Grades: K-12
Teacher Name: CISD Occupational Therapists: Pamela Kaistha (MKB), Cristina Candelario (CHS, VRE, West), Sadie Oakley (DCE, TCE, North, Lee), Kathleen Janusz (CCE, Austin, LKS, Wilson), Stacy Phillips (CRE, CHS9)
Description and purpose of grant:
With this grant, the district Occupational Therapists in collaboration with Special Education teachers, will create more work task boxes for our learners with developmental differences. By having multiple boxes of the same tasks, boxes can be distributed to the different special education classrooms within the district. Students with developmental differences learn skills using a structured and visual approach. Task boxes offer a structured, hands-on way for our learners to practice and build a variety of skills. They promote independence, target individual goals, and increase engagement. They provide clear, predictable formats that can be completed with decreased supervision. The hands-on, self-contained, and individualized nature of these activities helps students with diverse learning needs thrive in the classroom. Once set up, task boxes can provide a consistent and ready-to-go activity, reducing the amount of daily planning time for teachers and support staff. The task boxes can include preacademic, academic, fine motor and prevocational skills. The attached Youtube video provides an explanation of Task Box Systems. At the time mark of 1:40 seconds into the video, the presenter defines the concept of a task box.
These Task Boxes align with the District Core Values:
1) Values individual contribution by allowing our learners to work at their own pace and levels as their success can look different than a neurotypical learner.
2) Allows everyone on our learner's educational team, as well as the learner's family, to invest in each other and the learner by collaborting to meet the needs of the learner.
3) Facilitates great teaching as the learner becomes more independent by completing these task boxes and can engage more readily in classroom activities and lessons.
4) Collectively engages the learner and staff in actiivties where the learner can gain success, learn new skills, expand skills that they have already gained, and generalize concepts to a new or even familiar task.
Implementation process:
The district has a variety of classrooms for learners diverse needs at elementary, middle and high school campuses. Once materials are acquired, the task boxes will be compiled, activities will be discussed with the teacher staff and the boxes will be provided to the classroom. Visual task strips can be also made to support the learner's comprehension of the activity, which in turn can faciliate their independence with task. The staff will be asked to document how each learner responds to the task box and what adaptations were made to ensure success. Once the boxes are made, the campus can keep the boxes to use with future learners. If the teacher or classroom moves or changes, then the Occupational Therapy department can house the materials at the Brock Center.
Items you plan to purchase with grant money
Task box ideas:
All items can be purchased through Amazon Business. The items listed below include various containers to organize the materials. Below the containers is a list of Task box ideas that we would like to create.
All the Task Boxes will need containers or bags:
1) First Aid Kit
First aid pouch-Faylapa 12Pcs Mini Empty First Aid Bag, 7.8x5.5 inches Travel Pouch Bag $13.45x2=26.90
Alcohol swab-CURAD Alcohol Prep Pads (Pack of 4 Boxes) 400 Pieces $5.59
Bandaid-Amazon Basic Care Flexible Fabric Adhesive Bandages, 100 CounT $4.97x2=9.94
Gauze-Dynarex Non-Woven Sponges, Non-Sterile Gauze, 2x2 and 4 Ply, $5.13
Antibiotic Ointment-Globe (144 Packets) Bacitracin Antibiotic Zinc Ointment 0.9g Packet $9.33
School Supply Kit
Colored pouches-24pcs A4 Mesh Zipper Pouch Bags $15.17x2=30.34
Pencils-TecUnite 120 Pcs #2 HB Pencils with Eraser $22.99
Ruler-Zonon 50 Pcs 6 Inch/12 Inch Plastic Rulers $8.95
Eraser-June Gold 28 Neon Colored Rubber Erasers - These All-Purpose erasers $6.98x4=27.92
Pen-Enday Pens Bulk (75 Pack), Retractable Ball Point Pens $18.80
Sorting utensils
Utensil Holder-Camco 43508 Cutlery Tray $5.20x5=26.00
Plastic silverware-Plastic Cutlery Silverware Extra Heavyweight Disposable Flatware $17.97
Sorting colored toothbrushes/Putting into containers
Long container (see above)
Colored toothbrushes-Navona 150 PCS Premium Individually Wrapped Bulk Toothbrush Pack $20.89
Toothbrush containers-TIHOOD 100PCS Travel Toothbrush Head Covers, $12.98 and HOFASON 48PCS Large Travel Toothbrush Case Holder, $26.99
Sorting Various sugar packets and coffee stirrers
Small Drawers-IRIS USA Plastic Stacking Desk Top 3-Drawer Storage Organizer, 4-Pack $25.60x3=76.80
Sugar packets-(300 total, 50 each) Bolt Box Sugar & Sugar Substitute Packets Box $26.58x2=53.16
Sorting Colored Pencils and Erasers
Pencil eraser toppers-Sooez 120 Pack Pencil Top Erasers, Cap Pencil Eraser Toppers, $5.98
Pencils with colored shafts (see school supply pack above)
Organizing Nuts and Bolts
Packing a lunch bag
Water bottle - 4E's Novelty Sports Water Bottles Bulk (12 Pack) 18 oz Squeeze Reusable Plastic $19.59
Food containers- GladWare Food Storage Containers, Family Variety Pack, 24 Piece Set $17.99
Pictures of food-to be made with card stock and laminator on campus
Sorting highlighter by color
Highlighters-VEESA Highlighter Bulk - 60 Pack $9.01x2=18.02
Colored containers-listed above
Sorting Hair items
Pouch-6 Pack Clear Toiletry Carry Pouch with Zipper $13.99x4=56.96
Scrunchies-Cehomi 75 Pcs Velvet Hair Scrunchies $11.39
Bows-40Piece 3 Inch Boutique Grosgrain Ribbon Pinwheel Hair $6.29x2=12.58
Headbands-Duufin 22 Pieces Satin Headbands $12.99x2=25.98
Clips-18 Pack Square Small Hair Clips for Women Girls,2 Inch Matte $6.99x2=13.98
Sorting and folding socks
Sorting Bingo Chips:
Coopay 300 Pieces 10 Colors Plastic Learning Counters Disks $12.86
JUNWRROW 500 Pieces 3/4 inch Transparent 6 Color Bingo Counting Chips with Bag $6.64
Mczxon Small Coin Bank 4-Pack, 16oz Clear Plastic $15.99x3=47.97
Sorting lids and containers:
PLASTICPRO 24 Pack Twist Top Containers Assorted Sizes $21.99x2=43.96
Matching colored blocks to pattern cards:
In the event my grant is not fully funded, this is minimum amount I would need to get started on this project: $500 so that at least 1/2 of the boxes can be made and distributed.
CISD is lucky to have such great OTs!