Yummy Burger!

The new app that I bought that I just LOVE is called YummyBurgers!  The goal in this game is to build a burger that matches the picture.  You operate either a hamburger stand or a restaurant.  Of course, there are demanding customers!  If you don't build the burger in the correct sequence or you take too much time, the customers grow increasingly angry and eventually leave!  So how did I use this app?  For sequencing, visual discrimination, comparing/contrasting, and social skills!!!  I lead into the activity by asking the student:
--What is important when owning a business?
--How can we keep customers happy?
--What are some problems that may occur?
--How will you know that your customer is pleased? if they are angry?
--How can you tell if a customer is getting upset? How can you tell if they are pleased? 

Once we begin the game, I provide various levels of cuing to help the student complete the activity.  Some students require some verbal cuing ("patty, lettuce, ketchup, bun" etc) while others may need cuing to keep pace.  At the end of the round, you are told how many customers you served, how much money you make, and how many customers you lost.  We then discuss why we might have lost a customer and how we can keep our customers!  Also, I ask the student if I can play one round...but that I need their help...they are 'my boss' and need to make sure I am doing my job.  Of course, I always make sure I miss a few or slow down...the students love telling me "You didn't make that customer happy! You were too slow!  You missed the ketchup!  Hurry, remember the drink!"  I even had a student tell me, "Boy, good thing you work here! You sure couldn't work in a restaurant!"

For social skills, I really focus on teamwork (working in pairs...one person is boss, one person is the cook, and one person is the customer).  The boss watches and helps the cook (giving cues), s/he also watch the customer's (on screen) face and must give clues, "he is getting mad!"  The customer-student must watch the customers and give feedback, "I am getting mad! Where is my burger!"  This game is really great for social referencing and matching your actions to others.  I plan to get my play food out of storage...we will then do some 'role play' and skits...of course we will video record it with the iPad 2!!!

Note: I still only use this app/the iPad as a supplement to another goal in therapy...it's never the main task that we are working on, it's just a nice reinforcement for the student. 

There is a 'Lite' version that is free...the full version is $2.99 for the iPad.

Update: Here are some additional ways that I incorporated this app into therapy.  Our unit was identifying and stating facts/opinions.  We spent several sessions identifying and stating facts/opinions for various topics, such as soccer, spring, animals, movies, tv shows, etc.  We also talked about facts and opinions for burgers, which led to use of the app.

 I also made Fact and Opinion stick holder signs...I read fact/opinions on the back of hamburgers (generated from the kids lists) and the students held up their signs.

 I found pictures of hamburger items on google and cut them out.  I used this as a following directions activity.  I would give students directions: "I want a hamburger with cheese, tomato, pickles, and ketchup.  I also want fries and a drink." The students then needed to follow the exact sequence.

 This was the original worksheet I made for the students to write their fact and opinion sentences on...I later compiled everyone's onto the picture burgers and read them aloud. 

 Just another shot of some facts/opinions and my stick signs.  The students love those signs!

We made a score sheet for my groups...each group decided on a name for their restaurant.  We kept score based on dollars earned and customers lost.  The kids had a blast competing.