8th Grade Executive Function Lesson Plan

Topic:

Understanding how executive function skills work

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to explain how executive function skills work and how they are responsible for regulating and organizing behavior.

Materials

• Whiteboard and markers
• Handouts with examples of executive function skills and how they work

Warm-Up

• Ask students if they have ever had trouble staying focused and paying attention in class.
• Ask them to share a time when they had a hard time staying on task and what they did to overcome the distraction.
• Write their examples on the whiteboard and discuss how these examples show how executive function skills are responsible for regulating and organizing behavior.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of executive function and explain that it is a set of cognitive skills that helps us plan, organize, and manage behavior.
• Provide examples of how executive function skills work, such as how the ability to plan helps us make a to-do list, and how the ability to organize helps us put things in the right place.
• Discuss how these skills help us achieve our goals and manage our behavior, which is important for success in school and in life.

Guided Practice

• Provide examples of common executive function skills and give students a handout with examples.
• Have students work in pairs to identify and explain how each skill works.
• Encourage students to use the examples on the handout to help them.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose a common activity in their everyday lives (such as brushing their teeth or getting ready for bed) and list the executive function skills that are involved.
• Have them create a visual representation (such as a diagram or mind map) to show how the skills are interconnected and how they work together to achieve the goal.

Closure

• Review the main points of the lesson and ask students to share any insights or new understandings they gained about executive function skills.
• Remind them that these skills are crucial for achieving goals and staying organized in different situations, and that it’s important to practice them regularly.

Assessment

• Observe students during the independent practice activity and give them feedback on how well they are using their executive function skills.
• Have students complete a short quiz or written assignment on the main points of the lesson.
• Encourage them to reflect on what they learned and how they can apply their new knowledge in their daily lives.