Capture the sweet sense of success and boost self-esteem, envisioning the accomplishment of personal goals in an original work of art.

• 1.

  Why is it important to set reasonable goals for yourself? How is setting goals similar to athletic events or musical performances, where training and practice relate directly to success and growth? Think of one goal you have set for yourself. Is your goal athletic? Academic? Social?

• 2.

  With Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils, write a short story about your goal and achievement in a sport, music, or other area. Outline the steps you took, or are taking, to succeed. Describe how it will feel to accomplish your goal.

• 3.

  Cover a table top with recycled newspaper. Use Crayola Washable Paint and Brushes, to paint a dramatic picture of yourself achieving your goal. Imagine how delighted you will be. Dry your painting on a flat surface.

• 4.

  With Crayola Washable Markers, add important details to your painting, such as outlines, background patterns, or facial features.

• 5.

  Attach your story to your painting with a Crayola Washable Glue Stick for display.

Standards

• LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• LA: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
• LA: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.
• LA: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• LA: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
• SCI: Ask questions about the natural and human-built worlds.
• SS: Identify and describe ways family, groups, and community influence the individual's daily life and personal choices.
• SS: Explore factors that contribute to one's personal identity such as interests, capabilities, and perceptions.
• SS: Work independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals.
• VA: Use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.
• VA: Use visual structures of art to communicate ideas.
• VA: Select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.

Adaptations

• Have students generate a list of questions in preparation for interviewing a famous, successful person. Students can conduct the interview in person or electronically. Students write a summary of their findings, focusing on the goals and decision-making processes the speaker used to achieve success. These summaries can be shared with classmates via a video reading or in-person if time permits. This interview can be conducted in a multi-grade level setting with students teamed in such a way as to have upper elementary students assist primary students with the discussion and writing component.
• Students can be encouraged to read biographies of famous athletes, musicians, community members, etc. and compare/contrast personal goals with those of the well-known person. Do they have any goals in common? What goals did the famous person have that the student may add to his list?
• As a large group, have students compose a set of goals for the class to work at achieving for the school year. Distinguish between short-term and long-term goals. Discuss what steps the class will put in place to move toward achieving these goals. Invite the principal or assistant principal in to the classroom to participate in your discussion.
• Journal keeping: Have the class keep a group journal documenting movement toward achieving goal(s). The teacher should dedicate specific time each week for this whole group activity. Discuss progress of the group.
• Journal keeping can also be done individually. Encourage students to write weekly about on-going efforts to achieve a specific goal or goals. The teacher can review student progress during teacher-student conferences on a regular basis.