Making Your Own Appointments and Keeping Up With Them
Learner: Olivia, age 11
Goal: Olivia will practise asking for an appointment, recording the details, preparing for it, and using reminders to keep up with it. She will make practice appointments only unless a trusted adult gives permission.
Materials
- Paper or a notebook
- Pencil
- A calendar, planner, or blank monthly calendar
- A clock, timer, or pretend phone
- Three reminder notes or sticky notes
- The appointment information card below
Lesson: 50 minutes
1. Hook: The Mystery Appointment – 5 minutes
Say: “Imagine you have an appointment, but you cannot remember the day, time, place, or what you need to bring. What problems might happen?”
Let Olivia answer. Then say: “Today you will learn a system for making an appointment and remembering it. The system is: Ask, Check, Write, Prepare, Remember.”
2. Show It: What to Ask and Record – 10 minutes
Explain that an appointment is a planned time to meet with someone or receive a service, such as a doctor’s visit, haircut, library session, or lesson.
Show Olivia these five questions:
- What day is the appointment?
- What time does it start, and when should I arrive?
- Where is it?
- What is it for?
- What do I need to bring or do first?
Model this phone conversation with a pretend receptionist:
Olivia: “Hello. My name is Olivia. I would like to make an appointment for a haircut, please.”
Receptionist: “We have Tuesday, March 12, at 4:00 p.m.”
Olivia: “Could you please repeat that? Tuesday, March 12, at 4:00 p.m.?”
Receptionist: “Yes.”
Olivia: “Where is the appointment?”
Receptionist: “At 18 Oak Street.”
Olivia: “How early should I arrive, and do I need to bring anything?”
Receptionist: “Please arrive 10 minutes early. You do not need to bring anything.”
Olivia: “Thank you. I have written down Tuesday, March 12, at 4:00 p.m. at 18 Oak Street. I will arrive at 3:50 p.m.”
Point out that Olivia repeats the important information to check that she heard it correctly. Explain that for a real appointment, a trusted adult should know about it and help with private information, transportation, payment, and safety.
3. Do It Together: Complete an Appointment Card – 10 minutes
Give Olivia this practice information. Read it aloud once, then let her ask you to repeat anything:
Practice information: Olivia has a library study appointment with Ms. Chen on Thursday, April 18, at 3:30 p.m. The appointment is in the library study room. She should arrive at 3:20 p.m. and bring her library book, notebook, and pencil.
Help Olivia complete this card:
| Appointment detail | Olivia’s notes |
|---|---|
| What is it for? | |
| Day and date | |
| Start time | |
| Arrival time | |
| Place | |
| What to bring |
Check her work together. Ask: “If the appointment starts at 3:30 and you should arrive 10 minutes early, what time should you arrive?”
4. Do It Together: Put It on a Calendar – 7 minutes
Have Olivia write the appointment on a calendar:
Thursday, April 18: Library study appointment, 3:30 p.m., library study room. Arrive at 3:20 p.m. Bring library book, notebook, and pencil.
Ask her to circle the start time and underline the arrival time. Explain that the calendar entry should include enough information for her to remember what, when, where, and what to bring.
5. Olivia Practises Alone: Make an Appointment – 10 minutes
Give Olivia this pretend situation:
You want to schedule a 30-minute art lesson. The teacher has an opening on Saturday, May 11, at 10:00 a.m. The lesson is at the community center, Room 4. You should arrive at 9:50 a.m. Bring a pencil, eraser, and drawing paper.
Ask Olivia to:
- Write a pretend phone script using the model.
- Ask or write down all five important questions.
- Complete an appointment card.
- Put the appointment on the calendar.
Her script might include:
“Hello. My name is Olivia. I would like to make an appointment for an art lesson, please. Could you tell me the available day and time? Could you repeat the information so I can write it down? Where is the lesson? What should I bring? Thank you. I have written down Saturday, May 11, at 10:00 a.m. at the community center, Room 4. I will arrive at 9:50 a.m.”
6. Keeping Up With the Appointment – 5 minutes
Teach Olivia the three-reminder system:
- Calendar reminder: Write the appointment down immediately.
- Day-before reminder: Check the time, place, travel plan, and items to bring.
- Same-day reminder: Check the clock, gather materials, and leave with enough time.
Have Olivia make three reminder notes for the art lesson:
- Friday, May 10: Check art lesson details and pack supplies.
- Saturday morning, May 11: Check the time and pack pencil, eraser, and drawing paper.
- Before leaving: Leave in time to arrive at 9:50 a.m.
7. Recap and Quick Check – 3 minutes
Ask Olivia to explain the system without looking:
“What are the five steps for making and keeping an appointment?”
Expected answer: Ask, Check, Write, Prepare, Remember.
Then ask:
- “What should you do if you did not hear the date or time?”
- “Where should you write an appointment?”
- “When should you check what to bring?”
- “Who should know about a real appointment when you are 11?”
Expected answers: Ask the person to repeat it; write it on a calendar or planner immediately; check the day before and again on the same day; a trusted adult should know and help with safety, transportation, private information, or payment.
Make It Easier
Use a picture-based checklist with the words What? When? Where? Bring? Remind? and practise one question at a time.
Make It Harder
Give Olivia two possible appointment times and have her compare them with a calendar, travel time, school or family plans, and the time needed to prepare before choosing one.