#4507. Lessons for Young Children with Autism

Special Ed, level: Kindergarten
Posted Mon Feb 7 04:12:05 PST 2011 by AutismClassroom.com (AutismClassroom.com).

AutismClasroom.com Website,
Materials Required: Various
Activity Time: 15-25 miintues
Concepts Taught: Various

Transportation

Joint Attention

* Make a paper airplane and fly it in the air. Watch it fly together.
* Tape a large piece of bulletin board paper with a pre-drawn train on it, on the wall. Give each student their own drawing, writing or painting utensil. Create the masterpiece together.

Imitation Skills

* Pretend to be a horse and have the students imitate you running, galloping, walking and trotting.
* Practice pushing vehicles and approximating the sounds they make (ex "vroom," "choo-choo" or "honk-honk.")

Communication

* While riding tricycles, position yourself in the way of the child so that they cannot get through. Have them request for you to move out of the way.
* Ask each student to express (through words or pictures) their favorite mode of transportation. Graph each student's response. Have the student interpret the graph.

Self-Help Skills

* Make a transportation themed placemat to serve as a boundary for mealtimes.
* Make a "truck stop" restaurant. Cook and package various food items to sell to the school. Invite others to visit the "truck stop" at designated times.

Independent Skills/Pre-Vocational Skills

* Complete a connect-the-dots paper of a sailboat.
* Make snacks that look like cars, trains or boats. Use a visual picture task analysis to help with independence.

Social Skills

* Take turns playing a familiar game by using a "1" and "2" card to show who is first and who is second.
* Ask students to interview the school librarian to find out what types of transportation items are used on farms. Give the students a set number of questions and a way to express their question using either words, pictures, or sign language.

Play Skills (Model for the students and play with them)

* Bring in a toy train and track. Have students put it together and take turns using it.
* Take turns using a race track with fast cars.

Sensory Involvement

* "Sail" boats through a tub of water by blowing air through a straw.
* Sail boats in water using your hands.

Basic Concept Mastery

* Spell transportation words and decorate them with transportation stickers.
* Count cars.

Vocabulary/ Literacy

* Spell transportation words. Complete a worksheet matching the word to the transportation item.
* Play Bingo using transportation signs.

Fine Motor

* Build a model car together.
* Build a train using various boxes as the train cars. Have the students decorate their own train car.

Gross Motor

* Make train costumes and travel around the school as the "Classroom Express." Be sure to have pre-made stops for the kids to locate as they travel around.

*Source: The paperback version of Lesson Ideas and Activities for Young Children with Autism and Related Special Needs, which has been updated with this new chapter. These are some of the lesson ideas.*