Destination Done Slides Lesson 1: Destination Done
Project Pilots
"Before we take off, we need to know exactly where we're landing."
The Mystery Mission
Imagine you want a delicious, perfectly decorated cake.
Can we just throw eggs at a bag of flour?
🎂
What does "DONE" look like?
Clear Goal
I can describe my finished project to a friend.
Vision
I can "see" the final project in my mind.
Criteria
I know the 3-4 things that make it successful.
Time Travel Thinking
"It is Friday. You are holding your completed project. It looks amazing."
Look
What colors or shapes do you see?
Feel
How do you feel about finishing?
Pilot's Rule #1
Never fly
without a Destination!
Next Stop: Our Mission Map
Mission Briefing Worksheet Project Pilot Academy
Mission Briefing
Pilot Name
Mission Date
The Target Destination
Before we take off, we need to see our destination in our minds! Choose a project you are working on (like a book report or a poster).
What is the name of your mission?
Time Travel Thinking
Close your eyes. Imagine it is the day the project is finished. You are holding it in your hands!
What does it look like?
(Draw or write: Is it colorful? Big? Does it have pictures?)
How do you feel?
(Happy? Proud? Relieved? Tired but excited?)
The "Done" Checklist
List 3 specific things your project must have to be truly finished.
1
2
3
Pilot Clearance Signature
Project Pilot Teacher Guide Project Pilot Teacher Guide
Sequence Facilitation & SPED Support
Sequence Overview
The Project Pilot sequence is designed to explicitly teach executive function skills—specifically task analysis, time estimation, and self-monitoring—to 4th-grade students. While intended for all learners, the aviation theme and visual organizers provide critical "scaffolding" for students with ADHD, Autism, or Executive Function challenges.
Method Backward Design
Structure Project Chunking
Mindset Flexible Thinking
Facilitation Pro-Tips
1
Destination Done
Ensure the "Cake Hook" is physical if possible. Bring in a photo of a cake and the raw ingredients. For the worksheet, help students choose a real upcoming project to make the lesson immediately applicable.
2
Milestone Mountains
The "Milestone Burger" is a metaphor for beginning/middle/end. If a student's milestone is too small (e.g., "get a pencil"), guide them to see it as a "pebble" for the next lesson instead of a "bun."
3
Task Takeoff
Students with ADHD often struggle with "Time Blindness." The Minute Guessing Game is crucial for building awareness. Emphasize the Pilot Pro-Tip: Double your estimate!
4
The Flight Map
The visual progress bar is the "dopamine hit" students need. Encourage them to use highlighters or stickers to fill the bar as they complete tasks. Make this a daily ritual.
5
Navigation Course Correct
This lesson tackles "emotional regulation" when plans fail. Reframe failure as "turbulence"—it's expected, and Pilots are trained for it. Practice the "Rubber Band" vs "Stiff Stick" metaphor physically.
SPED Modifications
Visual Processing
Use color-coded folders for different "Milestones" (e.g., Yellow for Bun 1, Red for Middle, Brown for Bun 2).
Motor Skills
Provide pre-cut "Pebble" stickers or velcro strips for the Flight Map so students can move tasks without heavy writing.
Attention
Use a "Visual Timer" (like a Time Timer) during the Task Takeoff work session to show time elapsing.
Memory
Print out the "Pilot's Rule #1" slide and tape it to student desks as a visual anchor.
Milestone Mountains Slides Lesson 2: Milestone Mountains
Project Pilots
"Dividing the journey into big stops."
How to Build a House?
1
Foundation
The strong base that holds everything up.
2
Framing
Building the walls and the roof skeleton.
3
Finishing
Painting, windows, and the final details.
Could you paint the walls before the foundation is poured? No way!
What is a Milestone?
A Milestone is a major stop on your mission. It is a "Big Chunk" of work.
Not a detail
A big finish line
Takes 1-2 days
The Milestone Burger
🍔
T
Top Bun: The Start
Researching and Planning.
M
The Filling: The Middle
Building and Writing.
B
Bottom Bun: The End
Final Edits and Presentation.
Pilot Challenge
Let's take our mission from yesterday and divide it into 3 big chunks.
Plan it
Build it
Finish it
Milestone Burger Organizer Project Pilot Academy
Milestone Burger
Pilot Name
Project Name
Don't let your project be a giant mountain! Break it down into 3 Milestones (Big Chunks of work).
1
TOP BUN: The Planning Phase
What do you need to find out or plan before you start building?
2
THE FILLING: The Building Phase
What is the biggest, most important part of the work?
3
BOTTOM BUN: The Finishing Phase
How do you make it look perfect and ready to turn in?
Milestone Check:
Does each milestone take more than a few minutes? If it's too small, it's a detail, not a milestone!
Task Takeoff Slides Lesson 3: Task Takeoff
Project Pilots
"Small steps, realistic time."
The Chunking Secret
A Milestone is like a giant rock. You can't lift it alone.
Chunking is breaking that rock into tiny pebbles you can carry in your pocket!
Small & Actionable
The 20-Minute Rule
A "chunked" task should take 20 minutes or less.
Too Big:
"Write the whole report"
Just Right:
"Write 3 facts about sharks"
The Minute Guessing Game
1
Close your eyes when the timer starts.
2
Stand up when you think 60 seconds has passed.
3
Open your eyes and see how close you were!
⏱️
Our internal clocks are all different!
Pilot Pro-Tip
Always DOUBLE your estimate.
If you think it takes 10 minutes, plan for 20! It's better to have extra time than to run out.
Task Takeoff Worksheet Project Pilot Academy
Task Takeoff
Pilot Name
Milestone Name
Break it Down!
Choose ONE milestone from your burger. Break it into 4 tiny "pebbles" that take 20 minutes or less.
Tiny Task (The Pebble)
Time Estimate
_______ mins
_______ mins
_______ mins
_______ mins
The Double Check
Wait! Did you use the Pilot Pro-Tip? If you think a task takes 10 minutes, you should plan for 20 minutes.
I doubled my time estimates!
Total Flight Time
Add up all your pebble times. How long will this milestone take in total?
_______ MINUTES
The Flight Map Slides Lesson 4: The Flight Map
Project Pilots
"Mapping your mission from 'To-Do' to 'Done'."
The Progress Power
Think about a progress bar on a video game or a download.
"Why does it feel so good to see that bar fill up?"
75%
Progress = Dopamine
Your Flight Map
A Flight Map shows WHICH pebbles you will do on WHICH days.
Monday
Planning Pebbles
Tuesday
Building Pebbles
Wednesday
Building Pebbles
Pilot's Best Friend: The Checkmark
✅
Every time you finish a "pebble," you MUST check it off immediately.
"Seeing your progress helps your brain stay focused and happy. It proves you are winning!"
Mission Instruction
Plot Your Path!
Open your Flight Map. Let's put your 4 pebbles on the calendar and see our progress bar grow.
Flight Map Organizer Project Pilot Academy
The Flight Map
Pilot Name
Mission Timeline
M
Monday Mission
T
Tuesday Mission
W
Wednesday Mission
Th
Thursday Mission
Mission Accomplished!
Destination Reached: Friday
Mission Progress Bar
Fill it as you finish tasks!
Navigation Course Correct Slides Lesson 5: Navigation Course Correct
Project Pilots
"Handling turbulence and finishing strong."
Emergency!
"You planned to paint your poster today, but you ran out of paint! The project is due in 2 days."
What happens to your Flight Map?
🌩️
Turbulence happens.
Turbulence
A small bump in the plan. We just need to steer around it!
A Crash
Giving up entirely. We never do this!
Flexible Thinking
A stiff stick breaks.
A rubber band stretches!
3 Course-Correct Questions:
1
What is the problem?
2
What changes on my map?
3
Who can help me?
Destination Reached!
You have all the tools to be a Master Project Pilot.
Visualized Done
Set Milestones
Chunked Tasks
Tracked Flight
Emergency Report Worksheet Project Pilot Academy
Emergency Report
Pilot Name
Mission Turbulence Scenario
"It is Wednesday morning. You planned to finish your 'Building' pebbles today. But you woke up with a bad cold and have to stay home from school for the whole day. You can't do any work today! Your project is still due on Friday."
1. Identify the Problem
What exactly changed? How many days do you have left?
2. Ground Support
Who can you talk to about this? What will you say?
3. New Flight Map
Redraw your Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday plan. How will you fit in the missing work?
WED
STAY HOME
THU
FRI (DUE)
Pilot Resilience
"It's not about being perfect. It's about how you bounce back when things get bumpy!"