Back to School Bucket List

Invite students to set goals for the new school year. They write their ideas inside a bucket outline, then color and cut it out.
Grades
Grades 2–5
Pages
2
File type
PDF
Preparation
Print ready

Updated Feb 18, 2024

Subject
ELA, Writing, Back To School, Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Topic
Bucket list, Goal setting
Resource types
Crafts
Preparation
Print ready

Product description

From the author

Back to School Bucket List is a goal-writing activity that helps students get to know each other at the start of a new school year. This easy-to-implement printable worksheet prompts students to write down five things they hope to accomplish this year. The two-page PDF offers a full-page bucket and a smaller two-per-page version. After composing personal bucket lists, students can voluntarily share out responses in small groups or with the whole class. As an open-ended discussion activity, it allows students to find common interests and goals. Educators can facilitate additional conversation by asking students to provide more details or explanations about their aspirations. Overall, this resource delivers a creative way for a classroom community to connect while looking ahead with optimism.

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Set and write down personal goals for the upcoming school year

Teaching tips

  • Have students share their finished bucket list in small groups or as a class to build community at the start of the year

  • Provide colored pencils or markers, since the instructions specifically ask students to color the bucket

  • Display the finished, cut-out buckets on a bulletin board as a visual set of class goals

Skills covered

  • Goal-setting — students write down personal, individual goals for the school year on five guided blank lines.

  • Following multi-step directions — students complete four sequential steps: naming, writing, coloring, and cutting.

Good to know

Questions teachers ask about this resource

How many goals does the activity ask students to write?

Five — one for each blank checkbox line inside the bucket outline.

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Resource details

Concepts & topics

Core concepts

  • Goal-setting

  • Back-to-school icebreaker

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