Unstuck and On Target!

An Executive Function Curriculum to Improve Flexibility, Planning, and Organization

Second Edition

by

Lynn Cannon, M.Ed.

The Ivymount School The Maddux School Rockville, Maryland

Lauren Kenworthy, Ph.D.

George Washington University School of Medicine Children’s National Health System Washington, D.C.

Katie C. Alexander, OTD, OTR/L

The Occupational Therapy Institute La Mesa, California

Monica Adler Werner, M.A.

The Ivymount School Rockville, Maryland

and

Laura Gutermuth Anthony, Ph.D.

University of Colorado School of Medicine Children’s Hospital Colorado Aurora, Colorado

Contents

Unstuck Fast Facts ... inside front cover About the Online Materials ... ix About the Authors ... xi Foreword John Elder Robison ... xiii Acknowledgments ... xvii Introduction ... 1 Reinforcement System ... 13 Icon Glossary ... 17 Script Practice Throughout the Manual ... 19

Topic 1 Foundational Skills ... 23

Lesson 1 Get to Know You ... 25 Introduction ... 26
Activity 1: Code of Conduct ... 28
Activity 2: Who Knows Whom? ... 30
Handout: All About Me! ... 31
Closing ... 32
Classroom Practice 1 ... 34
Home Practice 1 ... 37
Lesson 2 Introduction to Goal, Why, Plan, Do, Check ... 39 Introduction ... 40
Activity 1: Introduction to GWPDC ... 42
Activity 2: Wacky GWPDC ... 44
Handout: Wacky GWPDC ... 45
Closing ... 46
Classroom Practice 2 ... 47
Home Practice 2 ... 48
Lesson 3 Emotional Identification ... 49 Introduction ... 50
Activity 1: Feelings Target ... 52
Visual: Feelings Target ... 53
Materials: Feelings Target Cards ... 54
Activity 2: How Does It Make Me Feel? ... 55
Activity 3: Feelings Chain ... 56
Visual: Feelings Chain Scenarios ... 59
Handout: Feelings Chain Blank ... 60
Closing ... 62
Classroom Practice 3 ... 63
Home Practice 3 ... 64
Lesson 4 What Can You Do to Feel Better? ... 65 Introduction ... 66
Activity 1: Disappointment and Coping ... 68
Handout: Disappointment and Coping ... 69
Activity 2: Coping Skills Investigation ... 70
Handout: How to Feel Just-Right ... 71
Handout: Just-Right Strategies Investigation ... 72
Handout: My Mission to Get Back to Just-Right ... 73
Handout: Deep Breathing ... 74
Activity 3: Strategy Cards ... 75
Handout: Strategy Card Examples ... 76
Additional Activity: Coping Choices ... 77
Closing ... 79

Topic 2 What Is Flexibility? ... 83

Lesson 5 Flexibility Investigation ... 84 Introduction ... 85
Activity 1: Flexible vs. Rigid Scavenger Hunt ... 86
Activity 2: Flexible Is Faster ... 87
Closing ... 88
Classroom Practice 5 ... 89
Home Practice 5 ... 90
Lesson 6 Flexibility ... 91 Introduction ... 92
Activity 1: Mystery Word—Flexibility ... 93
Handout: Mystery Word 1 ... 94
Educator Guide: Mystery Word 1 Key ... 95
Handout: Unstuck and On Target! Dictionary—Flexible ... 96 Activity 2: As Flexible as Putty ... 97
Handout: Flexible Fun ... 99
Handout: Fun Putty Recipe ... 100
Closing ... 101
Classroom Practice 6 ... 102
Home Practice 6 ... 103
Lesson 7 Getting Stuck ... 104 Introduction ... 105
Activity 1: Mystery Word—Stuck ... 106
Handout: Mystery Word 2 ... 107
Educator Guide: Mystery Word 2 Key ... 108
Handout: Unstuck and On Target! Dictionary—Stuck ... 109 Activity 2: Flexible/Stuck Role Play ... 110
Closing ... 111
Classroom Practice 7 ... 112
Home Practice 7 ... 113

Topic 3 How to Be Flexible ... 115

Lesson 8 Plan A → Plan B ... 117 Introduction ... 118
Activity 1: Mystery Words—Plan A → Plan B ... 119
Handout: Mystery Word 3 ... 120
Educator Guide: Mystery Word 3 Key ... 121
Handout: Unstuck and On Target! Dictionary—Plan A → Plan B ... 122 Activity 2: Speed B ... 123
Activity 3: Build a Plan A, B, C ... 124
Handout: Build a Plan A, B, C ... 125
Closing ... 126
Classroom Practice 8 ... 127
Home Practice 8 ... 128
Lesson 9 Compromise ... 129 Introduction ... 130
Activity 1: Mystery Word—Compromise ... 131
Handout: Mystery Word 4 ... 132
Educator Guide: Mystery Word 4 Key ... 133
Handout: Unstuck and On Target! Dictionary—Compromise ... 134 Activity 2: Compromise Game ... 135
Materials: Compromise Game Cards ... 137
Closing ... 138

Topic 4 Why Be Flexible? ... 181

Lesson 13 The Advantages of Being Flexible ... 182 Introduction ... 183
Activity 1: What to Do When What I Want Is Impossible ... 184
Educator Script: My Two Choices ... 186
Visual: Group Flexibility Chant ... 187
Activity 2: Flexibility Freeway Game ... 188
Educator Guide: Flexibility Freeway Game Rules ... 189

Introduction

GOAL OF THIS MANUAL

Unstuck and On Target! is a plan of action for teaching students how to be more flexible, planful, and goal directed.

Who Will Benefit from This Intervention?

Unstuck and On Target! is designed for 8- to 11-year-old students who have difficulties with flexibility, organization, and planning.

Who Should Provide This Intervention?

Unstuck and On Target! is designed for use in a small, school-based weekly group of students led by a professional (teacher, psychologist, social worker, speech-language therapist, occupational therapist, counselor, or highly trained teaching assistant).

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

• Lynn Cannon: Social Learning Specialist at The Ivymount School and The Maddux School.
• Lauren Kenworthy: Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry at George Washington University.
• Katie C. Alexander: Occupational Therapist, Founder of The Occupational Therapy Institute.
• Monica Adler Werner: Program Director for Development, Training and Consulting at The Ivymount School.
• Laura Gutermuth Anthony: Associate Professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado.

Overview of Unstuck and On Target!

The Unstuck and On Target! curriculum has the following major goals:

• Teaches what flexibility is through concrete, hands-on experiments.
• Explains why it is important to be flexible.
• Teaches students how to be flexible by emphasizing routines and self-regulatory scripts.
• Teaches what goals are and how to achieve them.
• Teaches a routine and script for setting a goal and completing any type of multiple-step activity.

What You Need to Know About Executive Function

What Is Executive Function?

Executive function is a set of brain-based abilities that help people control their behavior and reach their goals. This curriculum focuses specifically on four aspects of executive functioning: flexibility, organization, planning, and monitoring skills.

What Is Flexibility?

Students need flexibility skills for school and social success. Inflexibility can serve a protective role in limiting unexpected events.