Lesson Plan: Secret Agent Mission

Materials Needed:

• A favorite snack for the student (the "recovered asset")
• 3 index cards or small pieces of paper (for clues)
• A pen or marker
• 1 piece of blank paper for drawing
• Crayons or colored pencils
• An envelope labeled "TOP SECRET"

Lesson Details

Subject: Following Directions

Time Allotment: 10 Minutes

Learning Objective: The student will demonstrate the ability to follow a sequence of 3-4 multi-step written and action-based directions to successfully complete a mission.

Lesson Procedure

1. Mission Briefing (1 minute)

• Teacher (Mission Commander): Hand the student the envelope marked "TOP SECRET."
• Say: "Agent [Student's Name], we have an urgent mission. A valuable asset has gone missing. Your task is to follow a series of classified clues to recover it. You must follow every direction exactly, in the correct order, for the mission to be a success. Open your briefing now."

2. Executing the Mission (8 minutes)

The student will work through the clues you have prepared and hidden in advance.

• Clue #1 (Inside the envelope): This clue should involve movement and observation.
  • Example text for the card: "SECRET INSTRUCTION 1: First, walk 10 steps toward the front door. Second, look under the object you use to wipe your feet."
  • (Teacher places Clue #2 under the doormat before the lesson begins.)
• Clue #2 (Under the doormat): This clue focuses on following creative directions.
  • Example text for the card: "AGENT PROTOCOL 2: You need a disguise. On your piece of paper, draw a monster that has: 1. THREE green eyes. 2. ONE purple horn. 3. FOUR squiggly arms. When your drawing is complete, hide it inside your favorite book to find your next clue."
  • (Teacher places Clue #3 inside the student's favorite book before the lesson begins.)
• Clue #3 (Inside the book): This final clue involves a sequence of unrelated physical actions leading to the prize.
  • Example text for the card: "FINAL DIRECTIVE 3: To unlock the asset's location, you must: 1. First, do three jumping jacks. 2. Next, pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. 3. Finally, look inside the kitchen microwave."
  • (Teacher places the snack inside the microwave before the lesson begins.)

3. Mission Debriefing (1 minute)

• Once the student finds the snack, say, "Mission accomplished, Agent! You followed the directions perfectly."
• While they enjoy their "recovered asset," ask a simple follow-up question to reinforce the lesson's purpose: "Which set of directions was the trickiest to follow? Why was it important to do the steps in the right order on that clue?"

Ideas for Differentiation

• For added support: Read the clues aloud for the student. Simplify directions to two steps instead of three (e.g., "Draw a monster with one horn and three eyes").
• For an extra challenge: Add more complex directions or a time limit. For example: "Before you do three jumping jacks, turn in a circle to your left" or "Draw the monster using only your non-dominant hand."