Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
Dinosaurs Before Dark
Young readers travel back to the time of the dinosaurs in this literature unit based on the story Dinosaurs Before Dark. Intended for use with upper-elementary special education students, this resource provides reading comprehension,...
Do2Learn
Reciprocal Conversation
Keep the conversation going with a social skills activity. Designed for learners with autism, the lesson guides peers through the back-and-forth of a conversation, encouraging them to wait their turn before responding.
Curated OER
Reproduction, Day 4: Sexual Decision-Making
Every human has the need for affection. This lesson plan teaches mild to moderately disabled secondary learners to make good choices regarding sexual contact. The lesson plan is developmentally and age appropriate and covers topics such...
Curated OER
Home Living / Daily Living: Importance of Keeping a Healthy Body Weight
Prepare your special education class for a healthy life. They visit with a nutritionist, practice simple exercises, and discuss healthy food choices. They then make goals for weight loss and management. Additional supporting activity...
Curated OER
Cleaning Appliances and Doing Laundry
In an independent living situation or a simulation classroom, special needs individuals practice cleaning household appliances. They clean an oven, refrigerator, and wash a load of laundry with minimal verbal and gestural cues. The...
Curated OER
Using Poetry in Teaching Reading to Special Education Students
A series of well-written activities, these lessons prompt middle schoolers reading below grade level (at a second, third, or fourth grade level) to use poetry to practice basic reading skills. They rhyme, build words, make inferences,...
Indigo Daya
Coping Skills
Adolescents experience strong amounts of stress during the formative teenage years. An excellent printable and worksheet can help learners discuss and develop coping skills for dealing with difficult times.
Curated OER
Opening a Special Ed Class
This is not just a lesson plan, it's a life saver! Here are 10 separate documents intended to assist a new Special Ed teacher. There are 4 different games, instructional tips, ways to handle documentation, behavioral modification...
Curated OER
Special Protections-Session Six
Parents and children work together in a community circle to discuss caring for people with special needs. In separate groups, the children sing and listen to a story. They discuss ways people are alike, and ways they are different....
Curated OER
Relationships, Day 5: Acquaintances & Strangers
It is important for special needs high schoolers to know the differences between acquaintances and strangers. They define the world helper, acquaintance, and stranger then discuss a scenario based case study.They talk about touch and no...
Curated OER
Communication, Day 3: Asking What You Want
Mild to moderately disabled secondary students practice asking for what they want. They discuss a scenario, list things they want, then practice asking for those things. Our special needs students need to know how to communicate...
Curated OER
Communication, Day 5: Saying "No"
There are many ways to say, no. Secondary special needs students need to know when and how to say no when they feel they are in an uncomfortable situation. They sign, say, and role-play how to say no. Worksheets and role-playing cards...
Curated OER
Relationships, Day 1: Self-Esteem
Expose your secondary special education class to the importance of belonging and feeling accepted. They define self-esteem, pride, and appreciation. Then create a self collage and share what they like about themselves with the class. A...
Curated OER
Relationships, Day 4: Friendships & Dating
It is so important to help special needs individuals know the difference between dating and friendship. They define friendship, differentiate between friends and strangers, role-play, practice greetings, then talk about dating. This...
Curated OER
Communication, Day 2: Assertiveness
Having social skills and being able to assert yourself in a positive way is so important. Students with mild to moderate disabilities engage in a series of activities to practice assertive communication and social skills. Perfect for a...
Curated OER
Exploitation, Day 2: Exploitation and Getting Help
Exploitation is a real issue for the disabled community. Secondary Special Education students learn what exploitation is, their personal rights, and how to say no. They focus on finding a trusted adult to get help if they have been taken...
Curated OER
HIV/AIDS & Other STDs, Day 1: Germs & Risk
Assist your secondary special education class for understanding risky behavior, hygiene, and STDs. The class discusses how germs spread, how people get sick, and what needs to be done to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. They...
Curated OER
Beat the Clock
Tired of wasting time trying to get your class to split up into groups? Engage in an activity to help your charges manage time. Learners reflect on a time they were left out or rejected, and then practice forming groups of three within...
Curated OER
A Lesson in Biodiversity: Making Comparisons Between Defensive Mechanisms Utilized by Marine Organisms
If your upper elementary or middle school marine biology learners are going to visit an aquarium, then here is a field trip activity guide for you. It is written specifically for The Maritime Aquarium, but the idea can be adapted to any...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Night to Life is Beautiful
After reading Elie Wiesel's Night, watching the movie Life is Beautiful, and researching World War II, class members write a comparison essay on the book and film. This includes a prior knowledge activity, discussion in whole and small...
Curated OER
Video Self Modeling to Teach Students with Autism Appropriate LIFE SKILLS
Use a video on self-modeling to practice life skills as part of an Autism activity. Students complete modeling activities and use a video activity to practice the life skills.
Curated OER
I Am Special and You Are Special Too #4
The students listen to a book about being different and investigate that everyone is different, but special in their own unique way. The students draw a picture of themselves using multi-cultural markers. Along with the drawing, the...
Do2Learn
Respecting the Ideas of Others
Communicating clearly is one part of a successful conversation, but listening to others is just as important. Individuals with special needs plan calm responses and reactions to differing opinions with a collaborative activity.
Conflict Resolution Education Connection
10 Lessons for Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills
Promote responsibility and camaraderie with 10 lessons on conflict resolution. Learners define conflict and teach ways to resolve it. Each lesson provides an activity and scenario for role play, and lends itself to discussion among peers...