7 Different Ways of Planning Term Goals In Your Homeschool

Homeschool Life Press
Jun 11
6 min read

The Term Goals pages in all of the Homeschool Life Planners are some of the most powerful (and underrated) spaces in your setup. They look simple on the surface — just three columns for three terms on each page — but don’t let their simplicity fool you. These pages are flexible, forgiving, and full of possibility. They were created to adapt to any style of homeschool from a structured planning to loose life goals, and anywhere in between.

So what’s the point of these pages, anyway? Big picture thinking. Setting your goals by term for the whole year, all in one go. Maybe it’s a bird’s-eye view of your curriculum pacing. Maybe it’s personal goals you want to hit by the end of each term. Maybe it’s something completely different.

I’m going to show you a bunch of ways to make these pages work for you, from the obvious to the outside-the-box. And honestly, you’ll probably come up with your own twist as you go. That’s what I love about these pages: there’s no one right way to use them.

Scope and Sequence Pacing

Open notebook on a wooden table titled "Term Goals". Lists for three terms with subjects and lessons in black, blue, and purple ink. Coffee cup and pen nearby. — *Traditional Curriculum Pacing for 4 students (color coded)*

For those following a curriculum (boxed, online, pieced together from a bunch of different resources), it’s easy to lose track of where you actually are. Are you ahead? Behind? Is your “plan” still a plan, or just a wish at this point?

That’s where the Term Goals page steps in as your pacing guide.

Divided into six-week segments, this spread lets you map out the scope and sequence of your curriculum, not a rigid plan, but as a pacing guide, a snapshot of what you plan to cover each term.

This gives you a zoomed-out view of your year in manageable chunks. You’ll know if you’re flying through material, falling behind, or actually, miraculously, right on track.

It keeps the big picture front and center, and at the end of the year, you’ve got an honest record of what you accomplished, even if it looked nothing like you planned in September.

(Pro-tip: color code your kids for easy reading. This is especially helpful when cramming a lot in a small area and when you can't skip lines.)

Unit Studies Topic Outline

Notebook titled "Term Goals" with colorful sticky notes listing topics like weather and art. Pen and coffee cup on wooden table. Cozy setting. — *Creating a unit study outline, sticky notes keep your planning modular for easy swapping.*

The Term Goals spread is the perfect place to outline your Unit Study goals for the entire year.

Instead of breaking things down by subject or squeezing yourself into a rigid schedule, use this spread as your creative map. It’s where you park all those big ideas and themed goals before they disappear into the chaos of daily life.

Each term, pick a handful of topics you want to dive into as a family. Jot down the spine books you’re planning to use, any field trips, documentaries, or hands-on projects. Don’t worry about listing every last thing. This isn’t a checklist or a firm unit study plan, it’s a flexible outline you can change at anytime.

(Pro-tip: sticky notes are your friend here. Write on them instead of the planner and you can shuffle them around as much as you want all through the year. Especially if you are still working out which themes go in which term.)

If you are a heavy unit study user, and need a space to make more detailed solid plans for each of your themes, check out the The Unit Study Planner

Need Unit Study Ideas? Check out my mini studies here.

Charlotte Mason Rotation

Notebook labeled "Term Goals" with handwritten entries in various colors on a wooden table, beside a pen and a cup of coffee. — *Charlotte Mason Rotations*

Charlotte Mason had it right: short lessons, living books, and the radical idea that kids are actual people who are curious, capable, and worth taking seriously. Her methods have stuck around for a reason. The best education isn’t just about cramming facts; it’s about feeding the mind, heart, and soul.

That’s why this page is perfect for a Charlotte Mason outline.

The Term Goals spread gives you a clear (and let’s be honest, much-needed) map for your seasonal rotations. Each term, you can lay out what you want to focus on without overcomplicating things. Maybe it’s an artist to study, a composer to enjoy, or a habit to gently train.

Outline all of your big goals here, in one place. Visible, intentional, and quietly powerful, without needing a million notes spread out in different places to keep it all straight.

Habit and Character Goals

Notebook open to "Term Goals" page on wooden table with a gold pen and cup of coffee. Columns for Attention, Kindness, Honesty. Bright, studious mood. — Character Building and Habit Goals

Homeschooling isn’t just about shaping minds, it’s about shaping hearts too.

Some of the most meaningful growth you’ll ever witness doesn’t come from a worksheet or a reading log. It shows up in the daily work of your kids slowly becoming the people they’re meant to be.

That’s why the Term Goals page is more than just a spot for academics. Each term, you can use it to focus on habits and character traits that will outlast any spelling test. Things like attention, kindness, honesty, patience, and self-control. These are the roots that keep everything else from toppling over.

You might choose one character trait per term to focus on, going into weekly detailed practice exercises, or maybe you'll pick 6 character traits per term to cycle though one each week. How you organize it is up to you and this page will adapt to anything you want to throw at it.

When you use this spread for character development goals, it becomes a reminder of the kind of humans you’re raising, not just the grades you're recording. When it’s all said and done, homeschooling isn’t just about what our kids know. It’s about who they become and who we become right along with them.

Life Skills Milestones

Open planner on wooden table with pen, listing "TERM GOALS" for First Semester in sections. Coffee in white cup nearby. Warm, organized setting. — *Planning out life skills*

There’s a lot kids need to know that you’ll never find in a curriculum. Sometimes the most valuable learning happens while you’re folding towels together, figuring out what’s for dinner, or standing in the grocery aisle comparing products.

This is where the Term Goals page quietly pulls its weight. Instead of just tracking what’s happening on paper, you can use this spread to plan for the real-life skills that prepare kids for adulthood.

Each term can become a theme. A focus. A quiet mission.

You might pick a different focus each term, depending on what feels most useful for your family. Maybe you spend six weeks getting comfortable in the kitchen, planning meals, prepping ingredients, and learning to leave the counters cleaner than you found them. Another term, you might take on money basics like budgeting, comparison shopping, and saving. Then, there’s the never-ending home care: teaching laundry that doesn’t eat socks, basic repairs, and the simple routines that make a house run smoother.

No need to overthink it. The goal is just to give these life lessons a little intentional space, so your kids walk away knowing how to do more than just memorize facts. In the end, these are the skills that stick with them long after the math books are packed away.

Adulthood Skills for Teens

Planner open on a wooden table with "TERM GOALS First Semester" text, columns for three terms in highlighted colors. A gold pen and coffee nearby. — *Mapping adult skills for teens*

When your kids hit the teen years, “adulting” suddenly becomes a real topic of conversation. The Term Goals page can pull double duty here, giving you a place to map out the adulthood skills your teen actually needs before they’re out in the world on their own.

Instead of piling on a long checklist, try focusing on one adult skill per term. Maybe you start with personal finance, balancing a bank account, figuring out where all the cash goes. The next term, you might work on job basics, like writing a resume, filling out applications, or practicing interviews. Another round could be all about exploring options for the future: researching careers, trying out a part-time job, or volunteering in the community and learning what it means to show up.

What you’re building here isn’t just a set of skills, it’s real confidence. Breaking things down like this keeps it manageable, and helps your teen see progress without feeling buried by “real world” pressure.

If you’re using The Mindful Homeschool Life Planner, this page works hand-in-hand with the High School Roadmap section. Together, you’ll have more than just a list of graduation requirements, you’ll have an actual plan for helping your teen launch with a little less stress, and a lot more capability.

Make It Yours

Open planner on a wooden table shows "Term Goals" for the first semester with highlighted units. A cup of coffee and a pen are beside it. — Detailed subject pacing

There is no one “right” way to use your Term Goals page.

You can use it for mapping out a classic academic plan, organizing your unit study ideas, setting parenting goals, even zooming in to detailed pacing for one subject, or anything else that matters to you this year. These pages work to fit whatever season you’re in. They aren’t about piling on more to your plate. They’re about helping you step back and focus on what actually matters by giving you space to see the big picture.

If you find yourself wanting to use them for more than one purpose, go for it. That’s why the Mindful Homeschool Planner comes with extra term goals pages included in your bonus printables download. It also comes with a 4 term version, breaking each term into 9 weeks for those who need that system to plan in a way that aligns with state requirements. Read more about planning with 4-Terms vs 6-Terms here.