I’m as shocked as everyone else that schools in my area have closed for the year. I know that families are feeling stressed about how to proceed with teaching at home. Schools WILL push out materials, but you may find yourself needing something to supplement it, especially if your student has an IEP. However, my materials can also be used by ANY student. Don’t get hung up on my SPED credentials.

I’ve been creating materials–lots of materials–used by teachers all over the country for years now. If you don’t know what sort of lessons I create, visit my main website, Enraged2Engaged, to read about my work and learn a little about me.

For the next 9 weeks, I’ll share one SECD lesson and one adapted literature selection each week here on the blog. I’ll also continue normal posting–probably more frequently! These are lessons and games that I normally sell on Teachers Pay Teachers. If you enjoy using the materials, you can consider purchasing at a later time.

I hope families and teachers find these resources useful as we navigate this challenging dynamic. Just click on the embedded links.

SECD Lesson of the Week: Mountains and Molehills

A mixture of funny and serious moments await you when you play this printable card game with your students who have difficulty recognizing appropriate and inappropriate reactions to common life hassles and major life crises.

Students draw a card from the scenario deck and a card from the mountain/molehill deck. Serious conversations–or ridiculous overreacting–will ensue, depending upon how well the scenario matches. Plenty of chances to lighten the mood keep the game from becoming too dysregulating while still encouraging important reflection.

A great way to practice socially appropriate reactions for all of life’s big (and little) challenges.

Adapted Literature Selection of the Week: The Crisis by Thomas Paine

This retelling of Thomas Paine’s The Crisis, No. 1 reads at an automated readability index of grade 4/5. This text aligns to the version in Holt’s Elements of Literature: Fifth Course.

Classic literature doesn’t have to be scary, boring, or too hard.
Summary sites online and those little yellow and black notebooks are no longer your only choices for students who are struggling. Universally designed texts preserve the storytelling…while taking away the confusing word choices and hard-to-navigate formatting.

Universally Designed texts take classic literature common to secondary ELA classrooms and rewrite them with words and style that are easier for ALL students to read. Fewer frustrated kids. Fewer heads down on the desk. Less refusal. Less acting out. More engagement. More confidence. Better understanding.
Your purchase includes four variations on this easier-to-read text that you may print for students or share digitally on the non-public platform of your choice. Variations include:

• A text-only copy
• A text copy with a blank, lined column on each page for teacher-customized or open-ended note-taking
• A text copy with a lined column and inference-based questions on each page for guided note-taking
• A text copy with a lined column and reading-check (non-inference) questions on each page for guided note-taking and checks for understanding

All copies are formatted with the needs of neurodiverse learners in mind and include:

• Text in columns on the page to reduce the need for lengthy eye-return at the end of a line
• Sans-serif fonts that are dyslexia friendly
• Adequate spacing between lines to prevent line-jumbling and to allow for use of tracking accommodation devices
• Extra space between each paragraph to aid in identifying transitions in the text…and finding your place again after stopping!
• Consistent formatting that aligns to other Universally Designed texts. Students won’t have to learn a new format every time they read a new text
• Engaging cover art that engages visual learners to want to read and provides conceptual clues about the text

PLEASE NOTE! These are secondary level texts. Although the Lexile difficulty has been reduced, adult themes and adult language (in some texts) have been preserved. Texts may not be appropriate for younger learners.