Lesson Plan
Schedule Your Success Lesson Plan
Students will design a personal visual schedule to map out daily tasks, using a template and color-coding to boost time-management and self-regulation skills.
Creating a visual schedule helps students organize their day, reduce stress, and build essential planning and self-monitoring skills that improve focus and academic success.
Audience
6th Grade (Middle School Students)
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Model, guide, then independent creation
Materials
- Blank Visual Schedule Template, - Schedule Planning Worksheet, - Sample Completed Visual Schedule, and - Colorful Markers or Colored Pencils
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Print one Blank Visual Schedule Template and one Schedule Planning Worksheet per student
- Review the Sample Completed Visual Schedule to understand a finished example
- Gather a set of colorful markers or colored pencils for each student
Step 1
Introduction
5 minutes
- Ask: “How do you usually plan your day?” and discuss common challenges
- Define a visual schedule and list benefits: reduces stress, improves focus, manages time
- Display the Sample Completed Visual Schedule as a class exemplar
Step 2
Guided Modeling
7 minutes
- Project the blank template and model filling it out for a typical school day
- Think aloud to show how to prioritize tasks and assign realistic time blocks
- Demonstrate color-coding categories (e.g., blue for academics, green for breaks)
Step 3
Independent Creation
12 minutes
- Distribute each student a Schedule Planning Worksheet and Blank Visual Schedule Template
- Students list daily tasks on the worksheet and draft time slots
- Transfer items to the template and add color coding with markers or pencils
- Circulate to support planning choices and time estimates
Step 4
Share and Reflect
6 minutes
- Pair students to explain their schedules and discuss why they chose each block
- Invite 2–3 volunteers to showcase their visual schedules to the class
- Facilitate reflection: “How will this schedule help you stay on track?”
Slide Deck
Schedule Your Success
In this lesson, you will learn how to create a visual schedule to manage your daily tasks and reduce stress.
By the end, you will have your own personalized schedule!
Welcome students and introduce the lesson. Ask: “How do you usually plan your day?” Highlight that today they’ll learn to create a visual schedule to manage tasks and reduce stress. State objective: design your own personalized visual schedule.
Why Use a Visual Schedule?
- Organizes your day
- Reduces stress
- Improves focus and time-management
- Helps track tasks and goals
Explain each benefit and invite brief student comments. Ask which benefit they think will help them most.
Example of a Visual Schedule
Here’s a sample completed visual schedule for a typical school day:
Display the sample on the projector. Point out the color-coding (e.g., blue for academics, green for breaks), realistic time blocks, and simple icons or labels.
Modeling: Filling the Template
- List your tasks
- Estimate time for each task
- Prioritize tasks
- Assign time slots on the template
- Color-code each category
Project the blank template and walk through each step while thinking aloud. For example: “I need to do math homework—30 minutes—so I’ll block 4:00–4:30 PM in blue.”
Your Turn: Plan Your Tasks
Use your Schedule Planning Worksheet to:
- List daily tasks
- Draft time estimates
- Decide category colors
Hand out the Schedule Planning Worksheet and the Blank Visual Schedule Template. Encourage realistic time estimates and clear category choices.
Create Your Visual Schedule
Transfer your tasks and times to the blank template. Then:
- Draw each time block
- Add labels or icons
- Color-code each block
Circulate around the room, offer feedback on time-blocking and color choices. Encourage students to add small icons if they wish.
Share and Reflect
• Pair up and explain your schedule
• Discuss why you chose each block
• Class share: 2–3 volunteers
• Reflect: “How will this help you?”
Pair students to explain their schedules. After pairs share, invite 2–3 volunteers to present. Guide a brief reflection on how the schedule will help them.
Next Steps
- Use your schedule daily
- Update it as needed
- Share with family or friends for accountability
You’ve scheduled your success!
Summarize the key takeaways. Encourage students to post their schedules where they can see them and to update weekly. Thank everyone for their work today.
Worksheet
Schedule Planning Worksheet
Instructions: Complete the table below by listing your daily tasks, estimating how long each will take, and choosing a color for each category. Use this planning to fill out your visual schedule template.
| Task | Estimated Time (e.g., 30 min) | Color Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1. ____________ | ____________ | ____________ |
| 2. ____________ | ____________ | ____________ |
| 3. ____________ | ____________ | ____________ |
| 4. ____________ | ____________ | ____________ |
| 5. ____________ | ____________ | ____________ |
| 6. ____________ | ____________ | ____________ |
After completing this worksheet, transfer your tasks, times, and colors to the Blank Visual Schedule Template.
Reading
Blank Visual Schedule Template
Use this template to map out your daily activities. For each time slot, write your task, draw a small icon if you like, and color-code according to your categories (e.g., blue for academics, green for breaks).
| Time | Activity / Task |
|---|---|
| 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 PM | ____________ |
| 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | ____________ |
| 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | ____________ |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | ____________ |
| 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | ____________ |
| 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | ____________ |
| 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | ____________ |
| 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | ____________ |
Tips:
- Use different colors for each category (academics, chores, free time, etc.)
- Add small icons (📚, 🏀, 🍽️) to visualize activities
- Hang your schedule somewhere you’ll see it every day!
Reading
Sample Completed Visual Schedule
Below is an example of a fully filled-in visual schedule. Notice the use of icons, clear labels, and consistent color-coding for each category.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM | 🍎 Breakfast & Morning Routine (Color: Green) |
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | 📚 Math Class (Color: Blue) |
| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | ✏️ Language Arts (Color: Blue) |
| 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | 🔬 Science Lab (Color: Blue) |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 🏃♀️ Recess / Movement Break (Color: Green) |
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | 🍽️ Lunch (Color: Green) |
| 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | 🌍 Social Studies (Color: Blue) |
| 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | 🎨 Art Club (Color: Purple) |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | 🏠 Chores / Pack Backpack (Color: Orange) |
| 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | 📖 Homework: Math & Reading (Color: Blue) |
| 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | ⚽ Free Time / Play Outside (Color: Yellow) |
| 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | 🍽️ Dinner (Color: Green) |
| 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM | 👪 Family Time & Relaxation (Color: Purple) |
Tips for interpreting this sample:
- Categories in blue are academic tasks, green are meals and breaks, orange are responsibilities, purple are clubs or family time, and yellow is free time.
- Small icons (🍎, 📚, etc.) quickly show the activity type.
- Time blocks are realistic and allow buffer between tasks.
Use this example as inspiration when you fill out your own schedule template! You might swap activities or times to fit your personal routine.