Social Detective
Social Detective
Embedded Files
WHAT AND WHY?
Social Thinking's teaching materials were originally developed for children with social learning weaknesses. However, parents and professionals have found that these same materials are very helpful for typically developing children also. They provide language to describe the process through which we are expected to share space together, figure out social situations, and develop social relationships.
Words matter; the more literally we can define the hidden rules of the social world, the more all children can increase their social self-awareness, self-management, social awareness of others, and relationship skills. All these concepts and skills then aid them in conflict resolution and responsible decision making.
YOU ARE A SOCIAL DETECTIVE teaches children to become more aware of their surroundings and the people in it, to think about their own and others' thoughts and feelings, and begin to explore the "why" behind our social behaviors. We are teaching with a focus on developing and expanding their awareness through socially-based thinking, and noticing that what we each do impacts those around us. This is different than teaching children to "behave."
AGES 4-10
AGES 10-16
HOW?
Throughout the book you will see words highlighted in bold lettering. These are the key Social Thinking Vocabulary words to teach and the core Social Thinking Vocabulary words that are the basis for lessons that follow the story.
YOU ARE A SOCIAL DETECTIVE is geared to typically-developing children in grades K-3. It can be used with children with social learning challenges across the primary school years. These are children who have strong language and learning abilities, who may academically be very bright, yet struggle with social emotional understanding.
The Sections of the Book Include
School Smarts/Social Smarts & Expected Behavior
Unexpected Behavior
Being a Social Detective
Social thinking vocabulary keywords highlighted throughout the book and defined in the back of the book include
Social Smarts: The type of "smarts" in our brains that we use whenever we are around other people. Social smarts help our brains to know that others are having thoughts about us and we are having thoughts about them. We use social smarts in school, at home, and EVERYWHERE!
School Smarts: Different types of "smarts" in our brains that we use for school learning. Things like math smarts, computer smarts, music smarts, science smarts, and many more.
Body in the group: Your body is in the group if others feel you are part of the group. For example when you are standing, this means keeping your body about one arm's length away from others. The front of your body will be turned towards others in the group.
Brain in the group: Your brain is in the group when others feel that you are paying attention to what is happening in the group; for example, when you are thinking about others with your eyes and listening to what they are talking about.
Thinking with your eyes: This means that you are using your eyes to look at a person and it makes them feel that you are thinking about what they are saying or doing.
NEW Revised Version - You Are a Social Detective! Explaining Social Thinking to Kids
NEW Revised Version - You Are a Social Detective! Explaining Social Thinking to Kids
Link to resource HERE
Introduces social thinking terms and language
Interactive pages that ask students to be social detectives
Social Thinking Language
Social Thinking Language
Link to resource HERE
Teach students social thinking language with these slides
Each slide includes the word/phrase, a picture and definition
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
School Smarts.pdfGoogle Slides/ Seesaw Activity 3, 4, OR 6 SMARTS
Spanish PDF/ Google Slides/ Seesaw Activity
SCHOOL SMARTS ACTIVITY
SCHOOL SMARTS ACTIVITY
We all are strong in certain areas. In school, some of our students are better at writing and reading than they are at taking turns or raising their hand. These are called our SMARTS.
We have school smarts and we have social smarts. Use these with your students to help them identify their school smarts.
Ask them to think about how they are at school. What things are really easy for them? What things are a little tricky for them? Raising their hand could be extremely tricky for some students, and it's important that they recognize that this could be a skill that they really might need to work at.
Students can use the smarts from the Smarts Box OR they can come up with smarts all on their own. Have them list them on the lines provided. Then have them choose a color to match each one. Use the face to shade in how much of their brain each particular smart takes up.
Use the PDFs to print (there are 3 different versions) or use the Google Slides or Seesaw Activity versions using the links to the left.
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