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Monitor Your Focus!

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Lesson Plan

Monitor Your Focus!

Students will learn and practice a simple self-monitoring strategy to stay focused during independent work by using a checklist and timer.

Developing self-monitoring skills helps students with ADHD improve their ability to stay on task, manage distractions, and complete assignments more effectively, fostering greater independence and academic success.

Audience

Elementary School Students with ADHD (Tier 2 Group)

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Direct instruction, guided practice, and a hands-on activity with a checklist.

Materials

Timer, Pencils, Self-Monitoring Checklist Activity, Focus Tracker Rubric, and Monitor Your Focus! Slide Deck

Prep

Review Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What's the Superpower?

2 minutes

  • Begin by engaging students with a question about superpowers. (Refer to Monitor Your Focus! Slide Deck Slide 1)
  • Introduce the concept of 'Focus Power' as a personal superpower for learning.

Step 2

Learning Our Secret Strategy

5 minutes

Step 3

Practice Your Focus Power!

6 minutes

  • Distribute the Self-Monitoring Checklist Activity and pencils to each student.
  • Have students choose a short, independent task they need to work on (e.g., finishing a worksheet, silent reading, etc.).
  • Guide students through practicing the self-monitoring steps for a short burst of time (e.g., 2-3 minutes), reminding them to check their checklist when the timer rings. (Refer to Monitor Your Focus! Slide Deck Slide 4)
  • Circulate and provide immediate feedback and support.

Step 4

Reflect and Recharge

2 minutes

  • Bring the group back together. (Refer to Monitor Your Focus! Slide Deck Slide 5)
  • Ask students to share one thing they noticed about their focus during the activity.
  • Briefly review the importance of self-monitoring and encourage them to use this strategy in the future. Inform them that their progress will be evaluated using the Focus Tracker Rubric.
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Slide Deck

What's Your Superpower?

Imagine you have a special power. What would it be?


Today, we're going to unlock your 'Focus Power' - a superpower for learning!

Greet students and start with an engaging question to activate prior knowledge about personal strengths and introduce the idea of a 'superpower.'

Your Focus Power: Self-Monitoring

What is Self-Monitoring?

  • It means checking in with yourself.
  • It's like being your own coach or detective!
  • You ask: "Am I doing what I'm supposed to be doing?"

Explain what self-monitoring means in simple terms. Emphasize that it's about checking in with themselves.

Your Secret Weapon: The Checklist!

How do we use our Focus Power?

  • We use a special checklist!
  • It helps us remember to ask ourselves important questions.
  • And a timer helps us remember when to check!

Introduce the checklist as a tool. Explain that it helps them remember to check their focus. Show a visual of a simple checklist.

Practice Your Focus Power!

Let's try it out!

  1. Choose a task: What will you work on quietly?
  2. Start the timer!
  3. Work!
  4. TIMER RINGS! Check your Self-Monitoring Checklist Activity.
  5. Reset the timer! And keep going!

Go through the steps of the activity. Demonstrate using a timer and marking the checklist. Emphasize the 'reset' action.

You're a Focus Power Master!

What did you notice?

  • Was it easy or tricky to check in?
  • How did using your checklist help?

Keep using your Focus Power to be an amazing learner!

Facilitate a brief reflection. Ask students what they noticed. Reiterate the benefit of using their 'Focus Power.'

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Activity

Self-Monitoring Checklist: My Focus Power!

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

What I am working on: ____________________________________________________________________________

Instructions:

  1. Set a timer for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Work on your task.
  3. When the timer rings, STOP and look at your checklist.
  4. Put a ✓ if you were doing it, or an X if you got distracted.
  5. Reset the timer and keep going!

My Checklist

Time CheckI was focused on my work.I was quiet and not disturbing others.I needed to get back on track.
























What did you learn about your focus today?





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Rubric

Focus Tracker Rubric

Student Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Activity: Self-Monitoring Checklist Activity

This rubric assesses the student's engagement and application of self-monitoring strategies during independent work.

Criteria

Category4 - Exceeds Expectations3 - Meets Expectations2 - Developing1 - Needs Support
Uses ChecklistConsistently and accurately uses the checklist at every timer prompt.Generally uses the checklist at most timer prompts.Sometimes uses the checklist, but often needs reminders.Rarely or never uses the checklist.
Stays on TaskConsistently maintains focus on the assigned task throughout the activity.Generally stays on task, with minor, brief distractions.Frequently gets off task and requires several prompts to refocus.Is often off task and struggles to refocus even with support.
Self-CorrectionIndependently recognizes when off-task and quickly refocuses without prompting.Recognizes when off-task and refocuses with minimal prompting.Needs frequent prompting to recognize being off-task and to refocus.Does not recognize being off-task or struggles to refocus even with significant support.
ReflectionProvides thoughtful and insightful reflection on their focus and learning.Provides a clear reflection on their focus and some learning.Provides a basic reflection, often needing prompts.Provides little to no reflection.

Teacher Notes & Feedback:












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