Do your kids or students set big goals and then give up when the first obstacle shows up? Help Kids Go For It is a Building Character workbook for ages 8 to 12 that helps kids understand what goal setting is, how to turn a dream into a clear plan, and how to keep going when a plan doesn't work out the way they hoped.
This workbook is printed and shipped by Amazon. Order the paperback on Amazon.
The workbook was written by Tammy Roose, an upper elementary teacher and the creator of Tarheelstate Teacher, and is adapted from her Goal Setting SEL Unit for upper elementary classrooms.
NOTE: This 109-page paperback is written for kids to work through on their own or alongside a parent or teacher. If you are teaching goal setting to a whole class, the Goal Setting SEL Unit covers the same topic with 20 days of lesson plans and Google Slides (digital download only). The companion Go For It! My Goal Setting Journal, a 172-page 6 x 9 journal, continues the weekly goal practice after kids finish this workbook.
Through reading passages, sorts, coaching scenarios, goal planners, and journal prompts, kids practice what to do when a goal feels too big or a plan stops working, including how to write a SMART goal, how to tell a strategy from a goal, and how to stack a new habit onto one they already have.
WHY PARENTS LOVE THIS WORKBOOK
- A Variety of Engaging Activities in One Book: Reading passages, sorts, coaching scenarios, SMART goal planners, quote reflections, and creative projects like the Visualization Collage, the Reflection Mirror, and I'm a Masterpiece Taking Shape.
- Kids Can Work On Their Own or With an Adult: Directions are written for kids ages 8 to 12, so they can complete the activities independently or alongside a parent, teacher, or counselor. Children can work from the first page to the last, or skip to the sections that fit what they need right now. The One Step At a Time Chart gives kids a place to write and check off one small action step toward their goal each day.
- Start with Understanding: The workbook opens with Reach for It: What You Need to Know About Goal Setting, pages that explain SMART goals, BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals), and why so many New Year's resolutions get dropped, so your conversations about goals start with realistic expectations.
- Setting Goals that Can Continue After the Workbook: My Goal Reflection weekly pages, My Goal Setting Post Reflection & Action Plan, Tools for a Goal-Setting Lifestyle, a Goal Setting Choice Board, and a Declaration of My Commitment to Goal Setting help kids keep setting and reaching new goals.
- No Right or Wrong Answers: The activities focus on reflection, discussion, and real-world application.
WHAT'S INSIDE THE GOAL SETTING WORKBOOK
✨ Section 1: The Power of Setting Goals: What is Goal Setting?, important vocabulary, The Building Blocks of Reaching Goals, Reflecting on My Goal Setting, My Journey with Goals, Setting Goals Reflection Questions, Aiming Higher: How Setting Goals Helps You Grow, The Power of Possibility, and The One Thing Challenge
✨ Section 2: Setting My Direction: The Goal that Finally Made Sense story, the Strategy or Goal? sort, Thinking More About Strategies and Goals, Exploring our Needs & Planning our Goals, Ideas for Academic, Social, Behavioral, and Personal Goals, My SMART Goal Planners, and Knowing My Direction
✨ Section 3: Strategies for Success: Visualization Strategies, the Visualization Collage, Visualize It!, My Quotation Inspiration, Strategies for Planning Goals, the One Step At a Time Chart, Planning & Building Helpful Habits, My Habits, My Practice Plan, Practice Makes Progress!, Climbing Towards My Goal!, and Celebrating My Practice!
✨ Section 4: Overcoming Obstacles: The Change-Up story, Coaching Through Challenges Scenarios, Setting Goals Comes with Challenges, and Brave Enough to Fail
✨ Section 5: Reflection, an Important Tool: Strategies for Reflection, Looking Back, Growing Forward, and My Goal Reflection weekly pages
✨ Section 6: Keep Growing, Keep Going: Growth Snapshot, the Reflection Mirror, A Blueprint for Goal Setting, My Goal Setting Post Reflection & Action Plan, Tools for a Goal-Setting Lifestyle, I'm a Masterpiece Taking Shape, a Goal Setting Choice Board, and a Declaration of My Commitment to Goal Setting
✨ Appendix: Recommended picture books about goal setting, reproducible templates, and a two-week preview of the Go For It! My Goal Setting Journal
Sticking with a goal isn't always easy, especially when progress is slow or a plan falls apart. Help Kids Go For It helps kids make realistic plans, keep going after setbacks, and notice and celebrate the progress they make along the way.
THIS WORKBOOK IS PERFECT FOR
- Parents and caregivers supporting social emotional learning at home
- Teachers and school counselors leading character education lessons
- Homeschool families and after-school programs
CASEL STANDARDS ALIGNMENT
Self-Awareness
- Experiencing self-efficacy
- Having a growth mindset
- Developing interests and a sense of purpose
Self-Management
- Exhibiting self-discipline and self-motivation
- Setting personal and collective goals
- Using planning and organizational skills
Responsible Decision-Making
- Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
- Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one’s actions
MORE BUILDING CHARACTER WORKBOOKS
Each workbook in the series follows a similar layout, so kids know what to expect from one topic to the next:
- Telling the Truth & Integrity
- Empathy & Caring About Others
- Being & Getting Motivated
- Being Yourself
- Having Courage
- Making & Keeping Friends
- Showing Responsibility & Making Good Choices
- Growing in Gratitude
- Developing a Growth Mindset
- Conflict Resolution
BOOK DETAILS
- Paperback, 109 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches
- Ages 8 to 12 (grades 3 to 6)
- Author: Tammy Roose
- Publisher: Tarheelstate Teacher Publishing
- ISBN: 978-1968882075
- Available on Amazon: order the paperback here
Copyright © Tammy Roose, Tarheelstate Teacher LLC. The purchase of this workbook gives the buyer permission to reproduce pages for single classroom, home, or small group use only.
