101 Transition Activities for the Classroom

1. 101 Transition Activities for the Classroom

2. 101 Transition Activities for the Classroom • 101 Transition Activities for the Classroomhas been developed by the Special Education Cooperative Transition Team to assist teacher efforts in bringing transition to their daily classroom activities. It was designed to promote student thought toward post-secondary adult life through daily classroom activities.

3. 101 Transition Activities for the Classroom • This document provides transition-based topics in five focus areas: Self-Determination/Self-Advocacy, IGP (Individual Graduation Plan), Career Exploration, Community, and Resources. It is intended to serve as a basis for student centered transition planning and implementation.

4. Contributing Team Members • Carol Sturgill Cooksey Big East Special Education Cooperative • Ogie M. Slone Big East Special Education Cooperative • LeAnn Marksberry Caveland Educational Support Center • Sally Miracle Central Kentucky Special Education Cooperative • Clatis Walker Central Kentucky Special Education Cooperative • Norm Terry Jefferson County Public Schools • Kathy Eversole Upper Cumberland Special Education Cooperative • Carol Detmer Northern Kentucky Special Education Cooperative • Shelia Holloway Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative • Lesa Hibbs River Region Special Education Cooperative • Tammy Williams West Kentucky Special Education Cooperative • Terrie Ralston Wilderness Trail Special Education Cooperative • Jan Richards Kentucky Department of Education

5. Self-Determination • Learner Goals 3 and 4 (Self Sufficiency and Group Membership) • POS -Academic Expectations 2.29, 2.31, 2.32 (Positive interaction in groups, Individual well-being and healthy relationships, Accept responsibility, Mental and Emotional Health) • KCCT – Practical Living/Vocational Studies • KCCT - P.L. - 1.1.1 - 1.1.3 – Positive interaction that contribute to mental and emotional well-being • KCCT – P.L. - 1.2.1, - 1.2.3 – Issues concerning well-being and healthy relationships. • KCCT – P.L. – 1.5.1 - 1.5.4 – Benefits of exercise and fitness • KCCT – P.L. – 1.6.1 – 1.6.4 – Major cause of injury or death • KCCT – P.L. – 1.7.1 – 1.7.4 – Choices and habits of mental and emotional health • KCCT – P.L. – 1.8.1 – 1.8.4 – Strategies for remaining mentally and emotionally healthy

6. Transition Activity #1 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: Students interview one of the following types of people. (Politician, Preacher, Teacher, Professional, Worker) • Student then describes personal lives, social activities, early and later goals in life of those interviewed.

7. Transition Activity #2 Self Determination/Self Advocacy Activity: Share the results of the interview from Activity #1. Discuss these questions: • Which of the lifestyles do you want for yourself? • What are characteristics of that lifestyle that appeal to you? • What does your lifestyle say about you?

8. Transition Activity #3 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: Have each student write 5 positive things about every student in the class on separate sheets of paper. Review with individual student to help build self concept and self esteem.

9. Transition Activity #4 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: Read the Dr. Suess book, Oh, The Places You’ll Go (Examine the various places life may take you.)

10. Transition Activity #5 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: Facilitate a classroom discussion of the difference in “Wants and Needs.” After discussion, have student generate a T chart of 5 “needs” and 5 “wants.” (This list will later be used in developing goals.)

11. Transition Activity #6 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: From your list of wants, develop 3 goals. (Goal setting)

12. Transition Activity #7 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Choose one of the goals, prioritize a list of activities to be done to achieve the goal. (How to prioritize)

13. Transition Activity #8 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: Develop a plan for monitoring the activities from the previous goal. (Monitoring progress)

14. Transition Activity #9 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: Divide class into 2 groups and allow 5 minutes to generate a list of activities we use to self manage. (grocery lists, to do lists, calendars) Group with most activities wins. (Teaches self management skills)

15. Transition Activity #10 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Partner with another student and verbally sequence the plan for their day’s activities. (Teaches planning and self management)

16. Transition Activity #11 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Give each student a blank sheet of paper. Each student then stands and closes their eyes. Have student follow directions. 1. Fold sheet in half. 2. Tear off bottom right corner. 3. Fold in half again 4. Tear off left top corner 5. Tear bottom right corner 6. Fold in half again. 7. Tear off top right corner. Everyone unfolds their paper. Each should be the same, but all are different. WHY? (Importance of active listening)

17. Transition Activity #12 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Partner with another student. While one student sits on his/her hands, the other student tells the story of his/her previous day. The listener must display appropriate listening behaviors, i.e., nodding, eye contact, gestures with appropriate verbal feedback, etc. (Active listening)

18. Transition Activity #13 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Volunteering KWL – Discuss: What do you know about volunteering? What would you like to know about volunteering? Each student decides on a volunteer activity to do in the next week.

19. Transition Activity #14 • Self Determination/Self Advocacy • Activity: Question the teacher/principal Students formulate questions to obtain information relating to that individual’s personal career choices. (Learning to ask the “right”questions)

20. Transition Activity #15 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Round Robin for Health Each student names one way to improve or stay healthy as we go around the room taking turns. For each one named, the student gets 1 point. Tally scores at end.(Why health is important)

21. Transition Activity #16 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Divide into small groups and discuss what is known about health insurance. After a 5 minute discussion in the small group, share with the large group while teacher charts responses.

22. Transition Activity #17 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Who’s Important??? Each student will make a list of 5 most important people in their lives. This list must include identifying information. (Begins Address Book or Reference List)

23. Transition Activity #18 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Personal Strengths and Limitations – Each student needs to recognize 3 strengths and 3 limitations. Write on separate index cards.

24. Transition Activity #19 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Limitations – Conference with individual student (may partner students together) on ways to overcome or compensate the identified limitations.

25. Transition Activity #20 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Charades Write various emotions on pieces of paper. Each student draws and acts out that emotion. (Effect of non-verbal behavior)

26. Transition Activity #21 • Self Determination/ Self Advocacy • Activity: Group students in groups of 3. Students in the group discuss their own disability and how it affects them. Then each student talks about the accommodations that work best for him/her.

27. Community • Learner Goal 4 (Responsible member of group or society) • POS – Academic Expectations 2.33, 2.34, 2.35, 2.14, 2.16, 2.17 (Physical movement in a variety of settings, Culture and Society, Government, Evaluating and Using services) • KCCT – Practical Living/Vocation Studies • KCCT – PL - 2.2.1 – 2.2.3 – Regular involvement in physical activities (social and • physical benefits) • KCCT – PL - 2.3.1- 2.3.2 – Rules of fair behavior, fair play and cooperation • KCCT – PL – 3.1.1 – 3.1.5 –Accessing and assessing consumer information • KCCT – PL –3.2.1 – Determine personal needs and resources • KCCT – PL – 3.3.1 –3.3.3 – Rely on services and resources

28. Transition Activity #22 • Community • Activity: Each student consults a family member about their hobbies. Have a “Show and Tell” about the various hobbies identified.

29. Transition Activity #23 • Community • Activity: Have each student interview 2 community leaders.

30. Transition Activity #24 • Community • Activity: Identify adults they respect by job titles.

31. Transition Activity #25 • Community • Activity: With a partner identify 3 skills needed to participate in community activities.

32. Transition Activity #26 • Community • Activity: Have each student draw a map of their community.

33. Transition Activity #27 • Community • Activity: RACE – Divide into 2 or 3 teams. Allow 5 minutes to brainstorm all the jobs within their community. Team with most jobs is the winner.

34. Transition Activity #28 • Community • Activity: Divide into groups and write a song about a community place, person or people.

35. Transition Activity #29 • Community • Activity: Make a list of people in your community you might ask to help you find a job.

36. Transition Activity #30 • Community • Activity: Divide class into 2 groups. One group makes a list of things needed for daily living (i.e., stamps, bread, milk, towels, gas, medicine, etc.) The other group makes a list of places in the community. Then make a match game.

37. Transition Activity #31 • Community • Activity: Write a community activity on an index card. Partner with another student and draw one card. Each pair discusses appropriate dress for that activity.

38. Transition Activity #32 • Community • Activity: Each student develops a daily menu demonstrating a well balanced diet. Each student then swaps with another student to evaluate work. Discussion should be about the importance of daily nutrition.

39. Transition Activity #33 • Community • Activity: Each student makes a list of 3 leisure activities he/she enjoys. Each student then chooses one activity and shares with another student the preparation needed to participate in that activity.

40. Transition Activity #34 • Community • Activity: Divide the class into 2 or 3 groups. Each group then makes a diagram of government officials (i.e., local, state and federal) demonstrating the top official down.

41. Transition Activity #35 • Community • Activity: Game of places. Write names of places in the community on pieces of paper. Each student draws one and has to give a verbal description of that place. Student who guesses it goes next.

42. Transition Activity #36 • Community • Activity: Yellow Pages – Make a list of services that one would need. Students use phone book to locate the name and number of service providers in their community.

43. Transition Activity #37 • Community • Activity: Divide class into 3 groups and have them brainstorm community services or activities that are paid for with tax dollars.

44. Transition Activity #38 • Community • Activity: Invite a community leader to visit the classroom.

45. Transition Activity #39 • Community • Activity: Stump the panel – Have 3 people volunteer to be a community expert panel. The audience then tries to stump the panel by asking questions about community/government services and their location. (court house, bank, jail, pharmacy, grocery, etc)

46. Transition Activity #40 • Community • Activity: Role Play – Each student assume the role of a “community helper”. (nurse, doctor, policeman, fireman, mailman, etc.) While portraying this person, other students may ask questions about this type of job. (Research required)

47. Individual Graduation Plan • Learner Goals 3, 4, 5 and 6 (Self sufficiency, Group member, Think and integrate, Problem solve) • POS – Academic Expectation 2.36, 2.37, 2.38 (Career exploration and development of work habits) A.E. 1.11 (Writing to communicate ideas and information) A.E. 1.2 (Making sense of materials they read) A.E. 1.5-1.9 (Using mathematical ideas and procedures) • KCCT – Reading – Sub-domain 4 (Practical/Workplace) • KCCT - RD-E-4.0.6 – 4.0.10 • KCCT - RD-M-4.0.11-4.0.14 • KCCT - RD-H-4.0.8-4.0.13 • KCCT – Writing – All sub-domains (Reflective, Personal, Literary, Transactive) • KCCT – WR -1.1 – 1.4 • KCCT – Mathematics – Relationships • KCCT - MA-1.3.1-1.3.4 • KCCT - MA-3.3.1-3.3.4 • KCCT - MA-4.3.1-4.3.2 • KCCT - MA-M/H-2.3.1-2.3.4 • KCCT - MA-H-4.3.1-4.3.5 • KCCT- Practical Living/Vocational Studies • KCCT - PL-4.1.1–4.1.4 -Jobs/Careers reflect individual and societal needs • KCCT - PL-4.2.1-4.2.4 -Factors when selecting/preparing for employment • KCCT - PL-4.3.1-4.3.2 -Positive and negative work habits • KCCT - PL-4.4.1-4.4.3 -Skills for future school/workplace • KCCT - PL-4.5.1-4.5.2 -Special skills for postsecondary opportunities

48. Transition Activity #41 • IGP • Activity: Assign the students to discuss three jobs they are interested in for a career with a partner.

49. Transition Activity #42 • IGP • Activity: Develop a Three Column Chart for each Career Cluster with headings – “Careers”, “Skills” and “Courses” on each. Assign students to transfer their career choices onto a Post It note (one for each career) and place it on the related Career Cluster chart.

50. Transition Activity #43 • IGP • Activity: Divide students into Career Cluster groups according to their career choices. Assign the groups to brainstorm 10 or more skills needed for the Career Cluster, and place/write them under the “Skills” section of the Career Cluster chart.