Tag Archives: pirate

Let’s Go On An Adventure

Let’s Go On An Adventure

Our theme this week is a really fun one. The book features students dressed for a variety of adventures so be sure to check it out. The sensory groups explored boxes related to the different scenarios depicted in the book. The fine motor groups crafted some fun art projects and the language group went on an adventure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

SENSORY GROUP

With bright stars, planets, and a rocket ship, our outer space umbrella really let the students feel like they were in space!

 

 

 

 

 

Very eye catching!

Science access point: recognize a space related object.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joining the circus would be big adventure—-even more fun if you could be a clown!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wood shavings formed the base of this box and a rake to move them around to discover a clown picture at the bottom.

Science access point: apply a push to move an object.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colorful dinosaurs of different sizes roamed around in dinosaur eggs (turquoise beans).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students loved the feel of the beans running through their fingers

Math access point: recognize similarities and differences in size of objects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students searched for buried pirate treasure in black kinetic sand.

 

 

 

 

 

There were lots of coins to count!

Math access point: associate quantities with number names.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were lots of Safari themed items including a jeep, camera, compass, binoculars, and jungle animals to find and discover in this box.

 

 

 

 

We also included a voice output device with recordings of jungle animal sounds.

Our students TOTALLY rocked the sunglasses!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A toy Superman flew around shaving cream clouds in our messy play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soft and fluffy——- so much fun!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hands were rinsed in a small mermaid lagoon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also included a funnel and measuring cups for scooping fun.

Math access point: recognize differences in sizes of containers that hold liquids.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bath and Body Works ocean scent helped the students remember all the fun they had today.

 

 

 

 

 

Whether applied to arms, necks, or behind ears—-the students really loved the aroma!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINE MOTOR GROUP

On Tuesday, the students made super hero pictures using this template: super hero

First, the students identified the shape and color of our base paper.

Math access point: recognize objects with two-dimensional shapes.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, using tabletop or switch operated scissors, the students cut “buildings” from paper strips.

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

 

 

 

 

 

These pieces were glued down on to the base paper to make buildings.

Math access point: solve problems involving small quantities of objects or actions using language, such as enough, too much, or more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, they added a superhero to the scene.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TA DA!!! It’s a bird, it’s a plane,…………

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………..it’s a SUPERHERO!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

On Wednesday the students became Mer-people 🙂

First, they identified our paint colors. We used regular paint and some colorful glitter glue (thank you Ms. Judy!)

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, they used kitchen sponges covered with bubble wrap to stamp fish scales on giant tails! We reminded the students to stamp DOWN and UP.

 

 

Math access point: recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship, such as up and down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TA DA!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Say hello to our Mermaids and Mermen 🙂

Let’s go on an ocean adventure!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LANGUAGE GROUP

We went on our own adventure this week during the language group.  It was snow day at our school, so our language group had to figure out challenges in order to get to the snow.

We used these challenges on the way: Adventure Challenges

Our students were stopped several times and had to answer questions about the different adventures that were in our book.  They had a visual prompt to help them out.  For instance, the first question was “what does a knight ride on?  A horse or an elephant”.

 

 

 

If students had difficulty answering the question, they had to request HELP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, we made it to the snow!  Students got to feel the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

They had to indicate if it was COLD or HOT.

 

 

 

 

 

They also got to choose whether they wanted to ride on a sled or an inner tube to get down the hill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once they were at the bottom, they indicated whether they LIKED it or did NOT LIKE it.

It was a really fun adventure!

 

 

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

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Pirate Day book

Pirate Day book

Arg, mateys!  It be pirate week at me school.  Th’ book goes over th’ different thin’s seen wit’ a band ‘o pirates, like a trusty parrot, an eye patch, ‘n a ship.  Each ‘o th’ students got to speak like a scurvy pirate ‘n shout “ARG!”  They even got to wear some thin’s band ‘o pirates wear like a pirate hat, a scurvy pirate vest, ‘n a hook.  It was a ruckas in th’ seven seas fer our wee band ‘o pirates.  Heartly enjoy th’ book ‘n remember to speak like a pirate! ARG!

Here be a link to th’ book: I Can Talk Like a Pirate

(Help with translation from English to Pirate Talk was found at http://postlikeapirate.com/)

Pirates and the Letter D

Pirates and the Letter D

Our theme was Pirates for our Sensory and Fine Motor groups and our Language Group looked at the letter D. We had so much fun with the pirate theme and everyone got into the action—even Jeannie

UnknownOur own pirate queen 🙂

Sensory Group—Pirates

Unknown-2Ahoy matey’s there be pirates, arrgg 🙂 After reading Cara’s book we looked at our first box. It was filled with so much fun pirate stuff. We put in a bunch of “parrot” feathers,

an eye patch, hook, black pompoms, a shipwreck……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unknown-7(left from a long gone aquarium), spanish moss,

and a variety of pirate figures including

Winnie the Pooh!

And one more super cute picture

—-how could we possibly resist 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

pirate xX marks the spot in our moon sand!

The moon sand is quite dense and you have to press fairly hard to get an impression, work on hand intrinsic strengthening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

images-10A weighted ball made a great stand in for a cannon

ball (and was fairly close to life size). Lots of rope

on pirate ships so we had to add some of course!

Concepts of heavy and light were explored in this

box. This addresses math access points including

recognizing common 3 dimensional objects

(spheres) and comparing the weight of objects.

 

 

 

 

images-11We taped a treasure map and some gold coins to the bottom of this box then filled it with some black beans. This addresses cause/effect—as the beans are moved, the coins appear.

In addition, numeric concepts are addressed as the coins are counted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesWe continued to talk about the color black with our

pirate playdough. We used lots of black food

coloring to get the color right, then added some

sparkly pirate gold glitter. It was just so COOL

looking! Pressing the bone shaped cookie cutter

addresses hand strengthening.

 

 

 

images-8Treasure found (gold mardi gras beads)!  We found this old “treasure chest” that was perfect. The gold beads were so eye catching and so much fun to grab one— or a handful, arggg 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesWe put some tonic water and a little green food

coloring into our oobleck to make some

swamp water.

Then we turned the lights out, brought out

the black light—-GLOWING swamp water!

This addresses the science access point of

recognizing that the appearance of an object

or material has changed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesThen we rinsed our hands in some Bath and Body Works Ocean scented water and rubbed our hands with the lotion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fine Motor Group—Pirates

imagesOn Tuesday we read Cara’s book and then made some pirate hats! We used our paper cutters to cut out white squares. We discussed that we had to cut 4 sides.

This activity addresses the math access point of recognizing a common object with a two dimensional shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UnknownWe stamped a pirate symbol onto the square. Joy

made the stamp by cutting a skull and cross

bones out of thick craft foam. She used double

stick tape to attach it to a pot scrubber from the

dollar store. It makes a great adaptive art tool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesWe counted out our pre-made hats (simply drawn and cut out of craft paper then stapled together). Adults drew glue squares onto the hats and asked the students to put their pirate emblem on top of it.

This addresses eye hand coordination and the math access point of matching one object to a designated space to show one-to-one correspondence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesCADV2CCGimagesCAC7US5VTa Da—3 really cute pirates!

2Aren’t they just ADORABLE:)

 

 

 

 

 

imagesOn Thursday we practiced walking the plank in the sensory room. Our plank has a lot of different textures to increase tactile discrimination in addition to addressing gait and balance, of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesThen we took out a big poster board. We discussed its

rectangular shape and that we were going to paint

it blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesThen we got to work! Since the poster board was so big, more than one student could paint at the same time—so much fun.

We addressed the math access point of solving problems involving quantities of action using the language “have we used ENOUGH paint?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

images-286While the paint was drying, we took some cotton batting

and tore it apart. The addresses

bilateral coordination and grasp skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesNext, we took each student and teachers picture and put it on a paper pirate which was then put on a pirate ship (all drawn by Joy).

We counted 10 pirates!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5Now the paint has dried its time for The Owl to

set sail. Ahoy matey’s 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language Group—Letter D

imagesFirst we played some finger Drums—great for practicing finger isolation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesNext our Dog Devoured some Donuts—-Delicious!!!

We hot glued a plastic shower curtain ring  to a

plush dog  to make him easy to grasp. Velcro on

the dog and donut (actually a wooden stacking

toy ring) allows the donut to be picked up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesCAM8WBSGThen we Decorated a Dinosaur! We used markers because they glide easily across the paper and have such vibrant eye catching colors. Our picture was placed on a light box for our student with a visual impairment.

We used a printable from the book Learn to Move, Move to Learn by Jenny Clark Brack (its a great book with so many great ideas for group activities).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesTaDa—just Delightful!

Is this a great

picture or what 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

imagesOur students did an awesome job with Cara’s sound game—way to go!!

imagesCAB2MGBAJust a few of the great D words we found today.

Whew what a fun week!

Join us again….

Group by Group

Pirate book

Pirate book

Arrrrggg mateys!  It’s “Talk Like a Pirate” week!  The book for this week goes over different things associated with pirates such as a pirate ship, an eye patch, and a parrot.  And as we know, pirates say “ahoy” so for the repetitive line we had the students say “I can talk like a pirate–ahoy!”  We seem to have a lot of pirates in the making here at school 🙂

Here is a link to the book: I Can Talk Like a Pirate