We had fun learning about Day of the Dead this week. It is a holiday celebrated November 1st and 2nd in Mexico. Our sensory groups explored boxes related to different facts about the holiday. The fine motor groups and language group made art projects inspired by sugar skulls!
SENSORY GROUP
The students sorted pompoms in the colors of the Mexican flag—–red, green, and white.
Identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.
These eye catching beans reminded us of all the colorful decorations and costumes seen in pictures of Day of the Dead celebrations.
The students searched for letter D’s of different sizes or watched them sift through fingers.
Recognize differences in size of objects is a math access point.
This box had different items related to Day of the Dead. We put in some toy people and the word FAMILY since the holiday is all about ancestors. There were also some flower petals, beads, skeletons, and musical instruments—-including a maraca that named colors and numbers in Spanish when shaken!
Recognize a model of a real object is a science access point.
Salt, representing the “salt of life”, is also a part of the celebration. In this box we put salt and some tools the students could use to explore it. There was also a picture of a calaveras or sugar skull to find underneath.
Recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move, is a science access point. Track objects in motion is another science access point that can be addressed here.
Lots of candles are placed on altars during the Day of the Dead. Since we can’t use real candles at school, we used our Wikki Stix and some light toys to simulate them.
The students really had a lot of fun with this box!
Some of the students preferred the Wikki Stix…….
but the lighted toys were also a big hit of course!
Recognize a source of light is a science access point.
Colorful flowers are seen everywhere during Day of the Dead celebrations. Our students used a flower shaped cookie cutter with red and yellow play dough to decorate this eye catching sugar skull tray we found at the Dollar General store.
Apply a push to move an object is a science access point.
There were some fun lighted flowers to look at in our water basin this week. We also included some different sized scoops.
Recognize differences in containers that hold liquids is a math access point.
Bath and BodyWorks vanilla sugar was the perfect scent for us this week. This sweet scent is always popular with the students—-whether rubbed on hands, arms, or behind ears!
Recognize one or more external body parts is a science access point.
FINE MOTOR GROUP
On Tuesday the students decorated a sugar skull picture we found on the Coloring Castle website.
We also used some stampers we made using dish scrubbers and craft foam flowers.
First the students chose which color paint to start, either RED or YELLOW, using communication symbols.
Identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.
We applied the paint to the stampers and encouraged the students to stamp UP and DOWN, helping them as needed.
Recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship is a math access point.
Ta Da!!!!!
Check out our sugar skulls!
On Wednesday the students decorated these huge felt sugar skulls we found at the Dollar Tree store. Since they were one dollar a piece it was a little bit of a splurge for us but we couldn’t resist!
First, using communication symbols, the students identified the colors of the glitter we planned to use.
Identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.
Then the students painted their skulls with glue.
Apply a push to move an object is a science access point.
Time to “shake, shake, shake that glitter”!
The science access point recognize an action as fast or slow, can be addressed here.
Next they glued some silk flowers onto their skulls. After each flower was glued down we asked the students if they were “all done” or wanted “more”. Of course, we also counted how many flowers each student put on their skull.
Associate quantities with number names is a math access point.
Ta DA!!!!!!
Such colorful calaveras!
LANGUAGE GROUP
We put our own spin on edible calaveras this week and made our version of sugar skulls. Here’s the recipe: Lets Make Our Version Of Sugar Skulls
We started out by pouring some milk into a small cup and then made it edible paint by adding food coloring. Our students got to STIR the food coloring around and watched as it turned our white milk different colors.
Recognize a change in an object is a science access point.
Once the “paint” was all mixed up, we counted out how many plates and pieces of bread we needed for all of our friends. Each student got to paint a piece of bread, requesting the colors they wanted using communication boards.
Identify objects by one observable property, such as color, is a science access point.
After they finished painting their bread, we started to make the face. We had to count out 2 banana slices for the eyes. We talked about how the eyes had to go on the TOP of the bread. Then we counted out 2 blueberries to put on TOP of the banana slices.
Next, we added the nose. Each student got 1 half of a strawberry. We talked about how the strawberry goes in the MIDDLE of the bread.
Recognize one or more external body parts is a science access point.
Finally, we used 5 miniature marshmallows for the teeth. Students had to indicate that they needed MORE marshmallows if they did not receive the correct amount. We talked about how the marshmallows go on the BOTTOM of the bread.
Associate quantities with number names and identify spatial relationships, are both math access points.
Wow!! These turned out great and were lots of fun to make.
Pretty tasty too!
We enjoyed learning about Dia de los Muertos this week and hope you did too.
Join us again next time for more fun and learning——Group by Group!