Goal: Increase Independent Living Skills

Lesson Objective: Student will make a grilled cheese sandwich with verbal assistance.

Prerequisite Skills: 

• ability to use a knife
• able to follow directions

Introduction: A fun and easy meal to make with an individual with a developmental disability is a grilled cheese sandwich. Very few ingredients are needed to make this tasty meal and it is often one of the first foods that many people learn to make.  This activity allows an opportunity for independence and a great reward when completed. The instructor will follow the following steps:

Step 1: The instructor will first make sure the person washes and dries their hands appropriately.

Step 2: The instructor will allow for choices. “What type of bread would you like to use.”, What type of cheese would you like to use?”

Step 3. Depending on the skill level, the instructor will assist the individual or place the pan n top of the stop

Step 4. The instructor will, with verbal prompting or hand over hand, ask the individual to pick the the knife.

Step 5. Once the individual picks up the knife, the instructor will verbally prompt or using hand over hand, assist the individual with cutting the butter.

Step 6. Once the butter is cut, the instructor will verbally prompt the individual to place the butter in the pan.

Step 7. While the butter is meting in the pan, the instructor will prompt the individual to take out 2 slices of bread and place on a plate

Step 8. The instructor will prompt the individual to pick up the knife and butter each slice of the bread.

Step 9. Once completed, the instructor will prompt the individual to take cheese out of the refrigerator and place on the bread.

Step 10. The instructor will prompt or assist the individual to place the sandwich into the pan

Step 11. Depending on the skill level, the instructor will turn the bread over when brown or closely supervise the individual.

Step 12. Once both sides are brown, the instructor will assist or supervise the individual removing the cheese toast with a spatula and place on a plate

Step 13. The instructor will prompt the individual to turn off the stove. i.e. “what do you think you should do next?”

Step 14. The instructor will prompt the individual to cut the cheese toast in half.

Step 15. The individual will start to eat.

Duration:10-15 minutes

Materials:

• 2 slices of bread
• margarine or butter
• Cheddar or American cheese
• frying Pan
• knife
• spatula

Skills Taught:

• Attention skills
• Choice-making
• Fine motor
• Independent living skills
• Listening comprehensive
• Memory
• Sensory
• Sequencing
• Task attention

Special Considerations

Be mindful of any protocols for the individuals. make sure you are serving the meal with the right consistency. For example does the individual require his/her food to be cut up or are they able to eat whole foods?