Ideas for connecting and engaging were collected from school staff around the state and put into a Padlet. This Padlet is a dynamic repository of resources that will continue to grow. If you have ideas to add to the Padlet, please send to [email protected]. You can also encourage your students to submit ideas, since ultimately, they are the ones who know what works. 

• What is Padlet and how do I share ideas?

The LINKS Box is an all-in-one set of materials for a LINKS teacher to use with their students for an entire month. This includes connection activities, energizer activities, weekly awards, and a materials list. To see what an assembled box looks like, watch the video.

LINKS Box - Accompanying Materials 

• LINKS Box Guide
• What's Included in the Box?
• Connection Activities
• Energizers
• Weekly Activities
• Weekly Awards Tags
• Weekly Awards
• Weekly Sign-In

LINKS Boxes: Each box contains a set of materials for a LINKS teacher to use with their students for an entire month. Each printable set includes connection questions, energizers, activities, and weekly awards. Each printable set also includes a guide on how to print and set up your box if you are giving the box to others.

The Virtual LINKS Box is a Google Slide presentation that is ready to share with your LINKS group virtually. There are 4 weeks worth of presentations that can be shared via Zoom, Google Meet, or other video meeting tool. This presentation contains connection questions, activities, weekly themes, and challenges. This presentation can be edited to fit your group's needs.

Instructions: Each link below will prompt you to make a copy of the Google Slides presentation and save it to your own Google Drive. By doing so, you will be able to edit the presentation to fit your needs.

• Virtual LINKS Box Presentations:
  • Elementary
  • Secondary

Fridays for All is an activity resource for elementary teachers to catalyze inclusive thinking and action in their classrooms. Circle questions stimulate discussion and help students recognize similarities and differences as they answer questions such as: “Which superhero would you like to be and why?” Other activities include team-building games, books or videos for discussion, and teacher tips to promote further exploration of uniqueness and connection. With Fridays for All, teachers can plan a personal and classroom journey toward inclusion that helps everyone learn about similarities and value differences.

Updated February 11, 2022

OAR's Kit for Kids program is designed to teach elementary and middle school students about their autistic peers. The kit is centered around an illustrated booklet entitled “What’s Up with Nick?” This colorful, kid-friendly booklet tells the story about a new student, an autistic boy named Nick, through the eyes of a typical peer. The story teaches children that autistic students may think differently or need some accommodations, but all students are of equal worth and should be treated as such.

You can use this program to increase awareness of autism among students from grades K-8. With greater knowledge of autism, our youth will learn to see the person first rather than focus on a classmate’s disability. By increasing students’ acceptance of differences, the Kit for Kids creates a more inclusive classroom and overall sense of community. (Organization for Autism Research, 2023)