Happy New Year! We welcomed 2017 with a fun New Year’s theme. Our sensory groups explored boxes related to New Year’s celebrations. The fine motor group (we only had one because it was a short week) painted fireworks and the language group made some lucky New Year’s food!
SENSORY GROUP
Celebrating the New Year is all about the passing of time so we thought a “sands of time” box would be fun. Dry fluids are so mesmerizing as they are swirled around with fingers or drifting down from the sifter scoop.
Track a falling object is a science access point.
People often wear colorful beads while celebrating. As usual, this eye catching box of colorful beads was a hit with the students.
The science access point track objects in motion can be addressed here.
We recorded some firework sounds on a voice output device and added a couple of discovery bottles with beads and confetti——a total New Year’s Eve experience 🙂
The science access points track objects moving up and down; and apply a push to move an object are addressed here.
We put the numbers 2-0-1-7 for the students to find in a box of dried black eyed peas. Here in the south, black eyed peas are eaten for luck on New Year’s Day!
Associate quantities with number names is a math access point.
We included a light box this week to represent all the colorful lights and fireworks associated with New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Needless to say, the students really loved this box!
Recognize a source of light energy is a science access point.
More color was found in our shaving cream messy play——it was sprinkled with confetti this week! The students had a blast creating their own swirling patterns.
Very eye catching!
Recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move is a science access point.
Hands were rinsed in bubbly scented water from Philosophy. We had a couple of different sized scoops for the students to compare and contrast.
Recognize differences in sizes of containers that hold liquids is a math access point.
We found a Bath and Body Works lotion that was called Midnight so we HAD to use it for this theme 🙂 Whether rubbed on hands or necks, a great way to work on body part identification!
Recognize one or more external body parts is a science access point.
We finished by popping some firecrackers—–of the bubble wrap kind!
This is always a lot of fun and resulted in lots of smiles and giggles.
Vestibular, visual, and auditory input is provided in this activity which addresses the science access point recognize and respond to different sensory stimuli.
It also addresses the how to have FUN access point 🙂
FINE MOTOR GROUP
In keeping with our New Year’s theme, the fine motor group made fireworks pictures!
We started by discussing the color of our paper and then asked the students to identify the shape using communication symbols.
Recognize an object with a two-dimensional shape is a math access point.
Then the students stamped a colorful mixture of neon paints onto their paper. We emphasized stamping UP and DOWN.
We made our stamper by fringing then rolling up a piece of craft foam. It’s held in place with a rubber band.
Recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship, such as up and down is a math access point.
Glitter was added for added sparkle—-you know we never pass up the opportunity to add glitter to a project 🙂
The science access point recognize a change in an object is addressed here.
Ta DA!
                                   Colorful fireworks…….
The pictures looked pretty cool in regular lighting but the paint seemed to fade into the paper a little, so we brought out our blacklight.
WOW under blacklight——–let the oohs and ahhs begin!
LANGUAGE GROUP
This is going to be a new, fantastic year and we wanted to start it out by eating some foods that are considered lucky for the New Year.
We made 2 different things today for our lucky New Year’s snack. Here is a powerpoint with the recipes: lets-make-a-lucky-new-years-snack. Pixon communication symbols are used throughout the recipes so that our students could match the symbols on the book to their own symbols. The symbols used are some of the symbols that we use frequently.
First, we started by making some cornbread. Cornbread is supposed to symbolize gold because of its color. I’m sure none of us would mind finding some gold during this new year!
Our students helped count out the cupcake liners and we talked about the number 6.
Associate quantities with number names is a math access point.
Then we poured in the cornbread mix, an egg, and some milk.
Recognize when an object is added to a situation is a math access point.
Our students helped MIX up the ingredients. Then we put them in the oven to bake.
Recognize a change in an object is a science access point.
While the cornbread was baking, we started making our drink: Banana Grape Smoothies. In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, people eat 12 grapes–one for each month of the new year. It’s been said that sweet grapes are a sign of good months to have while sour grapes are a sign of not so great months. We made sure all of our grapes were super sweet!
We first felt the grapes and bananas that had been in the freezer.
They were COLD!!
The science access point distinguish between hot and cold objects can be addressed here.
We put those in the blender then added some grape juice, vanilla Greek yogurt, and some cinnamon. Our students helped PUT each of these ingredients into the bowls. Very tricky at times (grape juice!) 🙂
The science access point recognize when an object has been added to a situation is again addressed here.
Then they got to activate the blender using a switch–always a fun time.
Recognize that electrical systems must be turned on (closed) in order to work is a science access point.
Finally, when our cornbread was ALL DONE, our students got to eat some cornbread with grape jelly and drink their grape smoothie.
                              Cheers to a brand new year!!
We are so happy to be back and looking forward to a year of fun and learning——Group by Group!