Special Education Lesson Plans

Lesson 6: Mittens, Socks, Mittens, Socks, Mittens!

2008-01-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

Lesson 6: Mittens, Socks, Mittens, Socks, Mittens!

Objectives:
Language Arts- Listen to literature read aloud.
Math- Identify objects that are the same, create simple patterns, count 1-5
Science- Identify objects by attributes (size and color)
Social Studies- Identify clothing we wear in cold weather conditions

Materials:

Sets of mittens (enough for each student to have two pairs)
Sets of socks (enough for each student to have two pairs)
Picture of kids wearing mittens playing in the snow (photograph, magazine cut outs, computer graphic)
Sets of clip art pictures of winter clothing and summer clothing (2 mittens, 2 scarves, 2 boots, 2 coats, 2 hats, 2 bathing suits, 2 sandals, 2 hats)
Several white pillow cases or white felt squares
Velcro(optional)
Posterboard (optional)
Book (either The Missing Mitten or Two Little Mittens)

Procedures:

Have the students seated in a circle. Show the students a large picture of kids wearing mittens playing in the snow. Point out winter clothes as the students are looking at the picture. Ask the students what kinds of clothes we wear when it is cold outside? Give each student clip art picture of winter clothing and one clip art picture of summer clothing. Go around to each student and ask them to choose which piece of clothing we wear in the winter. (E.g. If a student has a picture of a mitten and a bathing suit, ask the student if we wear mittens when it snows or bathing suits? If the student is not sure, model the appropriate response for them and see if they can repeat it.) Once all of the students have had a turn, collect all of the cards. If it is not appropriate for each student to hold their own set of cards then the teacher can velcro the sets to a piece of poster board and go around with the board and ask each student. For students with vision impairments, give them real clothing articles to choose from.

Next, show the students are pair of mittens. Put on a pair and talk about how the mittens are the same size and color. Then take two mittens from different pairs and show the students how they are different. Reinforce that they are both mittens but they do not look the same. Give each student a pair of mittens and let them try them on. Ask the students to say mitten when you help them put them on. Talk about how they are the same.

Then read the students the book, The Missing Mitten by Stuart Murphy.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780064467339&itm=2
Or

Read the students the book Two Little Mittens. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781595720443&itm=6

Then, divide the students into three groups according to abilities.

Exploration: Show the students a pair of mittens. Have the students say the word mittens. Then hide the mittens under a white piece of fabric/felt (snow). Ask the students where the mittens are? See if they know to look under the fabric. If not, show them where the mittens are and repeat. You can also talk about the colors of the mittens. Ask the students to find the red mitten, etc.

Imitation: Show the students three mittens (two of the same pair and one different). Hold up one mitten from the matching pair and ask the students to find the one that is the same. If the students have difficulty, model it for them and repeat to see if they can do it. You can also put out a pair of mittens and a sock and hold up one mitten and ask them to find the one that is the same. You can also use the winter/summer clip art pictures.

Application: Show the students a group of pairs of mittens and socks and ask them to match all of the mittens that are the same and all of the socks that are the same.
Then show the students how they can make simple ABA patterns with mittens and socks. (mitten, sock, mitten, sock). You can also use the winter/summer clip art pictures to show simple patterns with clothing. Have the students count the mittens and socks too.

Lesson 5- Symme"trees": Understanding Same

2007-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

Lesson 5: Symme “trees” (Symmetry): Understanding Same

Objectives:
Language Arts- Begins to relate events in literature to personal experiences
Social Studies- Explore how weather influences their lives.
Science- Use senses to understand world around them.
Math- Explore the concept of same.

Materials:

Book: A Pair of Socks by Stuart Murphy
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780064467032/A_Pair_of_Socks/index.aspx
At least 10 pairs of old socks with patterns/ stripes/ solids and in different sizes (Will get paint on them)
Branches from pine trees (enough for each student to have one)
10 Pine cones
Green paint
Brown paint
Puffy paint
Large butcher paper
Picture of pine tree
Cotton balls or circle sponges

Procedure:

Have the students sit in a circle. The teacher should begin the lesson by wearing a strange pair of socks (stripes or patterns). Explain to the students that you are wearing socks because it is cold outside. When it is cold outside people wear socks to keep their feet warm. Ask who is wearing socks today? Have the students touch their socks on their feet. Tell the students that your socks look the same. The socks are also the same size and shape. If you have a student with a visual impairment, let them feel a pair of socks that have one dot of puffy paint on each sock. Show them how the socks each have one dot. They are the same. Tell the students that sometimes you have a problem. Sometimes when you get dressed you can’t find a pair of socks that look the same and show them an example of different patterns, different colors, and different sizes. (For students with visual impairments, have them feel a sock with one dot and a sock with more than one dot and socks of different sizes). Ask if they sometimes have a hard time finding socks that look the same?

Then, read them the book A Pair of Socks by Stuart Murphy. If you really want to get creative, put on one striped sock and use the other striped sock as a puppet while you read the story. Then when you finish the story, put your striped sock on your foot and talk about how they are the same.

Next, tell the students they are going to paint pine trees using a pair of socks that look the same. First model for the students by showing them three socks (two are the same) and holding up one from the pair say out loud, “Find the same sock.” Talk about why you are not choosing the one that is different and then pick the one that is the same and tell why. Divide the students into groups based on their ability levels to complete an appropriate activity.

Exploration: Show the students the socks, let them touch the socks and have them try to say or sign the word socks. http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
Show them a matching pair and tell them same. See if they can repeat the word same. (Use the puffy paint and size variance for students with visual impairments).

Imitation: Show the students three socks (two are the same), hold up one from the pair and ask them to find same. Prompt them as needed.

Application: Show the students three socks (two are the same) and ask them to find same. Repeat with different sets of socks varying the size, pattern, or color. See if they can tell you how they are the same.

Once all of the students have a pair of socks that are the same, they should go to an area where they can paint on butcher paper.

Show the students a picture of a pine tree. Ask questions about where pine trees grow? What color are pine trees? Tell the students that pine trees stay green all year round and they have brown pine cones on them. Let each student feel the needles from a pine tree and pine cones. Let them smell the pine. Tell them they are going to paint the white paper with green paint using their socks that are the same. Have each student put the socks on their hands and dip the socks in green paint. Let them paint the white butcher paper green using the socks. For students with visual impairments, it may be more meaningful to have them finger-paint instead of using socks. Once the paint dries, the teacher should cut out tree shapes from the green paintings the students did on the butcher paper. There should be enough trees for each student to have one. Then the trees should be folded in half with the paint side out and the students should be given something to make small brown dots representing pine cones on one half of the tree. Then before the paint dries, fold the tree in half the opposite way, so that the paint sides are together and let the brown spots touch the other side both halves of the tree look the same. The students created symmetrical trees or symmetrees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lesson 4: Colors of Winter-Body Parts/Senses

2007-12-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

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.

Lesson 3 Big and Small

2007-11-18T13:11:00.000-08:00

Lesson 3: Big and Small

Objectives:
Language Arts- Listens to poems, rhymes, & songs.
Social Studies- Makes decisions/choices about what they want.
Science- Use attributes (color and size) to identify/describe objects.
Math- Sorting objects by size

Materials-
Big box and little box
Big bubble wand and little bubble wand with bubble solution
Big ball (beach ball) and little ball (cotton balls)
Chart with “Bubble” song
Different sized balls
10 big items that will fit in the big box
10 small items that will fit in the small box
Book: Pop, A Book about Bubbles or Benny’s Big Bubble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?AUD=JUV&kids=y&WRD=bubbles&z=y

Procedures:
1. Have the students sit in a circle. Tell them they are going to learn about big and small today. Sign big and small. http://commtechlab.msu.edu/Sites/aslweb/browser.htm
Ask them if they like bubbles and tell them you are going to blow big and small bubbles (sign big and small bubbles) and they are going to try and pop the big and small bubbles (sign big and small bubbles). Start by blowing big bubbles and tell the students to try and pop the big bubbles. Then blow small bubbles and tell the students to try and pop the small bubbles. Ask them if they want to pop more bubbles?

2. Read them either Pop, A Book about Bubbles by Kimberly Bradley (photographs) or Benny’s Big Bubble by Jane O’Conner (picture reader). Emphasize the concept of big and small as you read the book.

3. Next sing the song “Bubbles” sung to Frere Jacques changing the size word as you alternate blowing big and small bubbles. Ask them if they want to sing the song again?

“Bubbles” by Betty Silkuanas
Blowing BIG/small bubbles, Blowing BIG/small bubbles
Is such fun, is such fun.
Blow them everywhere,
See them floating in the air.
Blowing bubbles, Blowing bubbles.

4. Bring out the big and small boxes with the big ball inside the big box and the small ball inside the small box. Tell the students the big box is big and the small box is small. Ask the students what they think is inside the boxes. Then open the big box and pull out the big beach ball. Roll or toss the beach ball to each student. As you roll it you can use repetitive language and tell them you are rolling them the big ball and then ask them to roll the big ball to back to you. Then ask the students what they think is inside the small box. Open it and take out the small ball. Roll or toss the small ball to each student again using repetitive language as you roll it.

5. Next, divide the students into different groups depending on their abilities.

Exploration: The students are going to explore different sized balls and practice rolling them to the teacher. The teacher will reinforce the concept of big and small by taking with the students about the balls. Ask the students if they want a big ball or a small ball?

Imitation: The students will put big and small objects into the appropriate big and small boxes. The teacher will assist by modeling, prompting, etc. Ask if they want a big object or small object?

Application: The teacher will hold up big and small items and the students will determine if they are big or small. The students can use technology, verbal communication, or sign language to reflect their knowledge.

Lesson 2: Shapes

2007-11-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

Lesson 2: Shapes

Objectives:
Language Arts- Listens to poems, rhymes, & songs.
Social Studies- Makes decisions/choices about what they want.
Science- Use attributes (color and size) to identify/describe objects.
Math- Recognize simple shapes; triangle, circle, square, and rectangles.

Materials:
Shapes (Soft Shapes) by: Innovative Kids
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781584760108&itm=11
Foam shapes: circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, and hearts
Instruments (circle: drum/tambourine/cymbals, triangle: triangle,
rectangle: harmonica/xylophone, square: square woodblock with mallet)
http://orchestore1.stores.yahoo.net/
Sentence Strips
Large pictures of shapes (circle, square, rectangle, and triangle) (clip art or Ellison press)
Parachute or large sheet
Chart paper with song “Shapes, Shapes”
velcro

Procedures:
Students are seated in a circle.
Teacher shows students pictures of each shape (circle, square, rectangle, and triangle) and identifies the shapes by name and sign. http://commtechlab.msu.edu/Sites/aslweb/browser.htm
(Students with visual impairments should hold each foam shape as the teacher identifies them.)
Then the teacher introduces the song “Shapes, Shapes” sung to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” to the students.
Add a parachute to the middle of the circle and practice pulling the parachute up and down. Then add foam shapes to the center of the parachute and sing the song “Shapes, Shapes” while pulling the parachute up and down. Ask the students if they want to do the activity again. Repeat as necessary.

The teacher then reads the book Shapes to the students. The book has removable shapes that the teacher can hand out to the students (asking the students which shape they would like giving them a choice of two) and then as she/he reads the book, can put them back into the book.
After reading Shapes, the teacher hands out sentence strips with four of each foam shapes velcroed on to the strip to each student. The teacher then prompts the students to touch the circle, touch the square, touch the triangle, and touch the rectangle, assisting the students as needed. Then the students can then be split into smaller groups depending on their abilities for more individualized activities.

Exploration:
Students are introduced to instruments of each shape and given time to explore the instruments. The students can sing the “Shape” song again and insert each shape name as they explore the instruments.

Imitation:
The students have their sentence strips with shapes and the teacher takes all of the shapes off but one. The teacher then gives the student an identical shape for the student to match to the shape on their strip. Or the teacher can put out two shapes the student has to choose from to match with the one on their strip. This is where technology can be incorporated and a Go Talk 4 or No Touch Talker could be used for shape identification.
http://www.inclusive.co.uk/catalogue/index.html

Application:
The students have their sentence strips and the teacher takes all the shapes off. The students are then told to put all of the circles on the strip. The students must select the circles from a set with mixed shapes but multiple circles. This is repeated for each shape. *The teacher could hold up shapes and ask the students to identify them by name or sign (technology incorporation).

“Shapes”
Shapes, Shapes falling down.
Falling on the ground.
Shapes, Shapes, Shapes, Shapes,
Falling on the ground.

Lesson 1: Falling Into Shapes

2007-11-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

Lesson 1: An Introduction to Shapes: Falling into Shapes
This is the first lesson in a series about shapes. Each lesson will build off the previous lesson and focus on the same integrated objectives to reinforce skill development.

Objectives:
Language Arts- Listen to poems, rhymes, & songs.
Social Studies- Make decisions/choices about what they want.
Science- Use attributes (color and size) to identify/describe objects.
Math- Recognize simple shapes; triangle, circle, square, and hearts.

Materials:
Leaves (enough red, yellow, brown, orange, and green leaves so each student has one of each color)
Large clip art pictures or Ellison press cut outs of circle, square, rectangle, triangle, and leaf.
A bunch of Craft store leaves
Construction paper
Butcher paper
Chart paper with song “Leaves, Leaves”
Finger paint (red, yellow, orange, green, & brown)
Glue
Puffy paint/sand (for students with visual impairments)
Paint brushes
Parachute or Large sheet
Foam shapes ( for students with visual impairments)
Picture of a tree in the fall with different colored leaves
Fan
Large leaf cut outs
Brown bags

The following procedures can be done in one day or broken down over several days depending on the students.

Procedures:
First, have students seated or standing in a circle. Sign the word leaf http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm to the group and explain that they will be learning about leaves today. Sing the song “Leaves, Leaves” by Susan A. Miller Sung to: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.
Put a parachute in the middle of the circle and have each student hold on to the parachute. Practice pulling the parachute up and down. Then put leaves in the middle (either real or craft store leaves) of the parachute and sing the song “Leaves, Leaves” again as the students pull the parachute up and down. Repeat as necessary.

Then, have students sit in a circle with access to a table top.
Tell the students they will be learning about shapes and colors this week.
Hold up individual pictures of the following shapes while naming each one: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, and last leaf. For students with visual impairments let them feel each foam shape as the teacher holds up the picture.
Tell them leaves are a natural shape found outside.
Ask if anyone knows where leaves come from.
Show them a picture of a tree. Leaves come from trees. In the fall, the leaves change color and when the wind blows they fall to the ground. Turn on the fan and simulate this by dropping leaves in front of the fan.
Next, put a piece of construction paper with five different leaves of each color glued on them in front of each student.
While using a model and pointing, tell them to touch red leaf, touch green leaf, touch yellow leaf, touch brown leaf, and touch orange leaf. Assist them in touching each color leaf as needed verbally repeating the color and leaf as they touch. For students with visual impairments, trace leaves on their construction paper with puffy paint and help them to feel them with their hands and put the real leaves in the outline. Sign the word leaf with their hands. http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

Then, tell students they will be going on a leaf hunt (this can be outside or inside). If you choose to hunt for leaves inside, you will need to scatter leaves throughout the school building and get permission prior to doing so. Have each student choose which color leaf they would like to look for. You can help them decide by referring to their construction paper and letting them touch the color they would like to look for. Assist the students in finding and gathering leaves. They can collect them in brown bags. The leaves they gather can be added to the collection of leaves used for the parachute activity.

Lastly, have the students paint white butcher paper using red, yellow, orange, brown, or green either with paint brushes or by finger painting depending on their abilities. (Sand can be added to the fingerpaint for students with visual impairments to add texture). This can be done on an individual basis as the students are doing something else or a group activity. Talk about the colors they are using as they paint and ask students which color they would like to use next.

Exploration: Finger painting on white paper with no boundaries.
Imitation: Either finger painting or painting with a paintbrush with an adult modeling the movements within a leaf drawing or without.
Application: Painting with a paintbrush within a leaf drawing.

Once the paint has dried, trace leaf cut outs on the butcher paper and cut out the painted leaves. You can use the leaves for a class bulletin board with a fall tree theme or for turkey tail feathers.

Song: “Leaves, Leaves” by: Susan A. Miller
Sung to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"

Leaves, leaves falling down, (wiggle fingers downward)
Falling on the ground.
Red and yellow,
Orange and brown,
Leaves are falling down.