# 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.