Executive Function Relay

Objective

Equip 10th-grade parents with firsthand experience of key executive functioning skills and mental health strategies to better support their teens at home in just 15 minutes.

Materials

• Station task cards (prepared by facilitator)
• Blank notecards and pens
• Timers or stopwatch app
• Family Focus Sprint overview handout (optional)

Setup (2 minutes)

1. Arrange five stations around the room, each focusing on one skill:
   1. Task Initiation
   2. Planning & Prioritizing
   3. Organization Checkpoint
   4. Flexible Thinking
   5. Stress-Management Pause
2. Place a task card and writing materials at each station.
3. Assign parents into small relay teams (3–4 per team).

Relay Instructions (10 minutes)

Participants rotate through each station in 2-minute intervals. At the signal, they move to the next station. A final 2-minute group debrief follows.

Station 1: Task Initiation (2 min)

• Task: You receive a jumbled list of five after-school tasks (e.g., math homework, laundry). Quickly decide which to start first and why. Write your choice and rationale on the notecard.

Rationale:

Station 2: Planning & Prioritizing (2 min)

• Task: Given a one-week calendar and four overlapping deadlines (project, test, practice, family event), sketch a simple plan to fit them all in.

Sketch your mini-schedule:

Station 3: Organization Checkpoint (2 min)

• Task: You find this messy backpack scenario: papers everywhere, two missing assignments. List three quick steps to organize the backpack and locate missing work.

Steps:
1.
2.
3.

Station 4: Flexible Thinking (2 min)

• Task: Your teen’s bus runs late, cutting into study time. Suggest two alternative study solutions and note their pros and cons.

Solution 1 & Pros/Cons:

Solution 2 & Pros/Cons:

Station 5: Stress-Management Pause (2 min)

• Task: Demonstrate a quick breathing or grounding technique to reset under stress. Write down the steps to teach your teen.

Technique Steps:

Group Debrief (3 minutes)

1. Share Takeaways: What skill felt easiest? Most challenging?
2. Discussion Prompt: How might you adapt one strategy for your own child’s routine?

1. Action Plan: Each parent names one concrete step they’ll try at home this week.

End of Relay

Open House Introduction

Objective

Welcome 10th-grade parents and prime their thinking around executive functioning skills and mental health strategies before diving into the Executive Function Relay as part of our Family Focus Sprint.

Materials

• Sticky notes or index cards
• Pens or markers
• Large chart paper or whiteboard

Setup (2 minutes)

1. Post two headings on chart paper or whiteboard: "Executive Function" and "Mental Health/Well-Being".
2. Distribute one sticky note or index card and a pen to each parent.

Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes)

1. Quick Write (2 min):
   On your card, write one word or short phrase for each prompt:Executive Function:

   ---

   ---

   
   
   
   
   
   
   Mental Health/Well-Being: *** ***
   
   
   
   
   
   * A skill your teen struggles with (under **Executive Function**). * A self-care or stress-management challenge you’ve noticed (under **Mental Health/Well-Being**).
2. Post & Share (3 min):
   • Place your cards under each heading on the chart paper.
   • Facilitator quickly reads aloud a few entries from each category.
   • One volunteer shares why they chose their words and what they hope to learn today.

Transition to Relay

“Thank you for sharing! You’ve already started reflecting on the areas where your teen needs support. Now let’s get hands-on with some practical strategies in our Executive Function Relay!”

Reflection Exit Ticket

Objective

Consolidate your learning from the Family Focus Sprint and plan one concrete step to support your teen’s executive functioning and well-being at home.

1. Key Takeaway

Which executive functioning strategy from today’s activities resonated most with you? How might you explain it to your teen?

2. Mental Health Insight

Which stress-management or grounding technique will you practice together this week? Why did you choose this one?

3. Action Step

One specific action I will try at home in the next 7 days:

• What I will do:

• When/how often I will do it:

4. Additional Support

Is there a topic or strategy you’d like more resources or follow-up on?

Thank you for reflecting! Share this with the facilitator as you leave, or take a photo for your records. We’re excited to hear how these steps work for your teen!