October Recap!

October Theme: Safety!

We learned all about safety within the community, our school, and our classroom. We discussed different safety signs we will see out in the community.

Posing for a photo to put on our SRC bulletin board! 

October was a fun filled month! Here are some of the other activities we were involved in:

Cooking! 

Every month Miss Cheryl leads a cooking group related to our theme or a monthly theme. This month we were lucky enough to have two cooking sessions! 

Pumpkin Balls 

While some of us did not enjoy the butter on our hands, the taste, or the change in our snack schedule, we had so much fun cooking! Here are some pictures of the Upper SRC enjoying (or attempting to enjoy) Pumpkin Balls! 

Mummy Dogs!

Mummy Dogs are a class favorite! It is a multi-step process that requires some waiting and we all did a great job! Here are some pictures of the creation and consumption of our cooking project!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip! 

Our annual Pumpkin Patch field trip was a huge success. Thanks in part to the numerous parent volunteers who joined us! Thank you so much for the support. At the pumpkin patch we listened to farmers, went on a hayride, played on a really great playground, got to pet animals and be the first to meet a baby chicken, and of course pick pumpkins! 

Harvest Party! 

This year Miss Ashlee, the instructional assistants, the specialists and I decided we wanted to try something different for our Harvest Party. We had six stations where both classes rotated to each one in small groups that focused on varying Halloween sensory experiences! 

Pumpkin Guts 

Paper Pumpkin Decorating 

Hay Sensory Exploration 

Grapes and Noodle Spooky Sensory 

Pumpkin Cookie Decorating (and eating!) 

Sensory Bottle Creation! 

New Refrigerator! 

PVS In-Store Graphics generously donated a full sized refrigerator to the SRC! Thank you so much, PVS! We truly appreciate it! 

September Recap!

September Theme: All About Me!

We had such a wonderful first month of school! We had a great time learning all about our classmates!

We presented our All About Me posters in front of the class! Some of Miss Ashlee's students came over and presented to our class as well! It was so much fun! Here are a few snapshots from the presentations:

Talking about what we did over the summer!

Presenting a self portrait! 

Reading his poster to the class! 

Another amazing self portrait! 

October's theme will be Safety! We are learning about safety rules around the school, as well as in the home and community! We will be discussing basic concepts of danger as well as safe community members (Police, Firefighters, etc).

Upper SRC Curriculum Overview

Upper SRC Curriculum Overview

The SRC Program (Structured Routine Center) is a social communication intensive program that utilizes research based methodology and curriculum to provide foundational education services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other communication related disorders.

Specific Curriculum used in the SRC program:

• EDMARK
• Sight-word reading program
• Read Well
• Phonics based reading program

• Touch Math
• Visual/tactile math program
• Yogarilla
• Motor program used to improve fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing, attention, communication, and cognition.

Daily Activities:

• Circle Time: There are three circle times throughout the school day. Morning circle, Calendar circle, and Song circle. During each circle time students engage in turn taking, asking questions, responding to questions, greetings, making choices, attending, and social activities.
• Jobs: Each student has a job during circle time. Jobs include Who's Here Today Helper, Greeter, Lunch Helper, Weather Helper, Counter, Flag Leader, and Line Leader. Students also help with emptying trash cans and cleaning the classroom at the end of each day.
• Academics: Each day students have a 20 minute Math table time, a 20 minute Reading table time, and a 20 minute Writing table time. Within these tables times, Reading, Math, and Writing curricula are used. There are 2 to 3 students in each group during a table time. Each student's specific IEP goals regarding Math, Reading, and Written Language are addressed within these times.   
• Social Studies: The forth 20 minute table time is Social Studies. In this table time students work on following directions, fine motor skills, generalized academic tasks, as well as creative thinking and reasoning.
• Life Skills: The fifth table time is Life Skills. In this area students are completing functional tasks and routines that one would encounter in daily life. For example, we have been working on sorting and folding clothes. A routine that could be put to good use at home!
• Free Choice: At this time students have the opportunity to practice turn taking, being polite, sharing and spontaneous speech. While staff help facilitate appropriate play and communication, student's social and behavioral IEP goals are focused on during this unstructured time.
• Sensory Room: We have a fantastic sensory room right next door! We share this space with the Primary SRC. The sensory room includes a swing, water and sand table, bean bag chairs, etc.
• Snack: Snack gives students an opportunity to request items, describe what they taste like, and hopefully increase tolerance towards new foods.
• Speech/OT/APE: Students receive services from these related service providers to meet the needs detailed in their IEPs. These specialists also observe other daily sessions, consult with staff, and participate in classroom activities.
• Music/Library/Technology:  Students spend 20 minutes in each activity at least once a week. We sing songs and play instruments in Music, listen a read aloud and check out books in Library, and learn computer skills in Technology! 

2013-2014 SRC Syllabus

Sexton Mountain Elementary

Structured Routine Center

Miss Amanda and Miss Ashlee’s classes

2013-2014 Syllabus

September

Thematic Unit: All about me

Topics of Study: practice of mastered personal information, describing self using attributes (i.e. hair color, eye color, weight, height), indicating preferences and interests

Special activity: presentation about self to peers in both classes

Parental Responsibility: send school supplies from supply list

October

Thematic Unit: Safety

Topics of Study: safety rules around school, home and the community, basic concepts of danger, community members

Special activity: Pumpkin Patch

Parental Responsibility: Payment for pumpkin patch, permission slip, disposable cold lunch

November

Thematic Unit: Food

Topics of Study: types of food using choosemyplate.gov, basic concepts of nutrition, portions and food preparation

Special activity: Thanksgiving lunch prepared by students for each other

Parental Responsibility: Each family will be asked to donate one food item (i.e. one can of food)

December

Thematic Unit: Using Money

Topics of Study: earning and spending money, preparation for student store in 2014

Special activity: Shopping Field Trip to the Dollar Tree

Parental Responsibility: Payment for tri-met bus ticket, and 1-2 dollars for student to use at the Dollar Tree, permission slip, disposable cold lunch

January

Thematic Unit: Seasons

Topics of Study: the four seasons and their resulting weather, activities and attire

Special activity: none

Parental Responsibility: none

February

Thematic Unit: Sports

Topics of Study: healthy ways to stay active, basic mechanics for popular sports

Special activity: Field trip to Oregon Gymnastics Academy

Parental Responsibility: Payment for tri-met bus ticket and OGA admission, permission slip, disposable cold lunch

March

Thematic Unit: Animals

Topics of Study: habitats, diets and characteristics of animals

Special activity: Field trip to the Oregon Zoo

Parental Responsibility: Payment for tri-met bus/max ticket and zoo admission, permission slip, disposable cold lunch

April

Thematic Unit: Environment

Topics of Study: how plants and animals grow, different climates and ecosystems

Special activity: Bowling field trip to Sunset Lanes

Parental Responsibility: Payment for tri-met bus/max ticket and bowling admission, permission slip, disposable cold lunch

May

Thematic Unit: School Spirit

Topics of Study: Every year the track meet encourages each school to show their school spirit, so in preparation; we will be learning more about Sexton Mountain Elementary

Special activity: Beaverton School District Track and Field Invitational

Parental Responsibility: permission slip, disposable cold lunch

June

Thematic Unit: Camping

Topics of Study: camp themed review of the year with Camp-Learned-a-Lot with the rest of the students at Sexton Mountain

Special activity: “hiking” through the THPRD parks within 1 mile of Sexton Mountain Elementary

Parental Responsibility: permission slip