Focus Detective Slides Focus Detective Academy
Lesson 1: Isolating Information with Windows
One Step at a Time!
The Flashlight Secret
Imagine a dark room filled with toys.
If you turn on the big light, you see everything at once. It can be messy!
"When we use a flashlight, we see just one thing clearly."
Just One Star
The "Busy Page" Problem
Sometimes, a worksheet has too many words and too many numbers. Our brains feel "stuffed."
We call this "Visual Overwhelm."
Brain working too hard...
Eyes getting lost...
Our Secret Tool: The Reading Window
How it works:
It covers the parts we aren't doing yet.
It shows only one sentence or one problem.
It helps us focus on One Thing .
FOCUS ON THIS PART ONLY
Detective Mission #1
1
Build your Focus Window .
2
Put it on your "Busy Page."
3
Solve one piece at a time.
Ready, Detectives?
Reading Window Craft Focus Detective Tool
Make your own Reading Window!
TOOL CRAFT
How to Build It:
1 Cut out the big rectangle below.
2 Ask a teacher to help you cut out the inner box.
3 Decorate your frame with detective stickers!
The window helps your eyes find the "clue" without getting lost!
--- Cut along the thick dotted lines below ---
FOCUS DETECTIVE
CUT THIS OUT
Tip: You can use this for reading sentences OR for math problems!
Window Training Worksheet Detective Training Page
Practice using your Reading Window!
NAME:
DATE:
Your Mission:
This page has many sentences and math problems. It's too much at once! Place your Reading Window over one box at a time. Do what it says, then move the window down.
1. Draw a star in this box.
2. What is 5 + 3?
3. Circle the word: APPLE
Banana Apple Grape
4. Draw a happy face.
5. Write your favorite color.
6. What is 10 - 2?
7. Write the letter B.
8. Count the dots: ● ● ● ●
9. Draw a square.
10. Write the word "STOP".
Did the window help you stay focused? Circle: YES / NO
Highlighter Focus Slides Action Word Hunt
Lesson 2: Highlighter Focus Strategies
Find the Clue!
The "Action Word" Clue
Directions can have lots of words.
But only one word tells you what to DO.
"We call these Action Words ."
DRAW
CIRCLE
WRITE
Why Highlight?
It makes the most important word GLOW .
It tells your brain: "Focus on this task!"
It stops us from getting confused by other words.
Detective Practice
The Direction:
"Please use your pencil to draw a small blue bird in the tree."
The Highlighted Focus:
"Please use your pencil to draw a small blue bird in the tree."
Treasure Hunt Rules
1
Read the sentence slowly.
2
Highlight the one word that tells you what to DO.
3
Do the action!
Ready... Set... Highlight!
Action Word Treasure Hunt Action Word Treasure Hunt
Find the hidden action words!
Detective:
The Mission Protocol
1. Read the direction. 2. Highlight the word that tells you what to DO. 3. Finish the task.
1
Please use a red crayon to draw a big sun in the corner.
2
It is very important that you circle the cat with the hat.
(No Hat)
The Cat
(Dog)
3
Now, can you write your favorite animal on the line?
4
Carefully count the stars and put the number in the box.
End of Mission
Action Word Key Answer Key & Guide
Action Word Treasure Hunt
TEACHER ONLY
Strategy Goal:
This activity shifts the student's focus from the noise (the extra words) to the signal (the action verb). By physically highlighting the verb, they create a visual anchor to reduce working memory load while performing the task.
Target Action Words:
01
Please use a red crayon to DRAW a big sun in the corner.
02
It is very important that you CIRCLE the cat with the hat.
03
Now, can you WRITE your favorite animal on the line?
04
Carefully COUNT the stars and put the number in the box.
Facilitation Tips:
Check for Understanding
Before they do the action, have them say the highlighted word out loud. "What is your one job?"
Pacing
Encourage students to use their Reading Window from Lesson 1 to find the action word in the direction!
Math Filtering Slides Math Mystery Filters
Lesson 3: One-Step Math Word Problems
Ignore the Noise!
Math "Noise"
Math word problems love to tell stories.
Some words are important. But many words are just extra !
"Our job is to filter out the story and find the Math Step ."
Sam has a red bike.
He likes to ride it to the park.
He found 4 rocks.
The rocks were very shiny.
NOISE!
Searching for the Secret Symbol
Plus Clues:
"Join"
"In all"
"Total"
"More"
Minus Clues:
"Take away"
"Left"
"Fewer"
"Gave away"
How to Filter a Problem
1
Cross out the story "noise" (names, colors, extra stuff).
2
Circle the numbers you need.
3
Highlight the operation clue word.
It turns a long story into one simple math problem!
Math Detective Mission
Detectives use their Reading Window and Highlighter to solve mysteries.
Don't let the extra words trick you!
Mystery Math Detective Worksheet Mystery Math Detective
Filter out the noise to find the answer!
DETECTIVE:
Filtering Protocol:
CROSS out noise CIRCLE numbers HIGHLIGHT clue
MISSION #1
On Tuesday, little Jenny went to the big red barn. She saw 8 brown cows eating grass. Then, 3 of the cows walked away to the pond. How many cows are left at the barn?
Show Your Filtering Work:
Crossed out story noise?
Circled numbers?
Highlighted math clue?
The Math Step:
?
=
MISSION #2
The sun was very bright at the beach. Ben found 5 blue shells in the sand. His sister found 4 more yellow shells. How many shells did they find in all?
Show Your Filtering Work:
Crossed out story noise?
Circled numbers?
Highlighted math clue?
The Math Step:
?
=
Detectives, use your Reading Window to focus on one line at a time!
Mystery Math Key Answer Key & Guide
Mystery Math Detective
TEACHER ONLY
Strategy Goal: Information Filtering
Students with working memory challenges struggle to hold multiple pieces of information (story details + numbers + operations) in their mind at once. Filtering allows them to physically "delete" what is unnecessary, leaving a manageable single-step math problem.
Mission #1 Solution
SUBTRACTION
On Tuesday, little Jenny went to the big red barn. She saw 8 cows. Then, 3 walked AWAY. How many are LEFT?
8
−
3
=
5
Mission #2 Solution
ADDITION
The sun was very bright at the beach. Ben found 5 shells. His sister found 4 MORE. How many IN ALL?
5
4
=
9
Common Detective Errors:
Filtering too much: If a student crosses out a number, guide them back to the "Circle Numbers" step.Wrong Operation: If they add instead of subtract, prompt them to look at the highlighted word and check the "Secret Symbol" chart in the slides. Story Sequencing Slides One Step Stories
Lesson 4: Sequencing Story Events
Step by Step!
The Story Jumble
Sometimes stories happen so fast, we forget the order.
If we try to remember the whole story at once, it feels like a jumble.
"Detectives break a story into Single Steps ."
Our Sequencing Markers
1
First
2
Next
3
Last
Solving the Jumble
"Don't look at all the pictures yet! Listen for only the first thing. Find that card, and put it in place."
#1
Build the story step-by-step.
Detective Mission #4
Listen for the order words.
Move the card that matches.
Wait for the next step.
Comic Strip Cards Comic Strip Rebuild
Cut out the panels and wait for the story!
Sorting Task
Rebuild the Story Here:
1
First
2
Next
3
Last
--- Carefully cut out the 3 panels below ---
The dog finds a giant bone.
?
The dog runs fast to the park.
?
The dog takes a long nap.
?
Detective Story Series
Story Read Aloud Script Read-Aloud Script
The Great Bone Mystery
INSTRUCTIONAL SCRIPT
The Working Memory Strategy:
Read the story in segments. Stop after each segment and wait for all students to find the corresponding card and place it on their board. Do not proceed to the "Next" step until everyone has completed the "First" step. This prevents cognitive overload and supports sequential recall.
1
The First Part
"Once upon a time, there was a dog named Buddy. FIRST, Buddy was digging in the backyard when he found a giant, juicy bone!"
Wait: Pause and ensure all students place the "Bone" card in the #1 slot.
2
The Next Part
"Buddy was so excited to show his friends. NEXT, he grabbed the bone in his mouth and he ran as fast as the wind to the park!"
Wait: Pause and ensure all students place the "Running" card in the #2 slot.
3
The Last Part
"Buddy was finally tired from all the digging and running. LAST, he curled up under a big shady tree and took a very long nap. Zzzzz."
Wait: Pause and ensure all students place the "Sleeping" card in the #3 slot.
Pro Detective Tip:
If a student is struggling to find the card, prompt them with the visual keyword: "Listen for Buddy found something... what was it?" Avoid giving the answer directly to encourage independent retrieval from their working memory.
One Thing Challenge Slides The One Thing Challenge
Lesson 5: Putting it All Together
ARE YOU READY?
Your Focus Tool Belt
Reading Window
To hide the "busy" parts of the page.
Highlighter
To make the Action Word glow.
Math Filter
To cross out the noise and find the symbols.
Don't Panic!
Sometimes a worksheet looks like this: Crowded and Scary.
"It's too much! I want to give up!"
Stop. Breathe. Use one tool.
The Challenge Protocol
1
Pick your first tool.
2
Do only ONE thing on the page.
3
Check it off and move to the next thing.
"I can do hard things when I do them one step at a time!"
Focus Masters!
You have the tools to handle any "busy" page. You are officially Focus Detectives!
Focus Challenge Worksheet THE MASTER DETECTIVE CHALLENGE
Apply all your tools to solve this page!
MASTER DETECTIVE:
Tool Check:
Window Ready
Highlighter Ready
Pencil Ready
TASK #101
Please use your pencil to draw a tiny triangle in the bottom corner of this specific box.
TASK #204
Math Word Mystery:
It was a sunny day at the park. Tim had 7 apples. He shared 4 apples with his friends. How many are left?
-
=
?
TASK #309
Sequence the Morning:
Eat Breakfast
Wake Up
Go to School
1st
2nd
3rd
TASK #405
Highlight the Action Word:
"If you are finished, circle the star."
TASK #512
Math Equation:
6 + 2 =
MISSION COMPLETE
Use your window to find the finish line!
How did your brain feel today?
Master Detective Certified
Strategy Reflection Guide Strategic Debrief Guide
Reflecting on Academic Independence
FACILITATION GUIDE
The Goal of Reflection:
Students with working memory challenges often feel "defeated by the page." This final discussion helps them internalize the success they felt during the One Thing Challenge and bridges the gap between teacher-led strategies and independent academic work.
Discussion Protocol
Observation 01:
"How did the page look when you FIRST picked it up today?"
Expected: Busy, Scary, Too Much
Observation 02:
"Which tool helped your brain stay 'cool' while you worked?"
Have students vote or show their tool (Window, Highlighter, or Filter pencil).
Observation 03:
"What is the secret rule of Focus Detectives?"
"Do ONE THING at a time!"
Future Support Strategies:
In Reading:
Encourage students to keep their Reading Windows in their book boxes for daily independent reading sessions.
In Math:
Keep a 'Secret Symbol' anchor chart visible in the room to support the 'Filtering' tool during tests.
Certified Strategy Transfer
