First Day Back Year Goals Lesson

This is a lesson I have recently used on the first day back at school. The aim of it is to get them thinking about what they want to achieve at school and in their personal life for the following year. It is a good lesson to do to get the students settled into their new class environment and to get them thinking in English. This lesson has two different levels, one with lots of free thinking and a reading /analysis section and one lesson that is more structured for lower levels.

Objectives.
To set goals for the year.

Materials.

PPT

Worksheet.

Michael Jackson autobiography extract printout.

Part One.

Show the students the questions and check their understanding. Ask the questions to write two more questions, one about last year and one about this year in the box on their worksheet. They should then answer the questions in the space provided. (10mins)

Part Two.

Once this is completed the students should complete a survey asking each other the questions they have written down as well as the ones they have been given. (10 mins)

Part Three

This activity comes from Larry Ferlazzo's blog post about goal setting at the start of term. Give each student a copy of this extract from Michael Jordan's autobiography. The students should then highlight two important parts and write down why they think it is important. They should then all share their answers with their group before choosing the best answer and sharing that with the whole class.  (30mins)

Low level Version

Part One.

Show the students the first five questions on the PowerPoint and the example answers. Ask the students to think of their own answers and write them under me on their worksheet. (10mins) 

Part Two.

Once this is completed the students should complete a survey asking each other the questions on their worksheet. (15 mins)

Part Three

Show the students the phrases on the next slide which are all about the students' aims for the next year. The students should first answer all the questions then cut along the dotted line and give their answers to the teacher. You should then hand each student someones answer set. The students should then  stand up and try to find the person whose paper they have been given by reading to them the sentences they have been given. (25mins)