Organizing from the Inside Out for Teens

Mini Lessons

Table of Contents

ORGANIZING BASICS

LESSON A: Student self-assessment of organizing strengths and struggles.
LESSON B: What are my organizing obstacles?
LESSON C: Organizing is a learnable skill.

ORGANIZING YOUR SPACE

LESSON A: What is the kindergarten model of organization?
LESSON B: S.P.A.C.E. -- the formula for organizing physical objects.
LESSON C: Essential 7.
LESSON D: Organizing your notebook.

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME

LESSON A: What gets done and what doesn't?
LESSON B: Making time tangible.
LESSON C: Analyzing where your time goes.
LESSON D: Working with natural energy cycles.
LESSON E: W.A.D.E. -- the formula for managing your to-dos.
LESSON F: How long do things take?
LESSON G: Choosing and Using a Planner.

We recommend teaching the three ORGANIZING BASICS lessons, in order, first because they will give you and your students a solid foundation on which to base the "space" and "time" lessons that follow. The rest of the lessons can be taught in any order, with the exception of LESSONS B & C in ORGANIZING YOUR TIME, which must be taught sequentially. Every educator that teaches these lessons must have a copy of the book. It is desirable, though not mandatory, for every student to also have a copy of Organizing from the Inside Out for Teens. For more information about special bulk purchase rates for schools, please contact Henry Holt and Company.

ORGANIZING BASICS - LESSON A

Question: What areas of your life are you organized?

Goal: Students assess their organizational strengths & struggles.

Class format: Teacher directed whole class instruction (other options small group -- peer work, partners, group presentations)

Prompt: What can you find right away?  (journal or diary, socks and underwear, backpack, phone numbers, etc.)  What can you never find? Are you always late?  Do you procrastinate?

Activity: Students complete a self-assessment by listing 5 places they are disorganized, and five places they are organized (appendix 1)

Materials: appendix 1

Reference: pgs. 1-7

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING BASICS - LESSON B

Question: What are my organizing obstacles?

Goal: Students identify the obstacles that prevent them from being organized

Class Format: Partner interviews (teacher generated, or self selected).

Prompt: Have students get into groups of two and use worksheet appendix 2) to conduct the activity.  Bring class back together -- what are the most common obstacles students in class face?

Activity: Students interview each other to identify the obstacles that prevent them from being organized, using the worksheet provided (appendix 2)

Materials: appendix 2

Reference: pgs. 8-22

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING BASICS - LESSON C

Question: Organizing -- Genetic trait, or learnable skill?

Goal: Students understand that organizing is a learnable skill.

Class Format: Teacher directed whole class instruction. Individual student free writing

Prompt: Set up students for free write. Hand out prompt (appendix 3) and read, silently or aloud.

Activity: Each student free-writes based on appendix 3 (which explains theory of inside-out organizing pg. 5) -- read and respond. After ten minute free write based on the following prompts, have students participate in class discussion.

Materials: appendix 3

Reference: pgs. 1-8

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR SPACE - LESSON A

Question: What is the kindergarten model of organization and why is it successful?

Goal: Students understand the kindergarten model and apply it to their own disorganized space.

Class format: Teacher led whole class instruction, then groups of three (teacher generated or self-selected).

Prompt: Show picture of kindergarten classroom (pg. 35).  Students read description of kindergarten classroom setup/advantages (appendix 4A).

Activity: Using the worksheet provided (appendix 4B), students compare and contrast how their kindergarten classrooms were organized, with how their bedrooms are organized today.

Materials: overhead projector, illustration Xeroxed on to transparency paper (pg.35), appendix 4A & 4B

Reference: pgs. 35-37

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR SPACE - LESSON B

Question: What's the formula for organizing physical objects?

Goal: Introduce S.P.A.C.E. (sort, purge, assign a home, containerize, equalize).

Class Format: Full class to review worksheet on SPACE and Attack tips (appendix 5), then groups of four (teacher generated or self-selected).

Prompt: Students get in groups of 4 (teacher generated or self-selected).  Each student should have his/her backpack with them in class; group picks one backpack to organize. Ten-minute activity.

Activity: Students use the SPACE formula to organize the most disorganized backpack in each group of four.  If, time allows, present results of newly organized SPACE backpack to full class and discuss how/why SPACE works.

Optional long-term activities:  Organize Your Locker/Bedroom contest (with "before & after" pictures). Work with a partner to organize his/her room -- what did you discover about your friend's way of thinking that is different than yours?

Materials: appendix 5, student backpacks

Reference: pgs. 47-53

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR SPACE – LESSON C

Question: What items make up your "Essential 7"? 

*Note: similar to the Essential 7 vitamins & minerals -- what vitamins/minerals can you simply not live and function properly without?

Goal: Students identify their Essential 7.  What seven items define a space (be it their classroom, bedroom, locker, backpack, etc.) for them?

Class Format: Teacher led whole class instruction.

Prompt: What items define this classroom for you?  What are the even things in this classroom that you use and love the most? What about in your bedroom?  (Classroom: pencil sharpener, desk, teacher, books, etc.; Bedroom: bed, stuffed animals, reading light, pillows, CD player, etc.)

Activity: Students write lists of (1) the seven items that are most important to them in the classroom; and (2) the seven items that are most important to them in their bedrooms (appendix 6). Students, most likely, will have different items on their lists.  Class discussion -- what are items on each students list: are there any that overlap?  Compare and contrast listed items.

Materials: appendix 6

Reference: pgs. 29-31

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR SPACE – LESSON D

Question: What's in your notebook?  How are your school papers organized?

Goal: Students organize their notebook(s).

Class Format: Teacher led whole class instruction.

Prompt: Students fill out worksheet, "A Mountain of Papers" (appendix 7A).

Activity: Students answer questions on appendix 7B: (1) What are the benefits of having an organized notebook? (2) What can you always find in your notebook?; (3) What can you never find in your notebook?. Using appendix 7C as a guide, students organize their notebooks using the S.P.A.C.E formula.

Materials: school notebook(s), appendix 7A, appendix 7B, appendix 7C

Reference: pgs. 96-111

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME - LESSON A

Question: What gets done and what doesn't?

Goal: Students identify where they are good and bad time managers.

Class Format: Teacher directed whole class instruction.

Prompt: Students write down 5 things they always have time for, and five things they never find the time to do. (For example:  always find time for soccer practice, MTV and talking on the phone; never find time to do laundry, exercise and do summer reading.)

Activity: Students compile list (appendix 8).  Bring class back together -- survey, with a show of hands, the most common things students have time for, and what they don't.

Materials: appendix 8

Reference: pgs. 154-160

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME - LESSON B

Question: How is time like a container?

Goal: Students understand that time is as tangible as space and can be organized using similar methods.

Class Format: Teacher led whole class instruction.

Prompt: Show before and after pictures (pgs. 142-143 -- appendix 9A) of a messy closet. Introduce "time map" to students by reading appendix 9B aloud.

Activity: (1) Students rate their priorities (appendix 9C). (2) Students determine how much of their time is occupied by blocking out  and labeling hours (by shading in with a pen or pencil) on time map that are pre-accounted for (appendix 9D).  (3) Students add up their occupied hours and determine how much unoccupied time is left over (appendix 9E).  (4) The remaining time is the "container" students have to work with to balance between homework/academics, social life, family time and relaxation.  Students create a pie chart illustrating (in percentages) occupied time vs. unoccupied time.

Homework: Continuing the class activity, students use their time maps to see how they are spending their unoccupied time.  Students write down when, and for how long, they do each activity (ex.: academics/homework, relaxing, social life and family time) in their time maps. 

Materials: appendix 9A,  the time map (appendix 9B and 9C), appendix 9D and appendix 9E

Reference: pgs. 137-147

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME - LESSON C

Question: Where does the time go?

Goal: Students analyze their time maps to see how they use their time.

Class Format: Groups of three (teacher generated or self-selected).

Prompt: Organize students in groups of three. 

Activity: Students color in their time maps to gain visual presentation of how their unoccupied time is spent (appendix 10). Students create a pie chart illustrating (in percentages) how they have chosen to use their unoccupied time. In groups of three, students compare and contrast how they use their unoccupied time (do you use 65% of your unoccupied time on homework/studying?, or 47% of your unoccupied time relaxing?, etc.). Answer questions, (1) Does the way you spend your time reflect your priorities? (2) Did you find anything surprising about how you spend your unoccupied time?

Extension activity: Examine differences in how students use their time -- do men and women spend their unoccupied time differently?

Materials: extra time maps, colored pencils//highlighters, calculators, appendix 10

Reference: pgs. 148-149

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME - LESSON D

Question: How do you work with your natural energy cycles?

Goal: Students identify their natural energy cycles and understand why it's important to work with them.

Class Format: Teacher led whole class instruction. Followed by partner interviews (teacher generated or self-selected).

Prompt: Each student needs a partner.  Fill in worksheet re: "Mornings are the best time for me to", "Afternoons are the best time for me to", etc., etc. (appendix 11)

Activity: Students fill in worksheet (appendix 11). Discuss with a partner, answering questions:  What are my hardest tasks? (ex: reading Shakespeare) -- do during peak energy!; What are my easier tasks? (ex: science lab report) -- do during low energy!; What are each student's top three "energy boosters" (for example: exercise, snack, & a nap).

Materials: appendix 11

Reference: pg. 157. For a more in-depth discussion of tips to improve students' concentration tolerance, see pgs. 169-171 (managing interruptions) 

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME - LESSON E

Question: What's the formula for managing your time?

Goal: Introduce students to W.A.D.E. (write it down, add it up, decide when, execute)

Class Format: Full class to review worksheet on WADE, including the 4 D's -- delete, delay, diminish, delegate. Students get into groups of five (teacher generated or self-selected).

Prompt: Put students into groups of five.  Using the WADE formula & 4 D's student groups compete in a scavenger hunt. Before beginning the activity, students take 2 minutes to plan and write down, on worksheet provided, how they will use the WADE formula and the 4Ds.Scavenger hunt -- in 10 minutes students must get toilet paper from the girls and boys bathrooms, borrow a pair of scissors, find tape or glue and colored paper (appendix 12). Student groups work together to create a mirror image of a picture that is provided by the teacher. Must complete project within 10 minutes – those groups that do not fully complete project must write an explanation of why they didn't finish.

Activity: Scavenger hunt and mirror image creation.

Materials: Magazines, paper, stopwatch, appendix 12

Reference: pgs.149-153

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)   

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME – LESSON F

Question: How long do things take?

Goal: Students recognize the value of calculating how long tasks take. Learn ways to improve their estimating skills.

Class Format: Teacher led whole class instruction.

Prompt: How long does it take you to do your math homework, read one chapter in your science book, read two chapters in your English book, write a 5 page essay, go to soccer practice, clean up your room, walk the dog, eat breakfast?

Activity: Students complete a series of activities (math problem, reading exercises and writing a paragraph about a topic -- TBD by teacher). Before beginning each activity, students estimate how long the task will take them and then record the actual amount of time it took (appendix 13). Does the time estimated and actual time, differ?

Homework/Extension activity:  Students estimate the time it takes to complete each activity on a particular day (walk dog, check email, eat dinner, do dishes, phone conversation with a friend, etc.). Do the times students estimated and the actual time it took match up?

Materials: appendix 13

Reference: pgs. 150-51 and 163-67

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)

ORGANIZING YOUR TIME - LESSON G

Question: Why do I need a planner?

Goal: Students know how to use their planners and have an understanding of what kind of planner works best with their personality.

Class Format: Student pairs (teacher generated or self-selected).

Prompt: Do you know when your next math test is? When is your brother/sister's birthday? When's Thanksgiving? When's your next home soccer game?  Is all of that information kept in one place, or is it in multiple locations?

Activity: Students read worksheet (appendix 14) and design their ideal planner.  Students compare and contrast their ideal planner, with their partner's.  What's the same? What's different?

Materials:  appendix 14

Reference: pgs. 138-43

(source: Organizing From the Inside Out for Teens. Henry Holt/Owl Books 2002.)