Motivating Students Lesson

State testing is right around the corner. Am I the only one with students who check out after spring break?!? 
Due to this checking out coupled with upcoming testing, this month's lessons focus on being motivated and setting goals! This lesson goes hand in hand with last month's lesson on careers, which I refer to often in these lessons (especially my 4th-6th graders).

For my K-1 students, I do a lesson and activity much like I did last year. See here.

For 2-3 We talk about setting SMART goals and go through several examples. This does go over several of their heads, but I believe it's important for them to at least hear it even if the understanding comes later. Many of them do catch on and do well!

For my older ones, we do the same thing, learn about and practice setting SMART goals. But before we do that, I try to motivate them to not give up and to work hard. I use a power point that has several people that had to work very hard to get where they are. These are people who failed or faced obstacles. There's a few they all know and some they don't. We talk about how it is okay to fail, but not to give up. Many of my students will have to work hard to have a better life, so I want to expose them to people who made it.

The powerpoint for older students and all the SMART goal sheets I use are available in my TPT store. There is also a discounted bundle with both!

Responsibility!

This month I'm talking about responsibility with my K-2 kids! 
I read them the fable "The Ant and the Grasshoppper" and we talk about working before we play, like the Ant did. We talk about what responsibility means and some ways we can be responsible. I tell them that school is their job and that it is the most important job in the world. It is more important than my job, their teacher's job, and the principal's job. That's why it is so important that they come every day unless they are sick and do their best because they are growing up to graduate. I love how my school system pushes graduation all the way from kindergarten!

Then we do a really fun activity. I give them a picture of a pig to color, who I call Wilburt. 
After they finish coloring, we go over some choices Wilburt has made and whether he was responsible or not. When he isn't responsible, we talk about what he could have done different. These examples of his choices are included in the pack in my TPT store!
This is a super fun lesson that the kids love and the teachers appreciate!

Click here to get the Wilburt activity!