Lesson Plan
Master Your Day Lesson Plan
Students will learn to schedule assignments in Google Calendar, track tasks in ManageBac, apply time‐management strategies, and compose professional emails to teachers.
Organizing digital calendars, ManageBac tasks, and email communication builds responsibility, meets deadlines, and strengthens academic success and digital literacy.
Audience
7th Grade Students
Time
50 minutes
Approach
Interactive demos with hands-on practice and assessments
Prep
Prepare Digital Resources
10 minutes
- Ensure all students have active Google Calendar and ManageBac accounts
- Review Master Your Day Slide Deck
- Familiarize yourself with Google Calendar Tutorial and ManageBac Navigation Guide
- Print or upload Time Management Worksheet
- Queue up Warm-Up Scenarios, Time-Tracking Game Instructions, and Email Etiquette Quiz
Step 1
Warm-Up
5 minutes
- Display Warm-Up Scenarios describing common scheduling challenges
- In pairs, students discuss which scenario sounds familiar and why
- Volunteers share key challenges and solutions with class
Step 2
Introduction
5 minutes
- Present lesson objectives and agenda via Master Your Day Slide Deck
- Explain benefits of organizing tasks digitally and communicating effectively
- Check for student questions
Step 3
Google Calendar Tutorial
10 minutes
- Project Google Calendar Tutorial
- Demonstrate creating events, setting reminders, and color-coding subjects
- Students follow along on their devices, creating a mock event for an upcoming assignment
- Offer extra support for students needing step-by-step guidance
Step 4
ManageBac Navigation
10 minutes
- Share ManageBac Navigation Guide
- Walk through adding a new assignment, setting due dates, and tagging tasks
- Students practice by entering a real upcoming assignment
- Pair students who finish early with peers needing assistance
Step 5
Time Management Activity
8 minutes
- Distribute Time Management Worksheet
- Students list tasks for the coming week, estimate time needed, and slot them into a sample schedule
- Encourage use of techniques: prioritization, buffer times, and breaks
- Offer sentence starters for ELL learners and one-on-one support for students with IEPs
Step 6
Emailing Practice
7 minutes
- Review email structure from slide deck: subject line, greeting, body, closing
- Students draft a practice email to a teacher asking for clarification on an assignment
- Use a template or starters for students needing language support
- Peers exchange drafts and provide feedback
Step 7
Game: Time-Tracking Challenge
3 minutes
- Explain Time-Tracking Game Instructions
- In small groups, students simulate scheduling 3 mini-tasks in 2 minutes, adjusting when unexpected ‘interruptions’ occur
- Debrief briefly on adaptability and buffer planning
Step 8
Quiz and Reflection
2 minutes
- Students complete the Email Etiquette Quiz
- Exit ticket: write one new habit they will implement this week to stay organized
- Collect reflections as a quick assessment of understanding
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Master Your Day
Organize your assignments, tasks, deadlines, and communication with teachers.
Welcome students to the lesson. Briefly introduce yourself and explain that today they’ll learn simple digital tools and strategies to stay organized and communicate effectively.
Warm-Up: Scheduling Scenarios
- You forgot about a quiz until the morning of.
- Two assignments are due on the same day and you feel overwhelmed.
- You didn’t know when to email your teacher with a question.
Display each scenario and give students ~1 minute to discuss in pairs. Then invite 2–3 volunteers to share which scenario they related to and why.
Today’s Objectives & Agenda
• Learn Google Calendar basics
• Navigate ManageBac for assignments
• Apply time-management strategies
• Practice composing professional emails
Agenda:
- Google Calendar Demo (10 min)
- ManageBac Practice (10 min)
- Time Management Activity (8 min)
- Email Composition (7 min)
- Game & Reflection (5 min)
Walk through each objective and agenda item. Verify students understand what they’ll do in each segment and answer any quick questions.
Google Calendar Basics
• Create events for assignments
• Set reminders & notifications
• Color-code subjects for easy reference
Project your screen to demo: create an event, add title/date/time, set a reminder, and choose a color. Pause for students to follow along on their devices, creating a mock event.
ManageBac: Track Your Tasks
• Add a new assignment with due date
• Tag subjects & set priorities
• Review your upcoming-tasks list
Open ManageBac and show how to add a new assignment: fill in title, due date, subject tag, and priority. Then ask students to enter one of their real upcoming assignments.
Time Management Tips
• Prioritize tasks (High, Medium, Low)
• Build in buffer time for surprises
• Schedule short breaks to stay focused
Introduce the three key strategies. Provide examples (e.g., “buffer time” if an assignment takes longer than expected). Encourage students to jot notes on their worksheets.
Writing Professional Emails
Subject: Clear & concise (e.g., “Question about Math Homework”)
Greeting: Hello Ms. Smith,
Body: State purpose and relevant details
Closing: Thank you,
[Your Name]
Show an example email on screen. Explain why each part is important. Encourage students to use this structure when drafting their own emails.
Game: Time-Tracking Challenge
- In groups, schedule 3 mini-tasks in 2 minutes
- Handle surprise “interruptions” from the teacher
- Note how you adjust your plan
Explain that you’ll call out random “interruptions” (e.g., “your dog needs a walk”). Groups must adjust and reschedule on the fly. Monitor groups to ensure fair play.
Quiz & Reflection
• Complete the Email Etiquette Quiz now
• Reflection: One new habit I’ll adopt to stay organized
Hand out the Email Etiquette Quiz. After students complete it, ask them to write one new habit they’ll implement this week. Collect exit tickets as they leave.
Worksheet
Time Management Worksheet
Instructions: For each upcoming assignment or responsibility, fill in the details below. Then reflect on your planning choices.
Task 1
Description: _______________________________
Estimated Time Needed: ______________________
Priority (High / Medium / Low): ____________
Scheduled Day & Time: ______________________
Task 2
Description: _______________________________
Estimated Time Needed: ______________________
Priority (High / Medium / Low): ____________
Scheduled Day & Time: ______________________
Task 3
Description: _______________________________
Estimated Time Needed: ______________________
Priority (High / Medium / Low): ____________
Scheduled Day & Time: ______________________
Task 4
Description: _______________________________
Estimated Time Needed: ______________________
Priority (High / Medium / Low): ____________
Scheduled Day & Time: ______________________
Reflection Questions
- Which task do you think will be the most challenging to schedule and why?
- What buffer time have you built in to accommodate unexpected changes?
Activity
Email Composition Practice
Objective: Draft a clear, polite email to a teacher asking for clarification on an assignment.
Time: 7 minutes
Instructions
- Review the email structure from the slide deck: subject line, greeting, body, closing.
- Use the template below to draft an email to your teacher about a specific question (e.g., due date, instructions, or resources).
- Exchange drafts with a partner. Provide one compliment and one suggestion for improvement.
Email Template & Draft Area
Subject: ___________________________________________
Greeting:
Hello Ms. Smith,
Body (state your purpose clearly):
I hope you’re well. I’m writing because I have a question about ____________________________.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Closing & Signature:
Thank you for your help,
[Your Name]
Peer Feedback
- Compliment: ____________________________________________________________
- Suggestion: ____________________________________________________________
Extension (for early finishers): Add one more detail in your body explaining when you plan to complete the assignment and ask if your plan looks good.
Support (for language learners): Use these starters:
- I’m writing to ask about…
- Could you please clarify…
- Is it okay if I…
Game
Time-Tracking Challenge Instructions
Objective: Practice quick scheduling, adaptability, and buffer planning by organizing mini-tasks under time pressure and handling unexpected interruptions.
Time: 3 minutes total
Group Size: 3–4 students per group
Materials
- Blank paper or whiteboard for each group
- Timer (projected or on teacher’s device)
- List of three mini-tasks (e.g., "Review 5 flashcards," "Outline one paragraph," "Send a reminder email")
- Interruption cards or teacher prompts (e.g., "Your friend needs help," "Family call," "Device battery dies")
Game Steps
- Assign Tasks (30 seconds):
- Each group draws or is given three mini-tasks.
- Quickly discuss and write down estimated time for each task.
- Initial Schedule (1 minute):
- Start the timer for 1 minute.
- In that time, groups must slot each task into a timeline (e.g., Task A: 0–30 sec; Task B: 30–50 sec; Task C: 50–90 sec).
- Interruptions Round (1 minute):
- Reset the timer for another minute.
- Every 20 seconds, the teacher calls out or displays an “interruption” prompt.
- Groups must quickly revise their timeline on their paper/board to accommodate the interruption.
- Example interruptions:
• "Your device needs charging for 10 seconds."
• "You get a reminder to check your email for 15 seconds."
• "A peer asks for help for 20 seconds."
- Final Adjustment (30 seconds):
- Groups have 30 seconds to finalize their adjusted schedule after the last interruption.
Debrief (2 minutes)
- Ask one representative from each group to share:
• How many seconds of buffer time they built in initially.
• Which interruption was hardest to accommodate and why.
• One strategy they used to stay organized under pressure. - Highlight key takeaways:
• Always leave small buffer slots between tasks.
• Prioritize high-impact tasks when time is tight.
• Effective communication in your group helps adapt faster.
Link back: Integrate these strategies into your real weekly planning in Time Management Worksheet.
Quiz
Email Etiquette Quiz