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Tick-Tock: Own Your Clock!

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Lesson Plan

Tick-Tock: Own Your Clock!

Students will be able to identify personal time-wasters and apply at least two time management strategies to their daily routines.

Effective time management reduces stress, improves academic performance, and provides more free time for personal interests. Mastering these skills now will benefit students throughout high school and beyond.

Audience

High School Students

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and practical application exercises.

Materials

Smartboard or projector, Tick-Tock Slide Deck, Time-Waster Worksheet, and Cool Down Reflection

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Steals Your Time?

3 minutes

  • Begin by projecting a simple question: "What's one thing that always seems to steal your time?"
    * Have students quickly jot down their answers on their Time-Waster Worksheet or share aloud (teacher's discretion based on class dynamics).
    * Briefly discuss a few responses, highlighting common themes.

Step 2

Introduction: Why Time Matters

2 minutes

  • Use the Tick-Tock Slide Deck to introduce the concept of time management and its importance for high school students (Slide 2-3).
    * Emphasize that it's about making time work for them, not against them.

Step 3

Identifying Time-Wasters

5 minutes

  • Display common time-wasters using the Tick-Tock Slide Deck (Slide 4).
    * Ask students to circle or highlight the time-wasters they identify with on their Time-Waster Worksheet.
    * Facilitate a short discussion:
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Slide Deck

Tick-Tock: Own Your Clock!

Strategies for Mastering Your Time and Crushing Your Goals!

Welcome students and introduce the engaging title. Explain that today's lesson is about gaining control over their time.

What Steals Your Time?

Think about a typical day. What activities or distractions seem to eat up most of your valuable time?

  • Social Media?
  • Video Games?
  • Endless Scrolling?
  • Procrastination?
  • Other?

Start with an interactive question to get students thinking. This links to the warm-up activity in the lesson plan and the worksheet. Encourage quick, honest responses.

Why Does Time Management Matter?

Time is your most valuable resource!

  • Reduce Stress & Anxiety
  • Improve Grades & Academic Performance
  • Find More Time for Hobbies & Friends
  • Achieve Your Goals
  • Boost Your Overall Well-being

Explain why time management is crucial for high school students. Connect it to their lives: school, friends, hobbies, and future aspirations.

Common Time-Wasters

Do any of these sound familiar?

  • Endless Phone Notifications
  • Binge-Watching Shows
  • Unplanned Activities
  • Perfectionism (getting stuck on small details)
  • Lack of Prioritization (everything feels urgent)
  • Disorganization

Present common time-wasting culprits. Ask students to identify which ones resonate with them from their worksheet. Facilitate a brief discussion.

Strategy 1: Prioritize Like A Pro!

Not all tasks are created equal.

  • Identify: What absolutely has to get done?
  • Rank: Order tasks by importance and urgency.
  • Focus: Tackle the most important tasks first.

Introduce the first key strategy: Prioritization. Explain the concept simply and emphasize its power.

Strategy 2: Plan Your Day (or Week)!

A little planning goes a long way.

  • To-Do Lists: Simple, effective.
  • Planners/Calendars: Visualizing your week.
  • Set Deadlines: Even for personal tasks.
  • Break Down Big Tasks: Make them less daunting.

Introduce the second key strategy: Planning. Explain how a simple plan can make a big difference. Mention different tools they can use.

Strategy 3: Tame the Distraction Dragon!

Your phone is not your boss.

  • Notification Control: Turn them off or put your phone away.
  • Designated Study Space: Keep it clear and quiet.
  • "Do Not Disturb" Mode: Use it!
  • Pomodoro Technique: Work for 25 mins, break for 5 mins.

Introduce the third strategy: Eliminate Distractions. Provide actionable tips.

Your Time, Your Power!

Remember these key steps:

  1. Identify your time-wasters.
  2. Prioritize your tasks.
  3. Plan your attack.
  4. Eliminate distractions.

You've got this!

Summarize the key takeaways and reinforce the idea that time management is a skill they can develop. Encourage them to choose one strategy to try.

What's Your Next Step?

Take a moment to reflect:

What is one time management strategy you will try to implement starting today?

Think about how this might change your week!

Conclude the lesson and transition to the cool-down activity. Encourage reflection.

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Worksheet

Time-Waster Worksheet: Own Your Clock!

Part 1: What Steals Your Time? (Warm-Up)

When you think about your day, what's one thing that always seems to steal your time, making it hard to get things done?







Part 2: Common Time-Wasters

Read through the list below and put a checkmark next to any time-waster you often find yourself doing. Add any others that aren't listed!

  • Endless phone notifications
  • Scrolling through social media
  • Binge-watching shows/videos
  • Getting distracted by video games
  • Procrastination (putting things off)
  • Not knowing where to start (lack of planning)
  • Trying to make everything perfect (perfectionism)
  • Disorganization (spending time looking for things)
  • Saying 'yes' to too many things
  • Other:


Part 3: My Top Time-Wasters

From the list above (or your own ideas), what are your top 2-3 biggest time-wasters?










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Cool Down

Cool Down: My Time, My Power!

Now that we've talked about how to own your clock, it's time to think about what you'll do next!

My Next Step

What is ONE time management strategy you will try to implement starting today or this week? (e.g., trying a to-do list, putting your phone away during homework, breaking down a big task).












How do you think implementing this one strategy might change your week or your schoolwork?












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