"This revised and updated second edition offers teachers and parents a unique collection of more than 150 ready-to-use activities that will help exceptional elementary-aged students acquire the basic skills needed to achieve independence and success in everyday life"--Cover p. 4.

"Jossey-Bass teacher, grades K-5"--Cover.

Originally published: West Nyack, N.Y. : Center for Applied Research in Education, c1992.

Part One: Basic Survival Skills 1 Chapter 1: Relating Basic Information 3 Parent Letter #1 4 Skill Sheet #1: Progress Report 6 Lesson 1.1: Who Are You? 7 Lesson 1.2: Where I Live 9 Lesson 1.3: Hello, Anybody Home? 11 Lesson 1.4: Happy Birthday to Me! 13 Lesson 1.5: My Family 15 Lesson 1.6: My Parents and Where They Are 17 Lesson 1.7: Meet My Teacher 19 Lesson 1.8: Medical Needs 21 Lesson 1.9: Emergency! 23 Lesson 1.10: My Vital Statistics 25 Lesson 1.11: After School 27 Lesson 1.12: Lost and Found 29 Chapter 2: Telephone Skills 31 Parent Letter #2 32 Skill Sheet #2: Progress Report 33 Lesson 2.1: Dialing the Number 34 Lesson 2.2: Using a Cell Phone 38 Lesson 2.3: Using 911, 411, and 0 40 Lesson 2.4: Making Emergency Phone Calls 42 Lesson 2.5: Obtaining Information 44 Lesson 2.6: Giving Information 46 Lesson 2.7: Taking a Message 48 Lesson 2.8: Leaving a Message on an Answering Machine 50 Lesson 2.9: Using the Telephone Directory: White Pages 52 Lesson 2.10: Using the Telephone Directory: Yellow Pages 54 Chapter 3: Money Skills 57 Parent Letter #3 58 Skill Sheet #3: Progress Report 59 Lesson 3.1: Coins and Bills 60 Lesson 3.2: Counting Coins 62 Lesson 3.3: Recognizing Value of Items 64 Lesson 3.4: Keeping Money in a Safe Place 66 Lesson 3.5: Savings Account 68 Lesson 3.6: Earning Money 70 Lesson 3.7: Spending Money 72 Lesson 3.8: Sales and Discounts 74 Lesson 3.9: Estimating 76 Chapter 4: Time Skills 79 Parent Letter #4 80 Skill Sheet #4: Progress Report 81 Lesson 4.1: Days and Months 82 Lesson 4.2: Today 84 Lesson 4.3: Using a Calendar 86 Lesson 4.4: Using a Clock 89 Lesson 4.5: Seasons 91 Lesson 4.6: Planning Ahead 93 Lesson 4.7: What Happens When? 95 Lesson 4.8: First Step in a Sequence 97 Lesson 4.9: Fifteen-Minute Tasks 99 Lesson 4.10: Setting Time Goals 101 Chapter 5: Basic Reading and Writing Skills 103 Parent Letter #5 104 Skill Sheet #5: Progress Report 105 Lesson 5.1: Words: People 106 Lesson 5.2: Words: Places 108 Lesson 5.3: Words: Things 110 Lesson 5.4: Traffic Signs 112 Lesson 5.5: Information Signs 114 Lesson 5.6: Safety Words 116 Lesson 5.7: Things to Read 118 Lesson 5.8: Reading for a Purpose 120 Lesson 5.9: Reading for Pleasure 122 Lesson 5.10: Filling Out a Form 124 Lesson 5.11: Addressing an Envelope 126 Lesson 5.12: Mailing a Letter 128 Lesson 5.13: Making Lists 130 Lesson 5.14: Having Good Handwriting 132 Lesson 5.15: Reminder Notes 134 Part Two: Personal Independence 137 Chapter 6: Clothing and Dressing 139 Parent Letter #6 140 Skill Sheet #6: Progress Report 141 Lesson 6.1: What's the Weather? 142 Lesson 6.2: What's the Event? 144 Lesson 6.3: Obtaining Clothing 146 Lesson 6.4: Care of Clothing 148 Lesson 6.5: Washing and Drying Clothes 150 Lesson 6.6: Let's Go Shopping! 152 Lesson 6.7: Final Inspection 154 Lesson 6.8: Fads 156 Chapter 7: Keeping Yourself Clean 159 Parent Letter #7 160 Skill Sheet #7: Progress Report 161 Lesson 7.1: Taking a Bath or Shower 162 Lesson 7.2: Hair Care 164 Lesson 7.3: A Clean Face 166 Lesson 7.4: Taking Care of Your Hands 168 Lesson 7.5: Using a Mirror 170 Lesson 7.6: Care of Teeth 172 Lesson 7.7: Makeup 174 Lesson 7.8: When You are Sick 176 Chapter 8: Keeping Your Room Clean 179 Parent Letter #8 180 Skill Sheet #8: Progress Report 181 Lesson 8.1: Picking Up 182 Lesson 8.2: Making the Bed 184 Lesson 8.3: Floor Care 186 Lesson 8.4: Dusting 188 Lesson 8.5: "Too Much Stuff"/De-Cluttering 190 Lesson 8.6: Organizing a Closet 192 Lesson 8.7: Rules for the Room 194 Lesson 8.8: Sharing a Room 197 Chapter 9: Food and Eating Skills 199 Parent Letter #9 200 Skill Sheet #9: Progress Report 201 Lesson 9.1: Shopping for Food 202 Lesson 9.2: Making a Shopping List 204 Lesson 9.3: Simple Cooking, Easy Meals 206 Lesson 9.4: Table Manners 208 Lesson 9.5: Cleaning Up 210 Lesson 9.6: Washing the Dishes 212 Lesson 9.7: Eating Out 214 Lesson 9.8: Food Groups 216 Lesson 9.9: Healthy Snacks 219 Lesson 9.10: When You Don't Like Something 221 Chapter 10: Living a Healthy Lifestyle 223 Parent Letter #10 224 Skill Sheet #10: Progress Report 225 Lesson 10.1: Visiting Health Care People 226 Lesson 10.2: Getting Exercise 228 Lesson 10.3: Leisure-Time Activities 230 Lesson 10.4: What About Drugs? 232 Lesson 10.5: Avoiding Unhealthy Habits 234 Lesson 10.6: Dangerous Situations 237 Lesson 10.7: Following Safety Rules 240 Lesson 10.8: Getting Enough Sleep 242 Part Three: Community and Independence 245 Chapter 11: Community Places and People 247 Parent Letter #11 248 Skill Sheet #11: Progress Report 249 Lesson 11.1: Restaurants 250 Lesson 11.2: Shopping Mall 252 Lesson 11.3: The Park 254 Lesson 11.4: Houses of Worship 256 Lesson 11.5: Movie Theater 258 Lesson 11.6: Sporting Events 260 Lesson 11.7: The Public Library 262 Lesson 11.8: A Museum 264 Lesson 11.9: The Zoo 266 Lesson 11.10: The Supermarket 268 Lesson 11.11: Barber or Beauty Shop 270 Lesson 11.12: The Post Office 272 Chapter 12: Helpful Information 275 Parent Letter #12 276 Skill Sheet #12: Progress Report 277 Lesson 12.1: Pedestrian Safety 278 Lesson 12.2: Bike Safety 280 Lesson 12.3: Safety After Dark 282 Lesson 12.4: Using a Menu 284 Lesson 12.5: Tipping 286 Lesson 12.6: Locating Restrooms 288 Lesson 12.7: Reading a Map 290 Lesson 12.8: Using a Mall Directory 292 Lesson 12.9: Hours of Operation 294 Lesson 12.10: Television Schedules 296 Lesson 12.11: All About the Newspaper 298 Lesson 12.12: Using a Catalog 300 Lesson 12.13: If You Get Lost 302 Lesson 12.14: Safe Computer Sites 304 Lesson 12.15: Computer Common Sense 306 Part Four: Getting Along with Others 309 Chapter 13: Being a Good Citizen 311 Parent Letter #13 312 Skill Sheet #13: Progress Report 313 Lesson 13.1: Being Polite to Others 314 Lesson 13.2: Having a Good Attitude on a Bad Day 316 Lesson 13.3: Speaking Up 318 Lesson 13.4: Lending a Hand 320 Lesson 13.5: Volunteering 322 Lesson 13.6: Being Courteous 324 Lesson 13.7: At the Movies 326 Lesson 13.8: Helping Others 328 Lesson 13.9: Rudeness in Others 330 Lesson 13.10: Vandalism and Pranks 332 Chapter 14: Working with People 335 Parent Letter #14 336 Skill Sheet #14: Progress Report 337 Lesson 14.1: Working as a Team 338 Lesson 14.2: Understanding the Task 340 Lesson 14.3: Understanding Your Role 342 Lesson 14.4: Matching Skills with Jobs 344 Lesson 14.5: Expressing Your Opinion 346 Lesson 14.6: Being Trustworthy 348 Lesson 14.7: Knowing When to "Let it Go" 350 Lesson 14.8: Another Point of View 352 Lesson 14.9: Having a Discussion 354 Lesson 14.10: Having an Argument 356 Lesson 14.11: Defining Terms 358 Lesson 14.12: Common Sense 360 Chapter 15: Having a Social Life 363 Parent Letter #15 364 Skill Sheet #15: Progress Report 365 Lesson 15.1: Meeting People 366 Lesson 15.2: Understanding That Friends Are Important 368 Lesson 15.3: Knowing How to Treat Friends 370 Lesson 15.4: Having Something to Offer 372 Lesson 15.5: Saying Nice Things 374 Lesson 15.6: Having Good Hygiene 376 Lesson 15.7: Using Conversation Starters 378 Lesson 15.8: Trying Something New 380 Lesson 15.9: Going Places 382 Idea Lists 384