Students will identify their top personal values, develop a SMART goal aligned with career and community impact, and outline two immediate action steps.
By linking values to vision, students strengthen self-awareness, goal‐setting, and planning skills crucial for scholarship applications, college readiness, and lifelong success.
Students identify two immediate (next-week) action steps to begin working toward their goal.
Step 3
Cool-Down
10 minutes
Pair students to share their SMART goal and action steps.
One partner offers positive feedback and one question for clarity.
Invite 2–3 volunteers to present their goal and steps to the class.
Collect templates for teacher review or have students keep them for their portfolio.
Close by emphasizing how these steps build momentum toward long‐term vision.
Worksheet
Values Reflection Worksheet
Instructions: Use this worksheet to explore and reflect on your personal values. Write clearly in the spaces provided.
Brainstorm and list five personal values that resonate most with you. (e.g., integrity, creativity, community)
From your list above, select your top three values and rank them in order of importance:
For each of your top three values, answer the questions below:
Value #1: __________________________
Why is this value important to you? (Explain in 1–2 sentences.)
Describe a time when you demonstrated this value. (Give a specific example.)
Value #2: __________________________
Why is this value important to you? (Explain in 1–2 sentences.)
Describe a time when you demonstrated this value. (Give a specific example.)
Value #3: __________________________
Why is this value important to you? (Explain in 1–2 sentences.)
Describe a time when you demonstrated this value. (Give a specific example.)
Reflection Prompt: Choose one of your top three values and write briefly how aligning your future goals with this value could impact your career or community.
Worksheet
SMART Goal Setter Template
Instructions: Use this template to draft a SMART goal aligned with one of your top personal values. Fill in each section thoroughly.
Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve? Be clear and detailed.
Measurable: How will you measure your progress? What metrics or indicators will show that you’re moving toward your goal?
Achievable: Why is this goal realistic? List the skills, resources, or support you have (or will obtain) to reach this goal.
Relevant: How does this goal connect to your top personal value and long-term career or community aspirations?
Time-bound: What is your deadline or target date for accomplishing this goal? Include milestones if helpful.
Final SMART Goal Statement:
Combine the elements above into one concise, well-written SMART goal. Write it below:
Worksheet
Two-Step Action Plan Chart
Instructions: Use this chart to plan two immediate action steps (to be completed in the next week) that will move you toward your SMART goal. Fill in each section completely.
Align your personal values with career aspirations and community impact
Grade 12 • 45-Minute Lesson
Introduce the lesson by explaining how personal values provide the foundation for meaningful goals. Frame today’s work as linking “what matters most” to “what you’ll achieve.”
Warm-Up: Discover Our Values
• Distribute sticky notes to each student
• Write 1–2 personal values (e.g., integrity, creativity)
• Post notes under “Our Values” on the board
• Observe and highlight common themes
Engage students physically by giving them sticky notes. Prompt with examples and encourage volunteers to post and briefly comment. Highlight overlapping values to build group identity.
Reflect on Your Values
Brainstorm and list five personal values
Rank your top three values
For each top value, explain why it matters and give a real example
Reflect how one value could guide your career or community impact
Point students to the worksheet and remind them to be specific in naming values. Emphasize honest reflection.
Define SMART Goals
• Specific: Clear, detailed objectives
• Measurable: Metrics to track progress
• Achievable: Realistic given your skills and resources
• Relevant: Aligned to your top value and aspirations
• Time-bound: Deadline or milestone dates
Briefly define each SMART element and relate back to a student value from the previous slide.
SMART Goal Example
Value: Community Service
SMART Goal:
“Volunteer 12 hours at the local food bank over the next four weeks by attending two 3-hour weekend shifts each week.”
Walk through how this example meets each SMART element, asking students to call out which part is Specific, Measurable, etc.
Draft Your SMART Goal
Use SMART Goal Setter Template
• Complete each SMART section
• Write a concise final SMART goal statement
Circulate to help students connect their goal back to their chosen value. Offer suggestions if a goal seems too vague or unrealistic.
Plan Your Next Steps
Use Two-Step Action Plan Chart
• Identify two tasks to complete in the next week
• Set specific deadlines and needed resources
• Define success measures and anticipate obstacles
Encourage students to think concretely about their next-week tasks. Offer sample resources (e.g., sign-up link, contact person) and discuss common obstacles.
Pair & Share
• Share your SMART goal and action steps with a partner
• Partner A: Offer one piece of positive feedback
• Partner B: Ask one clarifying question
Remind pairs to focus on clarity and encouragement. Monitor for respectful feedback. Step in if a student needs help rephrasing a question.
Present & Wrap-Up
• Volunteers present their goal + action steps
• Collect or keep templates for your portfolio
• Remember: Consistent action builds momentum toward your vision
Select 2–3 volunteers to present. Reinforce how today’s small steps lead to scholarship, college and career readiness.
Script
Values to Vision: Teacher’s Word-for-Word Script
Introduction (1 minute)
Teacher: “Good morning, everyone! Today, we’re going to connect what truly matters to you—your personal values—with your future goals. By the end of class, you’ll have a clear SMART goal and two immediate action steps to get started. Let’s jump in!”
Warm-Up: Discover Our Values (5 minutes)
Teacher: “First, I’m handing out a sticky note to each of you. On that sticky note, please write down one or two personal values—words that describe what matters most to you. For example, you might write ‘integrity,’ ‘creativity,’ or ‘community.’”
[Give each student a sticky note]
Teacher (after 1 minute): “Great! Now, one at a time, please come up and post your note under the heading ‘Our Values’ on the board. Just read your word or two out loud as you post.”
[Pause while students post]
Teacher: “Thank you! I see several notes that say ‘leadership,’ ‘empathy,’ and ‘innovation.’ Notice how some values overlap—this tells us we share things in common. Keep those words in mind as we reflect more deeply.”
Main Activity Part 1: Reflect on Your Top Values (10 minutes)
Teacher: “Turn to your copy of the Values Reflection Worksheet. First, brainstorm five values that resonate with you. Take about one minute for this list.”
[Wait 1 minute]
Teacher: “Okay, now select your top three values from that list and rank them in order of importance—1, 2, and 3. Write them in the spaces provided.”
[Wait 2 minutes]
Teacher: “Next, for each of those top three values, answer two questions: Why is this value important to you? And describe a time you demonstrated it. Write complete sentences.”
[Wait 5 minutes]
Teacher (circulate and prompt quietly): “If you’re stuck, think of a recent example—maybe in school, sports, or community service.”
Main Activity Part 2: Define SMART Goals (8 minutes)
Teacher: “Now that you’ve reflected on values, let’s turn them into goals using SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.”
[Display SMART slide or write on board]
Teacher: “Here’s an example: ‘Volunteer 12 hours at the local food bank over the next four weeks by attending two 3-hour weekend shifts each week.’ Let’s identify each part: Which phrase makes this goal Specific?”
[Listen for student responses: “Volunteer 12 hours at the local food bank.”]
Teacher: “Exactly. What makes it Measurable?”
[“12 hours over four weeks.”]
Teacher: “Right. Achievable?”
[Students might say: “Two 3-hour shifts is realistic.”]
Teacher: “Good. Relevant?”
[“It aligns with the value of community service.”]
Teacher: “And Time-bound?”
[“Over the next four weeks.”]
Teacher: “Great job. Now, fill out the SMART Goal Setter Template. Use your top value to craft a goal that meets each SMART element. I’ll give you six minutes.”
[Wait 6 minutes and circulate]
Teacher (prompting): “If your goal is too vague, ask yourself, ‘How will I know I’ve achieved this?’ and be more specific.”
Main Activity Part 3: Plan Your Next Steps (7 minutes)
Teacher: “You’ve got a SMART goal drafted. Next, use the Two-Step Action Plan Chart to plan two immediate tasks you can complete in the next week. For each task, set a deadline, list any resources you need, decide how you’ll measure success, and anticipate obstacles with solutions.”
[Wait 7 minutes]
Teacher (circulating): “Need ideas? If your goal is volunteering, one step could be ‘Email the volunteer coordinator by Friday at 3 PM.’ Think concretely.”
Cool-Down: Pair & Share (8 minutes)
Teacher: “Turn to a partner. Partner A, please share your SMART goal and action steps. Partner B, listen carefully and offer one piece of positive feedback and one clarifying question. Then switch roles.”
[Wait 4 minutes]
Teacher (after 4 minutes): “Okay, let’s switch: Partner B shares, and Partner A gives feedback and asks a question.”
[Wait 4 minutes]
Present & Wrap-Up (4 minutes)
Teacher: “Would 2 or 3 volunteers like to share their SMART goal and action steps with the class? Keep it brief—about 30 seconds each.”
[Select volunteers]
Teacher (after presentations): “Thank you for sharing! I’ll collect your templates, or you may keep them in your portfolio. Remember, these small steps build momentum toward your long-term vision. Great work today!”
