October After Party

October After Party

IMG_0739IMG_4271Welcome to the After Party! Each week after the weekly blog featuring activities in the elementary department is posted, our sensory cart is parked in the media center where it is available for check out by the rest of the school.

This post has photos of our middle and high school students enjoying the books and cart during the month of October.

 

 

 

image7We started the month with a really fun unit about the Emmy’s. There is a really fabulous book that goes along with that unit so be sure to check it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_1635IMG_4275The Doc McStuffins box

image2                                                                                    was a real hit!

 
IMG_4819IMG_4812The stethoscope was really intriguing to the students.

IMG_4565                                                  Our little patient was well cared for!

 

 

image12Staff also 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4814IMG_4561Of course, we had a box of GOLD to represent that golden Emmy statue.

 

image1                                                                        Those sparkly beads!

 

 

 

image4image11The lure of GOLD!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_0451image8We put some red velvet cake mix in Ellen’s box—-it is her favorite!

IMG_4272We also had a box  full of Sesame Street fun! There were play figures, letters, number, and a fun book to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next we celebrated German-American Day which was on October 6.

IMG_0666IMG_5143Germany has more zoos than any other country—-we thought that was a pretty cool fact!

IMG_0668The elephant hat turned out to be a crowd pleaser 🙂

 

 

image6image7There were lots of things to discover in the box.

 

 

IMG_5354IMG_5371IMG_0749Many of the animals made noises when buttons were pushed—–very cool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5130image5This box contained black beans, red beans, and yellow rice—–the colors of the German flag. Autos are a leading industry so we included some in this box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5140IMG_5210Uranium is a German natural resource. We used our fabulous kinetic sand to represent the uranium.

IMG_5335                                                               Our students had a blast!

 

 

image4Kinetic sand is just SO cool 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5342IMG_5149We added poppy seeds to make our play dough look like bread—-sold in fabulous bakeries throughout Germany.

image3The students also had fun making castles—-just like some of the ones you can visit in Germany—-out of moonsand.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_0667IMG_5134The Brothers Grimm came from Germany so we made a fun fairy tale box just for them!

IMG_5382                                                                              Pretty magical!

 

 

 

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness everything in our next unit was pink!

IMG_6417IMG_5816The students found the pink sand and sifter very fascinating.

IMG_6083                                                                       It really was very cool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5790IMG_5845Our pink rice had 4 letter “P”s to find and the word “pink” hidden at the bottom of the box.

IMG_6097                                                   The students enjoyed this box.

 

IMG_6408IMG_5803Here are some more pictures of the rice box—-

IMG_6440                                                            ——it really was popular 🙂

 

 

 

IMG_5794 (1)IMG_6454They enjoyed making cool floam sculptures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6122IMG_5804There was quite an assortment of pink items in this box, including a baton that lit up and a fabulous sparkly pom pom.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5789IMG_6412IMG_0777Something fun for everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5791IMG_6072It was hard to tell which was a bigger hit the sparkly beads or…….

IMG_6086                                                                   ……….soft, fluffy yarn in this box.

 

 

 

IMG_6402IMG_5840Even the oobleck was colored pink for this unit 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6134IMG_6409This fun water fountain toy was a HUGE hit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6676IMG_6657Our Creepy Crawly Critter unit was tied to the students curriculum unit on animal habitats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6699image4The “owl” feather boa tickled our students 🙂

IMG_6732                                                  They all like owls—-of course!

 

 

IMG_6671IMG_6673It doesn’t get any creepier than spiders!

IMG_6719We had a bunch—even one that vibrated when the string was pulled!!!

 

 

IMG_6669IMG_6714Our desert habitat had snakes and lizards to roam around in the sand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image1IMG_6684There was a GIANT water bug in our pond habitat!

IMG_6655                                                                             Now that is CREEPY!

 

 

IMG_6701IMG_6712Bats were cut out of black play dough—-great for counting fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6653IMG_6667The lights got turned off and the students got to check out some glowing bugs in a box.

IMG_7373                                                       Our light boxes are always popular.

 

 

 

IMG_6646IMG_6662The lights were kept off and a black light turned on to check out some glowing centipedes.

IMG_6681                                                                               This was a hit!

 

 

 

IMG_8751 (1)IMG_7670Our final theme of the month was Peter Pan. We had lots of magical fun with this unit.

image7                                                   The Captain Hook box was a huge hit!

 

 

image11 (1)IMG_0782There were lots of things to explore including an eye patch  and crocodile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7390image3We brought out kinetic sand again—–this time a vibrant green!

IMG_8747                                                                      The students loved it.

 

 

IMG_7392IMG_7656Black beans made for a perfect night sky complete with Wendy and stars to find.

IMG_7662                                    There was also a picture of Peter Pan hidden underneath.

 

 

image5image10Glitter was added to yellow play dough which made the stars cut from it really twinkle!

IMG_8717The different size cookie cutters enabled size comparisons.

 

 

IMG_8705IMG_8724The Mr. Smee box contained red and white items. They could be sorted by either texture or color.

IMG_8716                                                       The beads were also fun to shake and move.

 

 

IMG_7681A really fun box!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_8711IMG_8757The students loved the pixie dust discovery bottles.

IMG_8738                                                                                       And the mermaid lagoon!

 

 

IMG_8727IMG_8731Of course the highlight was our Fairy Hollow umbrella—-

IMG_7389                                                                   —–this was a HIT!

 

 

IMG_7386IMG_7691Truly one of the prettiest umbrellas we have put together.

 

 

image1                                                                          Just fabulous!

 

 

 

IMG_6686IMG_6714What a fantastic jam packed month—–filled with fun and learning, Group by Group!

Peter Pan book

Peter Pan book

IMG_7127We are so excited about the book for this week!  We got help from a few of our students who dressed up as different characters from Peter Pan.  They all got to pose in front of an AMAZING background painted by our art teacher, Judy, and some of the students in her classes.

We also had huge help with costumes from Ms. Lois and Ms. Michelle. This book is so colorful and the pictures are just so beautiful!  Some of our wheelchair-bound students posed as Peter Pan and Tinker Bell and they look like they’re flying across the scenery.

This is definitely a book you’ll want to see!

 

 

 

IMG_7227Here is a link to the book: Let’s Go To Neverland!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7300IMG_7301Here are some photos of our students preparing the backdrop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_3759IMG_3760There was LOTS of painting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7302                                                          They did a really awesome job!

Peter Pan

Peter Pan

IMG_7292We had so much fun preparing for this week’s theme which was filled with fun and lots of pixie dust :).

Our sensory groups explored boxes related to the various characters seen in the Peter Pan story. The fine motor groups both used glitter to complete their art projects and the language group dressed like lost boys while playing Follow the Leader! All of the groups had so much fun seeing their friends dressed as characters in the book.

 

 

 

SENSORY GROUP

IMG_6742IMG_7023The color GREEN is all over the Peter Pan story—-from Tinker Bell and Peter Pan’s clothing to that enormous crocodile! Even Neverland itself is mostly green! With all that green, we had to include a box of this fabulous green kinetic sand. Kinetic sand is always pretty irresistible but with this bright color—-it was even more so!!! There was a letter “P” cookie cutter included in this box but most of us just enjoyed watching it dribble through our fingers.

Identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.

 

 

 

IMG_7150IMG_6953We made a night sky for our little Wendy to fly through and included a couple of stars to count. There was also a picture of Peter Pan himself to find at the bottom of the box. The students really enjoyed running their hands through the beans—-a completely different texture compared to the kinetic sand!

The math access points recognize differences in size of objects and associate quantities with number names can be addressed here.

 

 

 

IMG_6859IMG_7149This Captain Hook box was filled with fun. There was treasure to find as well as some “piratey” stuff—-like a hook, an eye patch, and spy glass. There were also Captain Hook and crocodile figurines!  We even put in a toy clock—–the students had a blast!

IMG_6971Recognize a model of a real object is a science access point.

 

 

 

IMG_6793The Mr. Smee box contained red and white pompoms and beads for sorting fun. The items could be sorted by color or texture. As usual, the beads proved to be very popular.

Match objects with similar observable properties, such as size, shape, color, or texture is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7113IMG_7147These pixie dust bottles were just fabulous and VERY eye catching. The students loved watching the the glitter swirl around!

IMG_6993Recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move can be addressed in this activity.

 

 

 

IMG_6956IMG_7124Peter Pan told Wendy to “fly to the second star to the right and then straight on ’til morning”. We mixed our yellow play dough with lots of gold glitter for a perfect sparkle!

IMG_6749With the included 2 cookie cutters, the math access point recognize differences in size of objects is addressed.

 

 

 

IMG_7009IMG_6990Our mermaid lagoon, scented with plumeria scented bath gel from Bath and Bodyworks, had a cute little mermaid and a water lily with an extra special feature—-it lit up! The students had lots of splashy fun with this activity and were especially fascinated by the lighted flower.

IMG_6962Recognize sources of light is a science access point.

 

 

 

IMG_7214The students really liked the scent we chose this week. We chose plumeria as a nod to Princess Tiger Lily—-it was the closest scent we had to lilies so we went with it 🙂

It was perfect for rubbing on hands, arms, ……..and the back of a neck!

Recognize and respond to one type of sensory stimuli is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7169IMG_6947We finished our group by turning off the lights and bringing out our fairy umbrella. This was a huge hit—-the students loved seeing all the twinkling “fairies” hidden among the flowers. Of course, we included a little Tinker Bell figure to fly around with her friends.

IMG_6938This is probably the prettiest umbrella we have ever made—–just magical!

 

 

 

FINE MOTOR GROUP

On Tuesday our students turned into little pirates! We used this template: hook template to cut hooks out of poster board and taped them to large craft sticks.

IMG_6867IMG_6887We squeezed glue onto the hooks and used a sponge brush to spread the glue around on both sides. This was a great activity for working on bilateral coordination.

This also addresses the science access point recognize pushing and pulling an object makes it move.

 

 

 

IMG_6880IMG_6890Next we sprinkled on some silver glitter. Lots of glitter ended up on the bottom of our tray, so the students could also dip their “hooks” into that as well.

IMG_6902Recognize a change in an object is a science access point.

 

 

 

IMG_6912IMG_6873The hooks were slipped into some paper cups and……Ta Da——Captain Hook at your service!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Wednesday our fine motor group made their own pixie dust bottles!

IMG_7065IMG_7032First the students chose which color glitter glue they wanted to use for their bottles. Then they deposited the glue into their bottles—–squeezing the bottle 3 times.

Associate quantities with number names is a math access point.

 

 

 

 

IMG_7056Then they got to add some regular glitter—either silver or gold to their bottle. To make things easier we used a funnel. We did help the students a little bit with this part, to make sure they didn’t dump the entire container into the bottle—-kids will be kids, after all 🙂

The science access point track objects in motion can be addressed as the students watch the glitter fall.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7051Warm water was added next. A 1 cup scoop was used for the water and after each scoop we asked the students if they needed “more”. When we got to the top of the bottle we discussed that we had added “enough”. Occasionally we also got to discuss the concept of “too much” 🙂

Solve problems involving small quantities of objects or actions using language, such as enough, too much, or more is a math access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7085IMG_7075After an adult hot glued the lids back onto their bottles we asked the students to shake everything up—-then TA DA!

Can you feel the magic?!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

LANGUAGE GROUP

Following the leader was the name of the game in the language group this week and it was so much fun!

IMG_7232IMG_7239First we brought out a variety of animal hats and let the students choose which one they wanted to wear. We also used a Peter Pan hat to let them take turns being the leader.  The rest of the group wore their different animal hats and headbands to dress up like the Lost Boys (and Girls).

IMG_7251We put on the song “Following the Leader” from the Peter Pan cartoon and set off!

 

 

 

IMG_7248IMG_7278Whoever was the leader had to lead the rest of the group OVER the stepping stones, THROUGH the cones, AROUND the tables, and UNDER the swing.

IMG_7267Recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship is a math access point.

 

 

 

IMG_7288IMG_7230Each of our students got to take a turn as the leader and they all got to be a variety of different animals as the Lost Boys and Girls.

SO FUN!

Join us again next time for more fun and learning—–Group by Group!

Creepy, Crawly Critters book

Creepy, Crawly Critters book

IMG_6175We are talking about creepy, crawly critters and their habitats this week, which goes along with the Unique theme for the month.  We came up with lots of different animals and insects that we think are pretty creepy and/or crawly and found out that they can live in so many different places.  When reading the book, we pointed out the animals and insects that we see outside of our school, like lizards and spiders.  We turned the lights off while reading this book to add to the creeeeeepiness.  Enjoy!!

 

 

 

IMG_5885Here is a link to the book: Creepy, Crawly Critters

Creepy Crawly Critters

Creepy Crawly Critters

IMG_6169Many of our students are learning about animal habitats with their Unique Curriculum unit this month. Since it is October which has us thinking about things that bump in the night, a creepy crawly critters theme seemed like the perfect complement ! Our sensory groups explored boxes related to different animals. The fine motor groups painted their animal themed art projects using unusual tools and the language group went on a creepy, crawly critter hunt—-read along to see all the fun we had!

 

 

 

SENSORY GROUP

IMG_6172IMG_6290Spiders—-well those are some pretty creepy crawlies and we put an assortment in this box! One of the spiders scuttled across the table after a string was pulled, which of course elicited a few nervous giggles—-from both students AND staff 🙂 We also included a discovery bottle with some floaty spiders that wiggled up and down as the bottle was turned.

IMG_5902Track objects in motion is a science access point.

 

 

 

IMG_5865IMG_6152This little desert habitat was home to some snakes and lizards. There were 3 of each for sorting and counting. The students also had fun sliding them around making paths in the sand.

Solve simple problems involving joining or separating sets of objects to 3 is a math access point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6299IMG_6158Owls aren’t really creepy but their hoots can give you a little shiver if you are out in the woods at night so we went ahead and included them. We put in our fabulous “owl” feather boa and a super cute, totally NOT creepy plush owl.

Recognize a model of a real object is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6307IMG_6292Put some battery operated lights and black paper shred in a box——it looks just like lots of little bug eyes staring back at you! Light boxes are always a hit with our students and this was no exception. Pretty cool—-if we do say so ourselves 🙂

IMG_5862                                    Recognize sources of light is a science access point.

 

 

 

IMG_5911IMG_5939We brought back our black play dough from a couple of weeks ago but this time our students used a bat cookie cutter to make the classic creepy night critter.

IMG_6300The science access point recognize a change in an object is addressed here.

 

 

 

IMG_6304IMG_5859A black light helped make both our oobleck and the 3 centipedes crawling around in it GLOW! While we couldn’t make the classroom completely dark the effect was still—–WAY COOL!

Associate quantities with number names is a math access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6301IMG_6209There was an ENORMOUS water beetle to find in our “pond” this week. Our students quite enjoyed checking out this really big bug! The water was scented with  Bath and Bodyworks twilight woods scented bath gel which seemed like the appropriate scent for this unit 🙂

The science access point match common living things with their habitats can be addressed here.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6220IMG_6229The matching lotion was a hit. The students liked the scent and, as usual, we asked them if they “wanted” some and “where” they wanted it applied—-hands, arms, neck, noses, or toes 🙂

Recognize one or more external body parts is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINE MOTOR GROUP

IMG_5992We made spider webs using marbles on Tuesday! First we counted out 3 marbles into a cup of white paint and asked our students to show us the number 3 using communication symbols.

The math access point associate quantities with number names is addressed here.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6015IMG_5998Then the students scooped out the marbles and dropped them onto a piece of black paper that was placed inside a lidded box. Of course the shapes of the paper and marbles were also discussed!

IMG_6051Recognize an object with a two-dimensional shape and recognize common three-dimensional shape are math access points.

 

 

 

IMG_6007IMG_6002We closed the lid and started shaking the box! The students REALLY had fun with this part 🙂

Recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move and track objects in motion are science access points addressed in this step.

IMG_6040After the lid was taken off it was pretty exciting to see how it turned out!

 

 

 

IMG_6034IMG_6021We removed the marbles and the students glued fuzzy pom pom spiders onto their webs—–great for practicing pincer grasps!

This was another opportunity to address the science access point match animals to their habitats.

 

 

 

 

IMG_6003IMG_6014TA DA—–

IMG_6061                                                         ——–such creepy crawly spiders 🙂

 

 

 

On Thursday we painted with SPRAY BOTTLES!

IMG_6242We started by discussing the color of the paint we were going to use and asked the students to identify it using communication symbols.

Identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6246IMG_6252The students dropped this rat stencil(made with: rat template) onto a piece of black paper and began spraying! They had so much fun with this and really did a great job of spraying onto the paper and NOT the floor or their friends 🙂

IMG_6264Recognize a change in an object is a science access point.

 

 

 

IMG_6276IMG_6278Ta ratty Da!

IMG_6255                                                              Pretty cute—-for a rodent 🙂

 

 

LANGUAGE GROUP

For the language group this week, we went on a creepy, crawly critter hunt.  While the students were out of the room, we hid 6 different animals and insects from our book all around the room.

IMG_6359We turned off the lights to read the book and kept them off so we could use a flashlight to find the critters.  We had real pictures of each of the critters hidden around the room, so one-by-one, we LOOKED for each of them.

Recognize sources of light is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_6326IMG_6390If the students needed clues, they had to request HELP and we would give them a clue about where the critter might be.

IMG_6348For example, for the centipede on the refridgerator, we said “it’s where we go to get COLD food and drinks” or for the owl we said “it’s somewhere UP HIGH”.

Seek assistance to clarify the meaning of pictures, symbols, gestures/signs, or words in classroom activities with prompting is a language access point.

 

 

IMG_6371IMG_6394Once our students located the critter, we caught it and let each of our friends look at it and feel it.

We counted all the critters we found at the end to make sure that we had the SAME number of real critters and pictures of critters.

We did it!  The classroom is once again critter-free thanks to our critter catchers 🙂

 

 

IMG_6287Join us again next week for more fun and learning——Group by Group!

Plants book

Plants book

IMG_9697Spring is in the air as plants and flowers are in full bloom—–at least down here in Florida, they are 🙂  Our book specifically tells how flowers grow and worked as a step by step guide for our language group activity.  We are loving all of the beautiful colors that we get to see each day because of the flowers that are in bloom!  Now if only this pollen would go away…

 

 

 

 

IMG_9782Here is a link to the book: This is How Flowers Grow

Plants

Plants

IMG_9471Spring has sprung and since many of our teachers are busy planting gardens with their students we decided that a unit on plants would be the perfect theme for this week! Our sensory group boxes were filled with plants and plant like materials. The fine motor group made beautiful floral art projects and the language group planted some REAL flowers!

 

 

 

 

SENSORY GROUP

IMG_9611IMG_9759Lots of different things to discover in this box which was filled with play food fruits, vegetables, and flowers. We also put in some picture cards and toy animals—all plant eaters of course! A piece of fabric was included because the cotton plant was used to MAKE that fabric!

IMG_9464Recognize a model of a real object is the science access point addressed here. The science access point recognize objects related to science by name such as plant or animal is also addressed.

 

 

 

IMG_9723The students really had fun planting seeds (dry beans) and growing carrots (play food) in our coffee ground dirt. There was also a letter G for “grow” and “garden” and hidden at the bottom of the box was a picture of a cute little groundhog…..ok, so perhaps leftover from a previous unit BUT he is a plant eater after all 🙂

The science access point recognize that plants grow is a science access point explored here.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9554The different parts of plants can be explored in this fun and colorful box filled with silk flowers and leaves.

The science access point recognize the leaf and flower of a plant is addressed with this activity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9733IMG_9563We made this pretty pink batch of play dough using koolaid and we really liked the way it turned out! The students had a choice of 2 different flower cookie cutters which allowed for the opportunity to discuss concepts of “same” and “different.

Not only can the flowers be counted, but the science access point. apply a push to move an object is also addressed.

 

 

 

IMG_9458IMG_9512Plant seeds are food sources for many animals such as birds. We filled this box with bird seed and put 3 little birds in it for the students to find. The bird seed had an amazing tactile feel on buried hands—-super cool!

IMG_9602In addition to visual and tactile discrimination, the math access point associate quantities with number names is addressed.

 

 

 

IMG_9726IMG_9558Our green oobleck represents chlorophyll which is the green coloring in plants. We used sour apple koolaid which made it such a pretty color gave it a very enticing aroma!

The science access point recognize the change in motion of an object is addressed here.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9502We put some cool LIGHTED flowers in our water play this week (thanks Ms. Kim). There was also a little watering can included so the students could water them—-such fun!

Recognize that plants need water is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9541We finished the group with Bath and Body works plumeria scented lotion and the matching bath gel was used in our water play. This floral plumeria scent was very aromatic, a perfect fit for our plant theme this week and a great way to help us remember all the fun we had.

Recognize and respond to one type of sensory stimuli is the science access point addressed here.

 

 

 

 

 

FINE MOTOR GROUP

IMG_9633On Tuesday the science access point identify the major parts of a plant such as the root, stem, leaf, and flower with our art project.

First we used the paper cutter to cut out the green stems. Our students are getting so good at this!

This addresses the science access point recognize a change in an object.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9645IMG_9665Then we assembled the flower by asking the students to place the pre-labled (thank you Dana and Olivia) pieces on the designated places using glue as a visual cue. Our students are still practicing this skill but they are getting better at it! We discussed that the flower went on TOP of the stem, the roots at the BOTTOM, and that there were 2 leaves.

IMG_9684The math access point match one object to a designated space to show one-to-one correspondence is addressed here.

 

 

 

IMG_9689IMG_9718TA DA—-fabulous floral specimens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Thursday we made a fun torn paper art project!

IMG_9865We started by choosing which flower (cut from the Ellison machine) to decorate.

Communicate a preference for objects is a language access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9901Then the students chose pieces of tissue paper to tear, crumple, and glue onto their flowers.

In addition to promoting bilateral coordination, the science access point recognize a change in an object is addressed in this activity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9878IMG_9892The flowers look fabulous—–especially with the addition of the students cute little faces 🙂

IMG_9946                                                                                 Ta DA!!!!

 

 

 

LANGUAGE GROUP

IMG_9812The weather was beautiful when we went outside and planted some flowers during our language group. We started by showing our students the flowers we were going to plant and they took turns smelling them.

Explore, observe, and recognize common objects in the natural world through observation is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9792IMG_9803Each of our students got to take a turn planting their own flower and we worked through the steps with them—starting with digging a hole.  Typically, a spade is used.  But since we couldn’t find ours, we improvised and used a spoon 🙂

This is a great opportunity to address the science access point distinguish examples of soil from other substances.

 

 

 

 

IMG_9788Next, we took the flower and planted it in the hole.

As the soil is pushed back around the roots, the science access point recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move.

Recognize common objects related to science by name, such as plant is another science access point addressed.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9809Once the flowers were planted, we watered them and  discussed the fact that water was a liquid.   Then we watched as the soil soaked up the water.

Recognize that plants need water is a science access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_9831Finally, our nice little garden was finished!  Our gardeners were pretty proud of themselves and we were proud of them too!

Happy Spring!!!!

Join us again next time for more fun and learning—–Group by Group!

Native Americans book

Native Americans book

IMG_4713We are following the Unique theme this week and focusing on learning about Native Americans.  All of the pictures (found using google images) and information relate to Native Americans from long ago.  On each page there is a piece of information about Native Americans.  After the information is read to the students, we asked them, “what are we learning about?”  The repetitive line answers, “The life of a Native American.”  We hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

IMG_4535Here is a link to the book: The Life of a Native American

Native Americans

Native Americans

IMG_5080Some of our students are learning about Native Americans as part of their Unique Curriculum unit this month. We did a Native American unit a couple of years ago so figured it would be fun to revisit the activities with a few updates here and there. There were some fantastic boxes for our sensory group to explore while they learned some fun facts about Native Americans. Our fine motor group made drums and an awesome totem pole. The language group made comparisons between Native American lives in the past and what lives are like today.

 

 

 

SENSORY GROUP

IMG_4525This box was filled with items important for many tribes. Corn was an important food source for  the Apalachee and Ponca tribes so corn kernels were a perfect base for this box. This was a “something for everyone” box with lots of fun things to discover.

We  included other play food such as a corn cob, squash and fish—-types of food many tribes enjoyed. Strands of raffia represented “swamp grass” which the Chinook used to make baskets.

Animals like sheep, which the Navaho raised and horses that the Comanche rode could be found hidden in the kernels. Sioux and Arapaho lived in tipis like the one in our box! Finally we included the word “Family”.

IMG_4779The social studies access points recognize differences in food or clothing from other cultures is addressed with this box and recognize a characteristic of early Native Americans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4553The Sioux, Omaha, Comanchee, and Arapaho tribes are known for wearing feathers.  We filled this box with variety of feathers of all shapes and sizes.  Full of ticklish fun, while a little messy—-feathers ended up everywhere—–this really was a great box for our students 🙂

The feathers have a wonderful tactile feel but they are also fun to toss up and watch drift down addressed the science access point track objects in motion.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4547IMG_4584We had an awesome jam session listening to some Native American music we recorded on the voice output device. Even some of our students who often need help to press the switches responded to the music—-we were pretty excited! Our students also enjoyed making their own music with shaker bottles  made with acorns which the Yokuts ate and beads used by the Wampanoag, Cherokee, and Kiowa tribes.

The science access point recognize and respond to common sounds was addressed here.

 

 

IMG_4769The Pueblo play dough was made using Black Cherry and Orange koolaid. We thought the color turned out pretty perfect! Whether trying to make their own “pots” like the famous Pueblo pottery or using the deer cookie cutter—-the students had a great time exploring!

The math access point associate quantities with number names can be addressed as the deer are counted.

The science access point apply a push to move an object is also addressed.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4761The Zuni are famous for their beautiful turquoise jewelry. We thought our box of turquoise beans looked pretty beautiful also! Neon blue food coloring was used to achieve the color and while it is a great effect, get ready for some “blue” fingers!

Besides the wonderful feel as they sift through fingers, there were also 4 letter Z’s to find hidden among the beans.

Track objects in motion is a science access point that can be addressed here.

IMG_4795Of course that can be hard to do when your teacher is distracting you with kisses 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4620IMG_4588Buffalo and deer were very important to many Native American tribes. The Comanchee hunted buffalo and the Arapaho wore buckskin clothing. This box contained some fake fur “buffalo” hide and ultra suede “buckskin” invited touch. We also included some matching beanie babies for our students to cuddle.

IMG_4622The social studies access point identify practices of Native American is addressed again here.

 

 

IMG_4839IMG_4634Many Native Americans gathered around campfires to celebrate special occasions. Our campfire was made by mixing yellow and red food coloring with shaving cream to make orange campfire “flames”.

As always, our messy play was a huge hit 🙂

Looking at how the shaving cream changes as the colors are mixed addresses the science access point of recognizing that the appearance of an object or material has changed.

 

IMG_4570We thought that juniper breeze scent from Bath and Body works was the perfect scent to represent the importance of nature to Native Americans. All the shaving cream we used was rinsed off with water scented with this nice outdoorsy aroma—–perfect.

Two different sized measuring cups were added to the water dish. They were great for rinsing and addressing the science access point recognize differences in sizes of containers that hold liquids!

 

 

 

 

 

FINE MOTOR GROUP

IMG_4663On Tuesday after listening to some Native American drum music we made our own really cool drums! We started by cutting 2 squares into 4 triangles using our paper cutter.

Recognize common objects with 2 dimensional shapes and recognize parts of whole objects are math access points that can be addressed here.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4696Then we glued them onto a piece of rectangular paper. We started with a blue triangle then placed a red one.

Next we asked our students which color came next in the pattern—–this addresses the math access point recognize the next step in a simple pattern or sequence of activities!

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4716IMG_4718After the paper was taped around a coffee can it was time for our drum circle! We put on some Native American music and the students joined in. IMG_4731                                                       They LOVED making their own music——so much fun!!!

 

 

IMG_5019On Thursday we made a super awesome totem pole! We covered some cereal boxes with art paper and let our students choose which box they wanted to decorate.

Use body movement or nonverbal expression to communicate preferences is a language access point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5025Then we discussed body parts and asked the students to point out their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

Recognize one or more body parts is a science access point.

We also counted the pieces—–1 nose and 1 mouth, 2 eyes and 2 ears. The students used communication symbols to indicate their understanding of associate quantities 1 and 2 with number names.

They totally rocked this—–our students are so awesome!

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5062IMG_5073Our wonderful volunteers had made a selection of stylized facial features for our students to choose from to decorate their totems. We placed glue on the boxes to reinforce the concept of one to one correspondence and eye hand coordination.

Match one object to a designated space to show one to one correspondence is a math access point.

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5100TA DA!!! Our students were so excited about their totems and they loved when we stacked—–while counting, of course 🙂  them on top of each other to made a totem pole.

IMG_5106This is going to look SOOOO cool outside Jeannie’s classroom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LANGUAGE GROUP

IMG_4924This week was all about comprehension for our language group.  Before reading the book, we reminded our students to pay close attention to what was being read.  We also reminded them to look closely at the pictures included.

After the book, we went around and asked our students a yes/no question, one-by-one.  We printed out the pictures that were included in the book, along with modern items seen today that would contrast things Native Americans might have used a long time ago.  For instance, with the canoe we put a car, with the headdress we put a baseball cap, with the breechcloth we put jeans, etc.

Use technology resources to support learning is a language access point.

 

IMG_4940We presented one picture at a time to each student and asked if it was something a Native American from long ago would have used.  They had to indicate YES or NO using a pre-programmed voice output device with the Boardmaker symbols for yes/no located on it.  If they answered incorrectly, we referenced the book to check our answers.

Listen and respond to stories and information text is a language access point.

 

 

IMG_4972IMG_4959After the comprehension check, we got the voice output used in the sensory group with Native American music on it and turned it on.  We passed out the shakers used in the sensory group as well as drums and bells.

IMG_4991                                                      Our students played along to the music——so much fun!

 

It was another great week of fun and learning—–join us again Group by Group!

September After Party

September After Party

IMG_3773Welcome to the After Party! Each week after the weekly blog featuring activities in the elementary department is posted, our sensory cart is parked in the media center where it is available for check out by the rest of the school. During the summer in our post about the sensory cart we included some photos of our middle and high school students enjoying the items. This was so popular that we decided to do monthly posts showcasing the fun!

 

 

 

IMG_2055IMG_2076Our unit on the Soccer World Cup was a lot of fun—– the fabulous Brazilian rainforest umbrella and the wacky fan were student favorites!

photo

 

IMG_2244IMG_2156They also loved sifting through the red, white, and blue Team USA rice to find letters and hidden pictures!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_2951 IMG_2315Labor Day brought more fun activities!

IMG_3017

 

 

 

IMG_3756IMG_3111The Goldilocks and the 3 Bears unit had lots of fun textures to explore!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_3107IMG_3751There were also activities to promote a variety of fine motor skills…….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_3732……including seeing which scoop could pick up more oatmeal……

IMG_3109                                                 ……and which numbers could be found in the rice.

 

 

 

IMG_0597IMG_4466Everyone had a blast celebrating Elephant Appreciation Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4468There were interesting textures to explore while working on learning access point science and math concepts.

IMG_4476The students also loved finding the elephants floating in our discovery bottles!

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4491We finished September with our Comic Book Superhero unit which everyone enjoyed——especially the cool glowing Ninja turtle ooze!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_4508As with our elementary students, our older students enjoy smelling the different lotions that go along with each unit—-think we have a winner here 🙂

Well, we hope you enjoyed seeing all the fun our older students have been having with the sensory cart! We will be back with another After Party post in October. As usual, it will be filled with more fun and learning—–Group by Group!