Ask students to think about the order in which they do things in the morning.

Ask questions such as the following:

• Would you fix your hair before getting into the shower? Why not?
• Would you put on your shoes before putting on your pants? Why not?
• Would you butter your bread before putting it in the toaster? Why not?

Point out that what have become our everyday habits are really ways in which we organize ourselves. Explain to students that in this lesson they will learn habits of organization that can help them study and learn more successfully.

Purpose: Students examine ways to organize information and materials for their school subjects.

1. Students examine their personal organization habits.

Ask students to name the classes they are taking. List these classes on the board. Have students describe how they keep track of information, assignments, and materials for each class. Elicit their reasons. Ask students who keep notebooks or binders to explain why they are helpful organizational tools.

Point out whenever possible the various organizational tools that students already have in place. Emphasize that one important tool is to keep notebooks for each class or a binder with different sections for each class.

2. Students learn how to organize notebooks and binders.

Ask volunteers to describe and show how their notebooks/binders are organized.

Point out individual differences. For example, some students may find that keeping a notebook works best for some subjects. Others may find that keeping a three-ring binder works best because binders allow papers to be easily removed or inserted. Some students might even wish to use a combination of both notebooks and binders.

Help students understand that when work is completed, it’s often a good idea to keep the work so it may be reviewed later. Other times, work needs to be cleaned out. Ask for suggestions on how students might clean out their notebooks or binders. (Students might respond: go through the notebooks and binders, and identify material that might be helpful when reviewing for tests or working on projects; find a place to keep these materials at home—on a bookshelf, for example. Loose papers could be filed in subject folders. After work is graded or evaluated, it may be cleaned out.)

Summarize your discussion by writing the following points on the board:

• Students should have a notebook or a section in a binder for each subject.
• Students should have a place to write assignments and notes, and a place to keep completed homework, handouts, returned homework, and returned tests.

Purpose: Students evaluate the importance of planning ahead and scheduling study time.

1. Students assess their personal time management habits.

Review the list of classes written on the board. Continue your discussion about organizational methods. Ask questions such as the following:

• How do you keep track of assignment due dates or test dates for each of your classes?
• How do you plan your studying so that everything you need to do gets done on time?
• What are some ways you can improve your time management skills?

Acknowledge responses that offer suggestions on how to plan ahead. Tell students that planning ahead is another important part of getting organized. If students have not mentioned making a schedule or a to-do list, remind them of the techniques they learned a few sessions ago in “Lesson 4: Managing Your Time” of Module 4: Managing Personal Resources.

2. Students consider how to plan their study time.

Share the following study tips with students:

• Decide on the best time of day to do homework.
• Study at that same time every day.
• Plan and schedule exactly what you need to accomplish.
• Write down your study schedule and stick to it!
• Work on the most difficult subjects first, before you get tired.

Purpose: Students identify organizational systems that work best for them.

1. Students organize their notebooks or binders.

Discuss how students might use their notebooks or binders to plan and organize their classwork. Through questions and comments, guide students to point out that if their notebooks or binders are organized by class, and if each class section includes daily assignments and notices of upcoming tests, then they can transfer this information to a daily or weekly schedule. This becomes their to-do list.

Distribute copies of the “Organization Checklist” activity sheet. Focus attention on the first section of the activity sheet, titled “About Notebooks and Binders.”

Group students in pairs. Tell them to look through any notebooks or binders that they have with them to see how well they are organized. Tell students to fill out the first half of the checklist, and to reorganize their notebooks and binders if they need to. Remind them to list anything they need to do or materials they may need to help them organize, such as additional notebooks, a binder, paper, and pencils.

2. Students make a schedule.

Focus students’ attention on the reminders at the bottom of their checklists. Tell students to read through them as you distribute copies of the “My Study Week” activity sheet.

Suggest that at the beginning or end of each day, students go through their notes for each class, enter upcoming assignments and tests in their notebooks or binders, and write up a schedule of what needs to be done. Model suggestions on the board (e.g., “English—Monday: read pages 50–60, work on rough draft”).

Remind students to keep their schedules in their notebooks. Suggest that they use a schedule like this, adapt it, or make up one of their own that works better for them.

Ask students to name useful methods for organizing their notebooks and binders. Ask them to explain why their organizational systems may change occasionally. Elicit from students the following key points that were taught in this lesson:

• It is important to have a system for planning and organizing classwork.
• Organize your work; keep a notebook or binder with information and
  materials for each class.
• Plan ahead; make a schedule to organize your study time.