MarcoGram July 2005 -- Ready, Set, Goal!

Ready, Set, Goal!
There really is no substitute for the feeling of a goal accomplished – in athletic competition or any endeavor. But goals don't just happen. It takes planning, hard work and commitment to turn dreams into reality. Using lessons and resources featured in this month's MarcoGram, students will reflect on their aspirations and discover some valuable tools to help them reach their goals, both big and small. Use the activities below to get your students started on the path to achievement, then scroll down for more links and resources on this topic.

Book cover of Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport.

1. Since he first rose to national prominence in the 1950s, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., has inspired millions of people. His words and example have moved and encouraged those who share his goal of cultivating a society in which people of all races hold the same rights and opportunities. As many people have learned, achieving goals is often made easier when there's a role model like Dr. King to keep them focused and motivated.

Ask students to think about historical figures they've read about and people in their own lives. Among those people, which have dreams and ambitions most like their own? How have those people achieved their goals?

Ask students to research their selected role models, and if possible, to interview them about their routes to success. Based on what they learn, students should define a course of action for themselves to achieve one or more of their own personal goals. Then, provide students with poster board, markers, magazines, scissors and glue. Have them create motivational posters that will remind them of their goals and keep them on their course for achievement. Students should incorporate their role models into their posters through pictures, drawings and/or quotes.

Learn more about Dr. King and other inspirational goal setters in:

"Arts Careers" (K-4) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"Dr. King's Dream" (K-2) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"How Big Are Martin's Big Words? Thinking Big About the Future" (3-5) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Jefferson vs. Franklin: Renaissance Men" (6-8) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Power of Nonviolence" (6-8) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"Studying J.S. Bach" (5-8) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2. Saving money can be a real challenge, but it is an indispensable skill that students will need to use for the rest of their lives. By learning to set and maintain realistic savings goals now, students can improve their chances of avoiding excessive debt in the future.

Discuss with students how they earn money. (Allowance for doing chores, reward for a good report card, compensation for helping out a neighbor, selling items at a yard sale, etc.) Ask students what they usually spend their money on, and write their responses on the blackboard, assigning approximate values to each item. Tell students to imagine that they earn and usually spend $20 each month, and they want to buy a game that costs $60. What is their savings goal? ($60) If they saved all of their money each month, and didn't purchase any of the items on the blackboard, how long would it take to save $60? (Three months.) If they allowed themselves six months to reach their savings goal, how much money would they have to save each month? ($10) How much money would that leave them with each month to spend on the items on the blackboard? ($10) What happens if they increase their monthly spending allowance to $15? (They save $5 each month, and it would take 12 months to purchase the game.)

Find out about the challenges and rewards of saving money in:

"Climbing the Savings Mountain" (6-8) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"Money Comes and Goes" (3-5) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"The ABCs of Saving" (K-5) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

3. Research into differentiated learning shows that while some students reach learning goals with great ease, others may need to learn in a different manner to attain success. Throughout the school year, teachers keep track of the successes and struggles experienced by each student in their classrooms and plan lessons and activities accordingly.

Ask students to write down on paper fun learning goals they can personally achieve in two weeks. (They can write a rhyming poem about a family dog; learn the order of the planets; memorize the state capitals or multiplication tables; determine why some family members have blue eyes; figure out how many pennies are in one pound; explore when the town or city was founded and by whom, etc.) Ask some students to share their learning goals with the rest of the class. What methods do they plan to use over the next two weeks to satisfy their goals? For example, they may elect to read books on the topic, do practice quizzes, watch an educational video, visit a museum. Collect the papers and ask students to follow their plans for reaching their goals. Check on their progress after two weeks. What did they learn? Are they satisfied with their learning outcomes? Why or why not? Is there anything else they want to continue to explore on their own?

Explore how proper planning can help achieve goals in various subjects with:

"Charting Characters for a More Complete Understanding of the Story" (3-5) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Data Does It: Planning a Trip" (3-5) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Developing Reading Plans to Support Independent Reading" (6-8) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Going Places: Measuring and Mapping" (K-2) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Times Six, Times Seven: Reaching the Goal" (3-5) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Uplink Outpost: To the Future Class Of..." (3-5) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

4. The motto of the Boy Scouts of America is "Be prepared." That's sound advice for anyone, but no matter how focused we are or how well we have planned, we can still expect to encounter obstacles that may hinder us as we work toward achieving our goals.

To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting, Boy Scouts must earn a merit badge in environmental science. Ask students why they think this is a requirement. How does gaining knowledge of and respect for the environment exemplify the Boy Scout goal to "be prepared"?

While we're all familiar with their efforts, environmental scientists have consistently met with impediments to their goal of conserving and protecting the world's natural resources. Identify some continuing threats to the environment. (Deforestation, industrial pollution, oil spills, global warming, etc.) How have environmental scientists worked to defend the environment against these threats? (Educating the public, lobbying for government protections, etc.) Analyze how the United States and other countries have responded by instituting policies to safeguard the environment. How do smaller efforts – like the Boy Scouts' merit badge in environmental science – help contribute to the larger goal of preserving the environment?

Discover ways to stay sharp on the path to achievement with:

"About a Tree: The Life and Work of Emerging Explorer Mark Olson" (9-12) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Human Impacts in the African Rain Forest: What Can We Do?" (9-12) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Reaction Time 1: How Fast Are You?" (3-5) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Reaction Time 2: Zap!" (3-5) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Reviewing Good Playing Habits" (5-8) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"Risks and Benefits" (9-12) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science