Contents

Acknowledgments and the Journey of Creating This Product................................................................... 1

Why the Shift from Worksheets to Thinksheets...........................................................................................2
Introduction: Using the Thinksheets.......................................................................................................................3

Chapter 1: Getting Started — Incorporating Social Thinking into

the General Education Classroom for Students in Early Adolescence..........................................9
Introduction to Challenges Faced by Some Students.................................................................................. 10
Exploring Educational Strategies for the Regular Education Environment............................................ 12
Using a Social Thinking Vocabulary in Your Classroom with ALL Students......................................... 12
A Brief Review of Some Social Thinking Vocabulary Terms..................................................................... 13
Figuring Out How We Communicate........................................................................................................... 17
Teaching Social Thinking................................................................................................................................ 18

Chapter 2: What Is Social Communication?

Why Do We Have Lessons on Social Thinking?..........................................................................................22
Social Thinking Toolbox..................................................................................................................................24
Four Steps of Face-to-Face Communication to Become a Social Thinker...............................................25
Four Steps to Becoming a Social Thinker.....................................................................................................26
Who’s in the Spotlight?....................................................................................................................................27
Describe It with Language!.............................................................................................................................28
Goin’ Fishin’......................................................................................................................................................29
Goin’ Fishin’ When Hanging Out with Others............................................................................................30
Goin’ Fishin’: Putting It All Together............................................................................................................ 31
Choosing Your Words Carefully!...................................................................................................................32
Keeping ‘em Hooked........................................................................................................................................34
Keeping People Reeled In!...............................................................................................................................35
Keep Fishing While You Hang Out.............................................................................................................. 36
The Power of a Magnet.....................................................................................................................................37
Magnetic Communication .............................................................................................................................38
Magnetic Communication Game ..................................................................................................................39
Listening with Our Brain and Body! ............................................................................................................40
Physical Space?.................................................................................................................................................. 41
Initiating Communication to Help Yourself!...............................................................................................42
Using Our Eyes..................................................................................................................................................44

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Being the Social Detective and Figuring Out the Mystery.........................................................................45

Make the Guess.................................................................................................................................................46
Do Video Game Characters Have to Be Social Thinkers?..........................................................................47

Chapter 3: Problem Solving

Hidden Expectations........................................................................................................................................50
Hidden Expectations at School.......................................................................................................................52
Hidden Expectations in the Classroom.........................................................................................................54
Hidden Expectations for Middle School.......................................................................................................56
What Is Blurting?..............................................................................................................................................58
Blurting..............................................................................................................................................................59
Body Messages! Are You Confusing Others?...............................................................................................60
What to Do When a Teacher Makes a Mistake............................................................................................62
When Is It Okay to Correct Other Kids?.......................................................................................................63
Steps to Solving a Problem..............................................................................................................................64
Emotion and Behavior Thermometer............................................................................................................66
Problem Solving Scale......................................................................................................................................67
OOPS...I Messed Up and Now I Better Think About It!..............................................................................68
Survival Guide to Middle School!..................................................................................................................69
Social Thinking in and around the Classroom............................................................................................70

Chapter 4: Lessons on Emotions

Optimist or Pessimist: Which One Are You?...............................................................................................74
Big Packages or Small Packages?....................................................................................................................75
Sending a Message............................................................................................................................................76
Small Messages..................................................................................................................................................78
Persistence and Embarrassment.....................................................................................................................79
Persist Through Challenges.............................................................................................................................80
Persistence Pays Off.......................................................................................................................................... 81
I Don’t Want to, But I Will Anyhow…..........................................................................................................82
Emotions Can Be Contagious! .......................................................................................................................83
Calmly Explaining How I Feel .......................................................................................................................84
Anger Management Strategies........................................................................................................................85
Five Points of Showing Anger.........................................................................................................................86
Reacting and Overreacting!............................................................................................................................88
If I Am Mad! .....................................................................................................................................................90
THINGS That TRIGGER My ANGER......................................................................................................... 91
Being Angry Is Okay: What I Do and Say Is Important Even When I’m Angry!...................................92
Emotion Detective............................................................................................................................................93

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Double-Dip Feelings.........................................................................................................................................95
Emotional Opposites........................................................................................................................................96
Matching Experiences with Facial Expressions to Show Our Emotions..................................................97

Chapter 5: Different Perspectives

THINKING and SAYING Are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS!...............................................................100
Brain Filters...................................................................................................................................................... 101
Let’s Practice Using Our Brain Filter!........................................................................................................... 102
Turning On Your Brain Filter........................................................................................................................ 103
We All Notice and Have Thoughts About One Another’s Words and Actions...................................... 104
How We Think About EACH OTHER!....................................................................................................... 105
Anxiety, Social Thoughts, and What You Can Do to Help Yourself Be Included.................................. 107
The Art of Eating with Others....................................................................................................................... 109
Know the Boundaries of Other People’s Minds!......................................................................................... 110
To SPEAK or NOT to SPEAK—That Is the Question..................................................................................111
What It Means to Be Respectful.................................................................................................................... 113

Chapter 6: The Not-So-Nice Side of the Social World

Don’t Wake Up Your Inner _________!....................................................................................................... 116
Could I Be a Bully?.......................................................................................................................................... 117
How to Stick Up for Yourself with Your Words.......................................................................................... 118
Bodies Colliding: Bumps or Bullies?............................................................................................................. 119
Friendly Teasing and Mean Teasing.............................................................................................................. 121

Chapter 7: Lessons on Friendship

Know the Difference Between: Friends, Friendly Acquaintances, Others, and Mean People............. 124
6 Levels of the Friendship Pyramid..............................................................................................................126
From Friendly to Friendship: A Friendship Pyramid................................................................................ 128
If There Is But One Lesson............................................................................................................................. 129
Friendly Is Not a Friendship, Yet...................................................................................................................130
FRIEND or DNEIRF?..................................................................................................................................... 132
Being a Guest.................................................................................................................................................... 133
What Can You Expect?................................................................................................................................... 135

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