I think I might possibly be addicted to creating activity boxes. I am currently up to 36, I know I need to stop but each skill is so important! Here is some pictures of some new ones I have added. This is another money element. There are 24 laminated cards each with a dollar denomination up to $1.00. The kids just need to set the right amount of money on the card matching the amount owed.
Here is a duplicate of the PAES box I used to have access to at my old site. The kids first have to sort the utensils than take one of each and fold and roll them into the napkins. I was able to find the napkins from a restaurant supply company.
Here is a wrapping present activity. I have been sitting with the kids while they do this activity as it seems very difficult for them. I am hoping with time they get better and may be able to do it independently. If anyone has any tips, I would love them!
I found these cute shape links on ebay and bought three sets for about $9 which included shipping. It took almost a month to get them as I didn't realize I was ordering from Taiwan! I glued one shape in the bottom of each cup. They can either sort by color or shape.
Here is an activity I purchased from Autism Educators on TPT. Basically, the students have to match the dvd to the correct dvd case. First you will need to print, laminate, and cut out all the pieces. Then bind your book (not necessary) and add Velcro dots to the pages so they can stick the cd's and the covers to the page. There are 18 matching pages in total. I have only had two kids from other classes work on it and they did a great job! I am absolutely loving this activity!! You can find her activity here - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Life-Skills-for-Special-Education-DVD-Work-Task-Sort-Autism-1014051
We got some bad news yesterday at work. Because of food service guidelines we are no longer allowed to serve food to the kids that has not been prepared by our food service providers. This means no more potlucks, no more BBQ's, no more birthday cupcakes, and no more cooking in class (this one makes me the most sad). This will also include the restaurant food my students deliver every other Friday to help earn money for our program. They have also closed down our student cafe, which sold healthy prepackaged snacks. OH, and did I mention the popcorn and snow cone machines the students JUST purchased so they could sell these items in the quad on Fridays? Those are out too!
IMO teaching the kids to cook is a MAJOR part of teaching them how to be independent. I only have them for four years! My job is to make them as independent as I possibly can before they leave at age 22 to enter the adult day program where they will most likely spend the rest of their lives. Friday my aide was supposed to be teaching her annual homemade tortilla class with the kids. Next Tuesday we were having a weenie roast at the park and the week after that we were going to make sandwiches and pack sack lunches to take to the zoo with us. It really makes me sick to think of all these great learning opportunities that ALL the kids in our program will be missing out on!
COOKING IS AN INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILL!!!
I would love to know how your school handles this kind of thing. Maybe this is a common practice and we were just behind the times. Please let me know how your school handles non food service food items. How do you teach the kids food prep without using food?
Thanks for the vent :-(
