Life Skills Activities for Special Children, 2nd Edition

Part One: Basic Survival Skills 1

Chapter 1: Relating Basic Information 3

Parent Letter #1 4

Skill Sheet #1: Progress Report 6

Lesson 1.1: Who Are You? 7

Lesson 1.2: Where I Live 9

Lesson 1.3: Hello, Anybody Home? 11

Lesson 1.4: Happy Birthday to Me! 13

Lesson 1.5: My Family 15

Lesson 1.6: My Parents and Where They Are 17

Lesson 1.7: Meet My Teacher 19

Lesson 1.8: Medical Needs 21

Lesson 1.9: Emergency! 23

Lesson 1.10: My Vital Statistics 25

Lesson 1.11: After School 27

Lesson 1.12: Lost and Found 29

Chapter 2: Telephone Skills 31

Parent Letter #2 32

Skill Sheet #2: Progress Report 33

Lesson 2.1: Dialing the Number 34

Lesson 2.2: Using a Cell Phone 38

Lesson 2.3: Using 911, 411, and 0 40

Lesson 2.4: Making Emergency Phone Calls 42

Lesson 2.5: Obtaining Information 44

Lesson 2.6: Giving Information 46

Lesson 2.7: Taking a Message 48

Lesson 2.8: Leaving a Message on an Answering Machine 50

Lesson 2.9: Using the Telephone Directory: White Pages 52

Lesson 2.10: Using the Telephone Directory: Yellow Pages 54

Chapter 3: Money Skills 57

Parent Letter #3 58

Skill Sheet #3: Progress Report 59

Lesson 3.1: Coins and Bills 60

Lesson 3.2: Counting Coins 62

Lesson 3.3: Recognizing Value of Items 64

Lesson 3.4: Keeping Money in a Safe Place 66

Lesson 3.5: Savings Account 68

Lesson 3.6: Earning Money 70

Lesson 3.7: Spending Money 72

Lesson 3.8: Sales and Discounts 74

Lesson 3.9: Estimating 76

Chapter 4: Time Skills 79

Parent Letter #4 80

Skill Sheet #4: Progress Report 81

Lesson 4.1: Days and Months 82

Lesson 4.2: Today 84

Lesson 4.3: Using a Calendar 86

Lesson 4.4: Using a Clock 89

Lesson 4.5: Seasons 91

Lesson 4.6: Planning Ahead 93

Lesson 4.7: What Happens When? 95

Lesson 4.8: First Step in a Sequence 97

Lesson 4.9: Fifteen-Minute Tasks 99

Lesson 4.10: Setting Time Goals 101

Chapter 5: Basic Reading and Writing Skills 103

Parent Letter #5 104

Skill Sheet #5: Progress Report 105

Lesson 5.1: Words: People 106

Lesson 5.2: Words: Places 108

Lesson 5.3: Words: Things 110

Lesson 5.4: Traffic Signs 112

Lesson 5.5: Information Signs 114

Lesson 5.6: Safety Words 116

Lesson 5.7: Things to Read 118

Lesson 5.8: Reading for a Purpose 120

Lesson 5.9: Reading for Pleasure 122

Lesson 5.10: Filling Out a Form 124

Lesson 5.11: Addressing an Envelope 126

Lesson 5.12: Mailing a Letter 128

Lesson 5.13: Making Lists 130

Lesson 5.14: Having Good Handwriting 132

Lesson 5.15: Reminder Notes 134

Part Two: Personal Independence 137

Chapter 6: Clothing and Dressing 139

Parent Letter #6 140

Skill Sheet #6: Progress Report 141

Lesson 6.1: What’s the Weather? 142

Lesson 6.2: What’s the Event? 144

Lesson 6.3: Obtaining Clothing 146

Lesson 6.4: Care of Clothing 148

Lesson 6.5: Washing and Drying Clothes 150

Lesson 6.6: Let’s Go Shopping! 152

Lesson 6.7: Final Inspection 154

Lesson 6.8: Fads 156

Chapter 7: Keeping Yourself Clean 159

Parent Letter #7 160

Skill Sheet #7: Progress Report 161

Lesson 7.1: Taking a Bath or Shower 162

Lesson 7.2: Hair Care 164

Lesson 7.3: A Clean Face 166

Lesson 7.4: Taking Care of Your Hands 168

Lesson 7.5: Using a Mirror 170

Lesson 7.6: Care of Teeth 172

Lesson 7.7: Makeup 174

Lesson 7.8: When You are Sick 176

Chapter 8: Keeping Your Room Clean 179

Parent Letter #8 180

Skill Sheet #8: Progress Report 181

Lesson 8.1: Picking Up 182

Lesson 8.2: Making the Bed 184

Lesson 8.3: Floor Care 186

Lesson 8.4: Dusting 188

Lesson 8.5: “Too Much Stuff”/De-Cluttering 190

Lesson 8.6: Organizing a Closet 192

Lesson 8.7: Rules for the Room 194

Lesson 8.8: Sharing a Room 197

Chapter 9: Food and Eating Skills 199

Parent Letter #9 200

Skill Sheet #9: Progress Report 201

Lesson 9.1: Shopping for Food 202

Lesson 9.2: Making a Shopping List 204

Lesson 9.3: Simple Cooking, Easy Meals 206

Lesson 9.4: Table Manners 208

Lesson 9.5: Cleaning Up 210

Lesson 9.6: Washing the Dishes 212

Lesson 9.7: Eating Out 214

Lesson 9.8: Food Groups 216

Lesson 9.9: Healthy Snacks 219

Lesson 9.10: When You Don’t Like Something 221

Chapter 10: Living a Healthy Lifestyle 223

Parent Letter #10 224

Skill Sheet #10: Progress Report 225

Lesson 10.1: Visiting Health Care People 226

Lesson 10.2: Getting Exercise 228

Lesson 10.3: Leisure-Time Activities 230

Lesson 10.4: What About Drugs? 232

Lesson 10.5: Avoiding Unhealthy Habits 234

Lesson 10.6: Dangerous Situations 237

Lesson 10.7: Following Safety Rules 240

Lesson 10.8: Getting Enough Sleep 242

Part Three: Community and Independence 245

Chapter 11: Community Places and People 247

Parent Letter #11 248

Skill Sheet #11: Progress Report 249

Lesson 11.1: Restaurants 250

Lesson 11.2: Shopping Mall 252

Lesson 11.3: The Park 254

Lesson 11.4: Houses of Worship 256

Lesson 11.5: Movie Theater 258

Lesson 11.6: Sporting Events 260

Lesson 11.7: The Public Library 262

Lesson 11.8: A Museum 264

Lesson 11.9: The Zoo 266

Lesson 11.10: The Supermarket 268

Lesson 11.11: Barber or Beauty Shop 270

Lesson 11.12: The Post Office 272

Chapter 12: Helpful Information 275

Parent Letter #12 276

Skill Sheet #12: Progress Report 277

Lesson 12.1: Pedestrian Safety 278

Lesson 12.2: Bike Safety 280

Lesson 12.3: Safety After Dark 282

Lesson 12.4: Using a Menu 284

Lesson 12.5: Tipping 286

Lesson 12.6: Locating Restrooms 288

Lesson 12.7: Reading a Map 290

Lesson 12.8: Using a Mall Directory 292

Lesson 12.9: Hours of Operation 294

Lesson 12.10: Television Schedules 296

Lesson 12.11: All About the Newspaper 298

Lesson 12.12: Using a Catalog 300

Lesson 12.13: If You Get Lost 302

Lesson 12.14: Safe Computer Sites 304

Lesson 12.15: Computer Common Sense 306

Part Four: Getting Along with Others 309

Chapter 13: Being a Good Citizen 311

Parent Letter #13 312

Skill Sheet #13: Progress Report 313

Lesson 13.1: Being Polite to Others 314

Lesson 13.2: Having a Good Attitude on a Bad Day 316

Lesson 13.3: Speaking Up 318

Lesson 13.4: Lending a Hand 320

Lesson 13.5: Volunteering 322

Lesson 13.6: Being Courteous 324

Lesson 13.7: At the Movies 326

Lesson 13.8: Helping Others 328

Lesson 13.9: Rudeness in Others 330

Lesson 13.10: Vandalism and Pranks 332

Chapter 14: Working with People 335

Parent Letter #14 336

Skill Sheet #14: Progress Report 337

Lesson 14.1: Working as a Team 338

Lesson 14.2: Understanding the Task 340

Lesson 14.3: Understanding Your Role 342

Lesson 14.4: Matching Skills with Jobs 344

Lesson 14.5: Expressing Your Opinion 346

Lesson 14.6: Being Trustworthy 348

Lesson 14.7: Knowing When to “Let it Go” 350

Lesson 14.8: Another Point of View 352

Lesson 14.9: Having a Discussion 354

Lesson 14.10: Having an Argument 356

Lesson 14.11: Defining Terms 358

Lesson 14.12: Common Sense 360

Chapter 15: Having a Social Life 363

Parent Letter #15 364

Skill Sheet #15: Progress Report 365

Lesson 15.1: Meeting People 366

Lesson 15.2: Understanding That Friends Are Important 368

Lesson 15.3: Knowing How to Treat Friends 370

Lesson 15.4: Having Something to Offer 372

Lesson 15.5: Saying Nice Things 374

Lesson 15.6: Having Good Hygiene 376

Lesson 15.7: Using Conversation Starters 378

Lesson 15.8: Trying Something New 380

Lesson 15.9: Going Places 382

Idea Lists 384