Comprehensive Book of Motor Programs

SOAR Gross Motor Movement: Activity Reference Guide

A comprehensive gross motor curriculum built for RBTs, BCBAs, SLPs, special educators, and anyone teaching motor skills to learners with autism and developmental differences. Grounded in the SOAR Autism Curriculum framework, this guide turns abstract motor goals into a clear, buildable teaching path — from single-movement imitation all the way to fully functional real-life skills.

Every skill is organized around the SOAR three-tier structure:

• L1 — Basic Tool: the isolated single movements the skill is built from
• L2 — Component: two-movement combinations that start to look like the real activity
• L3 — Composite: the full real-life skill performed end-to-end

The guide is rooted in The Big 6 + 6, a framework of 17 foundational movements (Reach, Grasp, Push, Pull, Twist, and more) that power every functional task. When a learner stalls, the teaching team doesn’t start over — they drop back to the Big 6 + 6 building block that’s breaking down and rebuild from there.

What’s inside:

• Part One — Motor Imitation Foundations: 30 L1 single-movement imitations, 1-step and 2-step “Do This” fluency drills, 1/2/3-step direction-following targets, and 22 real-world L2 combinations — the prerequisite skills every learner needs before real-life instruction begins.
• Part Two — 32 Real-Life Skills across four categories:
  • Daily Living & Hygiene — handwashing, brushing teeth, brushing hair, blowing nose, wiping mouth, drinking from a cup, using a spoon, using a fork, opening a bag, making a bed
  • Dressing — jackets, zipping, buttoning, pulling up pants, shirts over head, socks, Velcro shoes, tying shoes
  • Kitchen & Tools — scissor cutting, knife cutting, spreading with a knife
  • Sports & Play — ball throw, catching, kicking, dribbling, jumping jacks, jump rope, hopping, track, basketball, flag football, cheer

Every skill page includes the real-life rationale, Big 6 + 6 building blocks, materials, setup, the Sd (cue), a numbered teaching procedure, what counts as correct, what doesn’t, troubleshooting tips, and two ready-to-use SOAR-format datasheets (L1 and L2).

Aligned with: VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, and the U.S. CORE Curriculum. Maps directly to the SOAR Autism Curriculum Library programs for Motor Imitation and Movement, Comprehension of Directions, and Activities of Daily Living.

Designed for the whole team: RBTs running sessions, BCBAs supervising programs, teachers embedding motor goals into the school day, and parents supporting carryover at home.

Companion files included:

• Learner Progress Tracking Grid — a photocopy-ready file for tracking each learner’s status across Part One foundations and all 32 Part Two skills, with columns for mastery date and generalization notes
• Quick-Reference List — every gross motor movement in the curriculum in one place, including a compact view of each skill’s L1 and L2 breakdowns and a full alphabetical glossary

Putting tools in the hands of people who need them.