Teacher Script: Your Goal, Your Game!

Warm-Up: Dream Big, Start Smart (5 minutes)

(Teacher displays Goal Setting Warm-Up or provides printed copies)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! To kick things off today, I want you to think about your aspirations. What's something you really want to achieve this semester, this year, or even in the next few years? It could be academic, a personal skill, or something for your future.

Take a few minutes to write down one goal you have for the semester or year on your warm-up sheet. Don't worry too much about how you'll do it right now, just focus on what you want to achieve."

(Pause for 3-4 minutes as students write. Circulate to encourage thought.)

"Alright, who would be willing to share a goal they wrote down?"

(Call on 2-3 students. After each student shares, ask follow-up questions like: "That's a great goal! Why is that important to you?" or "What does achieving that goal look like?")

"Those are some fantastic goals! It's great to have big dreams. But sometimes, our goals can feel a little... fuzzy, or so big that we don't know where to start. Today, we're going to learn a strategy to make your goals super clear and actionable. We're going to learn about SMART Goals."

Introduction to SMART Goals (10 minutes)

(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 1: "Your Goal, Your Game!")

"Look at our lesson title today: 'Your Goal, Your Game!' We're going to take control of our goals and learn how to play the game of achievement effectively."

(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 2: "What's Your Goal?")

"As you just shared, we all have dreams and things we want to accomplish. But simply saying 'I want to get good grades' or 'I want to be better at basketball' isn't always enough to make it happen. We need a roadmap, a plan. And that's where SMART goals come in."

"SMART is an acronym, where each letter stands for an important part of setting a successful goal. Let's break it down."

(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 3: "S is for SPECIFIC")

"The 'S' in SMART stands for SPECIFIC. This means your goal needs to be clear and well-defined. Think of it like this: if you tell someone 'Go get something from the store,' that's not very specific. They don't know what to get! But if you say, 'Go get a gallon of milk from the grocery store,' that's specific."

"For your goals, you need to answer the 5 W's: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Instead of 'Get good grades,' a specific goal might be 'Improve my Biology test average to 85% by the end of the semester.' It's clear, isn't it?"

"Can anyone think of a non-specific goal and then make it more specific?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses, guiding them to be more specific.)

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 4: "M is for MEASURABLE")

"Next, 'M' is for MEASURABLE. How will you know if you're making progress or if you've actually achieved your goal? You need to include concrete numbers or criteria."

"If your goal is 'Read more books,' how do you measure 'more'? It's vague. But if it's 'Read one new book every month,' you can easily measure that. You either read it or you didn't!"

"How could you make a goal like 'Exercise more' measurable?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses.)

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 5: "A is for ACHIEVABLE")

"The 'A' is for ACHIEVABLE. This means your goal should be realistic and attainable. It's great to challenge yourself, but if you set a goal that's impossible, you'll just get discouraged."

"If you've never run before, saying 'I will run a marathon by next month' might not be achievable. But 'I will run 1 mile without stopping in 3 months' is much more realistic. It's about setting yourself up for success, not failure."

"Why is it important to make sure your goals are achievable, and not totally out of reach?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses. Emphasize motivation and avoiding burnout.)

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 6: "R is for RELEVANT")

"'R' stands for RELEVANT. Does this goal actually matter to you? Does it align with your values, your interests, and your bigger picture plans? If a goal isn't relevant to what you care about, it's hard to stay motivated."

"If your dream is to be a graphic designer, then improving your digital art skills is very relevant. But if you have no interest in cooking, 'become a master chef' probably isn't a relevant goal for you right now."

"How does making a goal relevant help you stick with it?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses.)

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 7: "T is for TIME-BOUND")

"Finally, 'T' is for TIME-BOUND. Every good goal needs a deadline. When will you achieve this goal? Without a timeframe, it's easy to procrastinate."

"'Finish my science project by Friday' gives you a clear target. 'Finish my science project someday' means it might never get done."

"Why is having a deadline so important for completing a goal?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses. Discuss accountability and urgency.)

Strategies for Goal Achievement (10 minutes)

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 8: "SMART is Great, Now ACT!")

"So, we've talked about how to set SMART goals. That's a huge first step! But knowing how to set them is only half the battle. Now, let's talk about how to actually complete those goals. Because a goal that's never acted upon is just a wish."

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 9: "Strategy 1: Break It Down!")

"Our first strategy is to Break It Down! Big goals can feel really overwhelming, right? Like climbing a giant mountain. If you just look at the peak, it seems impossible."

"The trick is to break your main goal into smaller, manageable steps. Think of them as mini-goals. Each small step is easier to start and complete, and every time you finish a mini-goal, you build momentum and confidence."

"For example, if your goal is to get an 'A' on a big history project, you wouldn't just sit down and try to do the whole thing at once. You'd break it into steps: research topic, create an outline, write the introduction, write body paragraphs, edit and proofread. Each step is much less daunting."

"What's a goal you have that you could break down into smaller steps?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses.)

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 10: "Strategy 2: Plan for Potholes!")

"Next, Plan for Potholes! Life happens, right? Things don't always go exactly as planned. Obstacles will come up. A 'pothole' is anything that might get in the way of your goal."

"Instead of being surprised by them, anticipate them. Think: What challenges might I face? And how will I overcome them? Having a plan for these obstacles makes you much more resilient and less likely to give up."

"For example, if you plan to study every Tuesday after school, but your friend often asks you to hang out then, your plan for the 'pothole' might be to say, 'How about we hang out after I finish studying? Or we can study together!'"

"Think about a goal you have. What's one potential obstacle, and how could you plan for it?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses.)

**(Teacher advances to Smart Goals Slide Deck - Slide 11: "Strategy 3: Track & Celebrate!")

"Our final strategy is to Track & Celebrate! It's so important to keep a record of your progress. Seeing how far you've come is a huge motivator. It shows you that your hard work is paying off."

"This could be as simple as marking off days on a calendar when you worked on your goal, or checking off those smaller steps we just talked about. And don't forget to celebrate those small victories along the way! Finishing a mini-goal is a big deal, and acknowledging it keeps you energized for the next step."

"How does tracking your progress, even for small things, make you feel?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses. Connect to motivation and pride.)

(Teacher distributes Goal Achievement Worksheet)

"Now, take out your Goal Achievement Worksheet. I want you to take the goal you wrote down earlier, or a new one, and apply the SMART criteria. Make it Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound."

"Then, use the space below to start thinking about these strategies: how will you break it down? What potholes might you encounter, and how will you overcome them? How will you track your progress? We won't finish the whole worksheet today, but let's get a good start on it."

(Circulate and provide individual support as students begin working.)

Cool-Down: My Next Step (5 minutes)

(Teacher collects the Goal Achievement Worksheet. Distributes Goal Getter Cool-Down)

"Alright everyone, let's wrap up our lesson on goal setting. I hope you're feeling empowered to tackle your aspirations."

"For our cool-down, please write down one key takeaway from today's lesson—something new you learned or a concept that really clicked for you. Then, write down one actionable step you will take towards a goal, using what we discussed today."

(Pause for 2-3 minutes as students write.)

"Excellent work today, everyone. Remember, setting thoughtful goals and having a plan to achieve them is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourselves. You are all capable of incredible things, and now you have some tools to help make those things happen."

"Please hand in your cool-down sheets as you leave. Have a great rest of your day!"

Goal Setting Warm-Up: Dream Big!

Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about something you want to achieve this semester, this year, or even in the next few years. This could be an academic goal, a personal skill you want to develop, a health goal, or something else entirely. Write down ONE goal you have.

My Goal:

Briefly explain why this goal is important to you:

What do you imagine it will feel like to achieve this goal?

Goal Getter Cool-Down: My Next Step

Instructions: Reflect on today's lesson about SMART goals and strategies for achievement.

1. One Key Takeaway:

What is one important thing you learned or realized about setting and achieving goals today?

2. My Actionable Step:

Based on what we discussed, what is ONE specific, actionable step you will take towards any goal (it could be the one you worked on today, or a different one)?

Goal Achievement Worksheet: Make Your Goals SMART & Take Action!

Instructions: Let's take a goal you have and make it powerful using the SMART framework. Then, we'll plan out the steps to achieve it!

Part 1: Make Your Goal SMART!

My Goal (from Warm-Up or a new one):

S - Specific

What exactly do you want to achieve? Who is involved? Where will it happen? When will it happen? Why is this goal important to you?

M - Measurable

How will you measure your progress? How will you know when you have achieved it? What numbers or criteria will you use?

A - Achievable

Is this goal realistic and attainable given your resources and current situation? What skills or resources do you need, and can you get them?

R - Relevant

Does this goal truly matter to you? Does it align with your values, interests, and other aspirations? Why is this goal worthwhile?

T - Time-bound

What is your deadline for achieving this goal? When will you start, and when do you expect to finish?

My SMART Goal (rewritten to include all SMART elements):

Part 2: Plan Your Path to Achievement!

Strategy 1: Break It Down!

List 3-5 smaller, actionable steps you need to take to achieve your SMART goal.

2.




3.




4.




5.

Strategy 2: Plan for Potholes!

What are 1-2 potential obstacles that might prevent you from achieving your goal? How will you overcome them?

Obstacle 1:




How to Overcome:

Obstacle 2 (Optional):




How to Overcome:

Strategy 3: Track & Celebrate!

How will you keep track of your progress? How will you celebrate your small victories along the way?