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Brain Boss Challenge

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Lesson Plan

Brain Boss Challenge Lesson Plan

Students will learn key executive functioning skills—goal setting, prioritizing, and planning—through guided activities, enabling them to organize assignments, set achievable goals, and create a weekly plan they can use immediately.

Many 7th graders with low grades struggle to manage workloads and feel overwhelmed. Teaching these skills gives them clear strategies to take control of tasks, reduce stress, and build confidence in their academic abilities.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive mini-lessons with hands-on planning exercises.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

5 minutes

  • Prompt: “What assignments do you have coming up, and how do you decide what to do first?”
  • Students share challenges they face managing tasks
  • Record common struggles on the board to acknowledge shared experiences

Step 2

Introduction to Executive Skills

5 minutes

  • Explain executive functioning: goal setting, prioritizing, planning
  • Refer to Priority Pyramid Poster and describe High, Medium, Low priority levels
  • Ask for examples of tasks in each category from volunteers

Step 3

Goal Setting Activity

8 minutes

  • Distribute Goal Setting Worksheet
  • Guide students to choose one academic goal for the week (e.g., improve quiz score)
  • Help them write a SMART goal: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
  • Circulate to offer support and feedback

Step 4

Prioritizing Task Challenge

7 minutes

  • Give each student three sticky notes
  • Instruct them to write down three upcoming assignments (one per note)
  • Students place notes on the whiteboard under High, Medium, or Low priority based on the Priority Pyramid Poster
  • Discuss why certain tasks are more urgent or important

Step 5

Planning with Weekly Planner

3 minutes

  • Hand out Weekly Assignment Planner
  • Students block out times for working on their SMART goal steps and other assignments
  • Encourage realistic scheduling and include breaks

Step 6

Exit Ticket & Reflection

2 minutes

  • Ask students to write on a sticky note:
    • One key takeaway about executive skills
    • One specific action they will try this week
  • Collect notes on an exit board or have students share with a partner
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Slide Deck

Brain Boss Challenge

Mastering Executive Skills to Boost Your Grades and Manage Assignments!

Welcome students to the Brain Boss Challenge. Explain that today we’ll learn three key executive skills—goal setting, prioritizing, and planning—to help improve grades. Encourage participation and questions.

Learning Objectives

• Learn to set clear, SMART academic goals
• Practice prioritizing tasks using the Priority Pyramid
• Create a weekly plan to stay on track and reduce stress

Walk through each objective. Ask students if they’ve ever tried these skills before and what they hope to gain.

Prioritizing with the Priority Pyramid

High Priority: Urgent & Important (due soon or critical)
Medium Priority: Important but Not Urgent
Low Priority: Neither Urgent nor Important

(Refer to Priority Pyramid Poster)

Display the Priority Pyramid Poster. Explain why sorting tasks by importance and urgency matters. Ask for student examples.

Set SMART Goals

Use the SMART template to make goals clear and achievable:
• Specific: What exactly will you do?
• Measurable: How will you track progress?
• Achievable: Is it realistic?
• Relevant: Does it matter to your grades?
• Time-bound: When will you finish?

(See Goal Setting Worksheet)

Introduce the SMART framework. Show the Goal Setting Worksheet. Model writing one SMART goal on the board.

Activity: Set & Sort

  1. Goal Setting (8 min)
    – Complete one SMART goal on your worksheet
  2. Prioritizing Task Challenge (7 min)
    – Write three upcoming assignments on sticky notes
    – Place under High/Medium/Low on the board using our Priority Pyramid

Guide students through both hands-on activities. Hand out sticky notes and the worksheet. Circulate to support.

Plan Your Week

• Block time slots for working on your SMART goal and other assignments
• Include short breaks to stay focused

Use your Weekly Assignment Planner to map out each day

Distribute the Weekly Assignment Planner. Emphasize realistic scheduling including homework, study sessions, and breaks.

Exit Ticket & Reflection

On a sticky note write:
• One key takeaway about executive skills
• One specific action you’ll try this week

Drop your note in the exit box or share with a partner.

Wrap up by collecting exit tickets. Read a few aloud (if time) and celebrate students’ action steps.

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Worksheet

Goal Setting Worksheet

Use this worksheet to create a SMART academic goal you can achieve this week. Fill in each section carefully, then combine your ideas into one clear goal and plan the steps you will take to reach it.

1. Focus Area

What is one academic skill, subject, or assignment you want to improve this week?






2. Make Your Goal SMART

Complete each part below to turn your focus into a SMART goal.

Specific
What exactly will you do?






Measurable
How will you track or measure your progress?






Achievable
Why is this goal realistic for you right now?






Relevant
How will achieving this goal help your grades or learning?






Time-Bound
By what day or time will you achieve this goal?






3. Final SMART Goal Statement

Combine the parts above into one clear sentence using the SMART criteria.











4. Action Steps

List 2–3 specific actions you will take this week to reach your SMART goal.

  1. Step 1: ____________________________


  2. Step 2: ____________________________


  3. Step 3 (optional): __________________


When you’ve completed this worksheet, use the Weekly Assignment Planner to schedule time for each action step. Good luck, Brain Boss!

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Activity

Priority Pyramid Poster

Visualize a pyramid divided into three tiers. Place each task in the tier that matches its urgency and importance.

🔺 Top Tier: High Priority (Urgent & Important)

• Tasks due very soon or critical to your success
• Examples:

  • Study for tomorrow’s math quiz
  • Finish and turn in today’s homework
  • Meet with teacher after school if you’re behind

🔻 Middle Tier: Medium Priority (Important but Not Urgent)

• Tasks that matter for your grades but aren’t due immediately
• Examples:

  • Start research for a project due next week
  • Review vocabulary nightly for next week’s test
  • Draft an outline for your essay

🔻 Bottom Tier: Low Priority (Neither Urgent nor Important)

• Tasks that are optional, fun, or can wait
• Examples:

  • Browse social media or watch extra videos
  • Decorate your notebook
  • Organize your desk (when everything else is done)

How to Use This Poster

  1. Write each upcoming assignment on a sticky note.
  2. Decide how urgent and important it is.
  3. Place it in the matching pyramid tier on the board.
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Worksheet

Weekly Assignment Planner

Use this planner to map out your assignments, study sessions, and SMART goal action steps for the week. Block realistic time slots, include short breaks, and stick to your schedule!

Time SlotMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
3–4 PM



























4–5 PM



























5–6 PM



























6–7 PM



























Focus & SMART Goal

This Week’s SMART Goal
What you wrote on your Goal Setting Worksheet:






Action Steps

  1. Step 1: ____________________________


  2. Step 2: ____________________________


  3. Step 3 (optional): __________________


Use this planner every day to keep yourself on track. Check off completed blocks and adjust if something comes up. Good luck, Brain Boss!

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Brain Boss Challenge • Lenny Learning