work task boxes for special education

Special Educator Academy

Free resources, simple task boxes for special education: easy to make and use.

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Put-in tasks are simple task boxes that are a basic starting point for students in special education who have limited or no ability to work independently. They are the perfect place to start for students just beginning in independent work systems. This particular task is the most basic because it is self-contained, so the student does not need to organize any materials. And even better, it’s pretty easy to make with no need for laminating or Velcro. Plus, there is no special equipment; you’ll find the materials around your house or classroom most of the time.

Independent Work Inspiration: Material List

• Shoebox –cardboard is easiest, but you can use plastic boxes if you have tools to cut through it.
• Spare playing cards -these are pretty easy to find around my house as the extra decks that are unusable because they are missing card
• Box cutter or tools to cut cardboard or plastic
• Plastic container to hold the cards on the box
• Contact paper to cover the box (optional–as you’ll see in the video below)

Simple Task Boxes for Putting in Cards: Who Are They For?

These simple task boxes can be used by any ages. They are most useful for your students who don’t yet have skills to work independently. Students simply pull the task to them, pick up the cards, and put them through the slot. There are no materials to organize or worry about. You can adjust the difficulty by the number of cards you put in the task for them to put through the slot.

Simple Task Box Putting in Cards Video Tutorial

Making These Simple Task Boxes

This shoebox task is easy to make with a cardboard shoebox. If you make it from a plastic shoebox, it will likely be more durable. But it will be harder to cut and the edges will need to be cushioned so as not to be too sharp for the student. This type of shoebox task is great for students just starting out in independent work because they don’t need to organize any materials. The materials are all self-contained.

As you can see in the video, you can choose to cover the shoebox with contact paper or not. In the pictures you see that I did. This makes more attractive, but it also makes the task less distracting for the student. And it makes it easier to clean, since contact paper is usually easy to wipe down with a damp cloth.

Tips for Making Simple Task Boxes with Playing Cards

In the picture above, you can see the steps. When you cover the box, make sure you cover the lid separately so the box still opens. That way you can retrieve the cards when the task is complete. After I covered the box in contact paper, I cut a slit in the top slightly wider than the width of the playing cards.

Then, I put 2 strips of Velcro on the top of the box next to the slit. Next I put the matching Velcro strips on the back of a photo box container. This isn’t shown in the video. This allows me to attach the card box to the top of the shoebox so there are no moveable pieces other than the cards. It fits on as you see in #3 above. However, as you saw in the video, and in #4, you could have the cards in a separate bin just as easily. Putting them on the shoebox just makes the task a bit easier for the student since there are fewer pieces.

Need more ideas for task boxes? Check out the resources below.

More workbasket wednesday resources.

Looking for more ideas on special education work boxes or work systems and how they can be used?  Check out the links in Resources below for more posts.  And, I wrote about a book about them!  

Buy from Future Horizons here

Buy From Amazon (including Kindle) (see  my disclosure policy for more information about affiliate links ).

GET ALL THE VISUALS AND ORGANIZATIONAL TOOLS YOU NEED to start independent work in your classroom.

These kits include an e-book with directions on setting up independent work systems and using the materials included, data sheets for tracking progress, visuals for the special education work boxes and schedules, what’s next visuals, and mastery sheets to keep track of which students have mastered which task. 

• Read more about: IWInspiration , Task Boxes Independent Work Systems

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Task Box Independent Work System

February 6, 2019

Looking for a way to organize independent work time for your special education classroom? Students gain more independent and personal responsibility skills with an organized Especially Education Task Box Independent Work Station. Read for ideas to organize task boxes for independent time or for work time.

I use task boxes from Especially Education and other small activities that fit in task boxes. Students independently work on the activity in their drawer and get a new one when they are done.

This half day format makes the day go by very quickly, so I try to fit as much activities and valuable work in as possible.

This summer, after my first year of teaching, I realized that my class schedule was missing something. We were missing a time when the students could work independently on tasks that they felt confident in and can master almost 100% of the time. A time where they can review the skills they already know, gain confidence and independence within the classroom, and practice asking for help if needed. This is when EXPLORATION time was born!

During exploration time my students have the ability to complete different activities that are assigned to them (their picture is on their respective drawer). I organize the drawers by subject areas or categories. My drawers are labeled as follows…

• Object match
• Numbers (high and low)
• Letters (high and low)
• Shapes (high and low)
• Colors (high and low)
• Handwriting (high and low)
• CVC words (high and low)

I have 2 drawers for some categories so that I can level the activities. My students are all on different levels, so I want them to be able to complete activities that are just right for them.

The students know to come right to the exploration drawers right after unpacking. They take an activity from their respective drawer and take a tray (from the Target Dollar Spot during back to school time).

At their seat they complete the activity in their tray. The trays are mainly for spacing reasons. The trays help them stay in their own space and keep track of what pieces go to their activity.

After completing their first activity, the students undo the activity, put it back in its container, bring it back to their drawer, and get a new activity. Each drawer has anywhere from 4-10 activities depending on how many I can fit/how long each activity takes a student to complete!

The students continue this until the bell goes off (wireless doorbell, of course)! When the bell goes off, they undo their activity, put their activity away and put their tray away.

TEACHER BENEFITS

My favorite part about exploration time is the independence!!! The beginning of the day is always so hectic, so it was the perfect time to implement some independent time. At the beginning of the day we have students who need help unpacking, students strolling in late, students who are potty training and need to go right away, and students who just need some extra attention. SO being able to have the peace of mind knowing that my other students are completing their exploration work by themselves (basically) is very helpful.

STUDENT BENEFITS

My students LOVE being able to complete work on their OWN! Seeing them gain the confidence to complete their own activity is remarkable. I also think that they like having exploration time first, rather than going right into circle time or small group. A lot of students need transition time from home to school, so this exploration time gives them 10-15 minutes at the beginning of class to slowly transition into being at school.

Not only is this independent task box work station good for a special education classroom, this system can work in any type of classroom. Giving the students the opportunity to gain confidence and work on their independent work skills is something that every student would benefit from.

Visit Rachel on her Instagram

February 22, 2019 at 7:42 pm

I’m embarrassed to admit, that I am in my second year of teaching and I am still struggling with independent time for students. I hope this helps me.

June 2, 2019 at 10:27 pm

Oh my gosh, don’t be embarrassed by that! I’m in my 11th year of teaching and I still struggle with many things! Every child is different. It’s impossible for us to be perfect at everything! Don’t be too hard on yourself 😊

Carina R. says

June 6, 2019 at 3:40 pm

You are not alone. This is my second year of teaching and I am having the same problem.

Staci kelley says

June 6, 2019 at 8:29 pm

How do you check these boxes?

June 8, 2019 at 8:54 pm

What activities/stations/bundles do you use?

Crystal Roberts says

August 5, 2020 at 9:04 am

If you include high and low versions of an activity how do you label those and how do the kids know which one to pick up? I too have different versions of a same type of activity but don’t want to put each level in a different drawer.

Bernadette Reed-O'Connor says

July 5, 2021 at 6:03 am

I have been using a system similar to this , for independent work, but couldn’t differentiate it correctly.- ( so children were choosing things too hard or too easy and they were not holding their interest) Having swap- able pictures on the front is a genius idea. Thank you.

Amanda says

October 18, 2021 at 6:49 pm

I’m in my 18th year and still struggle to met all needs with centers.

January 3, 2024 at 12:14 am

Ok…. we’ve just entered 2024. I amin my 19th year of teaching, 4th year back in kindergarten…. so my first 2 years back were covid restricted. Now I’m in full force again, but this time with my biggest K class ever of 24, with a half day program. And a new curriculum that has tripled…. don’t let me get started on extra classroom events im volun’told’ I have to be a part of. Without consistency it will be very hard for anyone to fit it all in. My moral here is – never get down on yourself. You can only do what you can do. It’s awesome tips and tricks like this one that will help you fill your tickle trunk of tools. ( I’m thinking tickle trunks are only known to Canadians? Google Mr. Dress Up and you’ll understand) good luck out there!

Oh BTW…. also wondering if you have a prefered bundle you use or if you just put together tasks from a midge podge of places?

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101 Task Box Ideas

Special education teachers are constantly looking for creative and effective ways to teach their students important life skills. One great way to do this is through task boxes as part of independent work stations. Individual student task boxes involve assigning a specific task to students that they will complete independently from start to finish. 

This blog post is a great place to start to get an overview on how using a task box system can support your students. When you're ready, be sure to download the free task box idea list !

There's no one-size-fits-all approach to task boxes, as they can be tailored to address the diverse needs of students. Activities can span a large range, such as literacy and math skills, fine motor development, skills areas for English language learners, and vocational education. The best way to select task boxes is to align them according to each student's individual needs.

Task boxes are excellent time management tools for special education teachers, particularly when working with small groups or monitoring progress. Short tasks, like functional reading task cards or card games, allow for a quick assessment of each student's understanding and progress. As part of independent work stations, task boxes are customized tasks that students complete on their own, making them a great way to develop independent skills.

Quick tasks + independent levels + hands-on = HIGH interest learning!

When designing task boxes, it's essential to consider the age group and abilities of your students. Whether you're working with younger kids on basics like letter formation or helping older students in high school develop vocational skills, task boxes can be adapted in different ways to suit every learner.

One of the most important aspects of using work task boxes in the special education classroom setting is to create activities that not only teach academic content but also address emotional and physical needs.

Task boxes provide an engaging and effective way to help special education students develop valuable life skills. If you're looking for inspiration to create your own task boxes or simply want more ideas, be sure to download “ The Ultimate Task Box Idea List: 101 Fun and Educational Activities. ” This comprehensive resource is packed with age-appropriate activities for students of all skill levels. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your students' learning experience and support their growth, both academically and personally.

There are plenty of great ideas out there when it comes to creating effective and age appropriate task boxes for the special education classroom setting – no matter if you're looking at prepping younger students on basics like sight words or developing vocational skills among older high schoolers – if you have access to free time, you can easily put together meaningful activities that will not only engage your students but help them grow both academically and personally. 

If free time isn't part of your to-do list these days, skip the hard work of searching for the just-right activity and check out the easy way to get started: Task Box Dollar Club . The monthly membership club provides instant access to a HUGE library of low-prep tasks.

I'm Jennifer!

I’m Jennifer and I was a special educator in the elementary school setting over the past decade. I entered the classroom every day dedicated to making learning inclusive AND engaging.

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