Classroom Champions 2016-2017: Goal Setting...We've Got Big Plans!

Goal Setting has always been the theme, because it comes first, that I put the most pressure on myself with. I know its easy to get them excited/interested/all in during the first few weeks of school but goal setting is where I always feel that I need to really hook them. In my opinion it lays the ground work for all the work that we will do as Classroom Champions this year and sets the precedent for how we tackle the tough work we have ahead of us this year (and really for their future). I always start goal setting by reading my most absolute favorite book, Big Plans, by Bob Shea. It is a perfect mentor text to get the kids excited about long-term goals. I always feel better after reading that book and watching the energy build in the kids. Now that I think about it, it would be a perfect book to read when you want to "pump some one up".
After reading the book we used it to think about what long-term goals and short-term goals are. We related them to athletes, like Nate and we also compiled a list of long and short term goals that we have in school. After that we watched Nate's video and the kids loved his challenge because he gave them a time limit (I loved that too). He had us create two short term goals that we could try to achieve by Halloween and one long-term goal that we could achieve by the end of the school year. The kids did a really good job of thinking of goals.
I had them choose one related to our school day and one goal for home. We used the Reminder App on our Ipads to record our goals and we set them to remind us everyday of them. We thought that we be helpful to get reminded of them each day so that we could reflect on how well we were doing. Nate also told us that it is important to share our goals with our friends and family so they can "check-in" on us too. When the little ding goes off on our ipads the kids have been naturally "checking-in" on each other to see how things are going. I have been impressed over-hearing their chats. We are still working on creating our long-term goals and sharing them with Nate!

I'm feeling really good about the energy that the kids have about goals and we have already been discussing altering our goal because some were too easy and some were unattainable with in the time frame. I am going to keep this process of recording our short-term goals in the Reminder app to help us achieve our end of the year goals.

Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.6
With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.2
Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.