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Master Your Mindset!

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Lesson Plan

Master Your Mindset!

Students will be able to define Executive Function, Self-Awareness, and Self-Management, recognize their importance, and apply these concepts by participating in an interactive game.

Understanding and developing executive function skills like self-awareness and self-management are crucial for 11th-grade students to navigate complex academic tasks, manage stress, and achieve personal goals. These skills are foundational for success in higher education and future careers.

Audience

11th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Direct instruction, interactive slides, and an engaging group game.

Materials

Master Your Mindset Slide Deck, and Executive Function Challenge Game

Prep

Review Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Hook

5 minutes

  • Greet students and introduce the lesson with an engaging question: "Have you ever felt overwhelmed by tasks or struggled to stay focused? Today, we're going to unlock some mental superpowers that help with exactly that!"
    - Introduce the terms 'Executive Function', 'Self-Awareness', and 'Self-Management' using Master Your Mindset Slide Deck (Slides 1-2).
    - Explain that these are essential skills for navigating school and life effectively.

Step 2

Defining Key Concepts

10 minutes

  • Use the Master Your Mindset Slide Deck (Slides 3-7) to explain each term in detail:
    - Executive Function: The brain's 'control center' for planning, focus, and memory.
    - Self-Awareness: Understanding your own feelings, strengths, and areas for growth.
    - Self-Management: Controlling your emotions and actions to achieve goals.
    - Provide examples for each skill relevant to 11th-grade students (e.g., planning a project, recognizing when you're stressed, choosing to study instead of watching TV).

Step 3

Game Activity: Scenario Showdown

10 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups.
    - Distribute the Executive Function Challenge Game scenarios.
    - Instruct groups to read each scenario, identify the primary executive function skill involved, and discuss a strategy to apply or improve that skill.
    - Circulate to facilitate discussion and provide guidance.

Step 4

Review & Wrap-up

5 minutes

  • Bring the class back together. Have each group share their analysis and strategies for one or two scenarios from the Executive Function Challenge Game.
    - Facilitate a brief discussion: "Which of these skills do you think is most challenging for you? What's one small step you can take to improve it this week?"
    - Reiterate the importance of practicing these skills daily.
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Slide Deck

Unlock Your Brain's Superpowers!

Ever wish you could focus better, plan more effectively, or manage your reactions?

Today, we're going to explore some amazing mental skills that help you do exactly that!

Welcome students and start with an engaging hook. Ask them to reflect on times they've felt disorganized or unfocused.

What is Executive Function?

It's like your brain's CEO or control center!

These are the mental skills that help you:

  • Plan and organize
  • Focus and pay attention
  • Remember details
  • Manage your time
  • Control impulses

Think of it as the 'how-to' for getting things done!

Introduce the main topic: Executive Function. Explain it as the 'boss' of the brain.

Skill 1: Self-Awareness

Knowing your own emotions, strengths, and weaknesses.

  • Emotions: Understanding what you feel and why.
  • Strengths: Recognizing what you're good at.
  • Weaknesses: Identifying areas where you can improve.

Why is it important? It helps you understand your reactions and make better choices.

Transition to the first key skill: Self-Awareness. Ask students why knowing themselves is important.

Self-Awareness in Action

Example: You notice you get frustrated every time you start a challenging math problem. This is self-awareness!

Question: How can recognizing this emotion help you approach the problem differently next time?

Provide a practical example of self-awareness. Ask students for their own examples.

Skill 2: Self-Management

Managing your emotions and behaviors to reach goals.

  • Emotional Regulation: Calming yourself down when upset.
  • Impulse Control: Thinking before you act.
  • Goal Setting: Sticking to plans to achieve what you want.

Why is it important? It helps you stay in control and work towards what matters.

Transition to the second key skill: Self-Management. Explain how it builds on self-awareness.

Self-Management in Action

Example: You feel stressed about a big test, but instead of panicking, you create a study schedule and stick to it. This is self-management!

Question: What's one goal you're working towards, and how could self-management help you achieve it?

Provide a practical example of self-management. Encourage students to think of times they've used this skill.

Bringing It All Together

Executive Function, Self-Awareness, and Self-Management are interconnected and profoundly impact your thought process!

  • Self-Awareness helps you know what's going on inside and how you think.
  • Self-Management helps you respond effectively to your thoughts and feelings.
  • Together, they strengthen your Executive Function and guide your actions!

Now, let's put these skills to the test with a fun group challenge!

Conclude by reinforcing the connection between these skills and daily success. Emphasize how they shape our thinking process. Introduce the game activity.

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Game

Executive Function Challenge: Scenario Showdown!

Instructions: Work in small teams to read each scenario. Decide which executive function skill (Executive Function, Self-Awareness, or Self-Management) is most at play, and then discuss a strategy to apply or improve that skill in the given situation. Be ready to share your team's thoughts!

Scenario 1: The Mountain of Homework

You have three major assignments and a test coming up next week. You're not sure where to start, and you feel a little overwhelmed just looking at your planner.

  • Skill at Play: ____________________
  • Strategy to Apply/Improve:











Scenario 2: The Frustration Feedback Loop

Every time you get stuck on a difficult problem in English class, you find yourself getting really angry and wanting to give up. You've noticed this pattern for a while now.

  • Skill at Play: ____________________
  • Strategy to Apply/Improve:











Scenario 3: The Social Media Siren Song

It's 8 PM, and you planned to study for an hour before bed. However, your phone keeps buzzing with notifications, and you find yourself constantly checking social media instead of opening your textbook.

  • Skill at Play: ____________________
  • Strategy to Apply/Improve:











Scenario 4: The Group Project Gauntlet

You're working on a group project, and one team member isn't pulling their weight. You're feeling annoyed and worried about the deadline, but you're not sure how to address the issue without causing conflict.

  • Skill at Play: ____________________
  • Strategy to Apply/Improve:











Scenario 5: The Post-Presentation Reflection

You just finished giving a presentation. You feel like it went okay, but you're thinking about how nervous you were at the beginning and how you rushed through a few parts. You want to do better next time.

  • Skill at Play: ____________________
  • Strategy to Apply/Improve:











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