Lesson 4: Colors of Winter-Body Parts/Senses

Lesson 4: Colors of Winter- Body Parts/Senses

Objectives:
Language Arts- Look at books and pictures with adults.
Social Studies- Determine how weather influences their lives.
Science- Use senses, color words to describe objects.
Math- Recognize simple shapes.

Materials:
Book: Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
http://www.amazon.com/Snowballs-Lois-Ehlert/dp/0152020950
Chart with words to song Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
http://songsforteaching.com/store/_search.php?q=Head+Shoulders+Knees+and+Toes
Coconut
Wiffle balls
Popcorn
Ice packs
Glue
Hat, scarf, mittens
Blue/gray/or black construction paper for each student
Sets of 3 different sized circles (small, medium, and large) for each student
Shape body parts for each body part on the face (eyes, ears, nose, mouth) for each student
Cut outs for hats, scarves, arms, and buttons for each student
glitter glue



Procedures:
Have the students seated in a circle. Tell them they are going to make snow people today. Tell them snow people are made out of snow. Ask the students what color snow is? Tell them it is white. Pass around an open coconut to let them smell something white. Then ask them if snow is hot or cold? Pass around an ice pack to let them feel something cold. Then ask them what shape a snowball is? Pass around the wiffle ball to let them feel something round. If you want them to eat something white, you can give them popcorn if it is appropriate for all students. Tell them that snow people are made up of lots of different parts. They have bodies of snowballs and parts for eyes, ears, mouths, noses, and arms. Ask the students to touch their eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and arms as you model for them and give assistance as needed. Introduce the song Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Sing the song and do the motions with the students providing assistance to them as needed.

Then ask the students what they wear when it is cold outside? Hats, scarves, and mittens. Put each one on as you discuss them with the students. So when it is cold outside we have to wear more clothes to stay warm. Tell them snow people also wear these clothes to keep warm. Then read the book Snowballs to them pointing out the materials that the illustrator used for each body part and the warm clothes.

Next, have each student make their snow person using three different sized snowballs, and shapes for each part of the face. Assist the students with gluing the parts onto the blue construction paper. Often it is helpful if the teacher puts the glue dots on the paper and the student places the part on the glue. If you have a student with visual impairments then their circles and body part shapes should be outlined with glitter glue to give them a boundary. The snowballs do not have to go in a certain order. Nor do the students have to use standard shapes for each face part. The emphasis should be on letting them choose what size circle they want by trying to get them to use the words or sign small, medium, or large and what shape they would like to use by using the words or sign for square, circle, triangle, or rectangle. *This could be used as a review lesson if previous lessons have been taught for size and shape. http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
They can add the hat, scarf, and buttons at the end.

Help the students process what they have learned by asking them questions about the snow people they made and giving choices of answers to elicit communication.

What color is the snow person?
Is snow hot or cold?
Where are the eyes, ears, nose, mouth?
What shapes are each body part?
Where are the students eyes, ears, nose, mouth?
Do we wear a hat or shorts when it is cold outside?

An extension activity could be to make tubes of white objects for students to manipulate after they have finished their projects. You can use tennis ball tubes and put things like cottonballs, rice, white feathers, marshmallows, and coconut in the tubes. Only use about a 1/4 of the material so that it will move around in the tube as the students handle them. Make sure to hot glue the lids on so the materials do not spill out. As well, if there are students with visual impairments, you can add bells to the the tubes to give them something to listen for.

You can also set up bins of salt, rice, or, white sand and hide shapes in them for the student to find.