At one time or another, people with physical disabilities may require the assistance of others in the community. Here, they engage in one-on-one role-playing sessions to practice recruiting assistance in the community. They practice...

Make opening a locker with a key an easy task for your special needs upper grader. Here you'll find a prompting hierarchy and 15 steps to guide your learner through the process. You'll verbally prompt while physically modeling the locker...

Taking twenty dollars out of the ATM seems like second nature, once you get the hang of it. The class practices the steps needed to withdraw money from the ATM and then performs the task at an actual bank. The lesson has the instructor...

Banking is a key skill all individuals should practice. Provide a hands-on exercise to encourage the proper method of writing a check and using an ATM. The lesson prompts special needs learners with full assistance until mastery is...

After you make a photo album of image depicting the process of using a debit card, kids in your class can start practicing. They learn how to use a debit card in various shopping and community settings to gain independent shopping...

Intended for learners with autism and developmental disabilities, this lesson uses the strategy of counting-on to enhance independent shopping skills. Learners will practice counting on to the next dollar value in order to purchase items...

Using an adaptive shopping list, special needs students take a trip to the grocery store. Instead of words, their list contains pictures of the items they need to find and purchase at the store. They run through several practice and...

Who doesn't need to buy groceries now and then? Prepare your special needs class for an upcoming trip to the grocery store. They practice matching the words on the shopping list to images of each item. They then use their list to locate...

Buying groceries and using money is a must-have skill. Listed here are the steps and procedures needed to train a special needs individual to purchase items at the grocery store. They will use pretend money, a calculator, and images of...

The worst part of the week is trying to scrounge quarters for the laundromat. Make the task of cleaning laundry an easy one for your high-functioning special needs learners. You take a trip to a local laundromat to practice using coin...

Who doesn't love a good snack? Provide practice with basic snack preparation skill for your special education class. They follow each step-by-step procedure to make and serve a hot drink and a sandwich. These skills are taught using...

In a home environment, learners with special needs practice creating nutritious meal plans. They talk about healthy food choices, then use the food pyramid as a guide to planning three balanced meals. They use a food group check sheet to...

Prepare three different simple meals with your special needs class to prepare them for an independent life. They watch a video of a person preparing three different meals, they pause the video, complete the steps, then push play when...

Getting lost can be scary for anybody. Hone communication skills necessary when attempting to ask for help in a scary situation. Learners with special needs discuss how to know they're lost and how to use a cell phone to call for help....

Staying safe at home is as important a skill as staying safe out in the community. Your special ed class can practice what to do in a dangerous kitchen situation. They use gloves, dust pans, brooms, and paper towels to practice...

We have all been lost at some point and for Special Needs individuals getting lost in the community can be a real issue. They prepare for a life of independence by memorizing their phone number and practicing what to do if they are lost....

Everyone gets minor cuts and scrapes now and then. Provide your special education class with the skills they needs to clean and bandage a small wound. Use read marker (fake blood) on your arm and show your class how to wash and dress it....

Here is a fire safety lesson specifically designed for blind or visually impaired teens. They will attempt to exit the building safely, feeling for hot spots, heat drafts, and obstacles. A hairdryer, tape recorded fire sounds, and verbal...

Learners with special needs who are heading out into a community-based living situation need to know how to prevent home accidents from happening. They visit a real apartment and discuss the types of accidents that could happen due to...

Sight words, word recognition, and flash card drills are the mode for teaching that is outlined here. To increase weather vocabulary and content specific word recognition, kids with special needs work through flash card drills. The...

Studying an author can help learners better understand literature. George Orwell's biography is the focus of this presentation, which leads into an activity and discussion about concepts connected to Animal Farm. 

Created for a 10th grade English classroom studying George Orwell's Animal Farm, this mini-project promotes exploration of character and plot. In the first section, young readers are required to characterize one character from the story,...

Imagine having the opportunity to create your own country. After responding to questions about chapter two, readers of George Orwell's dystopian classic are given a chance to design a utopia for one-million people, complete with...

“Mirrors” or aspects from a story that reflect a personal text-to-self connection, and “windows,” an aspect that gives insight into a different way of being, are the focus of an activity designed for Alice Walker’s story. Readers select...