We are following the Unique theme for this week and talking about peacekeepers. We looked up several peacekeepers who won the Nobel Peace Prize, like MLK, Betty Williams, and Nelson Mandela. We have students on the front and back who helped us celebrate these amazing peacekeepers. Take a look!
Here is a link to the book: There Are Many Peacekeepers
We learned about Nobel Prize winners this week. This complements our student’s Unique Curriculum unit this month. The sensory group explored boxes with a variety of themes. The fine motor group made peace symbols and the language group made Peace Pizza!
SENSORY GROUP
The Nobel Prize is made out of gold. A circle cookie cutter matched the shape of the medal and our gold kinetic sand moves like molten gold!
Our students love this stuff—-and so do we!
Math access point: recognize objects with two-dimensional shapes, such as a circle.
Students loved twisting chenille stems into rainbows, peace symbols, or their own original designs.
Soft, bendable, bright, colorful—-a definite hit!
Science access point: recognize that pushing or pulling an object makes it move.
Rainbow rice represented the Rainbow Nation of Nelson Mandela. The colorful rice was very eye catching and there were different sized spoons and cups for scooping fun.
Math access point: recognize similarities and differences in size of objects.
Malala, the youngest prize winner, is from the country of Pakistan. We learned that they drink green tea there, so we filled her box with some green tea leaves.
This was the first time we have used this tea and our students found the aroma and texture of the tea very interesting. There was a scoop, small pot, and a picture of Malala in the box.
Math access point: recognize when an object is added to or taken away from a situation.
Students sorted red and white pompoms—–the colors of the Polish flag. Lech Walesa, another Nobel Prize winner, came from Poland.
Math access point: identify items that belong together to form a set.
The students were encouraged to draw circles—like a peace sign or Nobel Prize medal—in shaving cream.
Of course, most of them simply enjoyed the experience!
Science access point: apply a push to move an object.
Then again, some of them were a little more tentative 🙂
There were foam letters forming the word P E A C E in this week’s water play.
There were also a selection of funnels and scoops for pouring
Math access point: recognize differences in sizes of containers that hold liquids.
Martin Luther King came from our neighboring state of Georgia. We chose Georgia peach as our scent and the students really liked the sweet aroma.
Science access point: recognize one or more external body parts.
FINE MOTOR GROUP
On Wednesday we made a Claddagh picture in honor of Irish Nobel Prize winner Betty Williams.
First, we discussed the shape of our paper and identified it using communication symbols.
Math access point: recognize objects with two-dimensional shapes.
The students glued a heart in the MIDDLE of the paper.
Next, they glued a crown at the TOP of the heart.
Math access point: recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship.
Then, the students got to pick what paint they wanted to use.
Science access point: identify objects by one observable property, such as color.
We squeezed a little paint into the students’ hands and asked them to rub them together to spread the paint around. Ms. Michelle and Ms. Joi came up with the idea of putting paint in old soap containers—-brilliant!
Science access point: recognize one or more external body parts.
Their picture was taped to an old oatmeal container which we handed to them, asking them to “squeeze it tight”.
Science access point: apply a push to move an object.
TA DA!!!!!!!!!
An Irish symbol of peace,
loyalty, and love.
On Thursday, the students made a peace sign symbol using this template: peace sign
First, the students identified the color of their background paper. We chose this color because we had a lot of it and wanted to use it up 🙂
Science access point: identify objects by one observable property, such as color.
Then, the students chose a marker and began decorating their peace sign.
Science access point: recognize a change in the appearance of an object.
They also used craft foam stamps and ink to decorate the peace sign. We attached the stamps to plastic thread spools to make them easier to grasp.
Math access point: recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship, such as up and down.
The peace signs were glued to the background paper and——–TA DA!!
We thank the PEACEKEEPERS!
LANGUAGE GROUP
We made a yummy peace pizza for this week’s language group. Here is the recipe that we used: Let’s Make A Peace Pizza
We started by talking about the shape of the pizza pan. We observed that the pan we were using was a circle and the pan in the picture on the book was a rectangle. Those shapes are DIFFERENT.
Math access point: recognize objects with two-dimensional shapes, such as a circle.
We had a student HELP open the Boboli pizza crust and PUT it on the pan.
Next, a couple of our students HELPed PUT pizza sauce on top. We had to SPREAD it out so that it covered the top of the pizza crust.
Science access point: apply a push to move an object.
Our students got to HELP SPRINKLE some cheese, making sure that it also covered the top.
Math access point: solve problems involving small quantities of objects or actions using language, such as enough, too much, or more.
Finally, we had one of our students HELP PUT the pepperoni into the shape of a peace symbol.
He did a great job!
Once the pizza was ready, we talked about where we would PUT it so that it could heat up. Students located OVEN on their boards. After the pizza was done cooking, we talked about how it was HOT.
After it cooled off a bit it was time to EAT!!!!
We cut the pizza and everyone shared it, just like peacekeepers!
Yum!!!
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We learned a lot of fun facts about the month of December this week. There is actually more to the month besides holidays! Our sensory groups explored boxes related to symbols and events related to the month. The fine motor groups painted fabulous art projects and the language group made delicious hot chocolate—-YUM!
SENSORY GROUP
Each month has a special “birthstone” and the one for December is turquoise. The students searched for both upper and lower case “D”s in our box of turquoise beans. Beans are always a hit with our students but when they are this beautiful color they are even more enticing 🙂
The science access point match objects with similar observable properties, such as shape, can be addressed here.
The flower for the month is the narcissus. In this box we mixed green holly with white silk “narcissus” petals—–actually, they’re white poinsettias from the dollar store, but we think they totally worked! In addition to sorting by color, there were textures to compare.
Identify objects by one observable property, such as color is a science access point.
The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded during the month of December—–how cool is that! In honor of everyone’s hope for peace around the world we added a big peace symbol to our blue and green rice. Underneath there was a picture of our world as viewed from space.
Apply a push to move an object is a science access point addressed in this activity.
This box contained lots of different symbols of December. There were a variety of items representing the holidays of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas. A mountain goat was included to represent capricorn—-one of the zodiac signs that fall during the month. Since many people visit FRIENDS and FAMILY during this month, we added those words to the box as well.
Some of the toys made noise and these were a HUGE hit!
Recognize an object related to an event is a social studies access point.
There were also some fun Christmas tree glasses and as usual, our students totally rocked them 🙂
Too cute!
National Chocolate Candy Day falls during this month—-how sweet is that, LITERALLY 🙂 We made some delicious smelling chocolate play dough that could be cut into little candy pieces with a cookie cutter.
Recognize that the appearance of an object or material has changed is a science access point.
The Wright brothers made their first flight on December 17, 1903. While they didn’t quite make it up into the clouds that day, our little plane is flying around some shaving cream clouds in celebration of that historic day!
Apply a push to move an object is a science access point.
Hands were rinsed in water scented with Bath and Bodyworks winter candy apple scent. There were 2 different size scoops and a giant foam “D”.
Recognize differences in sizes of containers that hold liquids.
The students really liked the matching lotion! Asking if they “liked” the scent and “where” they wanted it was a great opportunity to practice communication skills.
FINE MOTOR GROUP
On Tuesday the students made a poinsettia craft in celebration of national poinsettia day which occurs on December 12. We used this:pointsettia template
We started by discussing the color of the paint we were going to use and the students used communication symbols to show us the color RED!
The science access point identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is addressed here.
Bubble wrap was tied with a rubber band around a kitchen scrubber and the students used that to apply the paint to their flowers. We emphasized that we were stamping “up” and “down”. Of course, they all had their own techniques 🙂
Recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship, such as up and down is a math access point.
After the students finished painting we taped their flowers to a large craft stick and TA DA——
——-pretty poinsettias!
On Wednesday the students painted a peace symbol in honor of the Nobel Peace Prize. We found this idea at kiwicrate.com
We started by discussing the paint colors we were going to use—–BLUE and GREEN. Again the students used communication symbols to identify the colors.
Identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.
Before we started painting, we also discussed the shape of our plates and that the painters tape that had been placed on the paint was called a “peace symbol”. Then we squirted paint onto their plates and the students got to work!
Recognize an object with a 2-dimensional shape is a math access point.
After they had finished painting, they got to peel the tape off their plates—–they really had fun with this part 🙂 It was also a great way to practice pincer grasps.
Recognize a change in an object is a science access point.
Sending wishes for…….
…….PEACE!!!!!
LANGUAGE GROUP
Our language group made a tasty December treat—–hot chocolate!
We started by opening 2 packages of hot chocolate mix, making sure that we counted each package, and pouring them INTO a bowl. This was a great activity for practicing pincer grasps!
Then we added 2 cups of water and began stirring it into the chocolate powder. After each student took their turn we would ask them if we needed to stir MORE or if we were ALL DONE.
The math access point indicate desire for more of an action or object is a math access point.
We set the microwave for 1 minute. After we took it out we asked the students to touch the bowl—it was WARM!
To make the hot chocolate even yummier we gave the students a choice between toppings—–marshmallows or whipped cream!
Time to drink up——-YUM 🙂
Join us again next time for more fun and learning——–Group by Group!