WhyTry Elementary Game Plan Journal I can promise you that if you will do the things in this journal, develop a Game Plan for your life, and stick to it, you will get opportunity, freedom, and self respect; and when you ve got that, no one can stop you or hold you down. -Christian Moore, MSW, LCSW How to Use This Journal The WhyTry Game Plan Journal is designed to help you make positive changes in your life. The journal uses the pictures and ideas from the WhyTry Program combined with different activities and experiences to teach you new ways to beat the challenges that come your way. The journal is intended to be used as you go through the WhyTry Program either one-on-one or as part of a class. It doesn t matter in what order you go through the journal, or how long you take, and you may not need to go through every activity with every picture. The most important thing to keep in mind as you go through this journal is that it is a record of your life and your growth. The more you invest in it, the more value it will have for you. It may become something you can refer to and add to for years to come. Everything about this journal is intended to help you answer the question, Why try? Copyright 2013 WhyTry LLC Copying or reproducing any part of this journal without the written permission of WhyTry Inc. is strictly prohibited.
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The Game Plan Journal GOAL: Opportunity Freedom Self-respect Easy - Fast H S P Harder But Worth It P H S Hit The Wall www.whytry.org The Reality Ride The reality is that life has both ups and downs. Taking the short ride to the top of the high-risk hill may be fun, but it will ultimately cause you to crash. You can get stuck in the loop of acting out and crashing over and over. To get out of the loop, you have to choose a different track one that doesn t go quite so high, but also doesn t go so low that you crash. iv
The Reality Ride Introductory Activity Write three things about yourself. Write one thing that is real and two things that are fantasy. v
The Game Plan Journal Opportunity Freedom Self-respect Hit The Wall Easy - Fast Harder But Worth It H GOAL: www.whytry.org H S P P S vi
The Reality Ride Vocabulary Reality: Goals: Challenges: Choices: Consequences: Trouble: Value: Harder but worth it: Stuck in a loop: vii
The Game Plan Journal Art Activity: Draw a picture of your own reality ride. Label some things that might cause you to crash as well as some things that could help you stay on track. viii
Where do you think you are on your reality ride? Do you think you are on a track that leads to opportunity? Why? Art Activity: ix
The Game Plan Journal Art Activity: Divide this piece of paper in half. On one side, draw a picture of something real about yourself. On the other side, draw a fantasy picture about yourself. Share your picture with other class members and see if the class can guess which picture is the reality and which is the fantasy. x
Draw a picture that represents a goal that you have. List some choices you have to make in order to reach that goal. Art Activity: xi
The Game Plan Journal Art Activity: Who Supports Me Pyramid: Create a simple pyramid made out of squares on this paper. In the top square, draw and label yourself. In each of the squares underneath, draw and label individuals in your life who support you and want to see you succeed. xii
Mapping Out the Course: Identify a goal you want to achieve. Then create a map that shows the way to get to your goal. Identify several specific steps that you need to follow to reach this goal. Art Activity: xiii
The Game Plan Journal Music Activity: Life s Big Ride Where are you in life s big ride? How do you think your life would be different if you changed the way you act or changed tracks?
The Reality Ride Music Activity: Life s Big Ride What does it mean to build bridges? How can it help you on your reality ride? xv
The Game Plan Journal Music Activity: Life s Big Ride What does it mean to build fences? How can it hurt you on the reality ride? xvi
The Reality Ride Music Activity: Life s Big Ride What do you think the author means when he says, Your life will follow your commands? xvii
The Game Plan Journal Music Activity: Life s Big Ride What does the author mean when he says, You gotta treat this ride respectfully? In what ways can you treat life s big ride respectfully? xviii
The Reality Ride Music Activity: Reality Ride This song talks about two tracks from which to choose, the one where you win and the one where you lose. How can you decide which track is the one where you win? xix
The Game Plan Journal Music Activity: Reality Ride The song says that, The first track seems easy at first until you hit the wall when your bubble bursts. What does that mean? What happens when you hit the wall? xx
The Reality Ride Music Activity: Reality Ride One part of the song says, Yo the second track is harder but worth it you ve got to set a goal stick to it and work it, Work a little harder look what you get, Opportunity Freedom and Self-Respect. Tell about a time you did something that was harder but worth it. xxi
The Game Plan Journal Music Activity: Reality Ride What are some things the song says you can do if you get stuck in the loop? xxii
The Reality Ride What does Reality mean? What is the opposite of reality? What are some examples of things that are real? What are some examples of things that are not real? xxiii
The Game Plan Journal Whenever we make a choice we have consequences. Give an example of a choice that has a positive consequence. Give an example of a choice that has a negative consequence. xxiv
The Reality Ride What is an example of something that is harder but worth it? xxv
The Game Plan Journal Tell about a time when you did something that was harder but worth it. What did you do to stick with it? How did you feel when you were done? xxvi
The Reality Ride Tell about one of the challenges you have at school. xxvii
The Game Plan Journal Tell about one of the challenges you have at home. xxviii
The Reality Ride Tell about one of the challenges you have with your friends. xxix
The Game Plan Journal List 5 of your strengths. How can they help you to stay on the right track? xxx
The Reality Ride Do you know someone who is always getting into trouble? Why do you think they are stuck in the loop? What could help them to get out of the loop? xxxi
The Game Plan Journal What does it mean to have a support system? List at least 5 people who support you. xxxii