JULY 2025
CHALLENGE
INTRODUCTION
Study Skills and Self-Leadership. Key Challenge Idea: Designing a Personal Timetable CHALLENGE TITLE
Have you ever felt like there is so much to do - homework, chores, fun with friends but - there isn’t enough time? What if you could take control of your time and learn how to balance it all? This month’s challenge will help you do so. With a personal timetable, you will discover how to manage your day, finish the things you want to do, and still have plenty of time for fun.
WHY STUDY SKILLS AND SELF-LEADERSHIP MATTER.
Study skills and self-leadership are important to help you do well in school and life. These skills teach you how to use your time wisely, remember what you have learned, and take control of your learning. By practicing these, you can feel more confident, stay less stressed, and reach your goals—whether it is in school or things you enjoy doing.
Activity outcomes
At the end of this month, learners will be able to:
1. Create their own study plan or schedule.
2. Learn how to decide what is most important to do first using a fun tool called the Eisenhower Matrix.
3. Practice time management to feel less stressed and more in control of their day.
4. Explore effective learning techniques to learn and understand things more easily.
Activity 1: Prioritising tasks with the Eisenhower Matrix
Purpose: Guide learners to distinguish between urgent and important tasks.
Facilitator: Start with a fun activity
Fun starter (individual): A day in my life
Purpose: Help learners reflect on their daily activities and put them in order based on importance.
Instructions
1. Ask each learner to close their eyes and think about a normal day in their life.
2. Encourage them to imagine what they do from morning to evening, like waking up, going to school, playing, studying, and helping at home.
3. On a sheet of paper, have learners list down all the things they do from morning to evening.
4. Ask them to look at their list and decide which things are the most important to do first. Let them list them in order (from morning to evening).
5. Let three learners share their 3 top lists with everyone (this will help learners notice how priorities differ between individuals).
After the fun starter, praise them for deciding which activities to do first. Explain: There is a powerful tool called the Eisenhower Matrix that can help us organise our activities or things that we need to do into what is important and urgent, so that we can focus on what really matters.
CHALLENGE
Introduce the Eisenhower Matrix
Facilitator tips:
Introduce Eisenhower and why he created the Matrix
Facilitator guide:
Eisenhower was a great leader who lived many years ago (died on March 28, 1969).
He was once the President of the United States and also a military leader.
He had so many things to do every day, like making big decisions and helping people, but he couldn’t do everything at once.
So, he came up with a simple way (using the Eisenhower Matrix) to decide what to do first, what to plan for later, and what to skip or give to others to do.
Why he created the Matrix:
Eisenhower once said, “Not everything that seems urgent is important, and not everything important needs to be done right away.” He created the Eisenhower Matrix to help him stay organised and focus on what matters most.
This Matrix is like a tool that will help you manage your time and decide which activities or things are the most important. It will also help you to distinguish between tasks that need immediate attention and those that can be planned for later or even eliminated.
Now, draw the matrix on a board or flipchart with four quadrants.
Instructions
1. Draw a large square and divide it into four equal quadrants by drawing a horizontal and a vertical line crossing through the center.
2. Label the quadrants as follows:
● Top left: Urgent and Important (Do first)
● Top right: Important but Not Urgent (Plan)
● Bottom left: Urgent but Not Important (Delegate)
● Bottom right: Not Urgent and Not Important (Eliminate)
3. Write an example task in each quadrant to make it relatable:
● Top left: “finish today’s homework.”
● Top right: “study for next week’s test.”
● Bottom left: “help a friend with their homework.”
● Bottom right: “watch TV.”
Here is an example of a filled Eisenhower Matrix to help learners understand how to categorise their activities or things they are to do:
CHALLENGE
Facilitator tips:
Reference the appendix at the end of this challenge for an easy-to-understand explanation of important words used in this activity.
Use the filled matrix to guide the discussion.
Ask each learner to think about their own responsibilities, write down their daily or weekly activities or things they do and place them in the four quadrants of the Eisenhower Matrix.
Put learners into small groups (3-4 members in each group) to share their matrices with each other and discuss:
Which responsibilities they categorised similarly or differently.
Why they made certain choices (e.g., why a responsibility was marked as Urgent & Important).
After the group discussion, learners return to their individual matrices and make any adjustments based on what they learned from their peers.
Differentiation Note:
To ensure all learners can fully participate in the activity, especially those who may find it challenging to write their responsibilities individually, consider the following strategies:
1. Pairing learners: Pair learners together so they can support each other. A peer can help by writing down responsibilities as they discuss them.
2. Verbal sharing: Allow learners to share their ideas verbally. You or a peer can write their responses for them.
3. Provide pre-written examples: Prepare a selection of pre-written responsibilities on papers (e.g., doing homework, helping at home, playing football). Learners can choose from these examples and organise them instead of writing.
By using these strategies, you can ensure that every learner, regardless of his/her writing ability, feels included and supported during the activity.
After the group activity, discuss which tasks ( activities) that should be prioritised, eliminated or delegated.
Reflective Questions:
What did you learn about your responsibilities from this activity, and how are you going to effectively plan your time going forward?
Did you change any choices after talking with your group? Why?
Activity 2: Creating a personal timetable
Purpose: Help learners plan their time effectively to balance study, rest, and extracurricular activities.
The activity helps learners put theoretical prioritisation skills into practice by designing a useful tool—a timetable and encourages a balance between responsibilities (study, chores) and personal needs (hobbies, rest).
Facilitator says: Now that we have learned how to prioritise our responsibilities using the Eisenhower Matrix, let’s use this knowledge to create a personal timetable with the help of a template. A timetable helps us plan out times so that we can focus on what is important and still have time for fun and rest. Let’s get started!
Facilitator tips:
Let learners create and fill out their weekly timetable. NB: There is a template in your resource kits to guide learners.
Guide them to allocate time for school, homework, breaks, family time, and hobbies.
Reflection Questions:
How does having a timetable make your day more productive?
Did you find it hard to allocate time to all your activities? Why or why not?
Facilitator tips: After the reflection questions,
● Discuss the importance of flexibility and adapting the schedule as needed.
● Highlight that while timetables help with planning and prioritising, life can be unpredictable:
● A timetable is like a guide, not a strict rule. Sometimes, things happen that we don’t expect, like extra schoolwork, chores, or even feeling unwell. That’s why it’s important to stay flexible and adjust when needed. It’s okay to move things around as long as you keep focusing on what’s important, like finishing schoolwork or getting enough rest.
CHALLENGE
Activity 3: Mastering balance: Making the most of your timetables
Purpose: Help learners understand how to stick to their timetables, adjust when necessary, and practice habits that balance their schoolwork, home responsibilities, and fun activities.
Instructions for facilitator:
1. Start with scenario practice (less than 3 minutes of role-playing). Use short, realistic scenarios that reflect challenges learners might face with their timetables.
Some suggested scenarios:
Scenario 1:
You planned to study science at 5:00 pm, but your friends asked you to join a football game at the same time. What will you do?
Possible answer: I will tell my friends I will join them after finishing 30 minutes of studying or reschedule my science session for later.
Scenario 2:
You forgot to include chores in your timetable, and your mum asks you to sweep the compound when it’s time to do your homework. How do you adjust?
Possible answer: I will ask my little brother to help me or plead with Mum to let me finish my homework before sweeping.
Scenario 3:
You feel too tired to study after school. How can you manage this?
Possible answer: I can schedule a short nap (sleep) or relaxing activity before starting my homework so I feel refreshed.
2. Put learners into 2 groups (boys and girls in each group) to act out any two (one for each group) of the scenarios.
Script example guide for scenario 1 (“You planned to study math at 3:00 pm, but your friends ask you to join a football game at the same time. What do you do?”)
Learner A (Main Character): Sits at a desk holding a textbook, pretending to study.
Says: Okay, time to study math. I really need to focus—it’s in my timetable.
Learner B (Friend): Walks up holding an imaginary football. Says: Hey, want to play football? We’re about to start a game!
Learner A: Looks confused, puts the book down, and thinks out loud: Hmm... Football sounds fun, but I need to finish studying. What should I do?
Learner A: Decides confidently: I will study for 30 minutes first, then I will join you for the game. Let me finish this part—it’s important.
Learner B: Smiles and replies: Okay, I will go ahead. You can join us when you are done.
3. After the starter (role play), ask each group: Do you think the decisions made in the scenarios were a good way to follow their timetable? Why or why not? What might have been a better choice in this situation?. Example: Ask group one to comment on group two’s play and vice versa. Encourage learners to explain their reasoning.
4. Now, guide them by highlighting the strengths and areas for improvement in each group’s decisions.
For example:
Scenario 1 (Football vs. Study):
If the group reschedules football, say: “That’s a great practice because it shows they are prioritising study time while still making space for fun activities later.”
If football is chosen without adjusting study time, say: “This might not be the best practice because they are skipping an important activity. Ask whether they can think of a way to balance both.
Facilitator final tip: Amazing work, everyone! You all brought some energy and creativity to those scenarios and showed some thoughtful ways of handling real situations. Now, let’s take a moment to think about what we have learned. By reflecting on the decisions made during the role-plays, we can understand what worked well, what could be improved, and how we can use these lessons to make the most of our timetables in real life. Let’s dive into some questions together!
Reflective Questions: What decisions stood out as good practices? What decisions could have been improved?
Activity 4: Exploring effective learning/memory techniques
Purpose: Guide learners to use practical and interactive methods to improve their study habits and discover learning techniques that suit their style.
Facilitator note
Begin by asking learners:
● Have you ever tried to study hard for something and still struggled to remember it during a test? Effective learning isn’t just about spending hours studying/memorising but about using the right techniques to help your brain understand and remember better.
● Can you think of a time when you struggled to remember something? When we learn, there are two important things: remembering and understanding. Remembering is like storing information in your brain, but understanding is knowing what that information means and how to use it.
● The brain remembers things better when it sees patterns rather than just isolated facts. That’s why breaking things into chunks, using rhymes, or linking ideas to images works. We forget things quickly if we don’t use them.
● Studies show that we forget 50% of what we learn within a day unless we review, use, or connect it to something meaningful.
● Today, we will use fun techniques like songs, stories, and games to help us remember things, but we will also focus on understanding what we are learning. That way, you can use what you learn in real life and not just for tests.
CHALLENGE
Introduce memory techniques (with fun examples)
a) Chunking: Break big information into smaller groups to make it easier to remember.
Example:
Learners need to remember the human digestive system steps (mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus).
Instead of memorising the full list, break it into smaller chunks/groups:
Mouth, Esophagus, Stomach (First stop for food)
Small Intestine, Large Intestine (Where food is absorbed) Rectum, Anus (The exit)
b) Mnemonics: Create fun phrases, acronyms, or songs to remember a list or sequence.
Example:
To remember the eight planets in order (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune): My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Noodles.
c) Visualisation: Turn information into pictures or stories to make it easier to remember.
Story Example:
While studying the water cycle, learners can imagine a raindrop named “Rae” going on an adventure: Rae, the Raindrop rises (evaporation) to form a cloud. She gets heavy (condensation) and falls as rain (precipitation). Rae lands in a river and flows back to the ocean (collection).
d) Songs or Rhymes for Memorisation: Example:
Teach math formulas or important facts through short rhymes.
To remember the area of a rectangle (length × width): Sing to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”: To find the area, here’s the clue, Length times width is what you do!
Or to remember the colors of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet): Sing to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”: “Red and Orange, Yellow too, Green and Blue are part of you. Indigo and Violet last, These are the colors of light so fast!” Polygons and their number of sizes: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMBDpuvnd/
Group activity:
Now, divide learners into small groups (4-5 learners per group).
Assign or allow each group to pick a simple concept from a subject they are familiar with (e.g., vowels, multiplication tricks, water cycle, cardinal points, etc.).
Assign each group one technique: Chunking Mnemonics Visualisation
Songs or Rhymes for Memorisation
Tip: The Facilitator explains what learners will be doing in their groups:
In your groups, you will use a learning technique to create a fun and simple way to teach a concept from any subject. You can act it out, sing, draw, or even make a game. The goal is to help everyone understand and remember the concept better.
Imagine teaching someone about the water cycle through a story or showing the trick for multiplying by 9 with your fingers—how cool would that be? Let’s make it fun and creative.
Guide the groups by moving around the room to support them as they work on their presentations.
Allow each group 3-5 minutes to present their concept using their assigned technique.
After each presentation, lead a short discussion to reinforce learning:
Did this method help you understand the concept better? Why or why not?
Which technique was the most fun and effective? Why?
Which one will you try next time you’re preparing for a test or learning something new?
DELIVERABLE (50 MARKS)
5 copies of the best and well-completed timetables (It should be gender balanced).
A 2-3 minute video of 3 learners (both genders) explaining their key takeaway(s) from the session and how they are going to practically apply it going forward.
Videos (2-3 mins each) of the best two group presentations on the effective learning techniques activity.
20 marks
Timetable includes all necessary sections 10 marks)
Entries in the timetable are realistic and aligned with the learner’s daily routine (7 marks)
Names are clearly spelt and presented, maintaining gender balance (3 marks)
Learners clearly and confidently explain their key takeaways (6 marks)
15 marks
Submit by 15th July, 2025.
15 marks
Learners describe realistic and achievable ways to apply their learning (7 marks)
Video features learners from different genders (2 marks)
Well demonstration of the assigned memory techniques, and how clear the concept is explained (10 marks)
Creativity and engagement (5 marks)
SUBMISSION:
Submit your deliverables to Zainab via WhatsApp (0541105278).
Submit by 21st July, 2025.
Submit by 31st July, 2025.
Appendix: Key Terms and Definitions
Tasks:
Urgent:
Priority:
Prioritize:
Important:
Eliminate:
Delegated:
Urgent & Important (Do First):
Important but Not Urgent (Plan):
Urgent but Not Important (Delegate):
Not Urgent & Not Important (Eliminate):
Things you need to do or complete. Example: My tasks for the day include cleaning my room and doing homework.
Something that needs to be done quickly or right away (e.g, homework)
Something that is very important and should come first (e.g, studying for a test)
Deciding what is most important and doing that first (eg, prioritize homework over TV)
Something that matters a lot or has a big impact (e.g, helping mum cook food)
Removing tasks that aren’t useful or important. Example: I eliminated watching cartoons during study so I could focus better.
Giving a task to someone else to help you. Example: I delegated sweeping the floor to my little brother while I finished my homework.
Activities or to do things that need immediate attention and have significant consequences if not completed.
Tasks that are important for achieving long-term goals but don’t need to be done immediately.
Tasks that need to be done soon but don’t significantly impact long-term goals. These can often be delegated.
Tasks that have little impact and can often be eliminated to save time.
This appendix provides an easy-to-understand explanation of important words used in this challenge. Use this section as a reference to guide learners.
