This hands-on activity helps students who are highly anxious cope with their stress by classifying social and emotional information and analyzing how best to act. Using this interactive process, the student places cards that list highly stressful situations into colorful pockets designating stress levels, ranging from 5-1, as the first step in changing the way he thinks about and responds to emotions such as anxiety, sadness and anger. Picture word cards make the activity suitable for students with communication challenges. The kit also includes suggestions for how to include the process as a part of an effective behavior assessment and a problem-solving activity.
Kari Dunn Buron is an autism educational specialist who has worked with children and young adults on the autism spectrum for more than 25 years. Kari was one of the founding members of the Minnesota Autism Project and developed the ASD certificate program for educators at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Kari currently teaches in the Hamline program and coordinates a summer camp for teens with Asperger Syndrome. She is the author of When My Worries Get Too Big! A Relaxation Book for Children Who Live with Anxiety and the co-author of The Incredible 5-Point Scale: Assisting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Understanding Social Interactions and Controlling Their Emotional Responses and A 5 Is Against the Law! Social Boundaries: Straight Up! An honest guide for teens and young adults.
