My Purpose Slides Classroom Blueprint
Finding My Why
Building a personal purpose for our classroom so we can grow, learn, and succeed every single day.
High School Life Skills
Slide 1 of 7
Step 1: Big Ideas Slide 2 of 7
What is a "Why"?
Your "Why" is your personal power source. It is the real-life reason you come to class and work hard.
Think About It:
"How does this classroom help me get ready for my future life?"
The Golden Key
Knowing your purpose unlocks confidence, focus, and real independence.
We are building this together to use every single morning!
Path 1: Work & Careers Slide 3 of 7
Vocational Goals
Learning skills for future jobs, tasks, and earning money.
I Want to Work!
Class is where we build the habits of excellent workers. We learn how to complete tasks, follow schedules, and work as a team.
Example Job Skills We Learn Here:
On-Time Tasks
Following Directions
Using Tools Safely
Helping Coworkers
Is a future career your primary motivation? Let's write about it!
Path 2: Living My Best Life Slide 4 of 7
I Want Independence!
Independence means being the boss of your own life. We learn to make our own decisions, solve problems, and handle things by ourselves.
Example Independence Skills We Learn Here:
Cooking & Safety
Money & Budgeting
Using Schedules
Problem Solving
Independence Goals
Learning skills for home, cooking, schedule tracking, and community living.
Do you want to manage your own home and schedule? Let's include that!
Path 3: Communication & Feelings Slide 5 of 7
Interpersonal Goals
Speaking up for myself, making friends, and managing daily emotions.
I Want to Build Relationships!
How we treat others and speak for ourselves matters. We learn how to work through big feelings and use our voice safely and proudly.
Example Social & Behavioral Skills:
Asking for Help
Active Listening
Deep Breathing/Calming
Using Kind Words
Is speaking up and keeping calm your biggest power goal? Let's use it!
Building the Sentence Slide 6 of 7
The Purpose Statement Blueprint
My Daily Action
I will work hard
In-Class Skill
to practice my tasks
My Long-Term Future Goal
so I can get a job.
💡 Your Turn: We will use the worksheets to choose your own pieces!
Your teacher will pass out the worksheets now. Let's make your blueprint!
Daily Pledge Routine Slide 7 of 7
Using My Purpose Everyday
We will put our finished purposes on our desks or the wall.
☀️ Every morning when we walk in, we will touch our poster and say:"This is why I am here. I am ready to build my future."
Let's build your blueprint!
Purpose Finder Worksheet Page 1
My Purpose Finder
Let's discover what skills matter most to your future life and career.
Student:
Date:
1 Which path is your focus? (Circle 1 or 2)
Job Skills
Vocational, tasks, schedules
Independence
Cooking, living, schedules
Relationships
Self-advocacy, feelings, peers
2 My Word Bank (Circle the words that fit you)
Column A: Action words (What I will do in class)
work hard stay calm ask for help focus on tasks be kind try my best participate
Column B: Skills (What skill am I growing)
doing jobs following steps managing time speaking up solving problems teamwork independence
Column C: Future Goals (Why it matters)
get a good job live on my own be confident help others feel proud manage my day
Turn the page to write your Blueprint!
Page 2
My Classroom Blueprint
Use the words you circled on Page 1 to write your personal purpose statement.
Step 1: Choose your daily action (Circle or write one)
"I am here today to..."
Step 2: Choose your classroom skill (Circle or write one)
"...so I can practice..."
Step 3: Choose your future dream goal (Circle or write one)
"...and prepare to..."
My Commitment:
I will keep this on my desk or the wall.
I will look at it when I walk in.
I will try my best every single day.
Signed:
Your signature here
Excellent job building your blueprint! Finding My Why Lesson
My Purpose Poster Classroom Anchor Chart Finding My Why Blueprint
Why Are We Here?
Every day is an opportunity to build our future lives!
Job Skills
We learn tasks, schedules, and collaboration to get great future jobs.
Independence
We learn to cook, budget, and live on our own successfully.
Self-Advocacy
We learn to speak up, listen, and navigate big feelings safely.
☀️ Our Morning Purpose Routine
1
Walk In
Get settled at your workspace.
2
Touch
Touch your custom desk purpose card.
3
Read & Say
Read your blueprint aloud or in your mind.
4
Focus
Begin your tasks with confidence!
💡 "Your classroom purpose is your personal power source. Build it, speak it, live it!"
Wall Poster Display (Print on 11x17 or scale to fit) Designed for High School Special Education
My Classroom Purpose
Student Name:
I will walk in and:
To grow my skill of:
So I can prepare to:
Touch here daily! Blueprint
My Classroom Purpose
Student Name:
I will walk in and:
To grow my skill of:
So I can prepare to:
Touch here daily! Blueprint
My Classroom Purpose
Student Name:
I will walk in and:
To grow my skill of:
So I can prepare to:
Touch here daily! Blueprint
My Classroom Purpose
Student Name:
I will walk in and:
To grow my skill of:
So I can prepare to:
Touch here daily! Blueprint
Purpose Builder Teacher Guide Teacher
Purpose Builder Guide
Facilitating meaningful classroom purpose statements for life skills students.
Lesson Objectives
Students will identify a future-focused motivation (vocational, independence, or interpersonal). They will construct a personalized, 3-part daily classroom purpose sentence to display on their desk or the wall, creating a concrete daily behavioral anchor.
⏱️ Suggested Lesson Pacing
15m
Introduction & Guided Slides
Go through "My Purpose Slides". Ask students to think about why they are at school. Connect school directly to future jobs, cooking at home, and being independent.
20m
The Purpose Finder Worksheet
Distribute Page 1. Help students review and circle their preferred paths and words from the word bank. Provide visual support and model selections on the board.
15m
Sentence Blueprint Construction
Have students complete Page 2 of the worksheet. Ensure they draft their three-part statement. Support fine-motor needs with tracing or dictation as needed.
10m
Final Desk-Card Writing
Students transfer their final statements onto the printable desk card templates. Help them sign, decorate, laminate, and place on desks.
💬 Key Discussion Prompts
Vocational Focus:
"If you had a job right now, where would you want to work? What kind of rules do workers have to follow? How can we practice that in here today?"
Independence Focus:
"What is something you want to do completely on your own at home? How does learning a daily routine in this class prepare you for that?"
Turn page for Differentiation Matrix & Daily Routine Details Page 1 of 2
Teacher
Differentiation & Routines
Ensuring accessibility for all students and maintaining the daily check-in.
🛠️ Accommodation Matrix
Student Profile
Worksheet Prep
Presentation Accommodations
Non-Verbal / AAC Users
Provide visual icon labels to paste directly over the worksheet blanks. Pair word bank items with board-maker symbols.
Program target purpose options into their speech device or visual communication book for morning check-in.
Dysgraphia / Fine Motor
Have student highlight choice selections. Use adult scribe or pre-typed labels to paste onto the final desk template card.
Secure card on desk using highly durable, colored tape border to serve as a distinct physical boundary.
Executive Function
