This week we learned about some pioneers of space travel. Ashley, one of our fantastic volunteers, came up with the idea! This compliments the students Unique Curriculum unit for this month. The sensory boxes were related to different astronauts and space travel. The fine motor groups made space related art projects and the language group made a space themed snack.
SENSORY GROUP
Laika was the first dog who went to space! Found in her box were dog and bone shaped cookie cutters to press into some moon sand. Of course, we HAD to use our moon sand somewhere in this unit 🙂
Apply a push to move an object is a science access point.
Other animals also went into space. Albert II was the first monkey in space. The students had fun finding colorful monkeys hidden in our black “outer space” beans. The monkeys were fun to connect together and also fun to look at under a black light!
Since the monkeys can be counted, the math access point associate quantities with number names can be addressed here.
We learned that the first man and the first woman in space (Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova) were both from the USSR. Our students sorted pompoms and beads in the colors of the Soviet flag. Â We even discovered that some of the pompoms also glowed in the dark—-how cool is that!
Match objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.
Alan Shepard (the first american in space), Guy Bluford (the first african american in space), Â and Mae Jamison (the first african american woman in space) all got close up views of the moon and stars! We gave our students a little of that experience with our “outer space” umbrella. There was a big moon, lots of stars, and a little space shuttle for them to look at.
Recognize a space related object is a science access point.
Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the moon. In this box, we put in a little astronaut that our students could walk on a lunar landscape of grey Floam. They also enjoyed squishing and squeezing the Floam into various shapes!
The science access point recognize a change in an object can be addressed here.
Astronauts eat freeze dried food when they are in space. Â We thought our red Bubber made a pretty good (although not edible) stand in for some strawberry ice cream that the astronauts might enjoy! Included in this box were a variety of different sized spoons and measuring cups for the students to use for molding the Bubber.
Recognize differences in sizes of objects.
Astronauts cannot feel gravity in space so they experience weightlessness. Stars and glitter looked weightless as they floated around in our discovery bottle.
Track objects in motion is a science access point.
We encouraged our students to make circles—-like the earth and moon in our shaving foam messy play. There was also a foam shoe insert that could be used to make footprints on the moon!
Recognize a full moon as a circle, is a science access point.
After their hands were rinsed, the students used a sifter shovel to scoop glow in the dark stars out of water. These stars looked especially cool under the black light!
Recognize an object with a two-dimensional shape is a math access point.
Since night time is the best time for us to look into space, we thought that the Bath and Body Works midnight lotion worked as our scent this week.
It was a nice light scent that helped our students really liked.
Recognize one or more external body parts is a science access point.
FINE MOTOR GROUP
On Tuesday our students took their cue from Neil Armstrong and left their footprints on the lunar surface—-well ok, a piece of grey paper 🙂
We started by discussing the shape of our grey paper and asked out students to identify the shape using communication symbols.
Recognize objects with two-dimensional shapes is a math access point.
Next the students painted the bottom of some rain boots with grey paint.
Recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move, is a science access point.
Then the students put the boots on and stood on a piece of rectangular paper. For students who couldn’t put on the boots, they just pressed down on them. We did discover in this activity that our prints might have turned out better if the boots had been smaller—-we still had fun though!
Recognize a change in an object is a science access point.
TA DA! Footprints on the moon!
On Wednesday, the students painted moon rocks.
First we counted out the rocks and let the students choose which ones they wanted. Then the students painted their rocks with glue.
Recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move, is a science access point.
Next the students sprinkled glow in the dark chalk crumbles (from Crayola) onto the glue.
They had a lot of fun with this part 🙂
The science access point recognize a change in an object is addressed here.
TA Da—-glowing moon rocks!!!!!
LANGUAGE GROUP
We made a “Midnight Blueberry Blast Smoothie” that was out of this world this week for our language group!
We started by getting out some milk and talking its temperature. We found that it was COLD! We put 1/2 a cup of milk into the blender. Since it didn’t look like enough, we decided to double the amount of each of the ingredients so we put another 1/2 a cup in the blender. We talked about how two 1/2 cups equals 1 cup!
The math access point recognize parts of whole objects is a math access point. The science access point distinguish between hot and cold objects is also addressed.
Next, we measured out a cup of vanilla yogurt. Since we had to use 2 small containers of yogurt, our students had to convey that 1 was not enough and we needed MORE to make a cup. We compared the yogurt and milk and found that they were the SAME color!
The science access point solve problems involving small quantities of objects or actions, using language, such as enough, too much, or more, is addressed here.
After that, each of the students got to feel the bag of frozen blueberries. We talked again about how it felt COLD. We added 2 cups of blueberries to the blender.
Recognize when an object is added to a situation is a math access point.
Finally, each of our students got to try a bit of honey. For the most part, our students communicated that they LIKED the taste.
One of our students helped SQUEEZE out 2 teaspoons and we put those into the blender.
Recognize and respond to one type of sensory stimuli, is a science access point.
Each of our students got a chance to turn on the blender by pressing a switch. They love being the ones to take control of the blender 🙂
The science access point recognize that electrical systems must be turned on (closed) in order to work, is addressed here.
Once the ingredients were all blended up, we counted out cups for each of the students. But wait! There’s more! What is a smoothie without some whipped cream on top?? Our students got to help PUT some whipped cream on top.
Time to enjoy this galactic drink——-YUM!
We learned a lot about the history of space travel this week, so much fun! Join us again next time for more fun and learning——-Group by Group!
