We chose a holiday classic this week—-A Christmas Carol! The sensory groups explored boxes filled with texture and color. The fine motor groups put together some Dickens inspired art projects and the language group hosted a holiday party worthy of Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig!

 

 

 

 

 

 

SENSORY GROUP

As a nod to the setting of the story, English tea leaves filled this box.

 

 

 

 

 

There were 2 different sized letter C’s to find as well as 2 different sized spoons for scooping fun. At the bottom of the box was a picture of a holiday wreath.

Math access point: recognize differences in size of objects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Ebeneezer Scrooge was obsessed with his money, we filled this box with pure gold—of the mardi gras bead type that is 🙂

 

 

 

 

Bright and shiny—-fun to look at, wear, or shake!

Science access point: recognize and respond to different types of sensory stimuli.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were colorful chenille stems that could be linked like the chains Marley’s ghost carried around.

 

 

 

 

 

The students really loved twisting and winding the stems around each other.

Math access point: recognize when an object or material has been added to a situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Christmas box contained garland, plastic pine and holly sprigs, jingle bells, and a variety of other items associated with the season filled this box.

 

 

 

The blinking Rudolph nose and squeaky candy cane certainly brought some smiles!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the story, light fills the room when the ghost of Christmas past visits Ebeneezer. The students loved our light box which contained colorful lights and garland.

 

 

 

Whether the overhead lights were on or off it was still mesmerizing!

Science access point: recognize a source of light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red and green glitter was swirled around in fluffy snow white shaving cream.

 

 

 

 

The students made patterns, swirled it around, or just watched it ooze through their fingers!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students scooped up character (a santa and dapper penguin) foam balls in our water play this week.

 

 

 

 

There were also two different sized measuring cups and a strainer scoop

Science access point: track objects in motion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bath and Body Works sugar plum seemed the perfect scent to finish the group.

 

 

 

 

The sweet scent certainly transported us to merry old England and left our students smelling like delicious little sugar plums 🙂

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINE MOTOR GROUP

On Wednesday the students made their own Dicken’s village.

We pre-wrapped tissue boxes in colorful paper and let the students choose their house color.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students identified the shape of their box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Math access point: recognize an object with a two-dimensional shape.

 

 

 

 

 

The students also compared the size of their box to the size of the door—-which one was BIG and which one was LITTLE.

Math access point: recognize differences in size of objects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students glued 3 pre-cut windows and 1 door on to their houses.

Math access point: associate quantities with number names.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, they used bubble wrap to stamp snow on to the house and roof.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

The roof was added and….

 

 

 

 

 

 

………it’s a Dickens Village!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas from Merry Old England!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Thursday we made paper chains!

First, we identified the color of our paper.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, the students used paper cutters to cut strips of paper.

Science access point: recognize a change in the appearance of an object.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students used glue sticks to link the strips into circles, adding their strips together to make chains.

Math access point: recognize when an object is added to a situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we went around the table, our chain got bigger, and BIGGER!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Math access point: recognize when an object is added to a situation.

 

 

 

 

TA DA!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LANGUAGE GROUP 

We had a super fun Christmas Carol party this week for the language group!  We love to do these parties because it gets all of the different classes together to practice language and social skills—–and also for some fellowship and fun.

 

 

 

We started out with a Christmas parade around the elementary building.  Of course, we had Santa Claus leading the pack.  Some of our students dressed up as elves.

We all shook bells while walking.

Very festive 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once we made it all around, the party could start.  2 tables were set up that had drinks and snacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By each drink and snack were sentence strips that our students could use in order to request what they wanted.

Staff helped as needed so that the students would point to each symbol from left to right.

 

 

 

 

 

We had picture symbols for “thank you” as well.

 

 

 

 

 

A good time was had by all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, we had our backdrop for photos to be taken.  Students could choose what prop they wanted to wear or hold.

Super cute!!

 

 

 

Join us again next time for more fun and learning!

Happy Holidays from Group by Group!