Social Skills Regarding Spacial Awareness

Objective: Student will maintain an appropriate distance from others.

Introduction: Physical closeness reflects the degree of intimacy between two people. People in love hold hands and put their arms around each other. In school or at work people keep a "professional" distance between each other. (Reminder: School is a student's workplace."

General Rules Regarding Proximity:
1. Americans usually stand slightly more than an arm’s length from another person during conversations.
2. This rule also applies if you are in a line. Stand one arm’s length from the person in front of you.
3. If you bump into someone, you same "Excuse me." They will say "No problem."
Passing in the Hallway: (See specific lesson)
1. Stay about an arm's length away. Say, "Excuse me if you come in contact with someone or their possession.
2. Ask permission id yo need to get by. "Excuse me, may I scoot by here?"
Activities like riding in an elevator, standing in a streetcar, attending a sports game, etc. are situations when you are closer.


Role Play: Practice lining up to enter the school auditorium.

Extension: What might the rules be when lining up at the post office or at a bank?

Define an area in the class 10' by 10' square. Have several students pretend to use it as an elevator. See Lesson & Rubric for "Riding in an Elevator."