Make a Plan! Making and Reaching Goals © 2014 Eve Coates

How Do We Reach Goals? To reach a goal, you first have to HAVE a goal. If you don’t have a goal, it’s hard to know what you should do and what choices to make. To understand how hard it is to do things if you don’t have a goal, try to solve this puzzle without knowing what your end goal is.

Start Click on the arrow to decide which way to go.

Make a Goal! Was it hard to finish the puzzle without knowing what your goal was? This is why it’s important to have a goal! Once you’ve set a goal and you know what it is, it will be easier to make a plan. Now try solving another puzzle, but this time with a goal.

Goal: Try to reach the purple star! Start

Have a Plan! Once you have a goal, the next step is to make a plan. If you don’t have a plan to reach your goal, you probably won’t reach it. In the following story, Emma has a goal but doesn’t have a plan. Read what happens to her, then brainstorm a plan she could make to reach her goal.

Emma really wanted to buy a jump rope. She loved jump roping at recess, but last week her jump rope broke.

When Emma went to the store she saw the most amazing jump rope! It was blue and sparkly and had green polka-dots! It was way better than her last jump rope, and she had to have it!

But she didn’t have enough money. It cost 10 dollars and she only had 1 dollar.

Luckily, she got 5 extra dollars the next day by walking the neighbor’s dog. She went to the store with her 6 dollars, but still didn’t have enough to buy the jump rope. She bought a coloring book instead. Now she only had 3 dollars left.

The next week she earned 4 dollars by cleaning the yard. She went to the store with her 7 dollars, but still didn’t have enough to buy the jump rope. She wanted to buy something, so she got some candy. Now she only had 2 dollars left.

Let ’ s Make a Plan! Do you think Emma will ever get the jump rope? Why or why not? What will happen next time she goes to the store if she doesn’t make a plan of how to get the jump rope? If Emma continues without a plan, she probably won’t get the jump rope. Brainstorm a plan for Emma to get her jump rope. Emma could make a plan to save her money instead of spending a little each time at the store. Let’s help her stick to her plan!

Emma only has 2 dollars, but she needs 10 to get the jump rope. Help her reach her goal and save money.

Emma asked her dad if she could do any chores for money. He said she could have 3 dollars if she cleaned the kitchen. Just before she started cleaning, her friend came over and asked to play. How can Emma stick to her plan to save money for the jump rope? Clean the kitchen.Play with a friend.

Emma went to the store the next weekend with her 5 dollars. She didn’t have enough to buy the jump rope, but she saw some bubble gum she wanted. What should she do to stick to her plan? Buy the gum.Save her money.

Emma decided to be proactive to earn more money. She wanted to set up a lemonade stand. As she was heading out to start selling the lemonade, her favorite show came on. What should she do to stick to her plan? Watch the show.Sell lemonade. Emma earned 4 dollars from selling lemonade!

Emma now had 9 dollars! When she went to school the next day, they were selling her favorite chips at lunch. She already had a lunch, but she really wanted those chips. What should she do? Save her money. Buy the chips.

Emma was about to color when her mom asked her to help rake leaves for 1 dollar. What should Emma do if she wants to buy the jump rope? Rake the leaves. Color. Congratulations! You helped Emma buy her jump rope!

Your Turn! Now it’s your turn to practice making and reaching goals! In this worksheet, first make a goal. Which shape will you try to reach? Then, make a plan! How will you get to your goal? Good luck!

Created by Eve Coates © 2014 Eve Coates. All rights reserved. Purchase of this unit entitles the purchaser the right to use the product for personal classroom use only. Sharing or duplication for colleagues, schools, school systems, websites, or for commercial purposes is strictly forbidden without written permission from the publisher. You may also like: Save money by purchasing this 7 PowerPoint Bundle!