Susan Traugh

June is a perfect month to introduce students to fruits and veggies. In fact, June is National Fresh Fruits and Veggies Month! Help students create a cookbook of imaginative recipes for Avocado Toast and other simple breakfast and snack recipes using the abundance of summer fruits and veggies with the lesson and template provided here. Making Avocado Toast Millennials are gravitating towards Avocado Toast. This simple, yet nutritious combination can be eaten for breakfast

As young people transition into adulthood, they begin to want big-ticket items to create their dream life. Especially when students have special needs, it can be difficult to understand what it takes to budget and save for high priced items. Help students understand how to set a goal and save for it with this financial lesson from Daily Living Skills, “Paying for My Life Goals.” Beginning the Lesson Brainstorm “Wants.” Help students list the kinds of big wants they desire for

Just in time for Father’s Day, June is “Hygiene for Guys Month.” As teen guys’ bodies change, it is important to know how to keep clean and presentable. Teen guys often need guidance in personal hygiene to help them cope with the changes that happen to their bodies during adolescence. “Hygiene for Guys Month” is a perfect time to help teen boys develop a system of personal hygiene that will allow them to be healthy and socially acceptable. Basic Skills in Hygiene for Guys

Summer is a time when teens are eager to hit the road and ride to new adventures during their time off. New graduates can’t wait to test their new-found independence. Help teens (and teens with special needs) understand how they can save on auto insurance and be safer and more responsible on the road with this Daily Living Skills lesson. Introducing the Lesson Time It Out Sit in silence. Then, every 14 seconds…ring a bell, clap your hands, slam down a book…depending on your s

June is National Safety Month. And rightly so. With school out for the summer, many young people with disabilities are out and about on their own. These teens and young adults need simple, effective tools to keep them safe out in public. Personal Safety Tips Independence Basics from the Daily Living Skills series helps students recognize circles of trust with people they know and don’t know. This books also discusses the kinds of lures that strangers use to lure people to the

May ushers in Emergency Medical Services Week and is a good time to teach teens about when and how to call emergency medical services. Knowing when to call for emergency medical services is an important adult living skill and the simple worksheet accompanying this lesson can help teachers create a lesson around emergency medical services. Teens Need to Know When 911 is Appropriate Not every medical situation requires a call to 911. Not only do 911 services cost more but u

The second week in May is National Etiquette Month and a good time to practice manners and mannerly behavior with your teens with special needs. Common courtesy can sometimes be difficult for teens with special needs as they do not “read” the cues others take for granted. But, with a little help, you can teach manners and etiquette to your students in an easy and fun way. How to Practice Mannerly Greetings Students with special needs sometimes have difficulty looking peop

May is Mental Health Awareness month and a good time to introduce mental health awareness to teens and young people. The reality is stark: the legacy of Covid is a huge uptick in mental health issues for our children and their families. Understanding mental illness and how and where to get help is a vital skill for teens and young adults. Knowing where to get help and overcoming the stigma of asking for such help can—quite literally—save someone’s life. This lesson will hel

February is “Eating Disorder Awareness Month” and a good time for teachers of special needs teens to provide their students with the information they need to make healthy eating choices and be aware when troubled eating patterns arise. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses with some of the highest overall mortality rates of any mental illness. And, teens are especially susceptible. But, with early intervention, help can be found. Get the Facts on Eating Disorders

It can be difficult for young people to afford clothes for their first interviews and jobs. February’s Secondhand Wardrobe Awareness Month is a wonderful time to help students learn about the advantages of shopping secondhand. Style on a Dime “Thrifters,” or people who regularly shop at thrift stores, know that real deals can be made by shopping secondhand. In fact, they say that thrift-shopping saves shoppers about 90% of an item’s new, retail price on a regular basis.