Making and Keeping Your Own Appointments
Learner: Olivia, age 11
Goal: Olivia will practise requesting an appointment, writing the details in a calendar, preparing reminders, and checking what she needs to bring or do.
Materials
- Paper or a notebook
- Pencil
- A calendar or blank weekly schedule
- Olivia’s school or family calendar, if available
- A timer
- The practice appointment cards below
Lesson: 50 minutes
1. Hook: “What could go wrong?” — 5 minutes
Ask Olivia:
“Imagine you have an appointment on Thursday at 4:00 p.m., but you forget the time, arrive late, and do not bring what you need. What problems might happen?”
Explain: “Today you will learn a system for making appointments and keeping up with them. An appointment is a planned time to meet with someone or do something, such as visiting a doctor, getting a haircut, meeting a tutor, or attending an activity.”
Tell Olivia that an adult must help with real appointments, especially medical appointments, travel, payments, and sharing personal information. She can practise the steps and take more responsibility as the adult says it is safe.
2. Show it: The five-step appointment system — 10 minutes
Write these five steps where Olivia can see them:
- Ask: Say what appointment you need and ask about available times.
- Write: Record the exact date, time, place, person, and purpose.
- Prepare: Find out what to bring, wear, complete, or practise.
- Remind: Set reminders for the day before and the day of the appointment.
- Check: Look at the calendar each day and after the appointment, mark it complete.
Model a pretend appointment:
“Hello, I would like to arrange a haircut. Do you have an appointment on Saturday, March 16, at 10:00 a.m.?”
Then model writing it down:
| What to record | Example |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Haircut |
| Date | Saturday, March 16 |
| Time | 10:00–10:30 a.m. |
| Place | Home salon, 12 Oak Street |
| Person or business | Sam’s Hair Studio |
| Preparation | Wash hair; bring payment if needed |
| Reminders | Friday at 6:00 p.m.; Saturday at 8:30 a.m. |
Point out that “Saturday morning” is not enough information. A useful appointment entry includes the exact date and time.
3. Do it together: Make and prepare for an appointment — 15 minutes
Choose one practice card. Read it with Olivia and complete the appointment planner together.
Practice appointment cards
- Card A: You need to meet your tutor on Wednesday, April 10, from 4:00–4:45 p.m. The meeting is at the library. Bring your maths folder and pencil.
- Card B: You have a swimming lesson on Monday, May 6, from 5:30–6:15 p.m. Bring a swimsuit, towel, and water bottle. Arrive 10 minutes early.
- Card C: You need a library appointment with a librarian on Saturday, June 8, at 11:00 a.m. You want help finding books about space. Bring your library card.
Appointment planner
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the appointment for? | |
| What is the exact date? | |
| What time does it start? | |
| What time does it end? | |
| Where is it? | |
| Who will Olivia meet? | |
| What should she bring or do first? | |
| When should she leave or get ready? | |
| When will she set reminders? |
Ask Olivia:
- “What information would be dangerous or unwise to share with a stranger?”
- “Who could you ask if you were unsure about the address, payment, or travel plan?”
- “Why is arriving early useful?”
Reinforce that Olivia should ask a trusted adult before confirming an unfamiliar appointment or sharing her full name, address, phone number, passwords, or payment information.
4. Olivia practises independently — 12 minutes
Give Olivia a different practice card without helping at first. Ask her to:
- Complete the appointment planner.
- Place the appointment on the correct date and time on a weekly calendar.
- Write two reminders: one for the day before and one for the day of the appointment.
- Write a short preparation checklist.
Then role-play a phone call or message. The adult plays the receptionist, and Olivia says:
“Hello. My name is Olivia. I would like to arrange a practice appointment for [purpose]. What times are available?”
After the adult gives a time, Olivia should repeat it back:
“Let me check that I wrote it correctly. The appointment is on [date] at [time], at [place]. Is that correct?”
5. Brief recap and personal system — 5 minutes
Ask Olivia to explain the five steps without looking. Help her create this personal rule:
“Whenever I make an appointment, I write it down immediately, prepare what I need, set two reminders, and check my calendar every day.”
Have her choose where she will usually record appointments: a paper calendar, family calendar, or approved digital calendar. Agree that she will check it at a regular time, such as after breakfast or before bed.
Quick Check of Understanding
Ask Olivia to answer these questions:
- What five pieces of information should be written for every appointment?
- Why should you repeat the date, time, and place to the other person?
- When are two useful times to set reminders?
- What should you do if you are unsure about an appointment, address, payment, or personal information?
Expected answers:
- Purpose, date, time, place, and person or business; preparation and reminders are also useful.
- To check that both people have the same information and to catch mistakes.
- The day before and the day of the appointment.
- Ask a trusted adult before confirming or sharing information.
Make it easier: Use only one appointment card, provide a partly completed planner, and let Olivia set reminders with an adult.
Make it harder: Give Olivia two appointments in the same week and ask her to check for travel time, preparation time, and possible conflicts.