Putting Goals Into Action

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, students move from planning to implementing the first steps of a personal wellbeing goal. They will use heart rate as a simple indicator during a short activity, share an initial action with a classmate, and refine their plan using feedback. This is lesson 25 of 28 in Building Hauora: Goal Setting & Wellbeing.

Learning intentions

• WALT begin implementing a personal SMART wellbeing goal.
• WALT use baseline information, including heart rate where relevant, to monitor progress.
• WALT explain how pacing, focus control and self-talk can support sustained effort.
• WALT give and respond to respectful, useful feedback.

Success criteria

• I can describe the first action I have taken, or will take, towards my goal.
• I can collect and interpret a simple progress measure such as heart rate, time, frequency or a personal rating.
• I can use positive self-talk or a focus strategy during activity.
• I can make one realistic adjustment to improve my action plan.

Curriculum links

• Personal exercise plan: setting SMART goals based on baseline data.
• Personal exercise plan: conducting fitness testing and reflecting on progress.
• Personal exercise plan: structured training, physiological responses and mental strategies such as goal setting, self-talk and focus control.
• Physical Education practices: implementing pacing, efficient movement techniques and mental strategies to sustain performance.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and connection. Teacher opens with the hook and learning intention slides and asks, “If your heart rate rises quickly during exercise, does that automatically mean you are performing well?” Students make a quick prediction, then connect the question to their own personal goal and prior baseline information.

2. 5–13 min · Micro-teach: heart rate and effort. Teacher explains that heart rate is one possible indicator of exercise intensity, demonstrates a safe 15-second pulse check at the wrist or neck, and clarifies that students should stop if they feel unwell; students practise finding and counting their pulse while using the heart-rate demonstration slides. Emphasise that people’s resting and exercise heart rates differ, so students compare data with their own baseline rather than with classmates.

3. 13–25 min · Baseline-to-action review. Teacher distributes the personal goal implementation sheet and models one example, such as improving cardiovascular fitness through regular brisk walking or running. Students record their goal, baseline measure, first action completed or planned, evidence of progress, likely barrier and a strategy to overcome it. Students who have a non-exercise hauora goal may use a suitable measure such as number of days, minutes, mood rating or sleep routine consistency.

4. 25–38 min · Paired implementation share. Teacher displays the sharing protocol using the paired-share instruction slides: explain the goal, describe the first action, identify evidence, and name one challenge. In pairs, Student A speaks for two minutes while Student B listens and asks, “What will you do next?” and “How will you know it is helping?” Students swap roles, then each writes one useful suggestion on the worksheet. Remind students to share only information they are comfortable discussing.

5. 38–50 min · Short activity and monitoring. Teacher leads a low-risk, moderate-intensity 6-minute walk/jog or movement circuit, offering walking, steady movement and seated observation options. Students choose an appropriate pace, practise a focus strategy such as rhythmic breathing or a cue phrase (“steady and strong”), and record either pre- and post-activity heart rate or a rate-of-perceived-exertion score on the monitoring and reflection section. Teacher circulates, checks technique and asks students what helped them sustain effort.

6. 50–57 min · Adjust the action plan. Teacher models how evidence can lead to a realistic adjustment—for example, changing “exercise more” to “walk briskly for 20 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the next two weeks”. Students revise one part of their plan, ensuring it is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. They add one support person, resource or reminder that could help them follow through.

7. 57–60 min · Exit reflection. Teacher returns to the opening question using the plenary and exit-question slide. Students complete the final section of the exit reflection prompts: “My next action is…”, “My evidence will be…”, and “One strategy I will use when it is difficult is…”. Collect worksheets for formative assessment.

Resources

• the complete implementation and monitoring slide deck
• the personal goal implementation sheet
• Stopwatch or timer
• Cones or markers for a walking/jogging area
• Heart-rate demonstration diagram or teacher model
• Water and access to a first-aid kit
• Whiteboard and marker
• Pencils

Assessment

• During the review, check that each student’s action is connected to their goal and includes a measurable form of evidence.
• During the activity, observe safe participation, appropriate pacing, accurate pulse-counting technique where used, and application of a focus strategy.
• Use the completed worksheet to assess whether students can identify progress, anticipate a barrier and make a realistic SMART adjustment.

Differentiation

• Provide a worked example, a word bank and sentence starters: “My goal is…”, “My evidence will show…”, and “If I face…, I will…”.
• Allow students to measure progress with time, frequency, perceived exertion or a wellbeing rating instead of heart rate; do not require disclosure of personal health information.
• Offer walking, reduced-intensity movement, seated observation or partner timing, with students following individual medical plans and stopping if they feel pain, dizziness or distress.
• Extend confident students by asking them to justify why their chosen measure is valid and explain how pacing or self-talk may influence performance.
• Pair students thoughtfully, provide thinking time before sharing, and allow written or private teacher conferencing for students who are anxious about discussing personal goals or who are developing English.