Little Learners are never too young to learn how goal setting works and how it can be applied to their lives. After Winter Break, comes all of the New Years Activities…but how about some developmentally appropriate goal setting and writing?! I created this very simple paper-doll template and talking bubble with writing lines for my students to write a goal for the new year.
A few years back I was looking for a way to introduce academic goal setting with my students, but in a developmentally appropriate way. MAPs testing is done throughout our school district, from Kindergarten to high school and students have to know and plan for their academic goals. And like many things that are mandated and teachers have no control or say in, we have to figure out a way to make it work for our students. I took the opportunity after Winter Break and in ‘celebration’ of the New Year and goal setting, to share and teach my students. I introduced them to what a goal is, how to choose a reasonable goal, and what we can do to accomplish and meet our goals.
Use Picture Books to Teach about Goals
There are several different picture books that I like to read, when it comes to New Year’s and goal making. One of my favorites is Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution. I also love the book, Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas. You can find my favorite New Year’s and goal setting books HERE.
After teaching and reading about New Year’s and goals, I tell the students that we are going to make and set our own goals. I model choosing and deciding on a goal and then writing it as a sentence. I provide a sentence frame for this particular activity, as seen above. I have the students partner up and share their goal with their partner. Then every student gets an opportunity to write their goal down in their talking bubble. And while I have shared about academic goals, I have also done simple ‘every day’ goals too. You are the teacher and you decide on what type of goal your students choose. This is a purposeful and fun activity that integrates goal setting and writing. Do you want your own copy of this goal setting activity?
