6th Grade Executive Function Skills Worksheet

6th Grade Executive Function Skills Worksheet

Total Time: 55 minutes

Introduction: Understanding Executive Function

Time: 5 minutes

Executive functions are brain processes that help us manage our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to get things done. In this worksheet, we will explore ways to improve our executive function skills, focusing on task initiation, completion, organization, and listening to directions.

Core Activity 1: Task Initiation and Completion

Time: 10 minutes

Questions:

  1. When you start a task you don’t like, how can you remind yourself to start right away? (Tip: Think about using a timer, or breaking tasks into smaller pieces.)

  2. List at least two ways you can let yourself know when you are distracted and need to get back on task.

  3. Consider a time you had to complete a non-preferred task. Describe how you felt before, during, and after. What would motivate you to start the task sooner next time?

Core Activity 2: Scaffolding Inhibition

Time: 10 minutes

Reflect on the following:

  1. What strategies can you use to help you focus when you feel the urge to start another activity instead of finishing the current one? (Example: Deep breathing, counting to ten)

  2. Create a personal ‘Distraction Plan’. Write down three things that distract you, and next to each, note a strategy to minimize that distraction.

Core Activity 3: Organization Tips

Time: 10 minutes

  1. How can you keep your personal space organized without making it feel like a chore? List two daily habits you could adopt.

  2. If you had a messy room, what one small area would you choose to organize first? Explain why.

  3. Discuss how organizing your school materials could impact your homework efficiency. Write down three benefits.

Core Activity 4: Listening to Directions and Motivation

Time: 10 minutes

  1. What are three strategies you can use to improve your listening skills during direction-giving moments? (Examples: Repeat back what you heard, take notes)

  2. How can you encourage a friend who is often unmotivated to stay focused during class? List two supportive actions.

Extension Activity: Executive Function Skills in Action

Time: 15 minutes

Choose one of the following:

  1. Create a comic strip that illustrates a character using executive function strategies to complete a task.

  2. Write a short story about a day in the life of a child who struggles with executive function and how they overcame their challenges.

  3. Design a poster featuring tips for younger kids (like second graders) on how to manage their time and stay organized.

Conclusion: Tracking Your Progress

Time: 5 minutes

At the end of each day, reflect on how you applied what you learned today:

  1. Write one sentence about a strategy you used today to improve your executive function skills.

  2. What will you focus on improving tomorrow?