This is the fifth in a series of posts (1: Choices, 2: Parent Communication, 3: Research, 4: Thinking)about supporting successful product assignments at the end of a unit of study. Now let’s talk about planning and follow through. School is a time for students to build lifelong work habits and one very important habit they are working on is time management. Hand out a project planner sheet. Have the students create a plan that lists all the steps of a project. This may be a guided process or not, depending on your grade level and their experience.

For example, locate sources, research, rough draft of the text, edit text for spelling, make visuals (images found, hand drawn, colored, etc.) and construct the final product. Once students have finished creating a plan. Hand out a calendar with the final product due date and any check-in dates. Check-in dates should be matched to the level of student independence and ability, more frequent for younger or less responsible students. The goal is to make sure that students are using all the time for a project instead of rushing at the end. Kick the procrastination habit now! Have students create figure out when each step of their plan will be completed, write those dates on the plan sheet and turn it in. Review the plans, if needed meet to discuss realistic goals with students and modify to create a timeline that is functional. Hold them to the timelines, make keeping on track part of the grade earned at every formal check in.