Last week was a busy week with benchmark testing for third, fourth and fifth grade!  

In social group, we played the game, "I Mustache You a Question".  Hopefully the students were able to explain the game to you when they came home.  The kids had a really fun time wearing  mustaches and working on their conversation skills!  Click here and scroll down to "I Mustache You a Question" to learn more about this activity.

In Lunch Bunch, we played an inference game where I gave the students clues and they had to guess what animal, person or food I was describing.  The kids loved it and really came together as teams to help each other out!  Many kids wanted to share their own mysteries for us to solve, which was really cool!

This was Ms. Bankhead's last week with us.  I am already missing her like crazy, but it's nice to still see her in the halls since she is observing PPCD.  We are making her a book this week and will give it to her along with the gift card on Friday.  Thank you to all the parents that contributed to the gift!  

I hope everyone is having a great week.  There are lots of fun things to look forward to, holiday parties and all that exciting stuff!  I know the   
 
Wow, it's already time for Thanksgiving!  I can't believe it! 

In social group, we've been working on Media-based Inference.  Click here and scroll to Media-based Inference to learn more.

Last week in Lunch Bunch, we discussed what we were thankful for.  We made a cool bulletin board where the kids wrote something they were thankful for on various fall inspired shapes.  Check it out in C pod if you get the chance!  

This week in Lunch Bunch, we played "Guess What I Am!".  This is a super fun inference and perspective taking game.  Each student takes turns holding a face frame and asks questions of their peers to figure out what person or animal is on the frame.  There was SO much laughter during this game!  They had a great time and didn't even realize they were practicing inference and perspective taking!  

My amazing student teacher, Ms. Bankhead, will only be with us for another week.  Her last day with us in SCORES will be November 29.  Then she will spend a week with Mrs. Lee in PPCD here at Boone.  I am so sad to see her go, as she has truly become a big part of this team!  She has worked so hard with your children and they all love her!  If you would like to contribute to her going away gift, please contact me.

There will be no school from Wednesday-Friday of this week.  I hope you all have a fabulous break enjoying your family and friends.  I am thankful to have a job, students and co-workers that I love.  Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!  -Angela Cardenas
 
Last week was a busy week with Halloween and field trips.  I enjoyed attending the first and second grade field trip to the Long Center to hear Halloween music. It was really fun!

In social group, the students have been making their own teams of Unthinkables.  Click here and scroll down to "Teams of Unthinkables" to read more about our activities.  

In Lunch Bunch, students played a cooperative game called, "Who has the pumpkin?"  They took turns being the "guesser", while another person hid a small pumpkin behind their back.  The rest of the group pretended to be hiding something behind their back as well and the guesser had to figure out who really had the pumpkin. The kids had fun playing this game!  They also filled up their sticker charts so they go to have some free time after they finished eating.  There was lots of social interaction going on!

This week, the kids are finishing their teams of Unthinkables in social group.  In Lunch Bunch, we are discussing what it means to be thankful and are sharing what we are thankful for.  

Have a great week!  -Mrs. Cardenas
 
Wow, we are almost in November!  I can hardly believe it!  I really enjoyed seeing so many happy faces at the Fall Festival last week!

In social group, students read Superflex Takes on Glassman and the Team of Unthinkables.  One of the main strategies for defeating Glassman is thinking about the size of the problem and then making sure that your reaction matches that problem's size.  In my classroom, we have a problem scale and when issues arise, we write the problem on a post-it and add it to the scale.  Students made their own problem scales to take home.  Click here and scroll down to Problem Scale to read more.  Students also discussed using our "inner coach" when we start to feel upset and have negative thoughts.  I created Positive Polly to represent our positive self-talk.  Click here and scroll down to Positive Polly to read more about Superflex's sidekick.  

In Lunch Bunch, we did one of my favorite activities, Conversation Tree.  Click here and scroll down to Conversation Tree to learn more.

This week, students are creating their own teams of Unthinkables in social group.  In Lunch Bunch, they are playing a cooperative game.  More details to come!  Happy Halloween!  -Angela
 
Wow, last week was a bit rough!  My son, husband and I all got a vicious stomach virus at the same time.   It was a nightmare!  I am so thankful that we are feeling better.  I am also super glad my amazing student teacher, Ms. Bankhead, was here to keep the SCORES ship afloat!

In social group, students continued their study of perspective taking.  They practiced putting Perspective Pete in their brains and filled out a survey as someone else.  The surveys went home in their SCORES folders so you can see how they put themselves in someone else's shoes.  They also used their perspective taking skills to make coupon books for someone in their family.  They had to think like the other person to know what they would like.  They definitely demonstrated that they are paying attention to what their loved ones like! If your child made a coupon book for you, please redeem those coupons and keep them accountable for what they chose to make for you!  For more information, click here and scroll down to Perspective Taking Coupon Book.

In Lunch Bunch, students worked as a team to play various games with the parachute.  There was a lot of social interaction going on and the kids were having so much fun!  I think the parachute will be coming back out soon!  

I was so sad to miss Track and Field day!  It sounds like it was a fantastic day full of fun!  The kids did awesome and I am so proud of them!

This week in social group, we are working on Glassman and problems/reactions.  Fifth graders are starting their book club.  In Lunch Bunch, we are working on our conversation skills as we build a "Conversation Tree".  More information to come on these activities next week!

Let me know if you need anything!  -Angela Cardenas
 
Last week in SCORES, we started our discussion of perspective taking.  Being able to see things from another person's perspective is a life skill that takes constant practice.  In my opinion, it's the most important skill we can have in life!  Please check out more information under here and look under Perspective Taking.  

Recently, I got to thinking that Superflex really needed some sidekicks.  I mean, don't all superheroes have a sidekick?!  I created two friends for Superflex.  Perspective Pete gets in your brain and helps you to think about how someone else might think or feel in a situation.  Positive Polly helps you to do positive self-talk when you are feeling anxious, upset or stressed.  When a child is struggling with either of these things, you can remind them to put these characters in their brains to defeat the Unthinkables.  Using Superflex and his team, we can all feel successful!  Click here and scroll to Perspective Pete and Positive Polly to learn more.

In Lunch Bunch, we played a teamwork game called Clean Up Crew.  Students had a partner and had to work together on scooters to pick up various things around the room.  The kids had a lot of fun and were working together well!  Practicing their social skills in a fun environment is my main goal of Lunch Bunch.  

This week, we are continuing our perspective taking studies in social group.  Students will be practicing putting themselves in others' shoes.  In Lunch Bunch, we are working as a team to play games with the parachute.  The kids always have great fun when the parachute comes out to play!

Track and Field day is this Friday, October 19.  This is a fun day filled with lots of activities.  I will be checking in with students throughout the day and will be available to offer breaks or help.  See you there!
-Angela Cardenas
 
Last week in social group, we learned about our Social Filter.  To learn more about this activity, click here and scroll down to "Social Filter".  

In Lunch Bunch, we talked about friendship and what makes us good friends.  We created "A Rainbow of Friendship, Hand in Hand".  To learn more about this activity, click here.  If you want to check out our cute bulletin board we made, it's in C Pod!  

I hope everyone is having a chance to meet with teachers for Fall conferences.  If I am not able to attend your child's conference, I am happy to meet with you separately to discuss their social skills progress.  

Track and Field is around the corner on October 19.  Be on the lookout for information coming home about this fun day!
 
We have been busy in SCORES!  Last week, we continued our Superflex studies.  In social group, we played Superflex Headbands.  The kids had a lot of fun playing this game while showing how much Superflex knowledge they have obtained!  Click here and scroll down to Superflex Headbands to learn more about our activity.

In Lunch Bunch, we read Superflex Takes on Rock Brain and the Team of Unthinkables.  This is a great story to read to learn more about this curriculum.  

My student teacher, Ms. Bankhead, has been gaining more and more responsibility as the year progresses.  She is very close to being in her "total teach", where she is responsible for my entire schedule.  She and I are working very closely to plan lessons and activities to target social skills, math, writing and sensory needs.  She is doing a fabulous job and I feel so thankful to have her on the SCORES team this year!  If you have any questions for her, feel free to email at [email protected].  Be on the lookout for blog posts from her coming soon!  

I hope everyone has a great week!  Let me know if there is anything I can do to help!  -Angela Cardenas
 
Hello friends! The weather is finally cooling off and we have some great events lined up in October. Check out what we've got going on here and don't forget to mark your calendars with a reminder about our FREE Picnic at Candlelight Ranch.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call at (512) 479-4199.

Thank you for all your support,

Autism Society of Greater Austin

Click here to visit this club.

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:

http://support.autism-society.org/site/Clubs?
 
In social group, we continued working on Superflex.  We have spent the last few sessions getting to know the various Unthinkable characters and what they do when they get into our brains.  I created a Superflex Jeopardy game to see what we know about the Unthinkables.  Please see the Lesson Activity tab and scroll down to Superflex Jeopardy to learn more about this activity.  You could even play as a family!

In Lunch Bunch, we played a teamwork game called "Guide the Leader".  Each student took a turn hiding while the rest of the group hid a ball.  Then the team had to guide the person with their clapping.  We clapped louder as the person got closer to the ball.  This was a fun activity that got the students working as a team.  Thank you to my awesome fifth graders for helping create a video where they modeled how to play the game.  Each lunch bunch group started by watching the video and it really helped them understand and get engaged in the activity! 

Parent Teacher conferences are around the corner.  As you schedule conferences with your child's general education teacher, I will be doing my best to attend as many conferences as I can.  If I am not able to attend your child's conference, I will be happy to meet with you separately to discuss their social progress.

As always, please let me know if there is anything I can do to help!  -Angela Cardenas