lenny

Your Future, Your Focus

Lesson Plan

Your Future, Your Focus

Students will learn to identify key components of effective goal setting and apply basic time management strategies to their academic and career technical education (CTE) pursuits.

Developing strong goal-setting and time management skills is vital for success in high school, college, and future careers. These skills empower students to take control of their learning, reduce stress, and achieve their aspirations.

Audience

9th Grade CTE High School Students

Time

30 Minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, direct instruction, and practical application through a worksheet.

Materials

Your Future, Your Focus Slide Deck, My Goals, My Time Worksheet, and Pens/Pencils

Prep

Lesson Preparation

15 Minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Drives You?

5 Minutes

  1. Begin by asking students what they hope to achieve in their CTE program or beyond.
    2. Facilitate a brief class discussion to activate prior knowledge about ambitions and challenges in achieving them.

Step 2

Introduction to Goal Setting (S.M.A.R.T. Goals)

10 Minutes

  1. Present the concept of S.M.A.R.T. goals using the Your Future, Your Focus Slide Deck.
    2. Explain each component: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
    3. Provide CTE-relevant examples for each component.

Step 3

Time Management Strategies

10 Minutes

  1. Introduce basic time management techniques such as prioritization, breaking down tasks, and avoiding procrastination using the Your Future, Your Focus Slide Deck.
    2. Discuss how these strategies can be applied to CTE projects and assignments.

Step 4

Worksheet: My Goals, My Time

5 Minutes

  1. Distribute the My Goals, My Time Worksheet.
    2. Instruct students to apply S.M.A.R.T. goal principles and time management ideas to one of their own CTE or academic goals.
    3. Briefly review student responses (time permitting) or collect for informal assessment.
lenny

Slide Deck

Your Future, Your Focus

Setting Yourself Up for Success in CTE and Beyond!

What do you want to achieve?
How will you get there?

Today we'll learn essential skills to help you answer these questions!

Welcome students and introduce the day's topic: setting goals and managing time effectively. Ask a few students to share what they hope to get out of their CTE program or what kind of career they envision. This hooks them by making it relevant.

What are S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?

Measurable: How will you know when you've achieved it?

Achievable: Is it possible to reach this goal?

Relevant: Does this goal matter to you and your future?

Time-bound: When do you want to achieve this goal?

S.M.A.R.T. goals give you a clear roadmap to success!

Transition to S.M.A.R.T. goals. Explain that simply wanting something isn't enough; we need a plan. Introduce the acronym S.M.A.R.T. and explain it stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals: CTE Examples

Let's make it real!

Goal Idea: "I want to get better at welding."

S.M.A.R.T. Version: "I will complete and successfully pass my advanced welding certification project (measuring 12x12 inches with less than 2 defects) by the end of the semester to enhance my job readiness in construction."

Notice how the S.M.A.R.T. goal is much clearer!

Provide examples relevant to CTE students. For 'Specific', talk about a specific project instead of 'doing well in class'. For 'Measurable', discuss grading criteria or project completion. For 'Achievable', consider resources. For 'Relevant', connect to their career path. For 'Time-bound', give a realistic deadline.

Time Management: Work Smarter, Not Harder

You've got S.M.A.R.T. goals... now how do you fit them into your busy life?

  1. Prioritize Your Tasks: What's most important? What's due soon?
  2. Break It Down: Big projects are less scary in small steps.
  3. Use Tools: Planners, calendars, apps can help.
  4. Avoid Procrastination: Start early, avoid distractions.

Good time management helps you achieve your S.M.A.R.T. goals without feeling overwhelmed!

Introduce time management as the partner to goal setting. Without managing time, even S.M.A.R.T. goals can fail. Discuss prioritization (e.g., Eisenhower Matrix simplified), breaking down big tasks, and active vs. passive work.

Putting It Into Practice

It's your turn to apply what you've learned!

Think about:

  • An academic goal
  • A CTE project goal
  • A personal goal

How can you make it S.M.A.R.T.? How will you manage your time to achieve it?

Let's get to work on your future!

Encourage students to think about how they can apply these skills immediately. This slide sets up the worksheet activity. Remind them that practice makes perfect.

lenny

Worksheet

My Goals, My Time: Planning for Success

Name: ____________________________
Date: ____________________________

Part 1: Setting a S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Think of one important goal you want to achieve. This could be a goal for your CTE program, another academic subject, or even a personal goal. Write it down first, then break it down using the S.M.A.R.T. criteria.

My Initial Goal Idea:



Now, let's make it S.M.A.R.T.!

  1. S - Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve? Be clear and detailed.






  2. M - Measurable: How will you know when you have reached your goal? What metrics or evidence will you use?






  3. A - Achievable: Is this goal realistic and attainable given your resources and time? What steps can you take to make it happen?






  4. R - Relevant: Why is this goal important to you? How does it connect to your larger ambitions, like your CTE pathway or future career?






  5. T - Time-bound: When do you want to achieve this goal? Set a clear deadline.






My S.M.A.R.T. Goal Statement (combine all your S.M.A.R.T. answers into one clear sentence):






Part 2: Time Management Plan

Now that you have a S.M.A.R.T. goal, how will you manage your time to achieve it? List at least three specific actions or strategies you will use.

  1. Strategy 1:





  2. Strategy 2:





  3. Strategy 3:





What potential challenges might you face, and how will you overcome them?






lenny
lenny