Understand why variety is important Learn about the concept of balance in daily routines and reflect on individual routines Connect different activities with feelings or needs (possible use of Zones of Regulation) Begin exploring the idea of time management Think more bout healthy habits around school, out of school, fun, rest, and relationships

30–40 minutes, Flexible timing/ adaptable format: Can be completed in short segments or extended across multiple sessions.

Example Conversation Starters:

“What does a normal day look like for you?” “When do you feel too busy? When do you feel bored?” “What would your perfect day look like?” “Why do we need different types of activities to stay healthy and happy?”

Daily Pie Chart: Have students draw a circle and divide it into slices—school, out of school, rest, fun, family, screen time, etc. Reflect on which parts feel out of balance. Too much or too little. And why? Lifestyle Reflection: Talk about what adults in their lives do for balance. “What do you notice about your parents/guardians’ or teachers’ routines? How does this impact you?” Plan a Healthy Day that has variety and balance: Students draw or describe a “balanced” school day that includes learning, rest, fun, and connection. Use Live Your Why to get ideas for different types of leisure/wellness themes and benefits.

Develop tools to overcome being bored Learn how to deal with uninteresting or uncomfortable moments Use and strengthen creative thinking skills

TimeWise Student Workbook 16-17 for older elementary students (and themes for younger).

30–40 minutes Flexible timing/ adaptable format: Can be completed in short segments or extended across multiple sessions.

Example Conversation Starters:

“What do you do when something feels boring?” “Can you remember a time you made something more fun or interesting?” “What are some tricks to make boring things better?”

-Boring to Fun Brainstorm: List things that students find boring (bus or car rides, waiting, chores, school tasks) and have them brainstorm ways to make them more interesting (pretend it's a game, challenge yourself, find something funny). -Introduce and do Page 17 in the TimeWise Student Workbook. Then, role play with partners: Act out a boring situation and show how to make it better, etc. -Based on the activity on Page 17 Create a Toolbox List: Students write or draw 3–5 ideas they can try when something feels boring. Discussion: “Would you rather pick your activity, or let someone else chose it for you? and Why?” Draw Your Ideal Afternoon/Weekend What do you love to do? What would it look like if you got to choose your afternoon or weekend? A Yes Day (show the trailer from the movie Yes Day- and discuss) Discussion and Role Play: Suppose you were not allowed to do the activity you want to do, how would you negotiate with your adult what you want to do? Have students come up with things they might say to advocate for themselves. Take-Home Prompt: “Ask an adult to name something they liked to do as a kid—and share something you’d like to do together or try!”

Learn that boredom is a sign that they might need to change their situation Connect boredom to emotions and regulation Become more aware and reflect on these topics

TimeWise Student Workbook 16-17 for older Elementary students (and themes for younger). Teacher Manual - Transparency 4 Check out Zones of Regulation

25–30 minutes Flexible timing/ adaptable format: Can be completed in short segments or extended across multiple sessions.

Example Conversation Starters:

“How do you feel when you’re bored?” “Where do you feel boredom in your body?” “What is your brain telling you when you're bored?”

Feelings Check-In: Invite students to describe what boredom feels like physically or emotionally. Zone Match: Identify which emotional regulation zone boredom might belong in and why. Green – calm, ready to learn; Blue – relaxed or resting; Red – angry or out of control; Yellow – too silly or distracted Draw or Journal: “Draw your ‘bored face’ and then draw what you wish you could be doing.” What can you do in a situation that is boring? How does the change in situation impact impact how you feel? Group Discussion

Elementary School | Session 4

Doing different kinds of activities helps us feel better in different ways. It’s good to have a mix—some quiet time, some active activity, time with others, and time by yourself, time that is structured or planned and time that is unstructured and you have more freedom to choose. We all have responsibilities like schoolwork, out of school activities, chores, and bedtime—but we also need time to relax, play, and be with others. Finding balance helps us feel our best. Balance means not doing just one thing all the time and getting different benefits from the activities you do. Sometimes what we do can be boring and we need to find ways to turn it into something interesting to us.

Student Goals:
Understand why variety is important
Learn about the concept of balance in daily routines and reflect on individual routines
Connect different activities with feelings or needs (possible use of Zones of Regulation)
Begin exploring the idea of time management
Think more bout healthy habits around school, out of school, fun, rest, and relationships
Time Frame:
30–40 minutes, Flexible timing/ adaptable format: Can be completed in short segments or extended across multiple sessions.
Example Conversation Starters:
“What does a normal day look like for you?”
“When do you feel too busy? When do you feel bored?”
“What would your perfect day look like?”
“Why do we need different types of activities to stay healthy and happy?”
Activities:
Daily Pie Chart: Have students draw a circle and divide it into slices—school, out of school, rest, fun, family, screen time, etc. Reflect on which parts feel out of balance. Too much or too little. And why?

Lifestyle Reflection: Talk about what adults in their lives do for balance. “What do you notice about your parents/guardians’ or teachers’ routines? How does this impact you?”

Plan a Healthy Day that has variety and balance: Students draw or describe a “balanced” school day that includes learning, rest, fun, and connection.
Use Live Your Why to get ideas for different types of leisure/wellness themes and benefits.

Student Goals:
Develop tools to overcome being bored
Learn how to deal with uninteresting or uncomfortable moments
Use and strengthen creative thinking skills
Materials:
TimeWise Student Workbook 16-17 for older elementary students (and themes for younger).
Time Frame:
30–40 minutes Flexible timing/ adaptable format: Can be completed in short segments or extended across multiple sessions.
Example Conversation Starters:
“What do you do when something feels boring?”
“Can you remember a time you made something more fun or interesting?”
“What are some tricks to make boring things better?”
Activities:
-Boring to Fun Brainstorm: List things that students find boring (bus or car rides, waiting, chores, school tasks) and have them brainstorm ways to make them more interesting (pretend it's a game, challenge yourself, find something funny).

-Introduce and do Page 17 in the TimeWise Student Workbook. Then, role play with partners:

Act out a boring situation and show how to make it better, etc.

-Based on the activity on Page 17

Create a Toolbox List: Students write or draw 3–5 ideas they can try when something feels boring.

Discussion:

“Would you rather pick your activity, or let someone else chose it for you? and Why?”

Draw Your Ideal Afternoon/Weekend

What do you love to do? What would it look like if you got to choose your afternoon or weekend? A Yes Day (show the trailer from the movie Yes Day- and discuss)

Discussion and Role Play: Suppose you were not allowed to do the activity you want to do, how would you negotiate with your adult what you want to do? Have students come up with things they might say to advocate for themselves.

Take-Home Prompt:

“Ask an adult to name something they liked to do as a kid—and share something you’d like to do together or try!”

Student Goals:
Learn that boredom is a sign that they might need to change their situation
Connect boredom to emotions and regulation
Become more aware and reflect on these topics
Materials:
TimeWise Student Workbook 16-17 for older Elementary students (and themes for younger).
Teacher Manual - Transparency 4
Check out Zones of Regulation
Time Frame:
25–30 minutes Flexible timing/ adaptable format: Can be completed in short segments or extended across multiple sessions.
Example Conversation Starters:
“How do you feel when you’re bored?”
“Where do you feel boredom in your body?”
“What is your brain telling you when you're bored?”
Activities:
Feelings Check-In: Invite students to describe what boredom feels like physically or emotionally.
Zone Match: Identify which emotional regulation zone boredom might belong in and why. Green – calm, ready to learn; Blue – relaxed or resting; Red – angry or out of control; Yellow – too silly or distracted
Draw or Journal: “Draw your ‘bored face’ and then draw what you wish you could be doing.”
What can you do in a situation that is boring? How does the change in situation impact impact how you feel?
Group Discussion

Previous session

Elementary

School

Session 4:

Getting The Most Out of Your Free Time

Before you begin, read how you might use TW2:

Getting The Most Out Of Your Free Time

Subtopics:

Subtopic 1:

Explore Your Passions & Interests

Subtopic 2:

Variety & Balance

Student Goals:

Time Frame:

Example Conversation Starters:

Activities:

Subtopic 3:

How to Restructure a Situation When You’re Not Interested (Boredom)

Student Goals:

Materials:

Time Frame:

Example Conversation Starters:

Activities:

Subtopic 4:

What is Boredom and Why It’s Important to Understand

Student Goals:

Materials:

Time Frame:

Example Conversation Starters:

Activities:

Have Questions?

Suggestions?

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