Dori Senatori

Social Skills Lesson Plan

Case Study Student M’s Popcorn making experience in the classroom

 

Background about Case Study Student:

 

• M loves popcorn and she has been observed once retrieving her popcorn symbol (a small Tupperware container with popcorn kernels in it taped closed that she can shake to hear the kernels) from her anticipation basket when asked if she wants to make popcorn.

• M has had a few approximations of “pop, pop, pop” and “yum, yum, yum” during a popcorn routine in the past.

• M is more likely to interact when she is motivated during her familiar functional routine topics, and in this case it is a food topic of making popcorn.

 

Skills addressed:

 

• M will use the familiar actions and routine of making popcorn to start and end an interaction with one or both of the students seated at the table with her.

• M will imitate familiar actions or sounds after a model from an adult or student at the table.

• M will imitate a new action or sound after a model from an adult or student at the table.

• M will engage in the familiar functional task of making popcorn at the table with the other two students by using a gesture or vocalization to make a request or for attention.

 

Lesson Objective:

 

• Student will be able to increase her social skills with her classmates and teachers during a familiar routine.

• Student will work on math and literacy with a left to right sequence of her 3 slot calendar box within her familiar routine.

 

 Lesson Steps:

 

• Teacher communicates to M that we are going to make popcorn at the table, and guides M to her anticipation basket to retrieve her popcorn symbol. Teacher facilitates hand under hand and taps side of basket to help M place symbol in her now basket before task begins.

• Teacher uses movement, signs, and words to talk about the popcorn activity before it begins.

• M takes a seat at the class table in her familiar seat with beads on the back of the chair next to her other two classmates.

• M’s 3 slot calendar box is placed in front of her with a finished basket placed right next to it.

• Teacher facilitates hand under hand to go over the steps in M’s sequence box from left to right representing the steps of the activity.

• Teacher facilitates hand under hand for M to go back to the start or to the left side, and obtain the popcorn kernels.

• Teacher facilitates use of a measuring cup with another student seated at the table.

• Teacher uses verbal phrase for M to move Tupperware of popcorn kernels closer to student with measuring cup to measure out correct amount of popcorn, teacher waits for a gesture from M and/or facilitates hand under hand M to move popcorn closer to student.

• Teacher talks about the popcorn being measured with students at the table and attempts to facilitate vocalizations from each student about the sounds they hear when the popcorn is being poured into the popcorn maker.

• Teacher uses hand under hand to facilitate M to place Tupperware of unused popcorn in finished basket.

• Teacher facilitates hand under hand for M to reach for next step in her sequence box and obtain the oil.

• Teacher facilitates use of tablespoon measurement with another student seated at the table.

• Teacher talks about the oil and how it helps the popcorn pop.

• Teacher uses verbal phrase for M to move bottle of oil towards student with the tablespoon and waits for gesture from M or facilitates hand under hand to move the oil closer to the student to measure oil.

• Teacher uses hand under hand to assist M in putting oil in her finished basket.

• Teacher acknowledges all gestures and vocalizations from the group of students during the activity to facilitate socialization throughout the experience.

• Teacher talks about the sounds the popcorn makes when it is popping to facilitate imitation of the sounds, or create new sounds during the activity.

• Teacher places popcorn in the big bowl in the center of the table when it is finished.

• Teacher places small bowls near each student and uses the verbal phrase “who wants some popcorn?”

• Teacher talks about reaching for her own bowl as a sign to the other students to reach for their bowl indicating that they would like some popcorn, or use a vocalization to indicate their want.

• Teacher provides hand under hand support for students to reach for their bowl to be served popcorn.

• Teacher facilitates hand under hand support for M to reach for her season salt as the last step of her popcorn routine in her sequence box.

• Teacher talks about M salting her popcorn and facilitates M to offer the other students at the table some salt and waits for a gesture or vocalization.

• Teacher provides hand under hand support for M to slide salt to other students.

• Teacher provides hand under hand support to facilitate M to place salt in finished basket.

• Students eat popcorn together as teacher talks about the activity to facilitate vocalizations and/or gestures from students.

• Teacher provides hand under hand support to M to place her bowl in the finished basket when she is done eating.

 

 

Materials needed:

 

• M’s 3 slot calendar box with popcorn, oil, season salt.

• Big bowl for popcorn

• 3 small bowls for each student

• Popcorn maker