.
Welcome students and introduce the topic. Explain session objectives and link to their own goal-setting experiences.
Why SMART Goals?
• Encourages clear direction and focus
• Breaks tasks into manageable steps
• Boosts motivation and accountability
• Tracks progress and celebrates achievements
Pose the question: “What makes a goal meaningful?” Solicit examples from students and emphasize importance of clarity and accountability.
SMART Criteria Overview
S: Specific – define exactly what you want
M: Measurable – identify how you’ll measure success
A: Achievable – ensure it’s realistic
R: Relevant – connect it to your goals
T: Time-bound – set a deadline
Introduce the SMART framework. Give a one-sentence overview of each element before diving deeper.
S & M: Specific and Measurable
Specific: State exactly what you want to accomplish.
• Example: “Complete my math homework” → “Finish all algebra problems on pages 42–45.”
Measurable: Include a number or indicator of progress.
• Example: “Improve grade” → “Raise my homework completion rate to 90%.”
Explain how being specific prevents ambiguity and measuring progress keeps you on track. Ask: “What specific task could you apply this to?”
A & R: Achievable and Relevant
Achievable: Set goals within your ability and resources.
• Example: “Finish a book” → “Read 20 pages daily after school.”
Relevant: Ensure the goal aligns with broader objectives.
• Example: “Practice guitar” if music is part of your career plan.
Highlight importance of realistic targets and making goals relevant to long-term success. Prompt: “How does this link to your academic objectives?”
T: Time-bound
Time-bound: Assign a clear deadline or schedule.
• Example: “By the end of this month,” “Daily at 4 PM,” “Within two weeks.”
Combining all: “Read 20 pages of history every school day at 4 PM to finish the chapter by May 1.”
Stress that deadlines create urgency and commitment. Ask: “What deadline will keep you motivated?”
Sample SMART Goal
“Increase my weekly assignment completion rate from 60% to 90% by dedicating two 30-minute focused study sessions each school day, starting Monday and ending this semester.”
Identify: S, M, A, R, T.
Distribute the Sample SMART Goals Handout. Have students work in pairs to identify each SMART element in the example.
Your Turn: Draft Your SMART Goal
- Choose a task you want to improve.
- Write one sentence including all SMART elements.
- Check each element: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
Hand out the SMART Goal Worksheet. Circulate to support students as they draft their own goals.
Share & Reflect
• Volunteers read their SMART goals aloud
• Classmates give feedback by SMART criteria
• Next steps: Track progress, adjust your goal, celebrate milestones
Invite volunteers to share their goals. Facilitate peer feedback focused on missing or weak SMART elements. Conclude by discussing monitoring progress.
Worksheet
SMART Goal Worksheet
Use this worksheet to draft and refine a SMART goal focused on improving your task completion skills. Refer to the SMART Goal Criteria Handout as needed.
1. Reflect on Your Task
What is one task or academic habit you’ve struggled to complete consistently? Describe it briefly.
2. Specific
State exactly what you want to accomplish. Be clear and detailed.
3. Measurable
How will you measure your progress or know when you’ve achieved this goal? Include a number, frequency, or other indicator.
4. Achievable
Explain why this goal is realistic given your current resources, skills, and time.
5. Relevant
Describe how this goal aligns with your broader academic, personal, or career objectives.
6. Time-bound
Set a clear deadline or schedule. When will you start and by what date (or how often) will you complete this goal?
7. Full SMART Goal Statement
Combine your responses above into one concise SMART goal sentence.
8. Peer Feedback
After you write your SMART goal, swap with a classmate. Ask them to identify any element that could be clearer or stronger.
Peer suggestion:
Good luck crafting a goal that helps you master your tasks!
Activity
Activity: Analyze Sample SMART Goals
Objective: Students will analyze sample SMART goals to identify each element and recommend improvements for clearer, stronger goal statements.
Time: 5 minutes | Format: Pairs | Materials: Sample SMART Goals Handout, pens/paper
Instructions:
- In pairs, review 2–3 sample goals from the Sample SMART Goals Handout.
- For each goal, list which SMART elements (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) are clearly present and which are weak or missing.
- Write one suggestion to strengthen the goal. Consider adding numbers, deadlines, or clearer relevance.
- Prepare to share one sample goal and your revision with the class.
Teacher Notes / Follow-Up:
- Circulate to ensure pairs correctly identify SMART criteria.
- Invite 1–2 pairs to present their analysis and revised statement.
- Highlight strong improvements and clarify any misunderstandings about SMART elements.
Reading
Sample SMART Goals Handout
Below are examples of goal statements. For each pair, compare the weak version to the improved SMART version. Use the SMART Goal Criteria Handout to identify which SMART elements are present and which have been strengthened.
Example 1
Weak Goal:
“I want to finish my math homework before class.”
• Specific? Partially (math homework) but not which problems or pages.
• Measurable? Vague—no clear indicator of completion.
• Time-bound? “Before class” is unclear (which class, which day?).
SMART Revision:
“Complete all algebra problems on pages 42–45 by 8 AM tomorrow by working on 10 problems during each 15-minute study break tonight.”
- Specific: algebra problems on pages 42–45
- Measurable: all problems (10 per break)
- Achievable: fits into two 15-minute breaks
- Relevant: prepares for tomorrow’s class
- Time-bound: by 8 AM tomorrow
Example 2
Weak Goal:
“Improve my history grade.”
• Specific? No—does not state target grade or assignment type.
• Measurable? No—no percentage or measure of improvement.
• Time-bound? None—no deadline or schedule.
SMART Revision:
“Raise my history grade from a C to a B by scoring at least 80% on weekly quizzes for the next four weeks by reviewing class notes for 20 minutes each evening.”
- Specific: raise grade from C to B
- Measurable: achieve at least 80% on quizzes
- Achievable: 20 minutes of review per day
- Relevant: supports end-of-term grade goal
- Time-bound: weekly quizzes for four weeks
Example 3: Strong Sample
“Increase my weekly assignment completion rate from 60% to 90% by dedicating two 30-minute focused study sessions each school day, starting Monday and ending this semester.”
- Specific: weekly assignment completion rate
- Measurable: from 60% to 90%
- Achievable: two 30-minute sessions per day
- Relevant: improves overall academic success
- Time-bound: each school day until semester’s end
Use these examples as models when drafting your own SMART goals. Identify how each revision adds clarity, measurement, and a deadline to transform a vague intention into an actionable plan.
Reading
SMART Goal Criteria Handout
SMART goals help ensure your objectives are clear, trackable, realistic, relevant, and anchored in time. Use this handout as a checklist when writing or evaluating your goals.
Specific
Be precise about what you want to accomplish.
Guiding Questions:
- What exactly do I want to achieve?
- Who is involved or affected?
- Where will it take place?
Example: Instead of “study more,” write “review two chapters of biology notes.”
Measurable
Include a way to track your progress with numbers or tangible milestones.
Guiding Questions:
- How will I know when the goal is met?
- What metric or indicator will show success?
- How often will I check progress?
Example: “Complete 10 practice problems every evening.”
Achievable
Set a goal that is realistic given your current resources, time, and skills.
Guiding Questions:
- Do I have the tools, skills, and time needed?
- Is the goal challenging but attainable?
- What obstacles might I face, and how can I address them?
Example: “Read 15 pages of history daily after school” (instead of 100 pages in one night).
Relevant
Ensure the goal aligns with your broader academic, personal, or career objectives.
Guiding Questions:
- Why is this goal important to me?
- How does it connect to my long-term plans?
- Is this the right time to focus on this goal?
Example: “Improve my math grade to prepare for college applications.”
Time-bound
Anchor your goal with a clear deadline or schedule.
Guiding Questions:
- When will I start?
- What is my deadline or target date?
- Are there interim checkpoints or milestones?
Example: “By the end of this month” or “Every weekday at 5 PM for two weeks.”
SMART Checklist
Before finalizing your goal, answer these:
- S: Did I define the objective clearly?
- M: Can I measure progress definitively?
- A: Is it realistically attainable?
- R: Does it matter to my overall goals?
- T: Have I set specific time constraints?
Use this criteria to transform vague intentions into actionable SMART goals.
Cool Down
SMART Goal Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on your SMART goal and plan for next steps. Provide brief, thoughtful responses in the spaces below.
1. Restate Your SMART Goal
Write your full SMART goal sentence as you drafted it.
2. Most Challenging Element
Which SMART component (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, or Time-bound) was the hardest to define? Explain why.
3. Tracking Progress
How will you monitor your progress and know when you’ve met your goal? Describe one tool or method you’ll use.
4. Immediate Action Step
What is one concrete action you will take tomorrow to move closer to your goal? Be specific about what you’ll do and when.
5. Confidence Check
On a scale of 1 (not confident) to 5 (very confident), how confident are you that you can achieve this goal? Why did you choose this number?
Thank you for your thoughtful reflections! Keep this exit ticket as a reminder of your plan and next steps.
Warm Up
Goal Confidence Poll
Time: 3 minutes | Individual
Before we dive into SMART goals, let’s check in on your confidence and experience with goal setting.
-
Confidence Rating
On a scale of 1 (not confident) to 5 (very confident), how confident are you in your ability to set clear, achievable goals?
Your rating: _____ / 5
-
Previous Goal Experience
Have you ever set a goal for yourself (academic, personal, or other)? Briefly describe one example below.
Example: _________________________________
-
What Worked or Didn’t
For the goal you described above, note one thing that helped you succeed or one challenge you faced.
• Success factor or challenge: ________________________________________
Thank you! We’ll use this insight as we learn to write goals that really work.