Setting Goals Together

Lesson Overview

This is Lesson 6 of 9 in the unit "Fun First Days!" for Year 1 students (ages 5-6). In this 60-minute lesson, children will be guided to set their own personal and academic goals for the school year. They will create colourful, visual goal charts which promote ownership, motivation, and self-regulation. The activities are tactile and interactive, focusing on vocabulary development and consolidating prior learning about school routines and expectations.

National Curriculum Links

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) - Understanding Feelings and Self-Management

Key Stage 1: Year 1
Pupils should be taught to:
- Recognise what is fair and unfair, kind and unkind, and right and wrong.
- Identify and respect the differences and similarities between people.
- Understand that they belong to various groups and communities such as family and school.
- Develop strategies to manage change and how to set and work toward simple goals.

English - Speaking and Listening

Participate in discussions, expressing their views clearly.
Use vocabulary gained from stories, discussions, role-play and experiences.

Personal Development - Character Education (School-Developed Programme Aligned With Curriculum Guidance)

Encouraging responsibility and independence by setting personal goals.

Learning Objectives (WALT)

We Are Learning To:

Understand what goals are and why they are important.
Use specific vocabulary related to goal-setting (e.g., achieve, try, success, improve).
Set simple personal and academic goals for the school year.
Create a visual goal chart to refer back to regularly.

Success Criteria

I can explain what a goal is.
I can say one thing I want to get better at this year.
I can use words like “try,” “improve,” and “success” when talking about my goal.
I can create a goal chart with pictures and words.
I feel proud of the goals I set.

Resources Needed

Large colourful chart paper for modelling goal chart
Plain A4 paper or card for each child’s goal chart
Colouring pencils, crayons, stickers, glue sticks, scissors
“Goal Words” flashcards (try, achieve, goal, improve, success) - dyslexia-friendly font, simple design
Storybook about setting goals or trying hard (e.g., “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae or similar)
Whiteboard and markers
Visual timetable reminder of the unit so far
Optional: ‘Feelings’ emojis cards to discuss feelings about setting goals

Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Recap (10 minutes)

Activity: Briefly review the last 5 lessons with a visual timetable. Ask children to share something they enjoyed or learned.
Vocabulary Focus: Emphasise words connected to growth and learning (e.g., try, practice, help).
Teaching: Introduce today’s WALT clearly on the board, say it together.
Dyslexia-Friendly: Use a large font on whiteboard with clear spacing.

2. Intro to Goals & Vocabulary (10 minutes)

Discussion: Ask children if they have any goals or things they want to get better at. Model with your own example (e.g., “This year I want to get better at reading books with new words.”).
Story Time: Read a relevant story that highlights the importance of trying and setting goals. Pause to talk about key moments linking to goals.
Introduce “Goal Words”: Show flashcards, say each word aloud and ask children to repeat. Use pictures on the cards to reinforce meaning.

3. Goal-Setting Brainstorm (10 minutes)

Group Work: On large chart paper, create a class “Goal Cloud.” Write children’s ideas about personal and learning goals, supported by their vocabulary. Examples: “Try to write my name,” “Listen carefully,” “Play nicely with friends.”
Draw simple symbols next to goals for non-writers or EAL learners.

4. Create Personal Goal Charts (20 minutes)

Each child receives card and decorating materials.
Encourage children to write or dictate their one or two goals (help from teaching assistant if needed).
Add drawings or stickers to personalise the chart.
Circulate and discuss with individual children, reinforcing vocabulary.
Differentiation for SEND: Provide pre-written sentence starters or goal examples. Use visual prompts.
Extension: Advanced learners write a short sentence about how they will feel once they achieve their goal.

5. Sharing and Reflection (8 minutes)

Invite volunteers to share their goals with the class using new vocabulary.
Reinforce positive language and praise effort and bravery in goal setting.
Use ‘Feelings’ emoji cards to have children say how they feel about their goals.

6. Plenary & Next Steps (2 minutes)

Remind children they will keep their charts and review them regularly.
Explain next lesson will build on these goals by looking at progress.

Differentiation Strategies

For EAL and younger learners: Use visuals, pair work with peer support, sentence starters, and oral goal setting.
For SEND/dyslexia: Use dyslexia-friendly fonts and layouts, simplified language, and provide extra scaffold with visuals and adult support.
For advanced learners: Challenge to write or explain how they plan to overcome challenges to achieve their goal.

Extension Activities

Create “Achievement badges” that children earn as they meet parts of their goals throughout the year.
Use role-play scenarios where children practise encouraging a friend who is finding a goal difficult.
Draw or write a “Goal Success Story” illustrating their progress months later.

Assessment

Ongoing formative assessment through observation during group work and individual goal chart creation.
Use a simple checklist to note which children:
- Can explain what a goal is.
- Use at least two new “goal words.”
- Have created a personalised goal chart.
Observe participation and expressive language during sharing.

Additional Notes

Keep language playful and positive to sustain engagement.
Use plenty of praise and encouragement to build confidence.
Incorporate tactile materials and individual choices to cater to kinaesthetic learners.

This lesson builds a solid foundation for self-awareness and learning strategies that align with the National Curriculum's targets for personal development in KS1, setting children on a path to becoming confident and motivated learners.

Teaching Instructions