Cognitive Binder Project

These are cognitive activities to address executive functioning. The activities were created with inspiration from ideas of the University of Utah occupational therapy class of 2017.  The binder provides scenarios that can be used across the age span, and are applicable to real life. 

Dinner Scenario

You have invited 4 of your closest friends over for a dinner party tonight. Each friend offered to bring a dish, but you declined and instead, wanted to plan and cook the whole meal by yourself. You’ve planned out the meal and have put together the following list of items you think you will need or errands you need to run in order to throw a successful dinner party. To obtain everything on the list, it will take you about 3 hours. It is 10 o’clock in the morning and you’ve decided that in order to have everything ready on time, you need to be back home at 2 pm.

     List:

• 1 new outfit
• Floral centerpiece/arrangement for the table
• 5 steaks (only available at the butcher store)
• Betty Sue’s Bakery Famous Chocolate pie
• Fresh corn on the cob (local farm stand)
• New stereo & CD for background music

When do you need to leave the house?

What will you do 1st, 2nd, ect.?

Planning

There are too many activities to fit into the day, and some are necessary and others are not. You must determine what tasks are necessary and then fit in the other activities around them. Some tasks must be completed as specific times during the day, whereas others can be done anytime. Some tasks take a certain amount of time, and others can be flexible. Make sure to take into account time between activities.

Instructions:Cut out each activity below, and arrange them on the provided daily schedule. 

Cause and Effect

Read through the different scenarios and match the number to the letter.  The matches should make sense and show a cause and effect situation.  

1. __________________________________She had nothing to wear
2. _________________________________The grass couldn’t be cut.
3. ___________________________________Flowers began to grow.
4. _____________________________We couldn’t get inside the car
5. ___________________________________You were able to take a longer vacation than normal.
6. _________________________________The team won the game.
7. _________________________________You have a stomach ache.
8. ___________________________________The rug is soaking wet.
9. _________________________________Shingles flew off the roof.

KEY

1. All the clothes were dirty so she had nothing to wear
2. The grass couldn’t be cut because the lawnmower was all out of gas
3. Seeds were planted in the garden and flowers began to grow
4. We couldn’t get inside the car because the door was locked
5. You received a large bonus at work so the family was able to take a longer vacation than normal
6. The team spent extra time practicing for the game and they won
7. You have a stomach ache because you ate too much food
8. The window was left open during the rainstorm and the rug is soaking wet
9. There was a big windstorm during the night and shingles flew off the roof

Date Night Scenario

You would like to go on a date on Friday night. Plan out your perfect date, dinner and activity.

What day and time will you go?

What will you do?

How would you get there?

What type of reservations are needed?

1)   Your date has plans on the night you scheduled.

2)   The activity you planned is unavailable.

3)   On the way to the restaurant there is road construction causing a delay of 45 minutes.

Zoo Scenario

You are taking four children (your children/nieces or nephews) to the zoo for the day.

What would you need to take with you?

 How will you get there?

 You need to pack lunches for all of the children, plan what you will make.

1)   You find out one of the children is allergic to nuts or something in the packed lunches.

2)   You get to the zoo and you realize you are an hour earlier, what do you do for the next hour?

Museum Scenario

(Use computer to open UTA website to figure out train, Trax and bus routes)

You are planning to go the Leonardo museum, which is downtown Salt Lake City. There is no available parking, so you will need to take public transportation. The museum is open from 10am-4pm during the day, you have to be home by 3:30 for an appointment.

Plan your route.

1)   You miss the first bus/train.

2)   The museum’s credit card machine is down, and you only have a card.