We’re celebrating Veteran’s Day this week by learning about all of the different brances of the military: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. There are a couple of facts about each of the branches in the book and we have students that are dressed up like a soldier from each branch as well. It’s pretty cute, if we say so ourselves…and we do 🙂 Check it out and help us celebrate all those in the military.
Here is a link to the book: We Salute The Troops-
We learned about our armed forces this week. The sensory groups explored boxes dedicated to different services branches. The fine motor groups decorated service vehicles with camouflage and the language group made a patriotic treat.
SENSORY GROUP
This box was dedicated to animal mascots—-goat for the Navy, bulldog for the Marines, bear for the Coast Guard, mule for the Army, and falcon for the Air Force. There were plush or laminated pictures of each of the mascots in this box. The Marine Corps hymn was recorded on a voice out put device and also placed in this box.
Social studies access point: recognize a patriotic song.
A little Coast Guard ship roamed around this blue kinetic sand ocean.
Science access point: recognize that pushing and pulling an object makes it move.
There were 6 (3 in green and 3 in desert uniforms) Army soldiers to find in this box of “camouflage” beans. It was made by combining a variety of dried beans and we think it looks pretty cool.
Math access point: solve simple problems involving joining sets of objects with the same quantity to 3.
We went pretty patriotic with the play dough this week—-we had red, white, and blue! The students used cookie cutters with letter M (for Marines) and a star shape.
Science access point: apply a push to move an object.
Our rice was red, white, and blue too! There was a picture of planes to find at the bottom of the box and a little plane to fly around in the rice. There were also 3 letter A’s—-for Air Force.
Science access point: identify object by one observable property, such as shape.
A little Air Force jet flew around in some fluffy shaving cream clouds for our messy play this week.
Science access point: track objects in motion.
A Navy ship and a Navy submarine floated around our ocean. There were 2 different sized measuring cups included for scooping fun.
Math access point: recognize differences in sizes of containers that hold liquids.
We went with Bath and Body Works ocean scent this week—-in honor of the Navy and Coast Guard armed forces.
Science access point: recognize one or more external body parts.
FINE MOTOR GROUP
On Wednesday the students tore green, brown, and tan paper into pieces and glued them onto an Army transport truck using this template: army truck
First, using communication symbols the students identified the colors BLACK, GREEN, and BROWN.
Science access point: Identify objects by one observable property, such as color.
They tore BIG pieces paper into SMALL pieces.
Math access point: recognize differences in size of objects.
Then they glued the pieces of paper DOWN on to their trucks.
Science access point: recognize a change in the appearance of an object.
TA DA!!!!!!
Go ARMY!!!!!!
On Thursday the students painted fighter jets using this template: fighter jet
First, they identified the colors of the paint.
Science access point: Identify objects by one observable property, such as color.
After paint was added to a stamper, the students stamped UP and DOWN on their jets. We made the stampers by adding foam stickers to some kitchen scrubbers.
Math access point: recognize a movement that reflects a spatial relationship, such as up and down.
TA DA!!!!!
Go Air Force!!!!
LANGUAGE GROUP
In honor of Veterans Day, we made some edible American flags during the language group. Here is the recipe that we used: Let_s Make Edible American Flags
We started by each student getting 1 graham cracker. In order to get the graham cracker, they had to request it using WANT and then pointing to the picture of the graham cracker. When asked where the graham cracker should be put, our students had to indicate PUT and then point to the picture of the plate.
Next, each student got a spoonful of vanilla frosting. They had to spread it on the cracker, asking for HELP if they needed it.
Once it was spread, each student got to lick the spoon. They had to indicate whether it tasted SWEET or SOUR.
Each student then got 4 blueberries. If they were not given the entire amount, they had to request MORE. They had to follow the direction to PUT the blueberries in the top left corner.
Then, they each got some cut up strawberries. They had to follow the direction to PUT the strawberries in lines on the cracker. If they did not have enough, they had to request MORE.
Once they were ALL DONE, they had to indicate that they wanted to EAT the edible flag.
Yummy AND patriotic!
Join us next time for more fun and learning——Group by Group!
Also, don’t forget to look for your confirmation email if you want to follow us. If you don’t see it, be sure to check your SPAM folder!