Activities for Davis Students Simulate Real-Life Experiences

The month of December provides ample opportunities for students in FASE (Functional Academics in a Structured Environment) at Davis Intermediate to practice real-life situations while spreading a little Christmas cheer.

The FASE program provides a learning environment that is appropriate and individualized for each student's developmental and functional level.

Special education teacher Elisabeth Cadena recently organized a potato sale. The students in FASE prepared the potatoes and all the fixings, then delivered the baked potatoes to each teacher who purchased one.

“The baked potato sale went very smoothly,” Cadena said. “Our students learned how to use a visual grocery list to grocery shop. They learned how to properly package condiments for each order. They learned how to clean and wrap potatoes. They even learned how to deliver to each teacher that ordered. It is such an amazing process.”

The students also assembled bags of popcorn and “reindeer poop” (marshmallows). They placed the treats in teachers’ mailboxes for a tasty surprise.

“The 12 days of Christmas baggies for the staff taught them how to give to others,” Cadena said. “They also learned about delivery and putting items into mailboxes without skipping anyone."

Experiencing a trip to the movies, the FASE teachers simulated a movie theater for their students. Each student had to earn movie money, then stand in line to get their ticket. Then they visited the concession stand to select and purchase snacks for the movie.

“The mock movie was the best,” Cadena said. “They learned how to communicate what movie they wanted to see. Then they had to find their seat and behave in the movie. They were amazing at this.”

The students used their movie tickets to enter the movie theater (classroom) where they enjoyed a holiday movie as they snacked on their refreshments.

In January, the students will partner with high schoolers to run their own food delivery business, “FASE Hub.”

“The students are going to attend a community-based field trip to The 544 Café, pick up the food, and deliver it to the teachers,” Cadena said.

The goal in FASE is to maximize the development of skills required for daily living and occupational activities.

“These activities are real-life skills that Mrs. Cadena is incorporating into her class for her students to practice while also fostering independence for our kiddos in FASE,” Davis Principal Cody Summers said in a staff kudos for Cadena.