Running head: ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 1

Academic Lesson Plan: SMART Goals

Kimberly Fleischer

The University of Texas at Tyler

Dr. Karl Witt

COUN 5344: Advanced Principles of School Counseling

September 11, 2013

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 2

Academic Lesson Plan: SMART Goals

Objective Students will learn how to write effective academic goals.Time Approximately 60 minutesMaterials - Projector and/or SmartBoard

- Student netbooks- Art supplies (markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue, etc.)- Chart paper & markers- 1 Set of tangram pieces for each group (Appendix A)- Tangram instruction sheets for half of the groups (Appendix B)- SMART PowerPoint (Appendix C)- SMART handout (Appendix D)

Procedures 1. Students will be asked to form groups of 3-4 for the lesson.2. Why do we need goals?

- The teacher will give each group a set of tangram puzzle pieces (Appendix A). She will provide every other group with an instruction sheet (Appendix B).

- Teacher: “In just a moment, I’m going to ask you to solve the puzzle at your table. You will be racing against the other groups, so I need for everyone in your group to raise their hands as soon as you are finished so I will know that you are done. On your mark, get set, go!”

- The expected result is that the students with the instruction sheet will finish quickly while the other students will struggle. The teacher should allow two or three groups to finish before declaring a winner in order to allow all students to have an opportunity to try to solve the puzzle.

- Teacher: “Wow! Some of you finished very quickly, but it looks like some of the other groups were having trouble. Does anyone want to share what they were feeling while they were working on the puzzle?” The anticipated that students with the instruction sheet will say that the puzzle was easy or that they didn’t have any trouble. The students without the instructions will likely say they felt frustrated and/or confused.

- Teacher: “Goals are like a set of directions that help us to get the things we want. Without goals, we may feel frustrated, confused, or lost. We don’t have a clear picture of what we are working toward, and we don’t know exactly how to get where we want to go. Just like with the two puzzles, having the “big picture” really helps. Knowing what the end result should look like can really help to guide us.”

3. Characteristics of effective goals- Teacher: “For those of you with the instructions, what do you

think would have happened if you only had written instructions? Do you think you could have solved the puzzle as quickly as you did with the picture? [Wait for responses.] What do you think

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 3

would have happened if I had given you a picture of a flying monkey? Would that have helped at all? [Wait for responses]. Flying monkeys have nothing to do with the puzzle, so they wouldn’t have helped you, right? Just like the directions for the puzzle, some goals are clear and give you the big picture. They tell you exactly how to get what you want, and they guide you there. Others, are confusing, missing information, or are irrelevant.”

- Teacher: “When you are writing goals, it is helpful to think about the word SMART. SMART goals are effective because they give you the big picture.”

4. SMART Goals- The teacher should display the SMART PowerPoint (Appendix C).- Teacher: “SMART stands for Specific, Measureable, Attainable,

Relevant, and Time-Bound.”- Teacher: [Display Slide 2] “Specific goals are limited in scope.

That means that they focus on one area that is clearly defined.”- Teacher: [Display Slide 3] “Measureable is just what it sounds

like. Your goal should include a time, amount, or average. It should have some kind of value that will let you know if you have met your goal or not.”

- Teacher: [Display Slide 4]: “Attainable means that it is something you could really do. You want your goal to be challenging, but realistic.”

- Teacher: [Display Slide 5]: “Relevant means that it has something to do with what you really want. Like my flying monkeys example, you wouldn’t want to put information into your goal that doesn’t really match what you are trying to accomplish.”

- Teacher: [Display Slide 6]: “Time-Bound means that you give yourself an end date or a check-in date. By putting a time limit on it, you are making yourself accountable for getting it done. Keep in mind that “someday” or “soon” are not specific enough.”

5. SMART Goal Handout (Appendix D)- The teacher should give each student a copy of the handout.- Teacher: “Now that you know what a SMART goal is, let’s take

some time to practice writing some. I want you to think about something you would like to accomplish in your classes. It can be something that you want to do this six-weeks, this semester, or even this year. Since this is your goal, you will work alone, but you can talk with everyone at your table to get ideas. I’m going to give you 10 minutes to write your goal. [Wait until everyone is finishing up before moving on].”

- Teacher: “Now that you have a clear goal, I want you to think about some of the things you can do to achieve it. For example, what if you goal was to make better grades. How could you do that? [Pause for student responses].

6. SMART Goal Project

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 4

- Teacher: “I want you to think about you goal and the steps that you will take to achieve it. I want you to come up with a reminder for yourself; something you can look at every day to remind you and to motivate you. On your handout, you will see a choice board with some possibilities. You are welcome to use one of these ideas, or you can come up with something else. The list of what I will be looking for is also on your handout. Would someone like to read it for us? [Choose a volunteer to read.]

- Teacher: “We will be using the rest of our time together to work on our projects. But before we get started, remind me again why we need goals? [Pause for student responses.] And what does SMART stand for? [Pause for student responses]. Okay, now get started!

Assessment - Informal checks for understanding during lesson- Clearly written goals that meet the SMART criteria- A completed representation of the SMART goal

Extension Activities

1. Students could write additional goals for other classes.2. Students could develop personal SMART goals.3. Students could complete another project, so they have one to take home

and one to keep in their lockers.4. Students could write a journal entry about what it will feel like to meet

their goals.5. Students could create a timeline to show the progression of the steps they

will take to meet their goals.

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 5

Appendix A

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 6

Appendix B

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 7

Appendix C

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 8

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 9

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 10

Appendix D

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 11

ACADEMIC LESSON PLAN 12

References

ABC Teach (2013). Tangrams. ABC Teach.com. Retrieved fromhttp://www.abcteach.com/free/t/tangram_large.pdf