Write the story as a calm, practiced routine, not an explanation of danger. Describe what the student will hear, where they will go, and what helps them stay calm, the same descriptive approach used for a fire drill story. In Emoquest's 2024 community survey (n=16), 94% of school SLPs, OTs, and parents spent 30 or more minutes on a single social story, and a sensitive scenario like this one is exactly where that time is worth spending carefully.
Why does a lockdown drill need its own social story, separate from a fire drill?
A lockdown drill asks for the opposite skill of a fire drill. A fire drill practices moving quickly and quietly outside. A lockdown drill practices staying still, staying silent, and waiting in place, sometimes with lights off, which is a much harder self-regulation task for many autistic K-5 students. A story that only says "we practice lockdown drills" without describing the actual sensory experience (dim lights, silence, waiting) leaves out the part students find hardest.
What should the story describe, and what should it leave out?
Describe the routine. Leave out the reason. A K-5 lockdown drill story should cover: the signal (an announcement or alarm), what the teacher will do, where the student will sit or stand, how long the wait usually lasts, and what the student can do if they feel worried. It should not describe specific threats, scenarios, or worst-case outcomes. The goal is the same as a fire drill story: familiarity with the routine, not an explanation of why the routine exists.
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| The signal (announcement, alarm, or teacher cue) | Descriptions of intruders, weapons, or specific danger scenarios |
| Where the student goes and what they do with their body | Statistics or news references about school incidents |
| That it is okay to feel nervous, and one thing that helps | Promises that "nothing bad will ever happen" |
| What happens when the drill ends | Open-ended unknowns ("we don't know when it will end") |
The same 2024 survey that found the 94% time figure also found that getting the visuals and wording right is 90% of the work of a social story. For a sensitive scenario like a lockdown drill, that 90% is less about pictures and more about word choice: the same information can either calm a student down or make the drill feel scarier than it needs to.
What does the evidence say about social stories for safety routines?
A 2026 Frontiers in Psychology meta-analysis of 21 single-case social story studies found significant positive effects specifically on safety skills for autistic students, alongside social skills and reduced problem behavior. That is a direct evidence base for using a story to prepare a student for a safety routine like a lockdown drill, rather than relying on the drill itself as the first exposure. The National Association of School Psychologists' school safety and crisis resources similarly recommend advance preparation and predictable routines for students who are more affected by unexpected disruptions.
How do you handle a student who is afraid of the dark, small spaces, or silence?
Name the specific sensory concern in the story and pair it with a concrete coping step, rather than assuming the general drill description covers it. If a student has a preferred object, a counting strategy, or noise-canceling headphones they already use, put that tool directly in the story: "If the room feels too quiet, I can hold my fidget and count to 20 in my head." A generic story that never mentions the student's actual sensory profile is less likely to help in the moment.
What is the actual page-by-page structure?
- Page 1. Sometimes my school practices a lockdown drill, the same way we practice fire drills.
- Page 2. I will hear an announcement or a signal from my teacher. My teacher will tell me what to do.
- Page 3. I will go to a quiet spot in my classroom and sit or stand with my class.
- Page 4. The room might be quiet, and the lights might be off. That is part of the practice.
- Page 5. If I feel worried, I can [student's specific coping tool]. Many students feel a little nervous, and that is okay.
- Page 6. When the drill is over, my teacher will tell us, and we will go back to our normal activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a lockdown drill social story mention why lockdowns happen?
No, not in a K-5 story. Describe the drill as a practice for staying quiet and following the teacher, the same way a fire drill is a practice, without naming specific threats or scenarios that could increase fear rather than reduce it.
Can I tell a student the exact day a lockdown drill will happen?
Check your district's drill policy first. Many districts require unannounced drills, but most still allow you to preview the general routine and expected feelings in a social story days or weeks ahead, without naming the exact date.
What if the student is afraid of the dark or being in a small space?
Name that specific sensory concern in the story and pair it with a coping step, for example a preferred object to hold or a counting strategy, rather than only describing the general steps of the drill.
Should the story include noise-canceling headphones as an option?
Yes, if the student already uses them. Naming the specific tool the student has access to, such as headphones, a fidget, or a preferred adult nearby, makes the story a usable plan, not just a description.
How is a lockdown drill story different from a fire drill story?
A fire drill story emphasizes movement and following a line outside. A lockdown drill story emphasizes staying still, staying quiet, and waiting, which is a harder skill for many autistic students and deserves more rehearsal in the story.
Who should read this story with the student before the first drill?
Whoever the student trusts most during the school day, often the school SLP, the classroom teacher, or a paraprofessional. Read it 2 to 3 times before the first drill, then keep it available for re-reading before future drills.
One approach for school SLPs short on time is to keep a 5-tool stack: a methodology checklist for sensitive scenarios like this one, a slide template you reuse, a folder of stock photos sorted by scenario, an AI text drafter (ChatGPT, Claude, MagicSchool, or Emoquest for one-sentence-in story output), and a delivery format your district already uses (Google Slides or PDF). For a topic this sensitive, plan on reviewing the draft with the classroom teacher or a school counselor before it goes home.