Overview
Life is a relationship game. No matter what you do or where you go, you will do life with other people. Knowing that it’s essential we know how to connect well with others. Going for the Gold provides a fun and dynamic framework to help students unpack deeper connections with those around them.
- Students will understand the importance of WHY we need to build connections with others.
- Students will engage in practice searching for connections (Goldmines) with others
- Once connections are found, students will learn the art of investing in the connection to make the relationship richer
- Students will build confidence interacting and connecting with others
"The Going for the Gold gave me a plan and strategy to try and build deeper connections in conversation. I find myself ‘going for the gold’ when I talk to people now. It’s pretty fun."
A Lead ‘Em Up Training Camp Graduate, High School Senior
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Lesson Plan
Student Growth Areas
Exercise Length
Language Guide
Goldmine
A valuable connection between two people
Banker
An individual familiar with other people’s gold and works to connect their golds
to one another
Investing
Putting time and attention towards a goldmine with the intent of growing it and making the relationships richer
Dropping Gold
When you uncover a goldmine but you miss out on making it more valuable
Example Video
See Go For The Gold in action below to get a better understanding of how to teach the the Exercise.
Additional Resources
Posters
3 sizes to choose from starting at $10
Download and print yorself
Exercise Reminder Card
To emphasize and reinforce the lessons learned in this exercise with your players, download and share this graphic with them 24 hours after completing the exercise.
Exercise Slides
Powerpoint slides ready for you to use
Quiz Questions
Use these questions below to engage after you have taught the exercise.
- What is a “goldmine?”
- What occurs when we drop gold?
- What does the role of “banker” require one to do?
At Home
Coaches, use the below question, reflection, and action to engage parents, guardians, and other family members in the lessons learned in this exercise.
Suggestions on how to use: Email to parents the day you have taught this lesson, add it to the materials you send home, or text it to text message threads with your players.
- Question: What’s the difference between “We Cool” and “My Guy/Girl”?
- Reflection: Who are three people in your class that you “don’t know like that” but would like to have a better connection with?
- Action: Think of three gold-mining questions to ask the three people you thought of and be ready to share their responses at home
Teacher Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on the lesson and how you can lead by example to your students.
How often do you ask Gold Mining questions? How stronger would your connection to your peers and students be if you knew a little more about them? Think about making this part of your normal interactions with students, and fellow peers on a daily basis. To take it a step further, spend some time thinking about how you can effectively serve in the role of a banker. Whose gold can you connect?
Special Assignment
Assign each student or group of students a successful person from history.
Instruct students to conduct research on their assigned individual and identify the key relationships and connections that played a role in their success.
Encourage students to explore different aspects of the person's life, such as personal relationships, mentors, collaborators, or professional networks.
- What were the significant connections that influenced the person's success?
- How did these relationships contribute to their achievements?
- Can you identify any challenges or obstacles they overcame with the help of their connections?
- How might their outcomes have been different without these connections?
- What lessons can we learn from their experiences regarding the importance of strong connections?