Throw Back Thursday: Shopping Unit Flash Freebie!

Throughout each year, we take trips for the purpose of C.B.I., or community-based instruction. These days are often a chance for our class to go somewhere in the community and practice academic and life skills. Although skills such as shopping and ordering off a menu seem to be second nature to us, individuals with autism benefit most when these skills are learned via direct instruction, using specific and explicit techniques.

Popular places for C.B.I. include restaurants, community parks, and the zoo but we typically start out by visiting a store. When planning our trip to visit a store for the first time, we acknowledged the importance of our students practicing this skill first in the classroom. We set up a "store" of empty food containers on some bookshelves in our classroom. Price tags were printed and affixed to each item and each student was given a "shopping list" of items to find. Differentiating (or leveling) this instruction was also pretty easy! Some of our students used a picture shopping list with a place for the student to check off "buying" an item. Other students used shopping lists with the check-format but also a space to write and total the price! We made it as realistic as possible, with one staff member reminding them to walk and use a quiet mouth.

Advanced Shopping List

Skill Sheet

Basic Shopping List

After a few days of prep, we visited a local store! Each student used a list to find necessary items and we later used the supplies to make pancakes (find my breakfast task analyses here). The shopping trip is one I am excited to repeat soon!

As my first Throwback Thursday, I am also making these resource a FLASH FREEBIE! Get this resource for FREE in my TpT store from 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. tonight only! Find it fast here!

Happy Teaching!
Kortnie C.