Goal Setting & Data Portfolio for Elementary Students

Goal setting has been a long-standing classroom practice for my students.  When I started teaching, we would set class and individual goals based on assessment data.  We had a data portfolio where we would record our scores and where we wanted to go next.

Classroom goal setting has changed over my teaching career and the following Goal Setting and Data Portfolios are a cumulation of years of watching students set and accomplish academic and behavior goals.

Goal Setting & Data Portfolio Overview

The Goal Setting & Data Portfolios that I’ve developed for grades 1 – 6 include both math and reading / language arts standards.  They also have pages for behavior goals.

You may already do a lot of this without even thinking about it!  Behavior contracts and team or class points are examples of goal setting.  This product just makes it a bit more specific.

There are several sections in each grade level’s Goal Setting & Data Portfolio.

Front Matter & Checklists in the Data Portfolio

The front matter includes ideas on how to implement goal setting in your classroom, as well as sample anchor charts, posters and processes you can use with your students.

I’ve also created pages to help students keep track of their assessment data.  I don’t use these pages much with the younger grades, but older students, who take more tests, can use them to record test data or just check off when they complete a standard.  As a teacher, you can use it for your own standard checklist.

Goal Setting Arrows

The heart of the product is the upward arrows.  Students (with help from the teacher) look at their assessment data and set a goal of where they want to be in a certain amount of weeks.  Depending on the goal, anywhere from two-six weeks is a good time frame.

Students then brainstorm everything they can do to meet their goal.  This can be done whole group as students will have similar goal areas (i.e.: reading fluency, math facts, etc.), even though the specific goals will be unique to the student.

After brainstorming activities, students choose one or two to do to meet their goal.  This is recorded at the bottom.

You can find another example of the goal setting arrow page in this blog post, where I explain how I used it to set math fact goals.

Data Tracking Pages

Also included are data tracking pages.  The pages are generic but tied to common core standards.  Included are pages for reading, math, and spelling, for most forms of assessment data in elementary classrooms.

Here is an example of one of the data tracking pages.  Most pages have the common core standard, a place to record where students are right now and a place to set a goal.  The table is a tool to create a bar graph, based on actual data and the next goal

Reflection Pages

Periodically throughout the year, I’ll have students reflect on their goals.  How are they doing at meeting their goals?  Are they having difficulty with something in particular?  What are they focusing on right now and how are they going to meet their goal?  The arrow pages include some writing, but the reflection pages take it one step further.

Here are a few examples of the reflection pages.

The smaller, SMART Goal sheet that you see in the picture is available for free.

 I use that page at the beginning of the year to set behavior goals quickly with students.  It’s one way I introduce goal setting to my students.  You can read more about that process in this blog post.

Click the link above or the image below to get one of the forms for free.

Here is another more in depth reflection page can be used throughout the goal setting process.  I don’t use this page for all goals, but when I want to get specific about a students’ process for learning or promote self-reflection, this is a good form to use.

Home & School Connection

I also send the whole data portfolio binder home periodically so students can review the portfolio with their parents. Included in the Goal Setting & Data Portfolio are parent communication letters and reflection pages for home.  Parents love seeing the progress their students have made over the course of the semester and year.

How to Purchase

My Goal Setting Data Portfolios and Goal Setting Lessons are available on my website as well as on Teachers Pay Teachers.  It is available for first – sixth grades.  The lesson plans are also available as a separate purchase.

If you don’t follow the Common Core, I have also separated out the reflection pages and posters for individual purchase.  Bundles are also available for multi-age classrooms and schools.

Do you Want More Goal Setting Ideas?

Here are a few more blog posts that I’ve written about goal setting in my second-grade classroom.  Although I have used the process in grades 1-5, I didn’t start recording and photographing it until I taught first and second grades, so most of the blog posts have a middle-elementary focus.

• Goal Setting in the Moment
• Learning / Academic Goals
• Student Goal Setting in Elementary School
• Whole Class Examples