Which Dora the Explorer Character Can I Be?

With the new Dora movie coming out, we are learning about the characters. The sensory group explored colorful boxes related to characters from the series. The fine motor groups made art projects inspired by characters and the language group went on a treasure hunt!

SENSORY GROUP

We found out that Dora came from Mexico so this box had rice in the colors of the Mexican flag—-red, green, and white! There were characters to go UNDER, AROUND, and THROUGH obstacles in this box.

Letters spelling D O R A could also be found as well as a map at the bottom of the box—so much to explore and discover!

Math access point: recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship.

A purple backpack is a character in the series. The students used plastic facial features to make faces in purple Bubber.

Of course, it was also fun to run fingers through Bubber’s silky texture.

Science access point: recognize the human body is made up of various parts.

In this box there were lots of items related to Dora including a backpack, compass, flowers, and a treasure box.

We also recorded the Dora theme song on a voice output device which got some of our students really moving and grooving 🙂

Science access point: recognize a model of a real object.

Instead of a box we used a purple backpack to hold 2 discovery bottles 🙂 One bottle contained Dora characters and the other bottle had animals—-like the ones her cousin Diego saves!

These bottles were really intriguing to the students. Also, just in case you were wondering—we hot glue the lids closed to deter curious hands.

Science access point: match objects by an observable property such as shape.

It was fun to put the bottles in and out of the backpack!

Dora’s friend Bennie wears a colorful striped vest. There were lots of stripes—-of the colorful chenille type in this box. The students could line them up, twist them around, drape them over the box……

………..or hang them on a friend’s arm 🙂

Science access point: identify objects by one observable property, such as color.

Since Dora travels around the world we used a laminated picture of earth for our messy play.

The students swirled around fluffy shaving cream clouds!

Science access point: recognize that pushing or pulling an object makes it move.

Hands were rinsed under a waterfall made by a splitting water wheel.

This was a HIT!!!

Science access point: initiate a change in motion of an object.

Our lotion this week had a nice fruity aroma. We chose mango mandarin from Bath and Body Works because those fruits are grown in Mexico.

Our students are smelling really yummy this week!

Science access point: recognize one or more external body parts.

FINE MOTOR GROUP

On Tuesday the students made a fox mask! We used purchased eye masks and this template: fox

First, we counted the eye holes in each mask.

Math access point: associate quantities with number names.

Then, the students used popsicle sticks to scrape the black overlay to reveal rainbow colors underneath.

Science access point: recognize changes in observable properties of materials.

We finished by gluing the rainbow mask onto the fox mask and…..

…………..TA DA!!!

Can you guess which Dora character we are pretending to be?

On Wednesday the students made backpacks out of tissue boxes we covered with white paper!

First, the students chose which color marker for their backpack.

Science access point: identify an object by one observable property, such as color.

They used markers to decorate their backpacks—–some of the students used a switch to operate their drawing tools!

Science access point: recognize changes in observable properties of materials.

Time to add a one nose, one mouth, and………….

………….. TWO big googly eyes!

Math access point: associate quantities with number names.

We taped some paper straps to the back of our backpack boxes.

TA DA!!!

Let’s go explore!!!!!!!!

LANGUAGE GROUP

We changed it up in our language group today. Instead of making a yummy treat, we went in search of one! We used a map, just like Dora, to look for our treasure. We had to make sure and follow all of the directions on the map.

We saw on the map that the classroom was where we start. Our students looked at the map to see where they had to go next: THROUGH the tunnel!

We really love this tunnel because it’s big enough for our kiddos in wheelchairs 🙂

Next, we had to go out of the gate and around the front of the school.

Then we had to figure out which was the right gate to go into. Our students had to compare the gates to see which one matched the one in the picture on the map.

Once we went through the DIFFERENT gate, our students had to step on the circles that were down the hall. Our ambulatory students got to step ON padded circles that squeaked while our wheelchair friends had to go OVER their circles.