Lesson Plan
Task & Treat Time!
Students will understand and apply the classroom-wide behavior intervention plan of completing academic tasks to earn a break, fostering self-management and positive work habits.
Learning to manage their tasks and earn breaks empowers students with self-regulation skills, promotes responsibility, and improves focus on academic work. It helps them understand the link between effort and reward, a crucial life skill.
Audience
2nd Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Direct instruction, guided practice, and independent application.
Materials
Whiteboard or Projector, Markers/Pens, Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Teacher Script: Task & Treat Time!, My Task Tracker Worksheet, and Small Rewards (stickers, extra free time, etc.)
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck and become familiar with the content.
* Print enough copies of the My Task Tracker Worksheet for each student.
* Gather small, age-appropriate rewards (e.g., stickers, pencils, a few minutes of extra free time, a choice of activity).
* Ensure your whiteboard or projector is ready for use.
* Read through the Teacher Script: Task & Treat Time! to prepare for delivery.
Step 1
Warm-Up: What Motivates You?
5 minutes
- Ask students: "What makes you feel proud after finishing something hard?" or "What do you look forward to after you finish your homework?"
- Discuss their responses, linking them to the idea of rewards and breaks.
Step 2
Introduction: Task & Treat Time!
5 minutes
- Use the Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck to introduce the concept of 'Task & Treat Time!'
- Explain that completing academic tasks will earn them a well-deserved break.
- Emphasize that this is a way to help everyone focus and feel good about their work.
Step 3
Explain the Plan
10 minutes
- Go through the slides, explaining each step of the intervention plan clearly.
- Show the My Task Tracker Worksheet and demonstrate how students will use it to track their completed tasks.
- Clarify what counts as a 'task' (e.g., completing a math page, finishing a reading assignment) and what kind of 'treats' (breaks) they can earn.
- Use the Teacher Script: Task & Treat Time! for precise language and discussion prompts.
Step 4
Guided Practice
5 minutes
- Present a hypothetical scenario: "Imagine I've given you two math problems to solve. Once you finish them quietly, you can mark it on your tracker."
- Walk through filling out the My Task Tracker Worksheet together as a class.
- Answer any questions students have about the process.
Step 5
Cool-Down: Ready to Roll!
5 minutes
- Ask students to share one thing they are excited about earning for a break.
- Briefly review the main idea: "Work hard, earn a break!"
- Encourage them to try their best with the new system starting today/tomorrow.
Slide Deck
Task & Treat Time!
Ready to earn some awesome breaks?
Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of how they can earn breaks. Ask a warm-up question to get them thinking about motivation.
What is Task & Treat Time?
It's our special way to:
- Focus on our schoolwork
- Feel proud of what we finish
- Earn fun breaks!
Explain what 'Task & Treat Time!' is in simple terms. Emphasize that it's a way for everyone to do great work and feel good about it.
Step 1: Complete Your Task!
What's a 'Task'?
- Finishing a math worksheet
- Reading a book chapter
- Writing a story
When you finish a task, you'll get to mark it off!
Outline the first step: completing a task. Give clear examples relevant to 2nd graders.
Step 2: Track Your Progress!
We'll use a special tracker to see how many tasks you've completed.
Each time you finish a task, you get to mark it down. Hooray!
Explain the tracking process. Show a visual of the tracker if possible.
Step 3: Earn Your Treat Time!
When your tracker is full, it's 'Treat Time!'
What kind of treats?
- A few minutes of free choice
- A special sticker
- Drawing time
- A quick stretch break
Discuss the 'treats' or breaks they can earn. Make sure to list a variety of age-appropriate options.
Let's See How It Works!
Imagine:
- You finish your writing prompt.
- You mark it on your My Task Tracker Worksheet!
- You do 3 tasks, and then you get a 5-minute treat break!
Provide a simple example for students to grasp the whole process easily.
Ready to Be a Task Master?
Remember:
- Hard work earns great rewards!
- You are in charge of your learning!
Let's get started!
Conclude by motivating students and reiterating the benefits. Ask if they have any questions.
Script
Teacher Script: Task & Treat Time!
Warm-Up: What Motivates You? (5 minutes)
Teacher: Good morning, wonderful second graders! Let's start our day with a quick thought. What makes you feel super proud after you finish something hard? Like, when you clean your room or complete a tricky puzzle?
(Allow a few students to share their responses.)
Teacher: Those are great feelings! And what about when you finish your homework? What do you usually look forward to doing afterwards? Maybe playing, reading, or just relaxing?
(Allow a few more students to share.)
Teacher: It sounds like we all enjoy feeling accomplished and then getting to do something fun afterward! That's exactly what we're going to talk about today.
Introduction: Task & Treat Time! (5 minutes)
Teacher: (Transition to Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Slide 1) Get ready for something new and exciting called Task & Treat Time! This is a special way we're going to work together in our classroom to help everyone do their best learning.
(Transition to Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Slide 2) Task & Treat Time is our new plan to help us focus on our schoolwork, feel super proud of everything we finish, and earn some fun breaks! Who likes fun breaks? (Pause for student reactions) Me too!
Explain the Plan (10 minutes)
Teacher: (Transition to Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Slide 3) So, how does it work? It all starts with a Task. A task is simply a piece of schoolwork we need to complete. It could be finishing a math worksheet, reading a book chapter quietly, or writing a story in your journal. When you finish a task, you'll know exactly what to do next.
(Transition to Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Slide 4) The next step is to Track Your Progress! We're going to use a special paper called a My Task Tracker Worksheet. Every time you finish a task, you get to put a mark on your tracker. It's like collecting points for your hard work! The more tasks you complete, the more marks you'll get.
Teacher: (Hold up an example of the My Task Tracker Worksheet.) See? It's easy! You just find the next empty box and make a checkmark or draw a star. This helps you see how much awesome work you've done.
(Transition to Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Slide 5) And then comes the best part: Earn Your Treat Time! Once you fill up your tracker with marks for completed tasks, it's Treat Time! Your treat could be a few minutes of free choice, picking a special sticker, having some drawing time, or even a quick stretch break. We'll have a list of fun treats you can choose from!
Teacher: Remember, these treats are earned by showing great effort and focus on your tasks. It's not about being the fastest, but about doing your best work.
Guided Practice (5 minutes)
Teacher: (Transition to Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Slide 6) Let's practice together! Imagine I've given everyone two math problems to solve. (Pause) Okay, everyone has finished their two math problems quietly and carefully. What's the very next thing you would do?
(Guide students to say they would mark their tracker.)
Teacher: Exactly! So, you would take out your My Task Tracker Worksheet and make one mark for finishing those math problems. Now, imagine you do two more tasks, maybe you finish a reading comprehension page, and then you complete a spelling activity. You'd make two more marks on your tracker. Let's say our tracker has spaces for three marks. Once you've made three marks, you've earned your treat! You can then choose one of the fun treats from our treat menu. (Demonstrate on the example worksheet or whiteboard.)
Teacher: Does anyone have any questions about how this will work? (Address questions clearly and simply.)
Cool-Down: Ready to Roll! (5 minutes)
Teacher: (Transition to Task & Treat Time! Slide Deck, Slide 7) You are all going to be amazing Task Masters! Who is excited to earn some awesome breaks today or tomorrow?
(Allow students to show excitement.)
Teacher: Remember: hard work earns great rewards, and you are in charge of your own learning and choices! We'll start using our Task & Treat Time! system very soon. Get ready to show off your fantastic focus!
Worksheet
My Task Tracker Worksheet
Name: __________________________
Welcome to Task & Treat Time! Every time you finish a task, put a checkmark or a star in one of the boxes below. When all the boxes are filled, it's Treat Time!
My Tasks Completed:
- [ ]
- [ ]
- [ ]
My Treat:
Once your boxes are full, choose your treat! (Ask your teacher for options!)
I earned a ________________________________________ treat!
Great Job, Task Master! Keep up the amazing work!