And so it begins…The new school year is upon us. We could feel it crouching behind us in June and sneaking into the late part of July. And then, all of a sudden, August hits. The final countdown starts. Pre-planning week arrives. Through all of the back-to-school hoopla of professional development, lesson planning, printing, making copies, and readying the classroom, we are expected to have it all together before Monday. Finally, there is the weekend before the first day. We hold our breath on Sunday night, praying we got everything in order for our students. This is why Setting Goals Activities for High School Students is vital!
On top of it all, this first week comes with so many uncertainties. If you need just a little bit of help with this time of the year, keep reading for Setting Goals Activities for High School Students and Middle School Students that will make the first weeks ENGAGING and FUN, no matter what comes up!
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Setting Goals Activities for High School Students & Older Middle School Students
Students need help setting goals activities for high school students. Let’s be real. We all need a little help in this area from time to time. Your students can start the year out on the right, or left foot, by setting goals! People talk about their goals all of the time, but we rarely take the time to actually sit down, write out the goals, and create a plan of action. If you take the time at the start of the year to create these goals with your students through setting goals activities for high school students, then they will get the opportunity to reflect on these goals partway through the year and even at the end of the year.
We love seeing how much progress we make, and so will our students!
There are different areas in which students can have fun with setting goals activities for high school students. Plus, there are so many EASY WAYS to differentiate for our students:
- They can choose to set 1, 2, 5, or even 10 goals.
- They can choose the areas of their lives they need to set goals in.
- They can visualize their goals or write about their goals.
- They can even share with a partner, post in the room, or present to the entire class.
Click below to get the ultimate back-to-school bundle of fun, relevant activities!
Here are 6 Setting Goals Activities for High School Students or Older Middle School Students
1. Set Physical/Fitness Goals
Before setting these goals, be sure to get students thinking about this topic. Physical fitness does not mean only eating carrot sticks or running a marathon every weekend. Encourage students to think about their own goals instead of other people’s goals! Want this pack to make the new school year STRESS-FREE? Click to buy!
2. Set Extracurricular Goals
When I think of the word “extracurricular,” I think about the clubs or sports outside of the normal high school curriculum. But it can include more than that! Let’s get students to think creatively. For one student, he/she may want to set a goal to become class president. For another student, a goal might be participating in volunteer work. Both are valuable and laudable! You could start by having students think about activities beyond what is typical and reflect on their own personal experiences 🙂 If you need a DIGITAL and PDF version of this setting goals pack, click below or HERE!
3. Set Reading Goals
My hubby is about to become a truck driver, but for the last 5 years, he taught intensive reading to the most struggling 10th graders at his school. One of the things he would ALWAYS have his students do is set reading goals. And it has worked! His students’ gains over the last 5 years have been ASTOUNDING! Looking at where you are and where you want to be is VITAL! See the packs below to help with setting goals activities for high school students!
How can you motivate students to engage with what they read? Read on for 3 Powerful Ways to Engage Students in Reading Using a Survey!
4. Set Relationship Goals
Relationships don’t have to be romantic; we have relationships with everyone we come into contact with either physically or technologically. Why not have students delve into their various relationships and set goals to improve a specific relationship? Desperate for EASY-TO-TEACH setting goals activities for high school students? Check out the pack below!
5. Set Character Goals
Everyone needs to develop in some area of his or her life. For me, I need to work on patience! I struggle a bit with this area, and our students sometimes struggle as well in this area or other areas of their lives. Consider this question: How can we help develop their character as the year starts?
Need some help with teaching writing? Click to read 7 Best Scaffolds for Writing Assignments You Can Use Every Day!
6. Set Educational Goals
I am an online educator; every time I call for the routine Welcome Call, I ask students about their goals for the class through setting goals activities for high school students.
- When do they want to be done with the class?
- What grade are they trying to achieve?
- How will their schedule look every week?
In the same way, we need to help our students achieve their educational goals by including setting goals activities for high school students. And by education, I don’t necessarily mean school. They could be learning about anything! Want some simple and FUN Educational setting goals activities for high school students? Click the link!
Thinking about specific texts you want your students to read and write about? Keep reading for 5 Incredible Benefits of Teaching Poetry and Writing!
Other Back to School Activities for Middle and High School Students
7. Construct a Back to School Social Media Post
Other than using setting goals activities for high school students, you can have your students create a FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL social media post! Everyone can relate to what it feels like on your first day of school. Throughout the summer, we build this day up in our heads with images of the perfect schedule, an awesome outfit, and encouraging friends who get to see us for the first time in months, and that’s just the teachers 
Our students go through the exact same emotions! Why not have them reflect on this experience in an enjoyable, yet relevant way?
8. Write about First Day of School Expectations
Why not have students write about their own expectations for going Back to School? When we write, we learn! Putting everything on paper can be so relaxing and helpful! Afterward, if students are willing to share out, they might realize that all of us want the first day to be “Perfect” in our own way!
Want An Outstanding First Day of School Activity for Your High School Students? Check out this original idea at A Better Way to Teach!
9. Create a Movie Poster
We all love a good movie! And so do our students. When teachers and students are off for summer break, the go-to is the television or computer to watch whatever piques our interest! Why not make our students the stars of their own movies and create a movie poster? BACK TO SCHOOL MOVIE POSTER Directions: Create a MOVIE POSTER based on your IDEAL or REALISTIC BACK TO SCHOOL experience! Be sure to include the following: title, tagline, images, director, actors, release date, credits, etc.
10. Draw a Film Scene
Directions: Create a FILM SCENE based on your IDEAL or REALISTIC BACK TO SCHOOL experience! Be sure to consider the characters, setting, actions, and dialogue. Then, write a narration paragraph to introduce the scene.
11. Reflect on the Summer
Have students create a SOCIAL MEDIA POST based on their IDEAL SUMMER or REALISTIC SUMMER! Let’s be honest; they can be completely different! Be sure to consider the following:
- people
- setting
- actions
- headline
- description
- comments
- hashtags
- etc.
12. Share out about their Summers
Students love movies…okay, we all love movies! And one of the best ways to engage students is through movie clips or whole movie analyses! We all like the action and adventure of a world outside of ourselves, and who doesn’t like the idea of being the hero of our own movie? PROMPT IDEA: Create a FILM SCENE based on your IDEAL or REALISTIC SUMMER! Be sure to consider the characters, setting, actions, and dialogue.
Why should we use setting goals activities for high school students and middle school students?
- They help our students in other areas of their lives beyond the classroom!
- They encourage critical thinking skills!
- They motivate students to create a plan and work to achieve it!
- They can be fun and interesting to talk about!
Setting goals activities for high school students and middle school students don’t have to be boring or time-consuming! They can be FUN, RELEVANT, and HELPFUL! Let’s make this new school year one for the books!
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Check out 7 Powerful MUST-TEACH Activities & Poems For High School Students!
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