874.Resource, Gordon, My Day Is Ruined: Mentor Text for Cognitive Regulation (Gr. 3-5)

Cognitive Regulation refers to intentional, strategic, and self-regulated learning. It includes the abilities 1) to determine what is needed to compete a task, 2) to maintain attention and redirect it when it’s lost, 3) to commit to a goal and monitor progress along the way, 4) to identify problems and evaluate solutions, 5) to think about alternatives and choose one when making a decision, 6) to seek and offer help, and 7) to become and remain organized.

Braden has big plans for the championship baseball game but the rain changes those plans. And what makes it worse, is that his mother not only isn’t as upset as he is, but she sounds like his teacher, when she encourages Braden to use flexible thinking: “When one thing doesn’t work, don’t give up. Try something else instead. . . .” Together, Braden and his mom have a different sort of baseball game with a slip-and-slide in their backyard. The book contains a four-step plan for students to practice. The book illustrates how the plan works with personal and academic problems.