Lesson Plan

Goal Getter Lesson Plan

Students will learn to set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound (SMART) goals and create their own SMART goal for personal or academic growth.

Setting SMART goals empowers students to plan effectively, monitor progress, and reflect on outcomes, fostering self-regulation and academic success.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Activate Prior Knowledge

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce SMART Criteria

7 minutes

Step 3

Guided Goal Creation

10 minutes

Step 4

Share and Reflect

5 minutes

Step 5

Exit Ticket

3 minutes

Lesson Plan

Goal Setting Lesson Plan

Students will understand the value of goal setting, learn the SMART criteria, and create at least one personalized SMART goal for academic or personal growth.

Goal setting builds self-regulation, planning, and motivation skills, boosting students’ confidence and supporting academic success.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Activate Prior Knowledge

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduce SMART Criteria

7 minutes

Step 3

Guided Goal Creation

10 minutes

Step 4

Share and Reflect

5 minutes

Step 5

Exit Ticket

3 minutes

Slide Deck

Aim for Awesome: Goal Setting

Welcome students to the lesson. Introduce yourself and the topic: setting goals helps us grow and succeed. Briefly outline today’s agenda.

Activate Prior Knowledge

Activate prior knowledge by having students think of a recent goal, then turn to a partner and share. Circulate to listen and prompt deeper thinking.

Why Set Goals?

Explain why goal setting matters: it builds planning skills and motivation. Ask students for examples of famous goals (athletes, inventors) to make it relatable.

What Is a SMART Goal?

Introduce each element of SMART. Display the anchor chart and highlight one letter at a time. Invite a student volunteer to read each definition.

Example of a SMART Goal

Walk through this example. Ask students to identify which part of the goal matches each SMART criterion.

Guided Goal Creation

Distribute the SMART Goals Worksheet. Model drafting a goal on chart paper, thinking aloud through each SMART element.

Share & Reflect

Invite 2–3 volunteers to read their goals. Provide positive feedback and suggest refinements where needed. Highlight strong SMART elements.

Exit Ticket

Explain the exit ticket and remind students it helps you understand their learning. Collect tickets as they leave.

Lesson Plan

Goal Getter Lesson Plan

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

Step 1

Activate Prior Knowledge

Step 2

Introduce SMART Criteria

Step 3

Guided Goal Creation

Step 4

Share and Reflect

Step 5

Exit Ticket

Lesson Plan

Goal Setting Lesson Plan

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

Step 1

Activate Prior Knowledge

Step 2

Introduce SMART Criteria

Step 3

Guided Goal Creation

Step 4

Share and Reflect

Step 5

Exit Ticket

Slide Deck

Aim for Awesome: Goal Setting

Activate Prior Knowledge

Why Set Goals?

What Is a SMART Goal?

Example of a SMART Goal

Guided Goal Creation

Share & Reflect

Exit Ticket

Reading

Worksheet

Cool Down

Aim for Awesome

JUDY FRANCIS