Executive Functioning Strategies Handout for 9th Grade

This handout is designed to help you understand and apply executive functioning skills as you navigate the exciting challenges of high school. Use this guide to explore how planning, organization, and self-control can help you balance multiple deadlines, extracurricular activities, and exam preparation.

What is Executive Functioning?

Executive functioning skills enable you to plan, organize, and stay focused on your tasks. In high school, these skills are essential for managing class assignments, projects, club activities, and social events.

Reflection Question:

How do you currently manage your schoolwork and extracurricular activities? What challenges do you face that might be eased by better organization and planning?

Key Strategies for Success

Here are some strategies to help you thrive in high school:

• Time Management: Learn to prioritize tasks, plan projects step by step, and set realistic deadlines to ensure you don't feel overwhelmed.
  
  
  
• Organization: Use planners, digital apps, or calendars to track assignments, tests, and events. Keeping your materials in check can reduce stress and help you stay on top of things.
  
  
  
• Self-Control: Recognize when distractions like social media or chatting with friends might interfere with your focus. Find ways to manage these distractions and set dedicated times for study.
  
  
  

Activity:

Think about a recent time when you had multiple deadlines or had to balance school work with an extracurricular activity. Describe the situation and how you managed it. Now, identify one strategy above that you could use to improve that situation if it happens again.

Personal Reflection

Consider this: How do you feel when you manage to balance your school responsibilities and activities effectively? Write a few sentences about a time when your planning or organization made a difference in your day.

Action Plan

Identify one concrete step you will take in the next week to improve your executive functioning skills. This might include creating a daily schedule, organizing your school supplies, or setting aside specific times for homework without distractions.

Remember, building these skills is a process. Each step you take brings you closer to managing high school challenges with confidence and success!

Executive Functioning Skill Builders for 9th Grade

This activity is designed to help 9th grade students actively engage in improving their executive functioning skills through exercises that simulate real high school challenges. By the end of this activity, you'll have practiced practical strategies to balance multiple assignments, manage extracurricular commitments, and prepare for exams.

Activity Overview

• Objective: Enhance planning, organization, and self-control by working on realistic high school scenarios.
• Duration: 20-25 minutes
• Materials Needed: Whiteboard or flip chart, markers, printed handouts with scenarios (digital or physical), and optionally a timer.
  
  
  

Activity Structure

1. Introduction (3 minutes)

• Briefly explain what executive functioning skills are and why they matter, especially in high school where you'll be juggling classes, clubs, and social life.
  
  
  
• Go over the goals for this activity: to develop skills in planning, organization, and self-control, all while dealing with high school challenges.

2. Group Brainstorm (7 minutes)

• Instructions: Divide the class into small groups of 3-4 students. Ask each group to brainstorm everyday high school scenarios where executive functioning skills are key. Examples may include:

  • Balancing homework with club meetings
  • Managing study time for multiple exams and projects
  • Reducing the distraction from social media during study sessions

• Guiding Questions:

  • What high school tasks require you to plan ahead?
  • How does keeping organized help you with deadlines?
  • In what ways could better self-control improve your focus?

• Sharing: Ask one member from each group to share their best example on the whiteboard.
  
  
  

3. Scenario Challenge (10 minutes)

• Instructions: Distribute a realistic high school scenario to each group. Example scenarios:

  • Scenario 1: You have several major assignments and an important exam this week. How would you prioritize your workload and plan your study time?
  • Scenario 2: Social media and texts are distracting you while schoolwork is due. What steps can you take to minimize distractions and focus?
  • Scenario 3: Your group project for history is struggling due to uneven contributions. How can you reorganize tasks and set clear deadlines to get everyone on track?

• Ask each group to discuss the scenario and create a detailed strategy using one or more key executive functioning skills (planning, organization, self-control). They should note their strategy on a provided sheet or template.
  
  
  

4. Reflection and Discussion (5 minutes)

• Instructions: Bring the class back together and invite groups to share their scenario and strategy.
• Follow-Up Questions:
  • What was the most challenging part of planning your strategy?
  • How do you think these skills apply to your day-to-day high school life?
  • Is there a particular strategy you feel could make the biggest impact on managing your workload?

Additional Reflection (Homework)

• Write a short paragraph about a personal high school challenge you've faced recently. Explain how the strategy you discussed today could help you deal with a similar situation in the future.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Remember, every high school student faces challenges. Building strong executive functioning skills now will set you up for success throughout your academic and personal life!