Building Time Management with Games & Apps: Angry Birds Go & Focus Keeper

Building Time Management with Games & Apps: Angry Birds Go & Focus Keeper

In this workshop, our expert LearningWorks Live Instructors team up with kids to learn and play games and apps to improve their Time Management skill.

Image result for angry birds go

Today’s Activity: Angry Birds Go & Focus Keeper

For this session of LearningWorkForKids’s Time Management Workshop, our LearningWorks Live Instructors and our new Learning Works For Kids Explorers will be exploring the introduction of the thinking skill Time Management.

We will start with the basics: What is Time Management? How can it be used? What video games challenge you to use your Time Management skills? How so?

Let’s learn more about Time Management together!

Learningworks Time Management Guide

This week we will focus on the side of time management that deals with working efficiently and avoiding distractions.

Game of the day: Angry Birds Go!

It’s Game time! We’ll start off by demonstrating how to play Angry Birds Go and discussing what Explorers can learn from the game.

Angry Birds Go! Learning Works Guide

After the demonstration, it’s time to play! All of our Learning Works For Kids Explorers will be able to hop into their own Angry Birds Go! game and individually explore for about ten minutes with the LearningWorks Live Instructors checking in to answer any questions or provide help if it is needed.

Reflection / Whiteboard Activity

Whiteboard activities include group discussions, polls, and more!

LearningWorks Live Instructors and Explorers will discuss the Whiteboard Activity. What was your experience like? How did you use your Time Management skills to complete the task? What was challenging?

Explorers will be posed with questions, such as: What did you learn today? How can you translate your Time Management skills to other areas of your life?

App of the day: Focus Keeper

Gear up to explore the app Focus Keeper! Before looking into the features of the app, LearningWorks Live Instructors and Explorers will discuss the utility of the app, and other strategies for staying on task and keeping track of time!

Focus Keeper Learning Works Guide

Assign homework.  

See the next lesson on “Follow-up activities” to learn more about how your child can practice their Time Management skills this week!

Games and Apps Used in this Workshop

Game Downloads:

Android: Angry Birds Go! Download

Mac/IOS: Angry Birds Go! Download

 

App Downloads:

Android: Focus Keeper Download

Mac/IOS: Focus Keeper Download

Workshop Schedule

To join the live session, simply select the appropriate date and time below, then click on the Join Live Session button.  If this is your child’s first Minecraft session, please make sure to view and follow our setup instructions.

No Events on The List at This Time

Other Workshops in this Series

No Events on The List at This Time

Workshop Activities

The LW4K method to using video games as teaching tools relies on strategic teaching principles and our approach of “Detect, Reflect, and Connect.” The purpose of the Detect, Reflect, and Connect steps is to mold the child into an active learner who becomes aware of, engaged in, and contemplative of what she is learning. These steps can enhance motivation and concentration. They also assist in extending learning beyond a particular game or technology and connecting it to the real world.

  • Detect

    Detect or identify when and where they are using thinking skills in video game play.

    As the participants start their game play of Angry Birds Go the Learningworks LearningWorks Live Instructors will help them identify how they must use time management as they race their bird to the finish. Each level of Angry birds go will have a timed objective and we will talk about what we can do to hit the timed objective each race before the fuse blows!

  • Reflect

    Reflect or consider how the thinking skills used during gameplay helps them to achieve their goals.

    With a short break in the middle of game play time and a reflection at the end once the Angry Birds Go game play time runs up, we will all hop to the whiteboard and chat with one another about how we managed our time playing. The LearningWorks Live Instructors will ask time management based questions about the tasks they performed in game to see if they were efficient and used their limited time wisely to help them achieve their goals in game.

  • Connect

    Connect or apply game-based thinking skills to real-world activities.

    After that discussion about time management in Angry Birds Go the LearningWorks Live Instructors will relate the tasks performed and time managed while doing so to everyday life scenarios the participants encounter outside of video games, such as in school or at home. The guides will also ask for examples from the participants and discuss as a group.

Follow-Up Activities

Activity #1

Focus Keeper

Time Management is a combination of many skills. For example, not only is it important to make time to complete homework, but Explorers should be using the time set aside for homework effectively and efficiently. The Pomodoro Method is a time management tool that helps you focus on one task (NO multitasking!) for 25 minutes followed by a 5 minute break. This structure encourages Explorers to avoid distractions while working, to persevere for the full time period, and also importantly, to avoid spending too long on any one task. Furthermore, the 5-minute break is crucial for keeping minds fresh and ready to go.

For homework, your LW4K Explorer should use this app at least five times during the week. Students can set a Pomodoro timer to manage study time as well as free time, creative time,  physical activity time, or time spent doing chores!

Also, Focus Keeper is not the only timer of it’s kind available, so feel free to find the one that you like best!

Mac/IOS users may like to check out Hatch

Android users may like to check out Forest