Lesson Plan
Roadmap to Independence
Students will develop essential life skills—time management, budgeting, and decision-making—through interactive activities and discussions to build confidence and autonomy for independent living.
Equipping 8th graders with real‐world skills early fosters self‐confidence, promotes responsible decision‐making, and smooths the transition to greater independence.
Audience
8th Grade Class
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Blend presentations, hands‐on activities, and scenario discussions.
Materials
Chalkboard and Markers, Projector or Interactive Display, Skills for Success Slide Deck, Daily Routine Relay Activity Cards, Personal Budget Planner Worksheet, and What Would You Do? Discussion Prompts
Prep
Prepare Materials and Classroom
10 minutes
- Review Skills for Success Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with key talking points
- Print and organize Daily Routine Relay Activity Cards into sets for small groups
- Make copies of the Personal Budget Planner Worksheet for each student
- Print or display What Would You Do? Discussion Prompts for group discussion
- Arrange desks in small clusters for group activities
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
- Greet students and write objectives on the board using Roadmap to Independence as context
- Briefly explain the lesson’s focus: skills for independent living
- Activate prior knowledge: ask students to share one life skill they think is essential
Step 2
Skills Overview
15 minutes
- Project the Skills for Success Slide Deck
- Present key life skills: time management, communication, self‐advocacy, budgeting
- After each slide, ask students to give a quick real‐life example of that skill
Step 3
Daily Routine Relay
15 minutes
- Divide students into small teams and distribute Daily Routine Relay Activity Cards
- Explain: each card lists a daily task; teams arrange cards in an optimal schedule order
- Debrief: have each group share their schedule and rationale, highlighting time‐management strategies
Step 4
Budget Planning
15 minutes
- Hand out the Personal Budget Planner Worksheet to each student
- Walk through a sample scenario (e.g., monthly allowance) and demonstrate how to allocate funds
- Students complete their own mini‐budget, then compare and discuss spending choices in pairs
Step 5
Real‐World Scenarios Discussion
10 minutes
- Project or distribute What Would You Do? Discussion Prompts
- Present 2–3 real‐world dilemmas (e.g., unexpected car repair, peer pressure to overspend)
- Facilitate whole‐class discussion: students propose solutions, discuss pros and cons
- Summarize key takeaways and connect back to independent living skills
Slide Deck
Skills for Success
Essential Life Skills for Independent Living
Welcome students! Introduce the focus of this deck: four key life skills that will help you live more independently. Explain that after this overview we’ll dive into activities to practice each skill.
Today’s Skills
- Time Management
- Communication
- Self-Advocacy
- Budgeting
Point to each skill as you read them. Emphasize that these skills work together. Tell students they’ll see examples and then share their own experiences.
Time Management
Definition: Planning and organizing your time to accomplish tasks efficiently.
Key Tips:
- Prioritize important tasks first
- Use a planner or app to schedule your day
- Break big projects into smaller steps
Define time management and why it matters. Ask students: What’s one task you wish you had more time for? Prompt volunteers to share.
Communication
Definition: Sending and receiving messages clearly and respectfully.
Key Tips:
- Listen actively: make eye contact and nod
- Speak clearly and use polite language
- Be aware of body language
Explain active listening and clear expression. Then role-play: Ask for a volunteer to demonstrate how they would ask a teacher for extra help politely.
Self-Advocacy
Definition: Speaking up for your own needs and rights.
Key Tips:
- Know your strengths and needs
- Use “I” statements: “I need…” or “I feel…”
- Ask questions until you understand
Describe self-advocacy. Encourage students to think of a time they needed help. Invite a few to share and discuss how advocating helped them.
Budgeting
Definition: Planning how to use your money wisely.
Key Tips:
- Track income and expenses
- Set savings goals
- Allocate funds for needs, wants, and emergency
Walk through an example: $50 allowance. Ask: How much would you save? Spend? Have students jot down their own simple budget.
Next Steps
Get ready to apply these skills in:
- Daily Routine Relay Activity
- Personal Budget Planner Worksheet
Transition to the next activity. Explain that students will now practice these skills in a group relay and budget worksheet.
Activity
Daily Routine Relay Activity
Objective: Students will practice time management by collaboratively arranging daily tasks into an optimized schedule.
Materials:
- Sets of shuffled Daily Routine cards for each team (see list below)
- Tape or sticky tack (to post cards)
- Poster paper or desk space
Instructions for Teacher:
- Divide the class into teams of 3–4 students.
- Give each team one complete set of shuffled Daily Routine cards.
- Explain the goal: arrange the cards in the order that makes the most efficient and realistic daily schedule.
- Allow 10 minutes for teams to discuss and sequence their cards.
- Have teams post their ordered cards on the board or a poster, then invite one member from each group to present their schedule and explain key time-management choices.
- Facilitate a brief debrief: compare schedules, discuss why some tasks may be prioritized differently, and highlight strategies like batching similar tasks and scheduling breaks.
Daily Routine Cards (one card per task):
- Wake up at 7:00 AM
- Eat breakfast
- Check emails and notifications
- Attend first-period class
- Take a short break or have a snack
- Complete homework assignment
- Participate in an extracurricular activity (e.g., club or sport)
- Have dinner with family
- Prepare school bag and clothes for the next day
- Relax or read for leisure
- Go to sleep by 10:00 PM
Follow-Up Questions:
- Which tasks did you prioritize and why?
- How did you decide when to schedule breaks?
- If something unexpected came up (e.g., an extra assignment), where would you adjust your schedule?
Use this activity to underscore the importance of planning ahead, flexibility, and balancing responsibilities with rest.
Worksheet
Personal Budget Planner
Use this worksheet to plan your monthly budget. Fill in each section and reflect on your choices.
- Monthly Income:
Total Monthly Income: $________
- Essential Expenses:
- Rent/Mortgage: $________
- Utilities (electricity, water, internet): $________
- Groceries: $________
- Transportation (bus, gas, etc.): $________
Total Essential Expenses: $________
- Discretionary Expenses:
- Entertainment (movies, games): $________
- Eating Out: $________
- Shopping (clothes, accessories): $________
Total Discretionary Expenses: $________
- Savings Goals:
- Emergency Fund: $________
- Long-Term Goal (e.g., trip, gadget): $________
Total Savings: $________
- Summary:
- Total Income: $________
- Total Expenses (Essential + Discretionary): $________
- Total Savings: $________
Reflection Questions
- What percentage of your income did you allocate to savings?
- Which expense category is the largest and why?
- How could you adjust your budget to increase your savings?
- Why is having a budget important for living independently?
Discussion
What Would You Do? Discussion
Objective: Apply independent-living skills—budgeting, time management, communication, and self-advocacy—to real-world dilemmas.
Instructions for Teacher:
- Project or hand out these scenarios.
- Ask students to read each one and think individually: “What would you do?”
- Let students discuss their ideas in pairs or small groups (3–4 minutes).
- Facilitate a whole-class share-out, guiding students to explain their reasoning and link back to life skills.
Scenario 1: Unexpected Car Repair
Your family’s car needs a repair that costs $200. You have a monthly allowance and a budget planned. You can’t just add $200 without adjusting other expenses.
What would you do?
Scenario 2: Peer Pressure to Overspend
Your friends want to go shopping at the mall and spend money on things you don’t really need. You’ve been saving for a music lesson.
What would you do?
Scenario 3: Last-Minute Project
You discover a big school project is due tomorrow, but you’ve scheduled practice, chores, and social plans. You’re short on time and risk missing the deadline.
What would you do?
Follow-Up Questions
- Which life skill(s) did you use to solve this problem? (e.g., time management, budgeting, communication, self-advocacy)
- What are the pros and cons of your decision?
- How could you adjust your plan if circumstances change (e.g., less money or more time needed)?
- How does this scenario prepare you for independent living?