Shower Power Teacher Guide Shower Power Teacher Guide
Day 1: Showering & Body Hygiene Routine
4 Students
Non-Verbal ASD
Duration
20 Minutes
Focus
Sensory Showers
Humor Type
Visual Absurdity
Core Pedagogical Approach
For non-verbal teens with severe autism, daily hygiene resistance is rarely defiant behavior; it is a neurological and sensory self-defense mechanism. This lesson plan transforms the abstract concept of showering into a highly predictable, visually ridiculous, low-stakes routine. By reducing spoken instructions to 1-2 words and offering immediate, comical binary choices, we bypass sensory anxiety and build cognitive familiarity.
THE 3 GOLDEN RULES FOR THIS LESSON
Zero Language Overload: Replace long sentences with "Shower.", "Clean.", or "Ready."Constant Interactive Pointing: Keep students pointing/selecting every 2 minutes.Repetitive Predictability: Same structured binary layout (Choice A OR Choice B).
Day 1 Lesson Plan Pacing
Part 1: Sensory Routine & Music (5 Minutes)
Start
Establish a calming, predictable entry routine. Play a rhythmic, repetitive showering song (e.g., simple acoustic beats or a custom sensory cue song with clear sequences). Hand out the Shower Pointing Cards to all 4 students.
Teacher Tip: Lightly mist the air with clean water or unscented soap aroma to engage the olfactory system safely, prepping students for bathroom-related sensory expectations.
Part 2: Visual Absurdity Slide Game (10 Minutes)
Core
Project the Shower Power Slides . Guide students through comical visual scenarios where they must identify the "Clean Choice" or point to the "Absurd/Silly Choice."
Slide Sequence Instructions:
Slide 1 (Welcome): Establish the icons: ✨ Clean vs 🦨 Stinky. Play routine music.Slide 2 (Ready for School?): Point to: 🚿👕😀 (Shower/Clean shirt) OR 🧦🍕🦨 (Smelly clothes). Students use pointing cards to select.Slide 3 (Showering With...): Point to: 🚿🧼 (Water and soap) OR 🥣🥛🚿 (Showering with cereal). Embrace the humor! Laugh together at showering with cereal.Slide 4 (What Goes on Armpits?): Point to: 🧴 (Deodorant) OR 🍌 (Banana deodorant). Ask students: "Does deodorant go on banana? No!"Slide 5 (How Many Swipes?): Visual count 1, 2, 3 swipes under the arms. Model the physical gesture with students.
Part 3: Clean Choice Worksheet (5 Minutes)
Assessment
Hand out the Shower Power Worksheet . Students use thick markers or stickers to circle the clean/correct visual option on the page. Use the physical Shower Schedule Strips as a reference during completion.
Sensory Adaptations & Behavioral Tips
Sensory Adjustments
Water Sensations: Water droplets can feel painful. Recommend parents use heavy handheld sprayers with highly uniform flow or sponge bathing at home first.Temperature Shifts: Meltdowns often occur during transitions from hot water to cold air. Advise warming the bathroom with a space heater beforehand.Olfactory Overload: Never use heavily fragranced lavender soaps. Stick to hypo-allergenic, fragrance-free products.
Non-Verbal Support
AAC Integration: Customize AAC devices with the "Clean" (✨) and "Stinky" (🦨) icons prior to this session to encourage autonomous vocalization/selection.Direct Pointing: For students with motor coordination limitations, hold the pointing cards 12 inches apart to clearly distinguish target pointing.Visual Timers: Place a physical sand timer or a large iPad countdown timer next to each showering step.
Scenario
Instead of (Avoid)
Say This (Use)
Showering instructions
"Make sure to clean thoroughly under your hair and rinse."
"Wash hair. Clean."
Applying deodorant
"Now put on deodorant so you don't smell like body odor."
"Swipe arms. 1, 2, 3. Clean."
Correcting choice
"No, that's wrong, showering with cereal isn't real."
"Silly! No cereal shower! Shower water."
Shower Power Slides Shower Power
Day 1
✨😀✨
Clean
Smells Good
🦨😖🦨
Stinky
Smells Bad
Point to Clean or Stinky!
Ready for School?
Which One?
Choice 1
🚿👕✨
Shower & Clean Shirt
Choice 2
🧦🍕🦨
Old Socks & Pizza smell
Students Point!
Shower With What?
Silly Game
Water & Soap
🚿🧼✨
Clean Shower
Cereal & Milk
🥣🥛🚿
Silly Shower!
Point to the Silly Choice!
Deodorant Goes On...
Where?
Armpits
💪✨
Clean Armpits
Banana
🍌😵
Silly Banana!
Point to the clean choice!
Deodorant Swipes
How Many?
1
Swipe One
2
Swipe Two
3!
Clean & Fresh!
Let's swipe together! 1... 2... 3!
Silly Joke!
Haha!
Question:
Why did the computer take a shower? 💻🚿
Answer:
Because it had a virus! 🦠🧼😂
Laugh Together! 😂
Shower Power Worksheet 🚿 SHOWER POWER WORKSHEET
Day 1 Routine
Name:
Date:
👉 Circle the CLEAN choice! 👈
1. Ready for School?
🚿👕😀 Clean Clothes
🧦🍕🦨 Smelly Clothes
2. Shower with what?
🚿🧼 Water & Soap
🥣🥛 Silly Cereal
3. Deodorant goes on...
💪
Armpits
🍌
Silly Banana
Shower Schedule Strips 🚿 Shower Visual Schedule Strips
✂️ Cut along the dotted lines. Laminate and use velcro on the "DONE" boxes!
1
🚿
Water On
Feel the water
Done
2
🧼
Wash Body
Rub with soap
Done
3
💦
Rinse Clean
Wash soap off
Done
4
Dry Off
Use towel
Done
Hygiene Pointing Cards 🙌 Hygiene Pointing & AAC Cards
✂️ Cut along the dotted lines, laminate, and hand to students for 2-choice interactive pointing!
👍
YES
Ready / Agree
👎
NO
Stop / Dislike
✨
CLEAN
Smells Good
🦨
STINKY
Smells Bad
🤪
SILLY
Visual Joke
😀
HAPPY
Feels Good
My Clean Day Worksheet ✨ MY CLEAN DAY
Daily Check-In
Name:
Date:
👉 Circle the choice that keeps you clean! 👈
🚿 WASH
Which one helps you stay clean?
🧼✨ Soap
🥣🥛 Cereal
👕 CHANGE
Which one helps you stay clean?
👕😊 Fresh Shirt
👕🪰🪰 Stinky Shirt
🪥 BRUSH
Which one helps you stay clean?
🦷🪥 Brush Teeth
👟🪥 Brush Shoes
👪
Sensory Success Checklist
For Parents & Staff to support daily transitions
Tagless Clothes
Clothes have no itchy tags
👕
Clean Socks Daily
Fresh socks provided daily
🧦
No Scent Products
Soap & detergent unscented
🧼
1, 2, 3 Swipes
Exactly 3 deodorant swipes
🧼
Fresh Threads Teacher Guide Fresh Threads Teacher Guide
Day 2: Changing Clothes & Laundry Routine
4 Students
Non-Verbal ASD
Duration
20 Minutes
Focus
Changing Clothes
Humor Type
Visual Absurdity
Day 2 Pedagogical Framework
For students with severe autism, clothing transitions can trigger strong flight or fight reactions. Tactical issues like clothes tags rubbing against sensitive skin, coarse laundry detergent scents, and the motor-planning sequencing required to change are high barriers. This lesson models "Clean vs. Dirty" visually, uses physical humor (socks on hands, pizza stinky shirt) to release tension, and provides clear step-by-step visual sequences.
KEY BEHAVIORAL GOALS
Discriminate Clean vs. Dirty: Point immediately to clean shirt (✨) over dirty/stained clothing (🟫).Accept Transition Steps: Follow a 5-step concrete checklist to change clothing without frustration.Participate Laughingly: Recognize and signal visual absurdity (e.g., throwing dirty socks into trash vs laundry basket).
Day 2 Lesson Plan Pacing
Part 1: Sensory Transition Routine (5 Minutes)
Start
Play a highly predictable music routine (the same rhythm used on Day 1 to transition to hygiene instruction). Give students their Day 2 Clothing Visual Schedule Strips .
Teacher Tip: Provide a tactile "Warm-Up" container with clean fabric scraps (e.g., extremely soft jersey cotton, seamless wools, smooth silks) for students to handle as we begin talking about clothing items.
Part 2: Interactive Absurdity Game (10 Minutes)
Core
Project the Fresh Threads Slides . Engage the students directly, having them use pointing strategies or yes/no cards to select between choices on each slide.
Slide Sequence Instructions:
Slide 1 (Fresh Threads): Re-introduce the visual anchors: ✨ Clean vs 🦨 Stinky. Play opening sequence music.Slide 2 (Silly Clothes Game): Point to the correct socks placement. Socks go on feet (🧦🦶) or hands (🧦👋)? Point together! Laugh at socks on hands.Slide 3 (Clean or Dirty Shirt?): Point to: ✨👕 (Sparkly clean white shirt) OR 👕🟫🍕🦨 (Shirt with dirt, pizza grease, and a stink cloud). Students point to clean.Slide 4 (Where Do Dirty Clothes Go?): Point to: 🧺 (Laundry basket) OR 🗑️ (Trash can). Students practice throwing a soft physical cloth into a laundry basket next to them.
Fresh Threads Slides Fresh Threads
Day 2
👕✨🌟
Clean Clothes
Smell Fresh
🧦🍕🦨
Dirty Clothes
Smell Bad
Point to Clean or Dirty!
Where Do Socks Go?
Silly Game
Socks on Feet
🧦🦶✨
Correct Choice
Socks on Hands
🧦👋😵
Silly Socks!
Students Point!
Which Shirt to Wear?
Which One?
Clean Shirt
👕✨😀
Feels Nice
Dirty Shirt
👕🍕🦨💨
Silly & Stinky
Point to the clean choice!
Where Do Dirty Clothes Go?
Where?
Laundry Basket
🧺👕✨
Wash Clothes
Trash Can
🗑️👕😵
Silly Trash!
Point to the Laundry Basket!
Ready for School!
Routine
1
🩲
Clean Underwear
2
🧦
Clean Socks
3
👕👖
Clean Clothes
Ready for school! Nice job! ✨😀
Silly Joke!
Haha!
Question:
What is a ghost's favorite clothes? 👻👗
Answer:
A clean bedsheet! 🛌✨👻😂
Laugh Together! 😂
Fresh Threads Worksheet 👕 FRESH THREADS WORKSHEET
Day 2 Routine
Name:
Date:
👉 Circle the CLEAN choice! 👈
1. Where do socks go?
🧦🦶 Socks on Feet
🧦👋 Socks on Hands
2. Wear clean shirt!
✨👕 Clean Shirt
👕🟫🍕🦨 Smelly Shirt
3. Dirty clothes go in...
🧺 Laundry Basket
🗑️ Trash Can
Clothing Schedule Strips 👕 Clothing Visual Schedule Strips
✂️ Cut along the dotted lines. Laminate and use velcro on the "DONE" boxes!
1
👕🦨
Dirty Off
Take off stinky clothes
Done
2
🚿✨
Clean Body
Shower or bath wipe
Done
3
🩲
Underwear
Put on clean underwear
Done
4
🧦
Clean Socks
Put on fresh socks
Done
5
👕👖
Shirt & Pants
Ready for school!
Done
Clean Routine Home Tracker Clean Rhythm Tracker
Home Routine & Parent Songbook
✨👪🎵
Dear Parents: Hygiene routines can often cause severe sensory overload for autistic teenagers. Singing repetitive, predictable rhymes to familiar tunes acts as a powerful cognitive pacemaker—bypassing executive dysfunction and easing transition anxiety. Use these simple songs at home, and celebrate every small success with a star on the chart!
Daily Hygiene Rhymes
🪥
1. Brushing Teeth
Tune: Row Your Boat
"Brush, brush, brush your teeth,
🚿
2. Showering
Tune: Wheels on the Bus
"First comes water, turn it on!
👕
3. Getting Dressed
Tune: If You're Happy
"Put your clean underwear on, pull it high!
🧼
4. Washing Hair
Tune: Twinkle Twinkle
"Bubbles, bubbles on my head,
5. Deodorant
Tune: London Bridge
"Swipe underarm 1 - 2 - 3,
💦
6. Washing Hands
Tune: Happy Birthday
"Wash my hands with water and soap,
Weekly Star Tracker
Draw a Star (⭐) or Place a Sticker!
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
🪥 Brush
🪥 Brush
🪥 Brush
🪥 Brush
🪥 Brush
🪥 Brush
🪥 Brush
🚿 Shower
🚿 Shower
🚿 Shower
🚿 Shower
🚿 Shower
🚿 Shower
🚿 Shower
👕 Clothes
👕 Clothes
👕 Clothes
