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Mastering Your Mind

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Lesson Plan

Mastering Your Mind Lesson Plan

Develop 7th graders' executive functioning skills across 5 targeted sessions focusing on organization, time management, and self-regulation.

Improving executive functioning equips students with the tools for academic success and effective personal management.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

5 sessions, 45 minutes each

Approach

Interactive sessions with discussions, hands-on activities, and reflective assessments.

Materials

Executive Functioning Worksheet, Organization And Planning Chart, and Self-Regulation Reflection Guide

Prep

Preparation

30 minutes before session

  • Review the Mastering Your Mind Lesson Plan.
  • Familiarize yourself with each digital material: worksheets, charts, and reflection guides.
  • Ensure all handouts and digital devices are ready and accessible.
  • Check that classroom seating facilitates both group and individual activities.
  • Prepare any necessary materials for interactive activities.

Step 1

Session 1: Introduction to Executive Functioning

45 minutes

  • Introduce the concept of executive functioning and its importance.
  • Engage students in a discussion about organization and self-regulation.
  • Distribute the Executive Functioning Worksheet to assess current skill levels.
  • Facilitate a short activity on setting personal academic goals.

Step 2

Session 2: Developing Organizational Skills

45 minutes

  • Review outcomes from Session 1 and discuss progress.
  • Introduce the Organization And Planning Chart.
  • Guide students through a planning exercise for homework and projects.
  • Encourage group sharing of strategies for staying organized.

Step 3

Session 3: Mastering Time Management

45 minutes

  • Begin with a brief review of organizational concepts.
  • Introduce time management strategies with real-life examples.
  • Engage students in an activity using a daily schedule planner.
  • Facilitate a discussion on balancing school work and personal time.

Step 4

Session 4: Enhancing Self-Regulation

45 minutes

  • Review previous sessions and connect time management to self-regulation.
  • Introduce techniques for managing emotions and impulses.
  • Use role-play scenarios to demonstrate self-regulation strategies.
  • Distribute the Self-Regulation Reflection Guide for guided reflection.

Step 5

Session 5: Integration and Reflection

45 minutes

  • Recap key concepts and review all materials from previous sessions.
  • Facilitate small group discussions on personal improvements in executive functioning.
  • Have students complete a final reflection activity using all provided guides.
  • Encourage students to share their future plans for using these skills.
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Slide Deck

Mastering Your Mind

Welcome to our 5-session series on executive functioning. Let's explore how organization, time management, and self-regulation can boost your success!

Introduce the series and its objectives. Emphasize the importance of executive functioning skills for school and life success. Keep the tone positive and engaging.

What is Executive Functioning?

Explore the skills of planning, organizing, and self-regulation. These are the tools our brain uses to set and achieve goals.

Provide an overview of what executive functioning is. Encourage discussion by asking students what they think these skills mean.

Session 1: Introduction to Executive Functioning

Activities:

Session 1 details: Introduction. Go over the worksheet and discuss setting personal goals.

Session 2: Developing Organizational Skills

Activities:

  • Review Session 1 outcomes
  • Introduce the Organization And Planning Chart
  • Planning exercise for homework and projects
  • Group sharing of organization strategies.

Session 2 details: Focus on organizational skills. Walk the class through the organizational chart and encourage peer sharing.

Session 3: Mastering Time Management

Activities:

  • Recap organizational concepts
  • Learn time management strategies
  • Daily schedule planning exercise
  • Discuss balancing school work and personal time.

Session 3 details: Emphasize time management. Use real examples and a planning activity to help visualize a daily schedule.

Session 4: Enhancing Self-Regulation

Activities:

  • Connect time management to self-regulation
  • Practice techniques for managing emotions and impulses with role-play
  • Complete the Self-Regulation Reflection Guide.

Session 4 details: Enhance self-regulation. Introduce techniques and practice role-play scenarios to demonstrate emotional control.

Session 5: Integration and Reflection

Activities:

  • Recap key messages from previous sessions
  • Facilitate small group discussions
  • Final reflection activity using all guides
  • Share future plans for applying these skills.

Session 5 details: Integration and Reflection. Summarize key concepts and enable students to reflect on their learnings and set plans for the future.

Your Journey Ahead

Remember: Learning to master your mind is a step towards mastering your future. Keep practicing and using your executive functioning skills every day!

Conclude with a motivational message. Reiterate how mastering these skills will help in academics and life. Answer any final questions.

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Worksheet

Executive Functioning Worksheet

Welcome to your Executive Functioning Worksheet! This activity is designed to help you assess your current skills in organization, time management, and self-regulation. Take your time to answer each question thoughtfully and set personal academic goals.

Self-Assessment Questions

  1. What executive functioning skills do you think you are good at?




  2. Which areas do you feel need improvement?




  3. Describe a time when your organization or time management skills helped you succeed in school.




  4. What strategies have you used before to manage your time or emotions?




Goal-Setting Prompts

  1. Based on your self-assessment, what is one specific goal you have for improving your executive functioning skills?




  2. What steps will you take to achieve this goal? List at least two strategies you plan to use.




  3. How will you know when you have made progress towards this goal?




Think carefully about your answers and remember that every small step counts towards becoming more organized and successful in your studies.

Good luck!

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Worksheet

Organization And Planning Chart

This chart is designed to help you plan your homework and projects effectively. Use this chart to list your tasks, set deadlines, and prioritize your activities.

Homework and Project Planner

  1. List your upcoming tasks or projects:




  2. For each task, write down the due date:




  3. Assign a priority level (High, Medium, Low) for each task:




Daily Planner

  1. What is your top priority task for today?




  2. List two more tasks you plan to work on:




  3. How will you track your progress today?




Remember, being organized is the first step towards success. Use this chart every day to stay on track with your school work and projects!

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Worksheet

Self-Regulation Reflection Guide

Welcome to your Self-Regulation Reflection Guide! This guide is designed to help you explore and understand your abilities to manage your emotions and impulses. Reflect on the scenarios and questions below to gain insights into your self-regulation skills.

Reflective Questions

  1. Think about a time when you felt overwhelmed in class. What emotions did you experience, and how did you manage them?




  2. Describe a situation where you had to control your impulse to react immediately. What strategies did you use, and what would you do differently next time?




  3. How do you feel when you are able to successfully manage your emotions in challenging situations?




Scenario Practice

Imagine you are frustrated because you didn’t understand a math problem and are about to raise your voice. Write down the steps you can take to calm down and address the problem thoughtfully.




Action Plan

Based on your reflections, list two strategies you want to practice to improve your self-regulation skills. Describe how you will apply them in a real situation.




Remember, reflecting on your actions and responses is a powerful tool to help you grow and master your emotions. Take your time and be honest with your reflections!

lenny
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