T21 Gr. 2 - Mercy for Marthas

FREE Social Stories About Bullying

Published on September 23, 2026September 23, 2026 by Mary Cooney1 Comment

With a new school year in full swing, many parents and children are feeling anxious about the possibility of bullying. Multiple studies have shown that children with special needs are at higher risk of being victimized by bullying. In fact, they are two to three times more likely to experience bullying. Children with speech difficulties are even more vulnerable. And the psychological and emotional consequences sometimes last into adulthood.

Being proactive about this issue, and helping children recognize bullying even before it happens is one way to help prevent and mitigate patterns of bullying. So, here are two highly-illustrated, FREE social stories about bullying, written for children with (or without) special needs.

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A Second Grade Curriculum for Children with Down Syndrome

Published on September 15, 2026September 15, 2026 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Today I’m sharing with you what my son with Down Syndrome did for second grade.

My kindergarten and first grade curriculum posts align with standard grade-level expectations. But second grade is different. As children with Down Syndrome get older, the academic gap between them and their typically developing peers widens.

So, this “Second Grade Curriculum” I’m sharing with you is not based on the chronological age of typically developing children. Rather, it is a combination of the materials that worked best for my son with T21 at 8 years old and what I think could be appropriate for the other 8 and 9 year old children who came to our Down Syndrome Co-op last year.

Of course, each child learns at his/her own pace, and even within Down Syndrome there is great variability. But I hope this list will help you develop a curriculum that will best suit your child and will reduce the amount of adapting you’ll have to do. I hope you’ll find some things here that will help your child/student succeed in “Second Grade.”

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Nature Study for Kids with Special Needs: Amphibians and Reptiles

Published on July 27, 2026July 28, 2026 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Here’s a unit study on Amphibians and Reptiles I created for my son with Down Syndrome who is entering third grade. I made this to boost my son’s reading comprehension while helping him to marvel at the wonderful world of insects. Studying nature teaches children to observe closely and quietly and to appreciate the wonders of creation. These worksheets were designed to complement the activity of looking at real amphibians and reptiles and observing their traits and behaviors. However, they can also be used as stand-alone reading comprehension and writing activities.

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Nature Study for Kids with Special Needs: Insects

Published on July 7, 2026July 13, 2026 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Here’s a unit study on Insects I created for my son with Down Syndrome who is entering third grade. I made this to boost my son’s reading comprehension while helping him to marvel at the wonderful world of insects. Studying nature teaches children to observe closely and quietly and to appreciate the wonders of creation. These worksheets were designed to complement the activity of watching real insects and observing their traits and behaviors. However, they can also be used as stand-alone reading comprehension and writing activities.

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Simply Subtraction Level 2 Workbook: Math for Kids with (or without) Down Syndrome

Published on March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Here’s the Simply Subtraction Level 2 workbook for helping children with Down Syndrome and other special needs learn to subtract with the help of a rekenrek. It follows Simply Addition Level 1, Simply Subtraction Level 1, and Simply Addition Level 2. The Simply Subtraction Level 2 Workbook teaches children to subtract numbers within twenty.

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My Favorite Handwriting Tools for Kids with Down Syndrome

Published on October 21, 2025May 22, 2026 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Today I want to talk about my favorite handwriting tools for kids with Down Syndrome. These include markers, crayons, pencils, pens, and pencil grips. What my son with Down Syndrome uses for writing makes a difference not only with the legibility of his writing but also with how long he’s willing to work. So I’m sharing with you the tools that have been most beneficial for his handwriting.

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Spelling Worksheets for Students with Special Needs

Published on September 1, 2025January 30, 2026 by Mary CooneyLeave a comment

Here’s a collection of ALL my spelling worksheets made especially for children with Down Syndrome and other special needs. I use them to supplement All About Spelling, but they can be used with any Science of Reading aligned phonics or spelling program.

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