K12 – WhyTry Pilot 2013 Scope and Sequence
(36 weeks – 80 lessons of ½ hour each)
Week 1
-----------------------------------------------------------Creating Buy-In – Building Relationships
-----------------------------------------------------------Day 1: Relationship Building
 Teacher introduces self
o i.e. Personal story including pictures, most embarrassing moment, or
interests.
o True or False with the group (two truths and a lie)


Establish goals and objectives of WhyTry class:
o Help you enjoy school more.
o See everybody improve and reach personal goals
o Get to know each other personally.
 Sometimes in an online class it’s more difficult to get to know the
people in your class than in a live setting. Let’s try to change that!
Activity: Name Game
Day 2: Relationship Building/Using Music
 Discussion: Using music

Activity: “Name that genre”
o Rule 1: We all agree to be respectful of other people’s taste in
music and to be tolerant.
 Question: What does it mean to be tolerant? Does it mean you
have to like it?
o Rule 2: We all agree that we’re going to enjoy the music and learn from it.
Day 3: Relationship Building/Assessment
Activity: Values Continuum
Pre-assessment – “About Me” sheets (WhyTry Measure-R)
------------------------------------------------WhyTry Introductory Lessons ------------------------------------------------Day 4: Reality Ride Overview
Attention Activity: Show a roller coaster video clip. Options include:
Walkthrough of Reality Ride
Challenge: Observe – either in your own life or the lives of those around you – the
things people are doing and the consequences of those choices.
Home Work: True or False
o Students write two things about themselves that are real and one thing that is
false and turn into teacher. (Make sure they are comfortable sharing these things
with the group.)
o Teacher will use these as a way to spotlight students throughout the semester.
Day 5: Labels Overview
 Attention Activity : Stereotypes (WhyTry Learning Activity)
 Walkthrough of Labels
 Challenge: Pay attention to the ways that people label each other. When you
hear
others giving labels, ask yourself whether they are true or false, positive or
negative.
Pay attention to the labels that you give others. Are they mostly
positive or mostly
negative? Notice how people respond when you label them
in a positive way.
Week 2
Day 6: Defense Mechanisms Overview
 Attention Activity: Name Writing Activity (WhyTry Learning Activity)
 Walkthrough of Defense Mechanisms
 Challenge: Pay attention to how you’re responding in pressure situations. Are
you maintaining control or allowing others to control you?
Day 7: Motivation Formula Overview
 Attention Activity: Show video clip of Jason McElwain.
 Walkthrough of Motivation Formula
 If time, share the Butterfly story (“Obstacles are the Stepping Stones of
Success”)
 Challenge: Observe those around you (friends, family members, etc.) to see if
you can identify someone that is in “the flood zone.” What can you learn from
them?
Day 8: Climbing Out Overview
 Attention Activity: Show brief video clip of crabs trying to climb out of the pot.
 Walkthrough of Climbing Out
o Walk through to Point 4. After Point 4, have students complete the
sentence, “A true friend is_______” on the whiteboard. On a separate
whiteboard, have students complete the sentence, “A false friend is

____.” Continue the walkthrough.
Challenge: Pay attention to your own friends. Do they have the qualities of a true
friend or a false friend?
Day 9: Jumping Hurdles Overview
 Attention Activity: Math Problem (WhyTry Learning Activity)
 Walkthrough of Jumping Hurdles
 If time, share Thomas Edison example from the Butterfly story or video clip of
Michael
Jordan.
 Challenge: Pay attention to how experiencing even small successes can help
you stay motivated.
Day 10: Desire, Time, and Effort Overview
 Attention Activity: Complete the maze
 Walkthrough of Desire, Time, and Effort
 Challenge: Notice what you put most of your time and effort into today.
Week 3
Day 11: Lift the Weight Overview
 Attention Activity: Show video clip of a weightlifter.
 Walkthrough of Lift the Weight
 Challenge: Pay attention to the laws and rules that you struggle with the most.
Day 12: Get Plugged In Overview
 Attention Activity: Two Heads are Better Than One (WhyTry Learning Activity)
 Walkthrough of Get Plugged In
 Challenge: Try to identify one support that you have in each of the five categories
of “Get Plugged In.”
Week 4
Day 13: The Wall Overview
 Attention Activity: Count the Fs (WhyTry Learning Activity)
 Walkthrough of The Wall
 Challenge: If you feel like you can’t see over the wall, identify what step you are
tripping on.
-------------------------------------------------------------------Beginning of – Lesson Rotation for Semester 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------Day 14: Reality Ride
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True or False spotlights
Attention Activity: Balloon Pop (Motivation Formula)
o Tie to Reality Ride – The three words on the harder but worth it track are
opportunity, freedom, and self-respect. Emphasize that this is a big part of
what makes it “worth it.” Help students understand what those three
words mean to them.
Review Reality Ride
Journal assignment: Secondary Journal #2
Week 5
Day 15: Reality Ride
 Attention Activity: Lincoln’s Choice Challenge (WhyTry Learning Activity 8 – use
random.org to generate coin flip)
 Tie to Reality Ride – You can make your own choices, but you can’t choose the
consequences. The randomness of flipping a coin to make it through this maze is
an illustration of what happens when you leave your choices to chance. (We
don’t get to choose whether the consequences are positive or negative.)
 Journal assignment: Secondary Art #2
Day 16: Reality Ride
 Attention Activity: Now or Later? (WhyTry Learning Activity 4)
 Tie to Reality Ride – To get on the “harder but worth it track” sometimes means
you have to give up what you want now for what you want most.
 Journal assignment: Game Plan Activities 1 & 2
Week 6
Day 17: Tearing Off Labels
 Attention Activity: Gender Gap (Learning Activity 9)
 Review Labels
 Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 1
Day 18: Tearing Off Labels
 True or False spotlights
 Attention Activity: One of a Kind (Learning Activity 13)
 Journal Assignment: Secondary Journal #4 (Music)
 Play the music video and discuss.
Week 7
Day 19: Tearing Off Labels
 Attention Activity: The Can

Journal assignment: Secondary Journal #5 (Plugging In)
Day 20: Defense Mechanisms
 Attention Activity: Finger Tangle (Learning Activity 8)
 Review Defense Mechanisms
 Have students practice crossing fingers with opposite thumb on top; folding
hands with opposite arm on top
 Journal assignment: Elementary Journal #5
Week 8
Day 21: Defense Mechanisms
 True or False spotlights
 Attention Activity: Blowout (Learning Activity 13)
 Tie back to discussion about techniques we can use to control our emotions.
 Song: Self Control – Think Before I Act
 Elementary Music Response 1 (“Think of a song that you like that helps you feel
calm…)
Day 22: Defense Mechanisms
 Video: Parking Lot Rage (see www.whytry.org/video)
 Attention Activity: Bad, Better, Best (Learning Activity 15)
 Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 7 (Game Plan)
Week 9
Day 23: Motivation Formula
 Attention Activity: Silver Lining (Learning Activity 8)
 Review Motivation Formula
 Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 1
Day 24: Motivation Formula
 True or False spotlights
 Attention Activity: My Fave Fifteen (Learning Activity 10)
o Tie My Fave Fifteen to the “passion” in Motivation Formula.
 Song: “Change Up”
Week 10
Day 25: Motivation Formula
 Attention Activity: Synergy (Learning Activity 7)
o Tie into “Passion” and “support systems.”
 Activity: Body by Design (Learning Activity 13) (use a picture of the outline of a
body)
Day 26: Climbing Out
 Attention Activity: Card Shark (Learning Activity 10)
 Review Climbing Out
Week 11
Day 27: Climbing Out
 Attention Activity: Says Who? (Learning Activity 3)
 Music Video: Hot Spot
 Journal assignment: Secondary Journal #6 (Observation)
Day 28: Climbing Out
 True or False spotlights
 Attention Activity: Sucked In (Learning Activity 2)
o What happens if you get out but keep hanging around “the pot”?
o Is there such a thing as positive peer pressure?
Week 12
Day 29: Jumping Hurdles
 True or False spotlights
 Attention Activity: Think Outside the Box (Learning Activity 2)
 Review Jumping Hurdles
Day 30: Jumping Hurdles
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Attention Activity: 15 Pencils (Learning Activity 15)
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 4
Week 13
Day 31: Jumping Hurdles
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Attention Activity: Crack the Code (Learning Activity 11)
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 8 (Observation)
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Song: Get Back Up
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Process with students
Day 32: Desire, Time, and Effort
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Video: How Bad Do You Want It? (www.whytry.org/video)
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Attention Activity: Stretch Higher (Learning Activity 6)
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Review Desire, Time, and Effort
○
Emphasize “Desire”
Week 14
Day 33: Desire, Time, and Effort
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True or False spotlights
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Attention Activity: Free Time (Learning Activity 9)
Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 1
Day 34: Lift the Weight
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Attention Activity: Law of the Land (Learning Activity 8)
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Review Lift the Weight
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Journal assignment: Elementary Art 5 (Road Signs)
Week 15
Day 35: Lift the Weight
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True or False spotlights
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Attention Activity: Follow Directions (Learning Activity 5)
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Tie into metaphor: What can happen if we ignore the rules?
Day 36: Lift the Weight
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Attention Activity: The Paper and the Book (Learning Activity 6)
○
Tie into metaphor: How can being stronger help you face life’s
challenges?
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Journal assignment: Conclusion activity for overview lesson (elementary)
Week 16
Day 37: Get Plugged In
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True or False spotlights
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Attention Activity: Connections Quiz (Learning Activity 13)
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Review Get Plugged In
Day 38: Get Plugged In
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Attention Activity: Mad Gab (Learning Activity 5) (contest between groups,
using all the resources they can think of to get answers)
○ Tie into metaphor: When confronted with a problem, identify and utilize
every resource you can.
Week 17
Day 39: Get Plugged In
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Attention Activity: Community 411 (Learning Activity 1)
○
Tie into metaphor: An important part of plugging in is
understanding what resources are available and knowing how to find
them. This activity also emphasizes how to create support systems when
you have none.
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 1
Day 40: The Wall
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●
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Attention Activity: Modified “The Big Picture” (Learning Activity 4)
Review The Wall
Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 1
Week 18
Day 41: The Wall
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Attention Activity: Polar Bears and Ice Holes (Learning Activity 7)
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 2 (Art)
Day 42: The Wall
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True or False spotlights
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Attention Activity: ______Perspective _ (Learning Activity 9)
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 3 (Game Plan)
Week 19
Day 43: Review
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Finish True or False spotlights
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Journal assignment: Elementary Conclusion Activity (Overview Lesson)
for The Wall
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Celebrate successes and improvements!
○
Go over semester highlights
Day 44: Post-assessment
-------------------------------------------------------------------Beginning of – Lesson Rotation for Semester 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Second semester will cover the same key concepts and visual analogies as last
semester, but will introduce new activities and assignments that will create relevance
and enable the students to relate the concepts to their personal lives. The two major
projects to be completed this semester are a “Passion Presentation,” which gives
students the opportunity to share their passion or interest, and an autobiography. This
semester will include more student-led review and discussion, and will include stories
and examples from the news, movies, books, biographies, and students’ own
experiences.
This semester will also focus on strategies for building the teacher-student relationship
and helping students connect with others in their course or group.
Week 19
Day 45: Relationship Building
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●
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Introduce the purpose of the course and semester goals
Surrendering the One-up Activity: “You’re the Boss”
Surrendering the One-up Activity: “Ask Them”
Day 46: Relationship Building
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Instructor models “Passion Presentation”
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Assignment: Prepare a “Passion Presentation” to share with group (This
could be delivered in multiple formats, such as video, PowerPoint, photos, written
essay/story, etc.)
Week 20
Day 47: Reality Ride
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Attention activity: Birthday Cards (Create PowerPoint for this.)
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
○
Note: Start off by asking questions like, “If you were explaining this
concept to someone, what would you say? What is the Reality Ride all
about?
● Homework assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies,
etc.) for Reality Ride
Day 48: Reality Ride
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Attention activity: Past to Present (Learning Activity __)
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Reality Ride
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Journal assignment: Secondary Observation Activity
Week 21
Day 49: Reality Ride
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Attention Activity: On the Brink (Have students do on their own at home)
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Highlight 1-5 Passion Presentations
Day 50: Labels
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Attention Activity: Profiler
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Journal assignment: Elementary Journal 10
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Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Labels
Week 22
Day 51: Labels
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Attention activity: Panning for Gold
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Labels
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Homework assignment: Secondary Journal (Observation)
Day 52: Labels
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Attention Activity: Apples
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Discuss homework assignment (observation journal)
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Highlight 1-5 Passion Presentations
Week 23
Day 53: Defense Mechanisms
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Attention activity: Discuss Elementary Journal 2- “How do you respond or
act when you…”
○
Break students into groups of 7-10 and have them respond to
each of these prompts on a whiteboard: laughed at, yelled at, etc.
○
Process this activity by asking, “Were the majority of these
responses positive or negative? How do we usually respond in pressure
situations? Why are positive defense mechanisms usually harder? Why
do they give us more self-respect?”
Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
●
Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Defense Mechanisms
Day 54: Defense Mechanisms
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Attention activity: Discuss Elementary Journal ____-“What are some of
the feelings you feel when you are about to use a defense mechanism?”
○
Have students identify feelings and then techniques to calm.
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Defense
Mechanisms
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 4 (Art)
Week 24
Day 55: Defense Mechanisms
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Attention Activity: Luck of the Dice
○ Process and tie into metaphor
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Highlight 1-5 Passion Presentations
Day 56: Motivation Formula
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Attention activity: Discuss as a group Elementary Journal 1
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Motivation Formula
Week 25
Day 57: Motivation Formula
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Attention activity: How are You? (Learning Activity 12)
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Motivation
Formula
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Assignment: Secondary Journal 3 (Observation)
Day 58: Motivation Formula
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Attention Activity: Discuss Conclusion Activity
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Highlight 1-5 Passion Presentations
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Homework assignment: Elementary Art Prompt 3 “Create a cover…”
Week 26
Day 59: Climbing Out:
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Attention activity: Elementary Art Activity 1: Will Away
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Climbing Out
Day 60: Climbing Out
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Attention activity: Elementary Art Activity 3: Glory Story
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Climbing Out
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 2
Week 27
Day 61: Climbing Out
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Attention Activity: Discuss as a group Elementary Journal 6
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Highlight 1-5 Passion Presentations
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 5
Day 62: Relationship Building
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Instructor models autobiography presentation
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Assignment: Prepare your autobiography and be prepared to share with
group (This could be delivered in multiple formats, such as video, PowerPoint,
photos, written essay/story, etc.)
Week 28
Day 63: Jumping Hurdles
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Attention activity: What do you make of this? (Learning Activity 5)
○
Processing: Tie into creating options and thinking creatively.
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Jumping Hurdles
Day 64: Jumping Hurdles
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Attention activity: Triangle Trick (adapted)
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Jumping Hurdles
Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 5 (Plugging In)
Week 29
Day 65: Jumping Hurdles
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Attention Activity: Elementary Art Prompt 3 (“Everyone likes to wear t
shirts…)
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Highlight 1-5 student autobiographies
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 1
Day 66: Desire, Time, and Effort
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Attention activity: Number Maze
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Desire, Time, and Effort
Week 30
Day 67: Desire, Time, and Effort
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Attention activity: Tick Tock
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Desire, Time, and
Effort
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 4 (Game Plan)
Day 68: Desire, Time, and Effort
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Attention Activity: Dream Schedule
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Highlight 1-5 autobiographies
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Journal assignment: Elementary Art Activity 1: Shoes and Footprints
Week 31
Day 69: Lift the Weight
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Attention activity: Discuss: What motivates you to not give up?
(Elementary Journal 7)
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Learning activity or journal assignment
●
Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Lift the Weight
Day 70: Lift the Weight
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Attention activity: The Empty Pot story?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emt08NorRU8 or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wiC1KM6kBc (halfway through) or
PowerPoint
●
Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Lift the Weight
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Journal assignment: Elementary Art Prompt 3: Bumper sticker
Week 32
Day 71: Lift the Weight
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Attention Activity: Music Video: Legitimate Hustle
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Highlight 1-5 autobiographies
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 3 (Game Plan)
Day 72: Get Plugged In
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Attention activity: Who do you Call? (Learning Activity 9)
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Get Plugged In
Week 33
Day 73: Get Plugged In
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Attention activity: Connections Quiz
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Reality Ride
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Journal assignment: Older but Wiser (Elementary Learning Activity 2)
Day 74: Get Plugged In
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Attention Activity: Family Fun
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Highlight 1-5 autobiographies
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Journal assignment: Secondary Journal 3 (Music)
Week 34
Day 75: The Wall
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Attention Activity: Draw to win (Learning Activity 13)
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Student-led review of visual and key concepts (in PowerPoint)
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Assignment: Find an example story (from the news, books, movies, etc.)
for Reality Ride
Day 76: The Wall
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Attention Activity: Secret Code (Learning Activity 8)
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Share stories and examples from previous class; tie to Reality Ride
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Journal assignment: (elm journal prompt 5 )
Week 35
Day 77: The Wall
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Attention Activity: The Big Picture (Learning Activity 4)
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Highlight 1-5 autobiographies
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Journal assignment: (elm journal prompt 8 )
Day 78: Year in Review
Week 36
Day 79: Review Lesson and Wrap-up
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Celebrate success, spotlight students, recognize what we have learned
and how it ties to life (relevance). (Refer to “Surrendering the One-up strategies.)
Day 80: Post assessment student survey 2
END OF YEAR