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Your Goals, Your Game!

Sarah

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Your Goals, Your Game!

Students will be able to define what a goal is, identify the benefits of goal setting, and reflect on a personal short-term goal.

Understanding how to set and achieve goals is a fundamental life skill that empowers students to take control of their future, build confidence, and navigate academic and personal challenges effectively.

Audience

9th Grade

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Through a short video, discussion, and personal reflection, students will explore goal setting.

Materials

Smartboard or Projector, Pens/Pencils, Your Goals, Your Game! Slide Deck, Warm-Up: Goal Getters!, Discussion Guide: Power of Goals, and Cool-Down: My Next Step

Prep

Preparation

5 minutes

  • Review the Your Goals, Your Game! Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
    - Ensure the projector/smartboard is working and the video link is accessible.
    - Print copies of the Warm-Up: Goal Getters! and Cool-Down: My Next Step.
    - Review the Discussion Guide: Power of Goals to prepare for leading the class conversation.
    - Make sure you have pens or pencils available for students.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Goal Getters!

3 minutes

  1. Distribute the Warm-Up: Goal Getters! worksheet to each student.
    2. Instruct students to complete the warm-up individually.
    3. Briefly discuss a few student responses as a whole class.

Step 2

Introduction & Video

5 minutes

  1. Use the Your Goals, Your Game! Slide Deck to introduce the topic of goal setting.
    2. Play the embedded video on goal setting (or a similar age-appropriate video you've selected).
    3. After the video, ask students to briefly share initial thoughts or key takeaways.

Step 3

Discussion: The Power of Goals

5 minutes

  1. Facilitate a class discussion using the Discussion Guide: Power of Goals.
    2. Encourage students to share their perspectives on why goal setting is important and how it can impact their lives.
    3. Guide the conversation towards the difference between dreams and achievable goals.

Step 4

Cool-Down: My Next Step

2 minutes

  1. Distribute the Cool-Down: My Next Step worksheet.
    2. Instruct students to individually reflect and write down one short-term goal they want to achieve and one small step they can take towards it.
    3. Collect the cool-down sheets as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

Your Goals, Your Game!

Ready to score in life?

Welcome students and get them ready for a quick, engaging session on goal setting. Emphasize that this is about taking control of their future.

What's a Goal?

Is it a dream? A wish? Or something more?

Introduce the idea of goals. Ask students what comes to mind when they hear the word 'goal.' Transition into the warm-up activity.

Warm-Up: Goal Getters!

Think about something you want to achieve, big or small. What is it? Why do you want it?

Explain the warm-up activity. Distribute the 'Warm-Up: Goal Getters!' worksheet. Give them a moment to think and write.

Share Your Goals!

Let's hear some of your aspirations (optional sharing).

After students have completed the warm-up, ask a few to share what they wrote (if they feel comfortable). Affirm their ideas.

Watch this video to understand the power of setting goals!

Introduce the video. Tell students to pay attention to how goal setting is presented and why it's beneficial.

Let's Discuss!

What did you learn from the video? How can goals change our future?

Facilitate a short discussion after the video. Prompt them with questions from the discussion guide. Encourage participation and active listening.

Goals: Your Roadmap to Success

  • Direction: Know where you're headed.
  • Motivation: Keep pushing forward.
  • Progress: See how far you've come!
  • Dreams to Plans: Turn 'someday' into 'today'.

Summarize the key takeaways from the discussion: Goals give direction, motivation, and a way to measure progress. They turn dreams into plans.

Cool-Down: My Next Step

What's one goal you have, and what's the very first step you can take towards it?

Introduce the cool-down activity. Explain that it's about taking one small, actionable step towards a goal.

Keep Aiming High!

Even small steps lead to big achievements. You've got this!

Conclude the lesson by reinforcing the importance of starting small and being consistent. Thank students for their participation.

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Warm Up

Warm-Up: Goal Getters!

Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about something you want to achieve, whether it's big or small, academic or personal. Write down your thoughts below.

  1. What is one thing you would like to achieve in the next month, semester, or year?





  2. Why is this goal important to you?





  3. What do you think is the biggest challenge to achieving this goal?





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Cool Down

Cool-Down: My Next Step

Instructions: Reflect on today's discussion about goal setting. Write down one short-term goal you want to achieve and one concrete, small step you can take to start working towards it.

  1. My Short-Term Goal (something I can achieve relatively soon, e.g., this week or month):





  2. One small, actionable step I can take today or tomorrow to move towards this goal:





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lenny

Discussion

Discussion Guide: The Power of Goals

Objective: To facilitate a meaningful conversation among students about the importance and impact of goal setting.

Introduction (1 minute)

  • "We just watched a video about goal setting. What were your initial thoughts or one key takeaway from the video?"
  • "Why do you think it's important to set goals? How does it help us in school, at home, or with our personal interests?"

Exploring Personal Connections (2 minutes)

  • "Can you think of a time when setting a goal, big or small, helped you achieve something? What was it?"
  • "What's the difference between a 'dream' or a 'wish' and a 'goal'? How does a goal feel more actionable?"

Overcoming Challenges (1 minute)

  • "What are some common challenges people face when trying to set or achieve goals?"
  • "How can breaking a big goal into smaller steps make it feel less overwhelming?"

Wrap-Up (1 minute)

  • "Based on our discussion, what is one new idea or strategy about goal setting that you want to remember?"
  • "As we move into our cool-down, think about one small, achievable goal you could set for yourself this week."


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lenny

Script

Script: Your Goals, Your Game!

Introduction (1 minute)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something really powerful that can help you achieve amazing things in your life. We're talking about goals!"

"Have you ever wanted something so much that you thought about it all the time? Maybe it was getting a good grade on a test, learning a new skill, or even saving up for something special. That desire is the first step towards setting a goal."

"To kick us off, let's do a quick Warm-Up: Goal Getters! activity. Please take one of these worksheets. I want you to think about something you want to achieve, big or small, academic or personal. Write it down, explain why it's important to you, and what you think might be a challenge to reaching it. You have about 2-3 minutes to complete this."

(Distribute warm-up sheets. Monitor students and provide support as needed.)

Warm-Up Share & Video (4 minutes)

"Alright, let's bring it back together. Would anyone like to share what they wrote for their goal, or why it's important to them? No pressure if you don't want to, but I'd love to hear some of your aspirations." (Allow 1-2 students to share briefly if time permits and they are willing. Affirm their responses.)

"Fantastic! Now, to dive a bit deeper into why setting goals is so important, we're going to watch a short video. I want you to pay close attention to the benefits of goal setting and how it can really impact your future. Take a moment to watch and reflect on the Your Goals, Your Game! Slide Deck slide 5."

(Play the video from the slide deck.)

Discussion: The Power of Goals (5 minutes)

"Welcome back! What did you think of the video? What was one thing that stood out to you about goal setting, or why it's important?"

(Use the Discussion Guide: Power of Goals to facilitate a conversation. Encourage students to share their perspectives on why goal setting is important and how it can impact their lives. Guide the conversation towards the difference between dreams and achievable goals. Aim for diverse participation.)

"That's a great point! It sounds like we all agree that goals give us a sense of direction and help us focus our energy. They turn those big dreams into real plans."

Cool-Down: My Next Step (2 minutes)

"Now, to wrap up our session today, I want you to think about what we discussed and what you wrote down earlier. We're going to do a quick Cool-Down: My Next Step activity."

"On this sheet, I want you to identify one short-term goal you want to achieve – something you can work towards in the next week or month. Then, and this is important, I want you to write down one small, actionable step you can take towards that goal either today or tomorrow. It doesn't have to be a huge step, just the very first one."

(Distribute cool-down sheets. Allow students 1-2 minutes to write. Collect the sheets as students finish.)

Conclusion (1 minute)

"Remember, every big achievement starts with a single step and a clear goal. By taking the time to define what you want and how you'll get there, you're taking control of your own success. Keep aiming high, and know that you have the power to achieve your goals! Thank you for your active participation today."

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