Michelle shows how to set up independent task boxes for autistic students using a color-coded schedule system. Students match icons, complete activities like button sorting or letter matching, and mark work done before moving to rewards. Boxes use DIY materials and commercial options targeting fine motor, language, and math skills.
Hi Autism Helper community, this is Michelle. I'm here today to do a video, an extension video from my classroom tour. I want to show you my independent task box center. So once my students come or get their schedule that indicates they're coming to this center, they're going to place their schedule on our table and check their corresponding wall schedule. Each student has their own color. My class is color-coded. Our symbols indicate which subject the students are working on. Our shapes are all fine motor activities, letters are language arts activities, and numbers are math activities. Starting with our first icon, the students are going to take their icon off, bring it over to our shelves, and match their icon. Then they'll bring their box over to the table and perform the task. So I really like this box. This is one that I created myself. For this box, I used an old shoe box and I covered it in duct tape. I made sure to make sure the box still opens so that we can check the level of skill or independence here, make sure the students are doing it correct. And I glued a piece of cardboard in here so I can tell how they sorted. I took a clear cup, filled it with buttons and pom-pom balls, cut a hole in the top of the box, and then 2 more smaller holes. This is just a used paper towel roll that we hot glued on the inside. And then we indicated which item the students will be sorting by gluing or drawing on the outside. Once the students perform the tasks and have completed it, they put it in our all done box and they check their schedule for their next box. So this is an English Language Arts box. This is an— another awesome box. This works on letter sorting. However, it also focuses on fine motor. So the students have to open these tiny containers, which is an amazing skill for students to work on in the classroom. You may not realize it, but these fine motor skills are life skills that they will need later in life. So I love doing things with, with little containers. This, we just took magnet letters and the student will find the corresponding container, put the magnet letter in. Close it, finish the box, and again in the all done box. And his final box is a math box, and this one is another just simple created task using clothespins from the dollar store, and the student will count and place the clothespin on the correct number. This activity is from Marceline Attard. And he's all done. He goes to the all done box. Once our students finish their schedule, if they have time, they get reward time. Um, my students love iPads, so they can go get an iPad and bring it back to the center. Now I want to show you some of the boxes that we have in our center. As you can tell, we have a lot. So let's talk about simple errorless tasks. These are great for your beginning learners or just building momentum within the center when students are new to the class or if they're very young. This is a recycled container here, and all these are are just mini erasers that the students have to number one hold and then cross midline to push in. Very errorless, simple task, low cost. Another task box we love to use, Same concept, errorless put-in task using a recycled container and little sticks. This is great for that pincer grasp as well as crossing midline. Finally, we have Made for Me Literacy by Especially Education. We love using these little photo containers. These are amazing visual task boxes. And students will put the cards out on the table. This one is from their solar system lesson, and they have to match their pictures. We use this for some of our older students who have already mastered the independent task box center. And another activity that we have, this is, um, These alligators were purchased on Amazon, and the students have to match the letter and just piece together the alligator. I love this because there's a little bit of force that they need to close it, but it's also engaging and fun for primary classrooms. And last but not least, this amazing low-cost recycled materials. We used an old box I printed a rainbow piece of paper and laminated it, duct taped everything to the outside of the box, and then I took an X-Acto knife and I cut slots into each of the colors. Now notice the slots all go in different directions, and that's just to increase that fine motor skill and have students turn their hand instead of just performing the same skill over and over again. They're turning their hand each time they go down, and they have to match the colored to the correct color. My task box visuals are from Simply Special Ed. However, The Autism Helper has very similar visuals in their Teachers Pay Teachers store, which I will link in the comments. Thank you so much for checking out my independent task box center today. What questions do you have? Leave them in the comments. I will also link my original classroom tour video in the comments so you can check that out. Have a great day!
