Goal Setting Conversation Cards — Morning Meeting Questions
Big dreams are easy to talk about; the small step and the daily habit are where the real work happens.
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About this resource
Big dreams are easy to talk about; the small step and the daily habit are where the real work happens. These goal setting conversation cards give you 102 morning meeting questions for Grades 2–8 that move from “What is one thing you dream about doing someday?” to tracking progress and getting past obstacles. They build Self-Management one small step at a time.
What students practice
- Turning a wish into one clear goal
- Breaking a goal into small steps
- Building everyday habits
- Tracking progress honestly
- Planning for obstacles and asking for help
What’s inside
- 102 discussion questions, 17 in each focus area: My dreams and wishes, Picking one goal and making it clear, One small step at a time, Habits I do every day, Tracking my progress, and Obstacles and getting help
- A mix of question types led by analytical questions (22), plus strategy, imaginative and personal-experience ones
- Cards six to a page on 17 full-color pages, and 102 matching reflection sheets
- 75 pages
A look inside
- “Why might a goal with a number in it, like ten minutes, be easier to check?”
- “What small steps would it take to learn a new card trick?”
- “If a jar got one marble for each step, how full would yours be?”
- “How is getting help with a goal different from someone doing it for you?”
How to use these goal setting conversation cards in morning meeting
- Morning meeting: start with a My dreams and wishes card and a quick turn-and-talk
- Question of the day: “What step toward a goal could you finish in five minutes?” answered aloud or on sticky notes
- Writing prompts or SEL notebooks: students set a goal based on the question on its matching reflection sheet
- Small groups: Obstacles and getting help questions such as “How could you ask a friend to be your goal buddy?”
Grade fit
Second graders talk about learning to swim or tie their shoes; older students apply the same steps to sports skills, school skills and habits they want to keep. Questions like “How is tracking a habit different from tracking a goal?” make them practical conversation starters for middle school.
Digital version
The digital version turns the questions into one link: students answer on any device with no student logins and download an answer sheet to hand in.
Pairs well with
Build on the talk with Goal Setting Task Cards or Goal Setting Scenario Cards.
Questions teachers ask
Do the cards cover habits as well as goals?
Yes. Two of the six focus areas are Habits I do every day and Tracking my progress.
Can students answer on a device?
Yes. The digital version shares as one link, with no student logins.
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