Setting a (Reading) Goal Is the First Step!

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

A goal is something that you want to do.

It needs to be a challenge so it can encourage you to try doing something even better than you are now.

It also needs to be realistic, which means something that can actually happen.

Once people set goals, they often share their goals with others.

Telling others about your goal can help make sure that your goal actually gets done. Sharing it with other people can also give you some new ideas about how to reach that goal.

Let me show you my example, so you can see what I mean.

I have a goal right now to finish my homework before playing outside each day.

Usually, I finish school and go outside to play with my friends, but then I have to finish my homework later on when I'm tired. I think if I finish my homework first, I will enjoy playing outside with my friends more knowing I can play outside as long as I want to.

My goal is challenging me to do something better than I already am, but it is something that I can still do. My goal is not just to do my homework better because that isn't specific enough.

• What can I do to achieve my goal?

Another goal I have is to eat all my green vegetables at dinner.

I know I want to eat more healthily, but that goal does not have enough details. If I eat all my green vegetables at dinner, that will help me eat more healthily.

• See how I'm picking something challenging but something I'm still able to do?

I'm not saying I'm only going to eat green vegetables and nothing else because I know that isn't something that I would really be able to do.

Just like I have goals about homework and eating, I also have reading goals.

Reading goals encourage and motivate us to be better readers!

Keep going to the Got It? section to look more closely at reading goals.