Priority Power Teacher Guide Mission Control: Task Command
TEACHER GUIDE: PRIORITY POWER DEFINITIONS
Lesson 01
Objective
Students will define 'urgency' and 'importance' and differentiate between them using real-world scenarios.
Time
45-50 Minutes
Materials
Priority Power Slides, Mission Sorting Cards, 2 Envelopes (Hook)
1. The Hook (5 Mins)
Display two sealed envelopes. One is bright red with "OPEN IMMEDIATELY!" in bold letters. The other is plain white and says "Open whenever you have a minute."
Discussion Prompt:
"If I set these on my desk, which one makes you feel more nervous or curious? Which one would you open first? Why?"
2. Core Concepts (15 Mins)
Urgency (When?)
"It has a ticking clock!"
A task that needs to be done right now or very soon. High pressure.
Importance (Why?)
"It really matters!"
A task that has big consequences or helps you reach a goal.
3. Sorting Activity (20 Mins)
Distribute the Mission Sorting Cards . In pairs, students will read each scenario and decide if it is Urgent , Important , or Both .
Scenario A: Homework due in 10 minutes (Urgent + Important).
Scenario B: Choosing a library book for fun (Not Urgent + Low Importance for grades).
Scenario C: A friend calling to play (Urgent but maybe Low Importance).
4. Reflection (5 Mins)
"Can something be important but NOT urgent? What happens if we ignore those things for too long?" (They eventually become urgent!)
Common Misconception
Students often confuse 'fun' with 'important.' Remind them that Importance is based on goals (learning, health, family duties) and consequences, while Urgency is based on the clock.
Mission Sorting Worksheet Agent Name:
Mission Date:
Mission Sorting
Status: Initial Assessment
Instructions: Read each task card below. Use your mission highlighters to categorize them.
Urgent (Hurry!)
Important (Matters!)
Scenario Alpha
"Your science project is due tomorrow morning and you haven't started yet."
Urgent
Important
Scenario Bravo
"Your favorite video game is having a special 1-hour double-points event right now."
Urgent
Important
Scenario Charlie
"You promised to help your mom set the table for a big family dinner tonight."
Urgent
Important
Scenario Delta
"You want to organize your colored pencils by color, but there is no deadline."
Urgent
Important
Mission Report: What makes a task "Urgent"? Priority Power Slides Unit: Task Prioritization
Priority Power
"Mastering the clock and the goal."
Our Big Questions
WHEN?
Is there a deadline? Does it need to happen right now?
This is URGENCY
WHY?
Does it help you reach a goal? Does it have big consequences?
This is IMPORTANCE
The Mystery Envelopes
One says "OPEN NOW." One says "OPEN WHENEVER."
1
Which one is more Urgent?
2
Do we know which is more Important?
OPEN IMMEDIATELY!
open whenever...
Wait! Is it Important?
Learning
Does it help you grow your brain?
Well-being
Is it for health, sleep, or safety?
Community
Does it help your family or friends?
Grid Game Teacher Guide Mission Control: Task Command
TEACHER GUIDE: THE GRID GAME
Lesson 02
Objective
Students will use a 2x2 matrix to categorize tasks and identify which quadrant requires immediate action.
Setup
Use masking tape to create a large 2x2 grid on the floor. Label the axes (Urgent/Not Urgent, Important/Not Important).
Activity
Floor Grid Sort, Matrix Mapping Worksheet.
1. Introducing the Grid (10 Mins)
Show the grid on the floor. Explain that this is our "Radar Screen."
Vertical Axis
Urgency (Top = Now, Bottom = Later)
Horizontal Axis
Importance (Right = High, Left = Low)
2. The Floor Movement Game (25 Mins)
Read out scenarios. Students must physically move to the correct quadrant. If they are in the wrong spot, they might "miss the bus"!
Scenario Read-Aloud Target Quadrant "The fire alarm goes off. It is real!" High Urgent / High Important "You want to organize your stickers by size." Low Urgent / Low Important "Studying for a math test that is next Friday." Low Urgent / High Important "A pop-up on your tablet says: You won a prize!" High Urgent / Low Important
3. Synthesis (10 Mins)
"Which quadrant contains tasks we should do FIRST? (High Urgent / High Important). Why do we often spend time in High Urgent / Low Important? (They grab our attention like a noisy alarm!)"
SpEd Adaptation Tip
For students with mobility needs or high sensory needs, provide a mini table-top version of the grid and manipulatives to move instead of moving their whole body. Ensure the floor grid is wide enough for all students to fit comfortably in a quadrant without overcrowding.
Mission Radar Worksheet Agent Name:
Mission Radar
Quadrant Mapping System
Urgency
Importance
Quadrant 1: DO FIRST
Quadrant 2: PLAN IT
Quadrant 3: DELAY/DELEGATE
Quadrant 4: DO LATER
Mission Tasks to Categorize
A. Practice piano for 20 mins.
B. Finish math sheet due in 1 hour.
C. Doodle on the back of your notebook.
D. A fly is buzzing around your head.
E. Study for tomorrow's spelling quiz.
F. Check if your friend posted a new video.
Grid Game Slides Lesson 02
The Grid Game
"Navigating the Mission Matrix"
The Priority Radar
DO NOW
PLAN IT
DISTRACTION?
DO LATER
Urgency
Importance
Quadrant 1 is Your Boss!
If something is Urgent AND Important, it is your #1 Priority.
"High Fire!" missions always come first.
The "Urgent Trap"
The Trap
Tasks that feel LOUD but aren't IMPORTANT.
Phone notifications
A friend talking to you during work
A fly in the room
Eat the Frog Teacher Guide Mission Control: Task Command
TEACHER GUIDE: EAT THE FROG STRATEGY
Lesson 03
Objective
Students will distinguish between 'have-to' and 'want-to' tasks and learn to tackle difficult tasks first.
Key Concept
"Eat the Frog" – tackling the hardest or most important task before anything else.
Methods
Case Study Analysis, Discussion, "Frog" Identification.
1. Have-To vs. Want-To (10 Mins)
Introduce the distinction. Use the "Healthy Meal" analogy: Have-Tos are the vegetables/protein (growth); Want-Tos are the dessert (fun/distraction).
Have-To Examples
Homework
Brushing teeth
Cleaning room
Want-To Examples
Gaming
Watching YouTube
Playing outside
2. Eat the Frog Strategy (10 Mins)
"Mark Twain said if you have to eat a live frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. If you have to eat two, eat the big one first!"
Explain that the "Frog" is the task we are avoiding because it feels hard or boring. Doing it first gives us more energy for the rest of the day.
3. Case Study: Alex's Afternoon (20 Mins)
Students analyze a fictional schedule. Alex has 2 hours. He wants to play Roblox, but has math homework and needs to walk the dog. What is his "Frog"?
Facilitation Question
"Why is it harder to eat the frog later in the day?" (Fatigue, more distractions, building anxiety about the task). Help students realize that procrastinating makes the "frog" feel even bigger.
The Frog Report Worksheet Agent Name:
The Frog Report
Mission Case Study: Alex's Afternoon
The Situation
"Alex gets home from school at 3:30 PM. He has to go to bed at 8:30 PM. He really wants to play the new level on his favorite video game, but his mom says he must finish his math worksheet (due tomorrow) and clean his room before he can play. Alex feels tired and the math worksheet looks really hard."
Task 1 Math Worksheet
Task 2 Clean Room
Task 3 Video Games
1. Which task is Alex's "Frog"? (The hardest/scariest one)
Why did you pick this one?
2. Identify the "Want-To" Task:
Identify the "Have-To" Tasks:
Alex's Mission Attack Plan
Help Alex order his tasks to be successful:
1
Eat the Frog: ...
2
Next Mission: ...
3
Reward: ...
Eat the Frog Slides Lesson 03
Eat the Frog
"Tackling the hard stuff first."
The Mission Buckets
HAVE TO
Responsibilities, Growth, and Goals.
Examples: Chores, School, Health
WANT TO
Entertainment, Distraction, and Play.
Examples: Games, TV, Hobbies
What is a "FROG"?
The task you are DREADING.
The task that feels HARD.
The task that makes you want to PROCRASTINATE.
The Secret Sauce
"Eat that Frog first!"
1
Frog Task
2
Have-Tos
3
Want-Tos
"When the Frog is gone, the rest of the day feels like a breeze!"
Rank Your Missions Teacher Guide Mission Control: Task Command
TEACHER GUIDE: RANK YOUR MISSIONS
Lesson 04
Objective
Students will rank multiple tasks using a numeric system (#1, #2, #3) based on due dates and difficulty.
Strategy
Teacher Thinking Aloud: Modeling the inner monologue of a person deciding where to start.
Activity
Rank-O-Matic Worksheet, Backpack Scramble Hook.
1. The Hook: Backpack Scramble (5 Mins)
Bring in a backpack filled with crumpled papers, a half-eaten snack, and a library book. Tell the class: "You have 30 seconds to find the permission slip that is due in 5 minutes! GO!"
Reflection: "Why was that so hard? (No organization, no plan). If we knew the permission slip was our #1 Priority, where should it have been?"
2. Teacher Think Aloud (10 Mins)
Model the ranking process on the board. Script Fragment: "Okay, I have three things to do: study for spelling, clean my room, and write a thank-you note. Hmm... the spelling test is tomorrow morning. That feels like a 'now' thing. The room needs to be clean before my friends come over Saturday. That can wait. The thank-you note is for my grandma; she's been waiting a week! I'll make the spelling test #1, the note #2, and the room #3."
3. Ranking Criteria (10 Mins)
Due Date?
Difficulty Level?
Consequence?
Is it a "Frog"?
SpEd Modification
For students who struggle with handwriting, provide pre-cut task cards and numbered boxes so they can physically sort the cards into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place instead of writing.
Rank-O-Matic Worksheet Agent Name:
Rank-O-Matic
Mission Sequence Decoder
Data Scramble
Incoming Tasks:
Task A: Spelling Test (Tomorrow morning)
Task B: Return Library Book (Due in 3 days)
Task C: Charge Laptop (Battery is at 5%)
Task D: Clean desk (Teacher said by end of week)
Decoded Mission Sequence
1
Primary
Mission:
Frog?
Why first?
2
Secondary
Mission:
Why second?
3
Tertiary
Mission:
Why third?
Rank Your Missions Slides Lesson 04
Rank Your Missions
"The Art of the 1-2-3 Plan."
Too Many Missions?
CHAOS
Trying to do everything at once makes you slower and stressed.
ORDER
Choosing where to start gives your brain a break!
Ranking Secrets
1
THE DUE DATE
Is it due in 5 minutes? Tomorrow? Next week?
2
THE EFFORT
Is it a hard "Frog"? Or a quick easy task?
3
THE BIG WHY
What happens if you don't do it today?
Mission Control Thinking:
"Okay, I have Spelling, Math, and Laptop Charging."
"The laptop is dying—I can't even do my homework if it's dead! That's Rank #1."
"The spelling test is my 'Frog' and it's tomorrow. That's Rank #2."
"The math is for next week. That's Rank #3."
Attack Plan Teacher Guide Mission Control: Task Command
TEACHER GUIDE: LAUNCH YOUR ATTACK PLAN
Lesson 05
Objective
Students will apply the priority matrix and ranking strategies to their actual weekly workload.
Real-World
Students act as 'Time Detectives' to uncover and organize their upcoming tasks.
Assessment
Personal Attack Plan review and realism check.
1. Mission Intelligence Gathering (10 Mins)
Students review their personal agendas, Google Classroom/LMS, or backpack folders to identify at least 3-5 tasks they need to accomplish this week.
2. The Attack Plan Workshop (25 Mins)
Students use the Mission Attack Plan document. They must:
List all gathered "intel" (tasks).
Assign each task to a Quadrant on the Mission Radar.
Rank their top 3 tasks for today/tomorrow.
Identify their "Weekly Frog."
3. The 1-on-1 Check (10 Mins)
Teacher circulates and asks: "Why did you put this in Quadrant 1?" or "How long do you think this #1 task will take?"
Success Criteria
Logic: Do the rankings match the deadlines?
Realism: Is it too much for one day?
Clarity: Can a stranger understand the plan?
Strategy: Is the "Frog" identified correctly?
Mission Attack Plan Worksheet Agent Identification
Mission: Attack Plan
ACTIVE
Status: Real-World Operation
Step 1: Mission Intelligence
Look at your agenda or computer. What needs to be done this week?
Mission Radar
Q1: DO
Q2: PLAN
Q3: DELAY
Q4: LATER
Label each task from Step 1 with a Quadrant (Q1-Q4).
My Weekly "FROG"
The hardest task I will tackle first:
Mission Name...
Target Objectives
1
When?
2
When?
3
When?
Attack Plan Slides Final Mission
Attack Plan
"Turning your schedule into a strategy."
Step 1: Get the Intel
"A Mission Control agent is only as good as their data."
Check your agenda.
Check Google Classroom.
Check your folders.
Step 2: Filter the Tasks
Ask yourself for EVERY task:
"Is it URGENT?"
Does it have a ticking clock? Is it due soon?
"Is it IMPORTANT?"
Does it matter for my grades or my goals?
Mission Go!
"A plan is just a list until you start."
Agent Oath:
"I will tackle my FROG first.
I will follow my RADAR.
I will finish MISSION #1 before I start Mission #2."