To be eligible, each Student/Teacher and Family/Student team must follow these simple guidelines:

1. Show Us Your Success!

Every challenge submission needs to be supported by proof. Fill out this month’s Google form to enter. This can be photos, documents, videos, or even links to social media reels, stories, highlights, or Google Photos albums. 

2. Submit by the 1st, Win by the 5th!

All proof must be uploaded to the portal by the 1st of the following month. The raffle drawing will happen by the 5th, and winners will be notified via the email used for the submission.

3. One Month at a Time!

You can’t submit for the next month until the previous month’s entries close. (Give a cheer to our hardworking MSB gerbils who keep everything running smoothly!)

4. More Entries, More Chances to Win!

The number of complete submissions equals your number of entries in the raffle. 

For example:

   – Joe Smith & family complete eight challenges, which means that  Joe earns eight raffle entries.   Easy, right?

For every student you enter, you’ll be entered into a separate monthly drawing for a $50 value prize and each entry means more chances at the year-end $250 prize!

For example:

• If Penny Jones & her family complete and submit ten challenges and Penny has a teacher complete three entries, Penny gets 13, and her teacher would get 3! 
• If  Damion Doright has 0 entries from his family but his Paraeducator submits 3,  His teacher does 2, and his  RSP does 1, that means Damion gets six entries, and each member of that service team gets the number they submit for the teacher raffle.
• Don’t be like Tommy OopsIForgot—no entries mean no raffle tickets!

5. Grand Prize Alert! Every month, you submit at least one entry, and you’ll be entered for our June Grand Prize drawing worth $400! (Each student can earn up to 9 family entries and nine teacher entries for the year.)

**And most importantly, HAVE FUN!** Contact the MSB Outreach Team (OutreachECC@mdschblind.org) if you need support, resources, or just a little help along the way.

December Social Skills

The area of social interaction contains components and behaviors that are needed to participate in social situations appropriately and to prevent social isolation.  These skills are crucial for progressing in school, being integrated into society, and for finding and maintaining employment. (Foundations of Education: Instructional Strategies, Third Edition, Volume 2 Chapter 22)

I can engage in appropriate verbal and nonverbal interactions with others

How will we get there?

Know. Understand. Do. A framework to guide learning activities.

Know (K): Tends to be binary. Either you know it or you don’t. Examples: Facts & Dates, Definitions, People & Places

Understand (U): Is a continuum; from novice to advanced. Examples: Big Ideas, Essential Questions, Generalizations

Do (D): Show they understand and the application of skills/content.

Resources

• Perkins – Developing Social Skills  https://www.perkins.org/resource/developing-social-skills-children-who-are-blind-or-visually-impaired/ 
• APH – Getting to Know You: A social skills ability and awareness curriculum https://www.aph.org/product/getting-to-know-you-a-social-skills-and-ability-awareness-curriculum/ 

To submit to the monthly ECC Challenge:

1. Complete activities and experiences featured in this month’s ECC Challenge.
2. Complete the Google Form on the TVI Portal OR email this worksheet and a photo to OutreachECC@mdschblind.org.
3. The student and teacher will be entered into this month’s raffle!

Tell us what you KUD!

December

Student name: Teacher name:

Vocabulary

• Body language
• Facial expressions
• Non-verbal communication
• Social etiquette

K: Can the student define these words? ☐

U: Can the student explain the relationships between these words and how they can affect social situations and people’s perceptions? ☐

D: Can the student use these words in conversation/writing or teach/share with someone? ☐

Vocabulary/Concepts

• Social exchange
• Conversation patterns
• Initiation/starters
• Reactions
• Ending/closing

K: Can the student tell you what these concepts are? ☐

U: Can the student tell you how they relate to social situations and peoples’ perceptions? ☐

D: Can the student  show or give examples of positive and negative use of these concepts? ☐

Concepts/Activities: Use to teach words, objects and concepts

K: Have the student demonstrate facial expressions for various emotions or give examples of appropriate conversation starters/closings?  ☐

U: Determine if a facial expression is appropriate for various topics or social situations or evaluate an email for its use of appropriate initiations or closing. ☐

D: Evaluate a social behavior demonstrated in a social situation, determine if it is helpful or hurtful to relationships. ☐

Experiences: Connect words, objects, and activities to everyday experiences

• Create a list of social skills that you are strong at and ones that need improvement, develop an improvement plan for one area.
• Create a list of social situations or digital communications the student is worried about or has yet to experience, choose one (or more) to prepare for.
• Solicit feedback from teachers, peers, or family on the appropriateness of your social interactions.

ECC @ Home: December Challenge Social Skills

Student Activities: 

• Create a List of Characteristics of a Good Friend
• Make a list of non verbal communication skills you need to improve-  work on 1. 
• Attend a social event at school or in the community.
• Practice a natural smile/pose for pictures- send us a selfie!
• Invite a friend or two over for game night
• Write an email to a friend or teacher giving them a compliment
• Demonstrate how to get someone’s attention without interrupting.
• List someone you view as a role model and explain why. 

Family Concept Practice: 

• Have a family joke-night, discuss appropriate humor.
• Practice meal-time and eating habits and etiquette.
• Discuss private vs public behaviors. 
• Have a family game night and talk about ways to be a good sport when losing.
• Have your child invite a friend over for a play date or meal & talk about how it went.
• Create a family text group and use/model appropriate pleasantries. 
• Discuss internet safety in regards to social media.
• Talk to your child about a time the felt left out- what could they change next time.

Parent Only Activities: 

• Attend the  HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS at MSB on 12/8/24!
• Let your child introduce themselves to a trusted adult.
• Volunteer for a fun adult activity in your community. 
• Exchange phone numbers with another parent at your child’s school. 

Resource Links (do not count as entries if completed): 

•  Watch the Moment of Outreach Video:  Social Interaction Skills
•  Explore the ECC- Maryland ECC Live Binder Link: Social Interaction
•  Explore the Developing Social Skills in Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired.
• Email:  OutreachECC@mdschblind.org for help!

DETAILS: 

Submission Deadline For December :  January 1
Prize Drawing:  $50  Dollar Tree Gift Card

Submission & Proof Upload LinkQuestions or Support Needed?   OutreachECC@mdschblind.org