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Time Juggler

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Lissette Guardiola

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Time Juggler Notes

Students will sequence a typical afternoon schedule using sorting cards, apply a prioritization matrix to their tasks, and identify one personal time-management improvement for their daily plan.

Building time-management skills helps students organize after-school activities, reduce stress, meet responsibilities, and develop habits for academic success and lifelong planning.

Audience

5th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Hands-on sorting, direct instruction, personal reflection

Materials

  • Taming the Clock Slide Deck, - Schedule Sorting Cards, - Daily Planner Template, and - Time Juggler Script

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

  • Review Time Juggler Script for flow and key prompts.
  • Preview Taming the Clock Slide Deck slides.
  • Print or assemble sets of Schedule Sorting Cards and copies of Daily Planner Template.
  • Arrange students into small groups of 3–4.
  • Ensure whiteboard or chart paper and markers are ready.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Clock Race Game

5 minutes

  • Introduce concept of time with a quick “Clock Race” where students shout out times on a demo clock.
  • Use slides from Taming the Clock Slide Deck to show analog vs. digital.
  • Ask a volunteer to set the clock to a given time and have peers check answers.
    Assessment: Observe participation & understanding of time reading.

Step 2

Teach Prioritization Matrix

5 minutes

  • Present a 2×2 matrix on the board: Important/Urgent, Important/Not Urgent, Not Important/Urgent, Not Important/Not Urgent.
  • Walk through two after-school examples (e.g., homework, screen time) using slides.
  • Have students place “practice piano” and “play video games” into quadrants.
    Assessment: Quick thumbs-up/down for understanding.

Step 3

Group Schedule Sort

8 minutes

  • In teams, students receive Schedule Sorting Cards showing common after-school activities.
  • Groups sequence cards into a logical timeline, then assign each to a quadrant on chart paper.
  • Circulate to check reasoning and prompt deeper thinking.
    Assessment: Review group charts for correct sequencing and prioritization rationale.

Step 4

Personal Planner Fill-In

8 minutes

  • Distribute Daily Planner Template.
  • Students sequence their own afternoon tasks and place them into the matrix on the template.
  • They highlight one task they will change (e.g., shorten screen time) as an improvement.
  • Teacher assists individually.
    Assessment: One-to-one checks of planner completeness and improvement choice.

Step 5

Reflection and Share

4 minutes

  • Invite 3–4 students to share their chosen improvement and explain why.
  • Reinforce importance of realistic planning and accountability.
  • Summarize key takeaways: sequencing, prioritizing, reflecting.
  • Collect optional exit tickets: “My time-management tip is…”
    Assessment: Listen for thoughtful improvements and collect exit tickets.
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Slide Deck

Taming the Clock

Building Time-Management Skills

• Read clocks accurately
• Prioritize after-school tasks
• Sequence activities
• Create your personal daily plan

Welcome students! Introduce the slide deck “Taming the Clock.” Explain that today we’ll learn to read time, prioritize tasks, and plan our afternoon. Briefly run through the agenda.

Learning Objectives

By the end of today, you will be able to:

  1. Read and set analog and digital clocks
  2. Use a prioritization matrix to sort tasks
  3. Sequence your after-school activities
  4. Identify one improvement for better time management

Read each objective aloud and ask if any sound especially useful. Emphasize why these skills matter for school and home.

Analog vs. Digital Clocks

Analog Clock Digital Clock

[Image of analog clock] [Image of digital clock]

• Analog shows hours/minutes by hands
• Digital shows numeric readout

Explain analog vs. digital. Point to the clock faces. Ask a volunteer to read 3:45 on the analog clock.

Warm-Up: Clock Race Game

  1. I will show a time on the analog clock.
  2. Teams race to shout the correct digital time.
  3. Points for first correct answer.
  4. Switch roles: digital shown, you set analog.

Get ready—let’s tame that clock!

Introduce the Clock Race game. Set a timer for 1 minute. Invite teams to shout out times you show. Keep energy high!

Prioritization Matrix

               Urgent       Not Urgent

Important [1] Do Now [2] Schedule
Not Important [3] Delegate [4] Don’t Do

Draw the 2×2 matrix on the board. Label quadrants as shown. Explain “urgent” vs. “important.”

Model Example

Task Examples:

• Practice piano → Important & Not Urgent ([2])
• Play video games → Not Important & Not Urgent ([4])
• Homework due tomorrow → Important & Urgent ([1])
• Checking social media → Not Important & Urgent ([3])

Model with two tasks. Ask, “Where does practicing piano go? How about video games?” Confirm responses.

Group Activity: Schedule Sort

  1. In groups, take a set of Schedule Sorting Cards.
  2. Sequence them into a logical afternoon timeline.
  3. Place each card into the correct prioritization quadrant on chart paper.
  4. Be ready to share your grouping rationale.

Explain group activity using Schedule Sorting Cards. Circulate and prompt reasoning.

Personal Planner Fill-In

  1. List your own after-school tasks in order.
  2. Place each task into the prioritization matrix on the template.
  3. Highlight one task you’ll improve (e.g., shorten screen time).
  4. Ask for help if you’re not sure.

Hand out Daily Planner Template. Guide students through each section and offer help.

Reflection & Share

• Share your chosen improvement: What will you change and why?
• Discuss how realistic your plan is.
• Exit Ticket Option: “My time-management tip is…”

Invite volunteers to share their improvement. Reinforce realistic goals. Collect exit tickets if time.

Key Takeaways

• Reading clocks helps you know your schedule.
• Prioritization lets you focus on what matters.
• Sequencing keeps you on track.
• Reflection and accountability lead to better habits.

Summarize key takeaways. Encourage students to use today’s strategies each afternoon. Thank them for their participation.

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Game

Schedule Sorting Cards Instructions for Teachers

Objective: Provide students with a shuffled set of after-school activity cards. In groups, they will:

  1. Sequence the cards into a logical afternoon timeline.
  2. Place each task into the correct quadrant of the prioritization matrix (Important/Urgent, Important/Not Urgent, Not Important/Urgent, Not Important/Not Urgent).
  3. Discuss and justify their choices.

Preparation:

  • Print the cards on cardstock or thick paper.
  • Cut each card along the dashed lines.
  • Create one set per group of 3–4 students.

Teacher Script:

  • Distribute a shuffled set of cards to each group.
  • Give groups 5–6 minutes to order the cards chronologically on their table.
  • Then instruct them to transfer each card onto chart paper divided into the four matrix quadrants.
  • Circulate to prompt reasoning: “Why did you place this task here?” “Is this task truly urgent?”
  • After time is up, briefly debrief: invite one group to share their matrix.

Cards (cut along each dashed line):

Arrive home & unpack backpack (approx. 3:30 PM)

Free play / relax (3:45 PM)

Snack time (4:00 PM)

Homework session (4:15 PM)

Practice a musical instrument (5:00 PM)

Play video games (5:30 PM)

Help with household chores (6:00 PM)

Dinner time (6:30 PM)

Read a book (7:00 PM)

Bedtime routine prep (8:00 PM)

(End of cards)

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Worksheet

Daily Planner Template

1. My Afternoon Schedule

List your after-school tasks in the order you plan to do them. Include the time you expect to start each task.

  1. ________________________________ Time: ________


  2. ________________________________ Time: ________


  3. ________________________________ Time: ________


  4. ________________________________ Time: ________


  5. ________________________________ Time: ________


  6. ________________________________ Time: ________


2. Prioritization Matrix

Place each of your tasks from above into the correct box. Write the task name or number.

Urgent (Do Now)Not Urgent (Schedule)
Important1. ___________________


2. ___________________


Not Important3. ___________________


4. ___________________


(Tip: Urgent means you must do it soon; Important means it matters for school, home, or responsibilities.)

3. My Time-Management Improvement

Which one task will you change or improve?

_______________________________





Why is this improvement important to you?

_______________________________





How will you make this change?

_______________________________





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Script

Time Juggler Script

Introduction & Agenda (2 minutes)

(Show Slide 1: Title Slide from Taming the Clock Slide Deck).

“Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome to our Time Juggler lesson where we’ll learn to tame the clock, prioritize tasks, and plan a successful after-school routine. By the end of today, you’ll know how to read clocks, sort activities by importance and urgency, sequence your schedule, and choose one thing to improve. Let’s get started!”

(Advance to Slide 2: Learning Objectives.)

“Here are our objectives for today. I’ll read them aloud, and I’d love to hear why you think each one matters:

  1. Read and set analog and digital clocks—why might that help us?
  2. Use a prioritization matrix to sort tasks—how could that make life easier?
  3. Sequence your after-school activities—who can explain why putting things in order is helpful?
  4. Identify one improvement for better time management—what’s one habit you’ve wanted to change?

Great ideas—thank you for sharing!”

(Advance to Slide 3: Analog vs. Digital Clocks.)

“On the left is an analog clock, and on the right is digital. What differences do you notice? [pause for responses] Excellent! Who’d like to come up and read 3:45 on the analog clock? [select student] Perfect—3:45!”

Warm-Up: Clock Race Game (5 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 4: Warm-Up: Clock Race Game.)

“Time Juggler teams, we’re playing Clock Race! I’ll show an analog clock—race to shout the correct digital time. Then we’ll switch: I’ll say a digital time, and your team sets the analog clock. We have one minute—ready, set, go!”

(Run the game for one minute, award points, keep energy high.)

“Fantastic racing! Give yourselves a round of applause. Thumbs up if you had fun!”

Teach Prioritization Matrix (5 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 5: Prioritization Matrix and draw the 2×2 grid on the board.)

“This is our prioritization matrix. Top-left is Important & Urgent—do these now. Top-right is Important & Not Urgent—schedule these. Bottom-left is Not Important & Urgent—delegate or handle quickly. Bottom-right is Not Important & Not Urgent—consider skipping these. Does that make sense? Thumbs up/down.”

(Advance to Slide 6: Model Example.)

“Let’s practice. Where would you put practice piano? [pause] Yes—Important & Not Urgent. And play video games? [pause] Right—Not Important & Not Urgent.”

Group Schedule Sort (8 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 7: Group Activity: Schedule Sort.)

“Now, in your groups of 3–4, grab a set of Schedule Sorting Cards. First, sequence these cards into a logical afternoon timeline. Next, draw your own prioritization matrix on chart paper and place each card in the box you think fits best. Discuss: Why did you choose that quadrant? Is it truly urgent or important? You have 8 minutes—let’s go!”

(Circulate, ask guiding questions: “Why is that task urgent?”, “Could you schedule this later?”.)

“Two-minute warning—finish up your placements!”

(After time.)

“Time’s up! Could one group share their matrix and explain one of your choices?”

Personal Planner Fill-In (8 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 8: Personal Planner Fill-In.)

“I’m handing out the Daily Planner Template. Step 1: List your after-school tasks in order with start times. Step 2: Place each into the prioritization matrix. Step 3: Highlight one task you’ll improve—perhaps shorten screen time or start homework earlier. Then explain why this change matters and how you’ll make it happen. You have 8 minutes; I’ll help as you work.”

(Circulate, offer one-to-one help.)

“One-minute reminder—wrap up your reflections!”

Reflection & Share (4 minutes)

(Advance to Slide 9: Reflection & Share.)

“Let’s regroup. Who’d like to share their chosen improvement? Tell us what you’ll change and why it’s important. [Invite 3–4 students.] Wonderful—those are great goals.”

(Advance to Slide 10: Key Takeaways.)

“To finish, remember:

• Reading clocks keeps you on schedule.
• Prioritizing helps you focus on what matters.
• Sequencing keeps your day on track.
• Reflecting on improvements builds better habits.

Thank you for being awesome Time Jugglers today. You’ve earned it!”

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