Student Activity Toolkit

CLassROOM ActIVItY

Deconstructing Autism
Trenton, New Jersey OVERVIEW
Through simulation activities, students not only learn about but understand the major obstacles that individuals with Autism face on a daily basis.

Key Learning
Students will understand characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). how many children are affected by ASD. struggles and challenges that individuals with Autism experience. why Autism is linked to extreme irritability. types of situations and activities that increase irritability and anxiety among individuals with Autism.

Subject
Meets New Jersey education standards in Science

Implementers
BTE site coordinator and classroom instructor

Time
35 hours over 2 sessions

Student Activity Toolkit

Materials
items to set one dinner table: plates, cups, napkins, utensils, table cloth gardening gloves: 1 pair for every 2 students shoestring beads, nuts, bolts, and washers: enough to fill a bucket safety goggles: 1 pair for every 4 students, enough to share petroleum jelly: 1 jar duct or masking tape binoculars: 1 pair for every 4 students, enough to share one spool of yarn headphones and digital clips of loud noise or music: 2-3 sets, enough for students to take turns basic math worksheets: one for each student

LESSoN PlAN Preparation

1. Gather all materials. 2. Prepare simulation activities: gather all materials for table setting and prepare a diagram of a set table; put beads, nuts, bolts, and washers into a small tub; smear goggles with petroleum jelly; prepare audio clips and math worksheets.

Implementation STAGE 1: Expectations

1. Explain that students are going to participate in an Autism Lab. In it, they will simulate having Autism. 2. Begin by asking students to brainstorm about their expectations and perceptions of Autism. Do they know anyone with Autism? Read anything about it or seen it portrayed in a movie? 3. Have students read the following article from CNN Health: http://www.cnn.com/2011/ HEALTH/05/09/autism.study/index.html. The article not only describes Autism but discusses the rising number of children who are classified as having an ASD.

CLASSROOM AcTIVITY

Deconstructing Autism

Student Activity Toolkit

4. Ask students to write a hypothesis about what they think an Autistic person experiences. They should use the lab report form. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation of an idea or thought that someone is trying to prove through an experiment. For example, If I study for my exams, then I will get good grades; or, If I eat unhealthy foods, then I will get sick. A hypothesis presents an idea and a reaction to it.

STAGE 2: Simulation
1. During the following simulations, ask students to record their activities and reactions in their lab reports. This will allow them to record their notions before the activities, what they think they will learn from the simulations, exactly what the experiments are, and what their conclusions are. It is important that after each activity the facilitator leaves time for the students to record what they did and their reactions. In between activities, the facilitator should elicit responses and reactions from the students to verify they understand the experiences. The lab report will prove to be an effective tool for structuring the activity as well as practicing report writing for future science courses. 2. Receptive Language Demonstration. Select one student from the class to participate in the table setting activity. Ask him or her to come to the station where the objects to set a table are assembled. Instruct the student to listen very closely to your step-by-step directions. Then, without any hesitation, tell the student in a foreign language or gibberish how to set the table. Communicate with body language that you are frustrated that the student cannot understand. Once the student is visibly frustrated, give them a diagram of how the table should be set. The student should be able to complete the tasks. Ask the student the reason for not following directions in the beginning. Explain to the class how Autism affects receptive language. People with Autism can hear all the words but cannot make sense of what is actually being said. Their experience is like hearing a foreign language. 3. Fine Motor Activity. Give each student a pair of gardening or construction gloves and a shoestring. Then hand them a small tub of nuts, bolts, washers, and beads. Ask the students to pick out the beads and string them on the shoestring. This activity will simulate the difficulty of perfecting fine motor skills for a person with Autism. 4. Visual Activity. Have the students wear safety goggles with petroleum jelly smeared across the lenses. While theyre wearing the goggles, ask each student to read a sentence from a book, on the board, and from other places. Then ask each student to write a sentence. The visual impairment they will experience will simulate what it is like for some individuals with Autism.

CLASSROOM AcTIVITY

Deconstructing Autism

Student Activity Toolkit

5. Perceptual Activities. Create a long line along the floor with duct tape or masking tape. Having them take turns, ask each student to walk the line while looking at it backwards through binoculars. Perception will be distorted and will simulate the distortions individuals with Autism experience. Then ask students to jump rope with a long piece of yarn instead of an actual jump rope. This causes the feeling of distorted perception of the weight of the rope. 6. Attention and Sensory (Auditory) Activity. Have students sit at desks wearing headphones playing loud noises. Give the students a basic math worksheet to complete in a short amount of time while listening to the noise. This activity simulates difficulty focusing on work while not being able to filter out distractions. It also simulates the difficulties individuals with Autism experience when they walk into a room with people talking or lots of noisethey experience a sensory overload.

Reflection
After the simulation activities are complete, have the students review their earlier expectations of what it is like to have Autism. Using their findings during the activities, ask students to write about what they experienced during the Lab. Students should write a conclusion that describes their new understanding of Autism and their reactions from the CNN Health article. Questions to prompt students may include: How did the experiments make you feel? Were you shocked to find the number of children diagnosed with Autism is so high? What did you learn? Use the Lab reports as a basis for a conversation about the difficulties people with Autism experience. You might point out that the difficulties may be a factor that leads to irritability in people with ASD. Also invite students to suggest activities that someone with Autism may benefit from, or how they might interact with someone with Autism.

Supplemental Information
CNN Health Article: http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/09/autism.study/index.html Lab report template Movies: Emmanuels Gift (2005), I am Sam (2001), Praying with Lior (2008), and Autism: The Musical (2007)

CLASSROOM AcTIVITY

Deconstructing Autism