The purpose of this lesson is to help students take an active role in their learning and study habits.

Executive functioning is a set of brain-based skills that help us plan, focus, remember instructions, manage multiple tasks, and regulate emotions. Often called the brain’s “management system,” these skills include working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, planning and organization, time management, and self-monitoring. Strong executive function allows people to stay on task, manage responsibilities, and adjust behavior as needed, while difficulties in these areas can make organizing, starting tasks, meeting deadlines, multitasking, and controlling impulses more challenging.

Activity 1: (10 minutes) PYRAMID OF HAPPINESS 

Review the Pyramid of Happiness anchor chart from the slides and practice the actions associated with each level of the pyramid:

• Basic Needs: Rub tummy and pretend to drink (food and water)
• Safety: Pretend to put on a helmet (safety) and make a roof overhead with arms (secure place)
• Connection: Hug yourself (love) and give a friendly wave (belonging)
• Believe in Yourself: Make a thumbs up and show off your muscles (esteem)
• Superstar Self: Jump high and land in a superhero pose (self-actualization)  

Highlight the 5th level of the pyramid (Superstar Self) and its action (Jump high and land in a superhero pose). Read aloud the correlating poem stanza together from the slides. When we pay attention and do our best at school, we will feel like our superstar selves! Have a discussion:

• When have you tried your best at something? How did it feel? (EQ)

Activity 2: (20 minutes) READY TO LEARN

Ask children to model what it looks like to pay attention and be ready to learn (e.g., looking at the teacher, still bodies). Then, have them model what it looks like to not pay attention and not be ready to learn (e.g., talking to a friend, wiggling, playing with supplies). Have a discussion:

• What actions help us pay attention and be ready to learn? (EQ)
• What actions distract us and others from paying attention and learning?

Designate 2 corners (or sides) of the classroom as “Ready” and “Not Ready.” (Teacher Tip: Display an image like a happy face and sad face at each designated corner to remind students what each corner represents.) Display the pictures from the slides. As each slide is projected, have students move to the corner of the room that best matches how they feel. Ask them to consider how the children’s actions can help them pay attention and be ready to learn or distract themself and others from learning.

Gather children back together. Hold up your hand with all five fingers separated. Tell children that this is the “Give Me 5” hand. Whenever they see their teacher holding up the “Give Me 5” hand, they will do 5 things to help them pay attention and be ready to learn. Hold up 1 finger at a time and explain the 5 things that children can do to help them pay attention and be ready to learn. Have students model each step.

Give Me 5:

1. My eyes are watching. 
2. My ears are listening.
3. My mouth is quiet.
4. My hands are to myself.
5. My body is calm.

Activity 3: (20 minutes) I CAN PAY ATTENTION

Prior to this activity, watch the video and see if it is the best fit for your students.

Ask the class to give a thumbs up if they have ever played with a puppy.  Invite children to think about how puppies behave. Have a discussion:

• How do puppies behave? (EQ) (Possible Answers: Puppies often get very excited and they have a hard time paying attention to 1 thing at a time. They want to play and are very active. They have a hard time sitting still. They need to be taught how to listen, follow directions, and pay attention.)

Explain to students that sometimes our minds can be like puppies. Our thoughts can wander and it can be difficult to pay attention. Read the book Puppy Mind by Andrew Jordan Nance or watch the read-aloud video from 0:04–1:57. As children listen, invite them to pay attention to what the boy in the story does to help him focus and calm his puppy mind. Have a discussion:

• What did the boy do to calm his mind and pay attention? (EQ) (He took 3 deep breaths when his mind was wandering. Taking deep breaths helped him calm his mind and focus.)

Tell the children that they will practice taking 3 deep breaths to help them pay attention. Hold up a bean bag. Explain that you will toss the bean bag to 1 student at a time. Each student will take 3 deep breaths and then tell the class what their favorite animal is. The child will toss the bean bag back to the teacher. Continue until each child has had a turn. (Teacher tip: Remind students they can take deep breaths to help them focus even when it is not their turn to catch the bean bag. Review the “Give Me 5” hand.)

Activity 4: (15 minutes) RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT FREEZE DANCE

Prior to this activity, watch the video and see if it is the best fit for your students.

Explain to students that when they listen carefully and pay attention, they will feel like their superstar selves.

Tell the children that they will be playing a game called Red Light, Green Light Freeze Dance. Explain that they will need to pay attention and listen to directions so they can correctly do 1 thing at a time. When the video displays green, they will dance. When the video displays yellow, they will move in slow motion. When the video displays red, they will stop. Watch the video “Red Light Green Light Brain Break Dance Game” by Kid Colors from 0:06–2:33. As students watch the video, invite them to listen carefully to the instructions and follow along. Have a discussion:

• How can listening carefully help you follow directions? (EQ)

Activity 5: (20 minutes) SORTING 1 THING AT A TIME

Prior to this activity, gather a variety of buttons or blocks (different sizes, shapes, and colors) for each student.

Explain that it is important to start a new task, stay focused, and finish what we start. Being able to start and finish something will help us feel like our superstar selves.

Pass out a variety of buttons or blocks to each student. Tell students that they are going to sort their objects by color. Explain that students can begin sorting when they hear the word “start.” Have students group all of the same color of buttons or blocks together. (Teacher Tip: Walk around the classroom and guide and help children as needed.) When children have finished their task, have them give themselves a pat on their back and say, “I finished.” Ask students to turn and look at their neighbor’s objects to make sure they sorted them correctly. Have students give their neighbor a fist bump or a high five and tell their neighbor, “Good work.”

Explain that students will now sort their objects by shape when they hear the word “start.” Have students group all of the same shapes of buttons or blocks together. (Teacher Tip: Walk around the classroom and guide and help children as needed.) When children have finished their task, have them give themselves a pat on their back and say, “I finished.” Ask students to turn and look at their neighbor’s objects to make sure they sorted them correctly. Have students give their neighbor a fist bump or a high five and tell their neighbor, “Good work.”

Explain that students will now sort their objects by size when they hear the word “start.” Have students group all of the same sizes of buttons or blocks together. (Teacher Tip: Walk around the classroom and guide and help children as needed.) When children have finished their task, have them give themselves a pat on their back and say, “I finished.” Ask students to turn and look at their neighbor’s objects to make sure they sorted them correctly. Have students give their neighbor a fist bump or a high five and tell their neighbor, “Good work.”

Gather students together. Have a discussion:

• How did it feel to start and finish a task? Explain. (EQ)
• What helped you to stay focused and pay attention?

Activity 6: (20 minutes) MY BEST IS ENOUGH

Prior to this activity, gather 1 small tub of play-dough for each student.

Tell children that when they try their best at school, it will help them learn and feel like their superstar selves! Explain that sometimes it takes us more than 1 try at something to learn new things, but if we do our best and keep trying, we will get it.

Ask children to think about something they have practiced and learned how to do. Have a discussion:

• What have you practiced and learned how to do? (EQ) (Possible Answers: Using scissors to cut, color with crayons and markers, paint, writing their name, playing games with friends and family, playing sports, etc.)
• What would have happened if you did not try your best and then you gave up after starting something new?

Explain that it is important to try our best when we are learning new things and to finish what we start. Have a discussion:

• What kind words can we tell ourselves when we are trying our best? (EQ) (Possible Answers: I can do it. I can do hard things. If I don’t get it this time, I can keep trying. I am smart. I am strong. I am kind.)

Pass out 1 small tub of play-dough to each student. Explain to students that they will use their play-dough to form their favorite animal. Remind students that their best is enough and to speak kind words to themselves. It is also important that they keep trying and finish what they start. (Teacher Tip: As children are creating, walk around the room and model positive self-talk for students: “You can do it. Keep trying. Don’t give up. You are smart. You are creative. You are problem-solvers.”)

After sufficient time for students to finish, invite students to leave their creations on their table or desk, and walk around the classroom to observe their classmates’ work. Gather together and have a discussion:

• How did it feel to do your best? Explain. (EQ)
• How can telling ourselves kind, encouraging words help us do our best?