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Master Your Time

Lesson Plan

Master Your Time Lesson Plan

Students will learn and practice essential time management, task prioritization, planning, and organization strategies through a series of four 15-minute lessons, each featuring a check-in, skill introduction with rationale, guided worksheet activity, and reflection check-out.

Developing these skills in 6th grade fosters academic success, reduces stress, and builds lifelong habits for managing workload, meeting deadlines, and staying organized.

Audience

6th Grade Students

Time

4 sessions, 15 minutes each

Approach

Interactive mini-lessons with hands-on worksheets and reflection.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

Step 1

Session 1: Introduction to Time Management

15 minutes

  • Check-In (2 min): Students share one thing they finished today and one they wish they had more time for.
  • Introduction (3 min): Define time management and explain why estimating and allocating time helps complete work on time and reduces stress.
  • Practice (8 min): Students complete the Time Management Checklist Worksheet, listing their daily tasks and estimating durations.
  • Check-Out (2 min): Partners share one strategy they’ll try to manage their time tomorrow.

Step 2

Session 2: Prioritizing Tasks

15 minutes

  • Check-In (2 min): Students list two tasks they must do this week.
  • Introduction (3 min): Explain prioritization and differentiate between urgent vs. important tasks.
  • Practice (8 min): Using the Task Prioritization Matrix Worksheet, students categorize sample or personal tasks into four quadrants (urgent/important).
  • Check-Out (2 min): Each student names one task they will prioritize first.

Step 3

Session 3: Planning Your Day

15 minutes

  • Check-In (2 min): Students report on yesterday’s prioritized task—completed or not.
  • Introduction (3 min): Discuss how planning daily schedules helps follow through on priorities and reduces procrastination.
  • Practice (8 min): Students fill out the Daily Planner Template for their next school day, blocking time for tasks and breaks.
  • Check-Out (2 min): Volunteer shares one time block and its planned activity.

Step 4

Session 4: Staying Organized and Reflecting

15 minutes

  • Check-In (2 min): Students show one organized item (notebook, binder, digital folder).
  • Introduction (3 min): Discuss how organized materials and notes save time and prevent misplaced work.
  • Practice (8 min): Students complete the Organization Strategy Reflection Exit Ticket, reflecting on current habits and identifying one new organization strategy.
  • Check-Out (2 min): Each student commits aloud to one strategy they will implement this week.
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Slide Deck

Master Your Time

A 4-part series to build essential time-management, prioritization, planning, and organization skills.

Welcome students! Introduce the series: we’ll learn four key skills to help you manage time, prioritize tasks, plan your day, and stay organized.

Series Overview

Session 1: Introduction to Time Management
Session 2: Prioritizing Tasks
Session 3: Planning Your Day
Session 4: Staying Organized and Reflecting

Briefly walk through each session’s focus so students know what’s coming.

Session 1: Check-In

Share one thing you finished today and one thing you wish you had more time for with a partner.

Prompt students to think about how they used their time today. Model an example first.

What Is Time Management?

Time management means planning how much time you’ll spend on tasks. It helps you finish work on time and feel less stressed.

Define the concept and why it matters for schoolwork and stress management.

Practice: Time Management Checklist

Complete the Time Management Checklist Worksheet: list your daily tasks and estimate durations.

Distribute the worksheet and guide students through the first two tasks.

Session 1: Check-Out

With your partner, share one new time-management strategy you’ll try tomorrow.

Ask a couple of volunteers to share their chosen strategies before moving on.

Session 2: Check-In

List two tasks you must complete this week.

Have students jot down quickly. You might model an example list.

Why Prioritize Tasks?

Prioritization means deciding what’s most important or most urgent. It ensures you tackle critical tasks first.

Explain the difference between urgent and important using student examples.

Practice: Task Prioritization Matrix

Use the Task Prioritization Matrix Worksheet to place tasks into four quadrants.

Guide students through categorizing a sample task, then let them work on their own.

Session 2: Check-Out

Name one task you’ll prioritize first and explain why.

Invite a few students to name their top-priority task aloud.

Session 3: Check-In

Report on yesterday’s prioritized task: completed or not?

Ask: Did you complete yesterday’s top task? What helped or got in the way?

Why Plan Your Day?

Planning your schedule helps you stick to priorities, include breaks, and avoid procrastination.

Discuss how mapping out your day reduces last-minute rushes and procrastination.

Practice: Daily Planner

Fill out the Daily Planner Template for tomorrow, blocking time for tasks and breaks.

Show an example planner on the board, then let students fill theirs in.

Session 3: Check-Out

Share one time block and what you scheduled.

Have volunteers share one time block and its planned activity.

Session 4: Check-In

Show one organized item you use (notebook, binder, folder, or digital space).

Encourage students to show physical or digital examples of organization.

Why Stay Organized?

Keeping materials and notes organized prevents lost work and helps you find what you need quickly.

Explain how organized materials save time searching and keep you on track.

Practice: Organization Reflection

Complete the Organization Strategy Reflection Exit Ticket to identify one new habit to try.

Distribute the exit ticket and give clear directions for reflection.

Session 4: Check-Out

State aloud one organization strategy you’ll implement this week.

Close by asking students to commit verbally, reinforcing accountability.

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Worksheet

Time Management Checklist Worksheet

Instructions: List 5 tasks you plan to do today. For each task, estimate how many minutes it will take, then track the actual time you spend. Finally, reflect on what helped you stay on track or what slowed you down.

Task DescriptionEstimated Time (min)Actual Time (min)Reflection (What helped or slowed you?)
1.















2.















3.















4.















5.















Tip: Compare your estimates to your actual times to improve your planning skills over time.

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Worksheet

Task Prioritization Matrix Worksheet

Instructions: List at least one personal or sample task in each quadrant based on how urgent and important it is. Use this to decide what to tackle first!

ImportantNot Important
UrgentQuadrant 1: Urgent & ImportantQuadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important
1. ________________________________1. ________________________________








Not UrgentQuadrant 2: Important but Not UrgentQuadrant 4: Neither Urgent nor Important
1. ________________________________1. ________________________________








Reflection:

  1. Which quadrant did you fill with your most critical task?






  2. How will focusing on that quadrant help you manage your time and stress?








Tip: Always start with tasks in Quadrant 1, then move to Quadrant 2. Minimize time spent in Quadrants 3 and 4 to boost productivity.

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Worksheet

Daily Planner Template

Instructions: Fill in each time slot with the task or activity you plan to complete tomorrow. Include breaks and homework time. Use the “Priority” column to mark each item as High (H), Medium (M), or Low (L), then check off when you finish.

Time SlotTask/ActivityPriority (H/M/L)Done? (✔)Notes
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM





8:00 AM – 9:00 AM





9:00 AM – 10:00 AM





10:00 AM – 11:00 AM





11:00 AM – 12:00 PM





12:00 PM – 1:00 PMLunch/BreakL

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM





2:00 PM – 3:00 PM





3:00 PM – 4:00 PM





End-of-Day Reflection:

  1. Which task was your top priority today, and did you complete it?






  2. What helped you stick to your plan, and what could you improve tomorrow?








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Worksheet

Organization Strategy Reflection Exit Ticket

Instructions: Reflect on your current organization habits and identify one new strategy to try this week.

  1. List two organization strategies you already use in class or at home:
    a. ________________________________



    b. ________________________________



  2. What tool or system helps you find your materials quickly?






  3. Identify one new organization strategy you will implement this week (e.g., color-coded folders, labeled binder sections, digital folders, sticky-note reminders). Explain how you will use it:










  4. After trying your new strategy, what impact do you expect it will have on your work or stress levels?









    Commitment: I will use my new strategy by:










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