Goal Setting
GRADES 3-5

Locked Content

Unlock this lesson plan by becoming a paid member. Existing members, please log in.

Learning Goal

Students will learn to clarify and establish concrete goals.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lessons, students will be able to:

  • Visualize their goals
  • Create goals for school, relationships, and hobbies (personal interest)
Learning Summary

Setting goals is an essential life skill that helps us find meaning by providing direction and steps to achieve our dreams. This lesson introduces students to the practice of identifying their goals and breaking them down into manageable steps.

The lesson begins with a mindfulness activity in which students focus on their breath and bodies to get centered for learning. In the introduction, the class discusses why it’s important to set goals. You then lead the students in visualizing the achievement of their goals. Students then fill out a wheel of fortune graphic organizer listing their goals for school, for hobbies, and for their relationships. Students end by reflecting in their journals.

computer icon Online Teaching Tips for Goal Setting

For either live or recorded, send out a copy of the Goal Wheel of Fortune worksheet or have students draw their own.

Have students share their goals with their classmates.

Encourage students to share their goals with a family member or have them sent to you.

CASEL Competencies

Self-management: The abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation & agency to accomplish personal/collective goals.

Responsible decision-making: The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being.