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SCHOOL RESOURCES & MATERIALS
Emergency situations and drills, such as fire and lockdown drills, can be upsetting, disruptive, and scary for autistic children and teens. We have created resources to help teachers and school administrators prepare students for these events, as well as worksheets for post-emergency processing and discussion. Because emergencies and drills often involve alarms, sirens, and the presence of first responders, understanding autistic students' sensory needs and personal sense of safety will help with successful outcomes. We hope these resources are useful!
Lockdown Drills: Practice at School
This video (1 min 37 seconds) presents real footage of an elementary classroom teacher explaining to her class what to do during a lockdown drill. The class follows directions and practices going to a designated spot in the room where they stay quiet, still, and "level zero," the teacher's term for staying low on the floor. She explains how the room will go dark and the windows will be covered. She then thanks the class for cooperating.
Lockdown Drills: Storytime
This video (5 min 22 seconds) presents a teacher reading a book called The Lockdown Drill. Viewers will see the illustrated pages of the book while listening to the teacher read along. The story is about a class that is interrupted to practice a lockdown drill and what happens amid the upheaval. There are pictures of students struggling to be still, and one where a student turns on a noisy vacuum cleaner when the class is supposed to be as quiet as possible! A police officer then comes to talk to the class about the importance of following directions, and the students are given another chance to get it right. The book is silly, relatable, and imparts an important lesson.
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