(30 minutes)
Lesson Title: Lesson 3: The Power of Asking Why
Starter Kit WHY + HOW to begin living the life you want + being the person you want to be.
Curriculum & Grade Level: Future Proof, 7th Grade
Objective:
Students will engage in self-reflection and goal-setting activities to explore their personal values, beliefs, and motivations. They will learn how to connect the concept of "why" to personal growth and development using best practices for goal setting.
Materials Needed:
Journals or sheets of paper (one per student)
Pens or pencils
Sticky notes (one per student)
Markers or colored pencils
Handout with best practices for SMART goals (optional)
Activity Outline
1. Introduction to Personal Growth and the Power of "Why" (5 minutes)
Begin with a brief introduction about the importance of self-reflection and asking "why" for personal growth.
Pose open-ended questions to the class to spark discussion:
“Why do you think understanding our values is important?”
“How can asking ‘why’ help us improve ourselves?”
Share that they will engage in self-reflection and goal-setting during the activity.
2. Self-Reflection Exercise (10 minutes)
Individual Activity: Distribute journals or sheets of paper to each student.
Ask students to reflect on their values and beliefs. Provide the following prompts:
“What are three values that are important to you? Why do they matter?”
“What beliefs do you hold that influence your choices? Why are these beliefs significant to you?”
Instruct students to write their responses in their journals, encouraging them to be as thoughtful and detailed as possible.
3. Introduction to Goal Setting (5 minutes)
Introduce the concept of SMART goals and distribute the handout explaining the acronym (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
Explain each component with brief examples:
Specific: “I want to improve my grades” → “I want to raise my math grade to a B.”
Measurable: “I will study for 30 minutes each day.”
Achievable: “I can achieve this by getting extra help from my teacher.”
Relevant: “This is important to me because I want to pursue a career in science.”
Time-bound: “I will achieve this by the end of the semester.”
4. Setting Personal Goals (5 minutes)
Instruct students to think about their reflections and how they might set a personal goal based on their values and beliefs.
Using the SMART criteria, have students write down one personal goal in their journals, ensuring they include each element of SMART.
Encourage them to answer the "why" behind their goal by asking themselves: “Why is this goal important to me?”
5. Creating a Visual Reminder (5 minutes)
Provide students with sticky notes and markers.
Ask them to write their goal and the corresponding "why" statement on a sticky note.
Instruct them to decorate their sticky notes with drawings or colors that represent their goal visually.
Students can choose to stick these notes on their desks, binders, or any personal space to remind them of their commitment to their goal.
6. Reflection and Sharing (5 minutes)
Invite a few students to voluntarily share their goals and the "why" behind them with the class.
Encourage students to think about how they can hold themselves accountable and track their progress.
Wrap up by emphasizing that asking "why" and setting thoughtful goals can lead to significant personal growth and development.
Conclusion:
Reinforce the importance of self-reflection and goal-setting in personal growth. Remind students that regularly asking themselves "why" can help them stay aligned with their values and continuously improve themselves. Encourage them to revisit their goals regularly and adjust them as needed for continued growth.
Rubric
Criteria | Excellent (4 points) | Good (3 points) | Satisfactory (2 points) | Needs Improvement (1 point) | Points Earned |
Self-Reflection | Thoughtfully identifies values and beliefs with clear explanations for each. | Identifies values and beliefs, but explanations lack detail. | Lists values and beliefs with minimal explanation. | Values and beliefs are unclear or not addressed. |
|
Goal Setting | Creates a clear SMART goal with a strong rationale for its importance. | Creates a SMART goal with some rationale, but lacks clarity in one area. | Goal is partially SMART; rationale is vague or weak. | Goal is unclear and does not follow SMART criteria. |
|
Visual Representation | Sticky note is well-decorated, visually engaging, and clearly displays the goal and rationale. | Sticky note is decorated and displays the goal and rationale, but lacks some creativity. | Sticky note includes the goal, but decoration is minimal. | Sticky note is incomplete or missing essential elements. |
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Participation in Sharing | Actively shares insights and listens attentively to peers; contributes to class discussion. | Shares insights and listens, but contributions may be minimal. | Participates in sharing, but does not contribute significantly. | Does not participate in sharing or is disruptive. |
|
Total Points: ____ / 16
Grading Scale:
15-16 points: Excellent
12-14 points: Good
8-11 points: Satisfactory
4-7 points: Needs Improvement