Lesson Plan
Year-End Reflection
Students will celebrate their past year successes, identify growth areas, and set two SMART goals to guide their learning next year.
Reflecting on achievements and challenges builds self-awareness, promotes a growth mindset, and equips students with clear goals—key skills for academic and personal success.
Audience
10th Grade
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Guided reflection, collaborative discussion, and structured goal-setting.
Materials
- Year-End Reflection Slide Deck, - Year-End Reflection Worksheet, - Goal-Setting Template, - Sticky Notes, and - Pens or Pencils
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print one copy of the Year-End Reflection Worksheet per student
- Print one copy of the Goal-Setting Template per student
- Upload and review the Year-End Reflection Slide Deck
- Gather sticky notes, pens, and any chart paper for group sharing
- Prepare sentence stems or bilingual dictionaries for students who need language support
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
- Display the first slide from the Year-End Reflection Slide Deck
- Explain today’s objective: reflecting on past successes, growth areas, and setting goals
- Quick Think-Pair-Share: “Name one success you’re proud of this year.”
Step 2
Individual Reflection
10 minutes
- Distribute the Year-End Reflection Worksheet
- In Section 1, students list three successes; in Section 2, three growth areas
- On sticky notes, write one success per note; place on chart paper under “Successes”
Step 3
Small-Group Discussion
10 minutes
- Form groups of 3–4 and share top successes and growth areas
- Encourage active listening: ask clarifying questions
- Teacher circulates to prompt deeper reflection and support vocabulary
Step 4
Goal Setting
10 minutes
- Distribute the Goal-Setting Template
- Model writing one SMART goal on the slide deck (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
- Students draft two SMART goals: one academic, one personal growth
Step 5
Share & Celebrate
5 minutes
- Invite 2–3 volunteers to share one goal each
- Offer positive feedback and affirm growth mindset language
- Collect templates for a quick review of goal quality
Step 6
Assessment & Next Steps
5 minutes
- Review collected worksheets and templates to assess clarity and feasibility of goals
- Differentiate follow-up: provide extra goal-setting support or extension challenges as needed
- Encourage students to post a copy of their goals in their notebooks or digital portfolios for accountability
Slide Deck
Year-End Reflection
• Celebrate successes
• Identify growth areas
• Set goals for next year
Welcome students! Today we’ll pause to reflect on our past year: celebrate successes, recognize where we can grow, and set goals to start next year strong.
Objective
Students will celebrate past-year successes, identify growth areas, and set two SMART goals to guide their learning next year.
Read the objective aloud and stress why reflection builds a growth mindset and prepares you for future challenges.
Quick Think-Pair-Share
“Name one success you’re proud of this year.”
Pair up students. Ask one student to share their success while the other listens, then switch roles.
Individual Reflection
• List 3 successes this year
• List 3 areas for growth
• Write each success on a sticky note and post under “Successes”
Distribute the Year-End Reflection Worksheet (#year-end-reflection-worksheet). Give students 10 minutes to list three successes and three growth areas. Remind them to write each success on a separate sticky note.
Small-Group Discussion
• Share your top successes and growth areas
• Ask clarifying questions
• Listen actively and respectfully
Form groups of 3–4. Have students take turns sharing their top items. Circulate to prompt deeper thinking and support language as needed.
SMART Goals Model
Specific: What exactly?
Measurable: How to track?
Achievable: Is it realistic?
Relevant: Why does it matter?
Time-bound: What’s the deadline?
Introduce the SMART framework. Model a goal on the board: “I will improve my Algebra grade from a B to an A by completing two extra practice problems daily and attending weekly study group, by December.” Highlight each SMART element.
Goal Setting
• Draft 1 academic SMART goal
• Draft 1 personal SMART goal
• Use the template to ensure each element is clear
Hand out the Goal-Setting Template (#year-end-goal-setting-template). Give students 10 minutes to write one academic and one personal SMART goal.
Share & Celebrate
• Volunteer to share one of your goals
• Receive positive feedback
• Celebrate effort and progress
Invite 2–3 volunteers to share one goal each. Provide positive feedback and encourage growth mindset language (e.g., “I can improve by…”). Collect templates to review goal quality.
Next Steps
• Post your goals visibly for accountability
• Teacher will review and follow up
• Use these goals to guide your new year!
Explain next steps: post goals in notebooks or digital portfolios, and remind them you’ll check in mid-year to review progress and offer support.
Worksheet
Year-End Reflection Worksheet
Instructions: Use this worksheet to celebrate your successes from this past year, identify areas where you can grow, and set two SMART goals for the coming year. Take your time to think deeply about each prompt.
Section 1: Celebrating Successes
List three things you did well this year and explain why each was meaningful to you.
-
Success #1:
Why it was a success:
-
Success #2:
Why it was a success:
-
Success #3:
Why it was a success:
Section 2: Areas for Growth
Identify three areas where you would like to improve and describe one strategy for each.
-
Growth Area #1:
How I will improve:
-
Growth Area #2:
How I will improve:
-
Growth Area #3:
How I will improve:
Section 3: SMART Goal – Academic
Use the SMART framework to write one academic goal for next year. You may refer to the Goal-Setting Template for guidance.
- Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?
- Measurable: How will you know when you’ve reached it?
- Achievable: Why is this goal realistic for you?
- Relevant: How does this goal connect to your learning or interests?
- Time-bound: What is your deadline for achieving this goal?
Section 4: SMART Goal – Personal Growth
Now set one personal growth goal using the SMART criteria.
- Specific:
- Measurable:
- Achievable:
- Relevant:
- Time-bound:
Great work! Be ready to share highlights of your reflections and goals during our group discussion.
Worksheet
Goal-Setting Template
Instructions: Use this template to draft one SMART goal. You can apply it to an academic goal or a personal growth goal. Refer to each criterion and provide clear, specific details.
Example SMART Goal
“I will improve my Algebra grade from a B to an A by completing two extra practice problems every weekday after school and attending a weekly study group, by December 15.”
My SMART Goal
1. Specific: What exactly do I want to accomplish?
2. Measurable: How will I measure progress and know when I’ve achieved it?
3. Achievable: Why is this goal realistic and within my reach?
4. Relevant: How does this goal align with my academic learning or personal interests?
5. Time-bound: What is my deadline for completing this goal?
Next Steps: After completing this template, you may use it twice—once for an academic goal and once for a personal growth goal. Be prepared to share your goals during our discussion!