When someone does not get what they set out to achieve, they may get frustrated and give up. We don’t want our students lowering their confidence when they're trying to achieve a goal. To help them with perspective, remind students that there are many things out of the their control. For example, students cannot control what will be on their test. The path to a good grade is to pay attention in class, do their assignments, and study. When students do everything they can, they should be able to achieve a lot of their goals. In this activity, students will controllable and uncontrollable aspects of their goals. With this, they'll be able to better form an action plan on how to achieve the goals they set.
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Student Instructions
Create a visual representation of controllable and uncontrollable aspects of your goals.
Engage students in a whole-class discussion about factors they can and can’t control regarding their goals. Use real-life examples to help them relate and think critically about their own experiences.
Invite students to share examples of things they’ve tried to control but couldn’t, and things they successfully managed. Write these on the board to visualize the differences and spark conversation.
Ask students to reflect on how they feel when faced with uncontrollable situations. Highlight coping strategies and emphasize resilience to help them build confidence.
Remind students that investing energy in what they can control leads to progress. Encourage setting realistic action steps for their goals based on these insights.
Students can control their effort, study habits, and how they manage their time. They cannot control what questions appear on a test or unexpected events. Recognizing this helps students focus on actions they can take to achieve their goals.
Teachers can guide students to brainstorm goals, list what they can and cannot control, and create visual organizers. This activity builds awareness and helps students develop realistic, actionable plans.
Understanding this difference boosts student confidence, reduces frustration, and encourages perseverance by helping them focus energy on actions within their control, instead of worrying about external factors.
Have students brainstorm personal goals, list each goal, and create visuals showing what they can and cannot control. Use description boxes for brief explanations. This makes the lesson interactive and practical.
Middle schoolers should define their goal, identify controllable steps (like studying or asking for help), recognize uncontrollable elements, and focus their action plan on steps they can take themselves.