Lesson
Mapping My Future
Summary
A vague dream like "work in healthcare" won't get anyone into a certification program. Specificity is what turns wishes into plans. This lesson teaches students the S.M.A.R.T. framework and has students transform their own post-secondary interests into one concrete, actionable career goal.
Bellringer: The Two Students
- Display the two student statements and ask which one sounds like an actual plan
- Have students jot down one reason the second statement is more actionable
Instruction
- Walk through each letter of the S.M.A.R.T. acronym across two slides
- Use the healthcare example to model the full transformation from vague to specific
Activity: What's Next for Me?
- Students complete pages 2-3 of the College and Careers workbook
- Circulate to help students narrow down a single top milestone
Discussion: The S.M.A.R.T. Transformation
- Take a volunteer's milestone and rebuild it live on the board using S.M.A.R.T. criteria
- Give students 3 minutes to independently write their own S.M.A.R.T. goal at the bottom of page 3
Wrap-Up & Assessment
- Name all five S.M.A.R.T. words.
- What target date (month/year) did you set to achieve your S.M.A.R.T. goal?
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Bellringer: The Two Students |
|
| 10 min | Instruction |
|
| 15 min | Activity: What's Next for Me? |
|
| 10 min | Discussion: The S.M.A.R.T. Transformation |
|
| 5 min | Wrap-Up & Assessment |
|
Lesson Prep
College and Careers Workbook
Complete pages 2-3 of the workbook, "What's Next for Me?"
Class Presentation
Includes a 13-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
- Built-in PresentationPresent full screen, straight from Banzai
- Copy to Google SlidesMake an editable copy for your class
- Download or PrintSave as a PDF or print
- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 1: Self Discovery & Goals
Personal Values & Work-Life Balance
A high salary means nothing if the job violates what you actually care about. Explore the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic work values, then have students rank their own non-negotiables before testing them against real career trade-offs.
Mapping My Future
A vague dream like "work in healthcare" won't get anyone into a certification program. Specificity is what turns wishes into plans. This lesson teaches students the S.M.A.R.T. framework and has students transform their own post-secondary interests into one concrete, actionable career goal.
Digital Portfolio Setup
A five-year plan means nothing if it's scattered across sticky notes and half-finished Google Docs. This lesson has students synthesize a week of self-discovery into their first official portfolio artifact and build the folder system that will house every project for the rest of the course.
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