MARVELOUS ME UNIT
Kit Includes: VA Foundation Blocks for Learning, 14 Sets of 4 Letter Rods, 14 Sets of 4 Picture Rods, 1 Story Roll Ups Felt Mat, 50 Foam Geometric Shapes, 3 Count Ten Sorting Cartons and 1 Sorting Mat, Set of 16 Giant Manipulite Sorting Circles, 11 Piece Shape Puzzle, Marvelous Me Literacy Bag, Marv Me Math Bag, Marv Me “Doctor” Materials, Go Talk Button, Dora Switch Toy
Activity / Environmental Support / Material Adaptations / Simplify the Activity / Child Preferences / Special Equipment/AT / Peer Support / Adult SupportOral Expression:
Read Feeling Good book- identify objects, point to concepts and make predictions / Book and pointer / Use easel to support big book / Complete activity one-on-one / Children can turn pages / Use BookWorm for children with limited expressive language and motor skills / Peers could assistin activating the Bookworm / Prompting questions, non-verbal cues
Vocabulary:
Visit the local doctors office / Field trip protocol / Take social story and pictures for a child with ASD / Make a pretend office somewhere in the school / Children have opportunity to ask Dr. questions and touch safe equipment / Big Mac with pre-recorded “question” for child with no verbal language / Walk in pairs / Modeling, safety patrol
Phonological Awareness: Use picture and letter rods to identify beginning sounds / Rods / Have rods prepared as model / Focus on first letter of child’s first name / Children choose picture rods / Cheap Talk programmed with letters for a child with limited language to make their selection / Work in pairs / Hand-over-hand
Letter Knowledge: Use play dough to create letters / Play dough / Use clay for a child who seeks deep pressure / Focus on first letter in child’s last name / Children choose color of dough / Use cookie cutter letters for children with delayed fine motor skills / All children wearing blue are a team, etc. / Modeling correct sound and letter formation technique
Print/Book Awareness:
Look at Feeling Good and identify parts of the book (front and back cover, spine, title page) / Easel for big book, pointer / Create individual interactive books using Powerpoint and Boardmaker / Focus on only one book concept each week / Child chooses part of book to discuss for week / Interactive stories using Boardmaker pictures / Choose where to sit on rug / Visual cues (front of me, back of me, my spine supports me, etc.)
Written Expression: Children draw pictures representing themselves / Picture of each child and individual mirrors / Use cardstock paper and adapted markers/crayons / Offer pre-cut “parts” so the picture can be created vs. drawn / Children choose EVERYTHING here! / Using a SMARTBoard, allow children to explore an online dressing game where they can simply drag and drop the “parts” of their picture / Pair students whose first initials are made with straight lines or curved lines / Verbal prompting throughout
Number and Number Sense: Compare two groups of matched objects and describe the groups using the terms more, fewer, or same / Math mats, plastic people / Place mat on a slant board and adhere Velcro to the mat and people / Use only two colors of plastic people / Children choose the colors of the plastic people / Work in pairs / Hand-over-hand for counting
Computation: Sing “Ten in the Bed” to practice adding and taking away objects / Felt bed from Story Roll Ups and 10 plastic people / Use larger people for easier manipulation / Sing “Five in the Bed” / Children remove people from bed / Record phrase “roll over, roll over” on a Big Mac switch / Children choose order of turn for removing people from bed / Visual cues and verbal prompts
Measurement: Act out “Taller, Smaller” riddle from blow up cube and compare heights / Have teams… one acts out Taller phrases and one team acts smaller phrases / Children choose team they are on / Voice output device recorded with low tone speaking Taller verses and high tone speaking Smaller verses / Kids hold hands as they act out riddle / Visual modeling
Geometry: Find basic shapes around the doctors office and discuss how shapes are similar and different / Digital pictures from field trip to doctors office / Give students cut out shapes and a model to follow
Use 3 dimensional figures as model / Assign pictures with simpler shapes to children that have difficulty with shapes / Children choose the shape they want to find in pictures / Display pictures on SMARTBoard for easy viewing and have children circle shape with special markers / Find shapes in teams / Cue using shape cut outs, gestural cues
Data Collection: After reading, Feeling Good, graph what each child does to make themselves feel good / Dry-erase board and markers / Use pictures to represent statements / Give pre-determined choices (i.e. exercise, dance, and eat healthy foods.) / Children help turn pages of book (“Page Turner”) / Cheap Talk pre-recorded with pre-determined choices / “Page Turner” chooses “Big Book Holder” / Verbal Cuing
Patterns and Relationships: Use foam shapes to make simple and complex patterns / Foam pieces / AB pattern vs. ABC pattern / Choosing the colors and/or shapes being used in patterns / Voice output recorded with “what comes next?” / Small groups / Provide samples and cues
Scientific Investigation:
Group children by specific attributes using giant sorting circles / Giant Manipulute Sorting Circles / Using puffy paint, place dots on the circles for a tactile experience / Only compare more obvious attributes, such as long hair and short hair / Children determine attribute on themselves to be compared / Label circles using picture/PECS symbol with word / Hold hands inside circles / Verbal and gestural prompts
Force, Motion, Energy:
Have students explore with magnet wands to re-tell the story roll up / Magnet wands, affix large paperclips to the felt pieces in the story roll up / Velcro a magnet on a stick to student’s wrist. / Limit the number of pieces in the story / Children choose color of magnet wands / Use voice output device programmed with “this one sticks to the magnet” and this one doesn’t stick to the magnet.” / Use peers to assist those who need help / Modeling and visual cues
Matter:
Paint children’s feet and allow them to walk across paper / Washable paint, water pan, bulletin board paper / Tape paper to floor / Use hands instead of feet and give each child an individual piece of paper / Students can choose their manipulative to describe. / Use PECS symbols to allow children to choose to paint with hands or feet / Hold hands as they walk / Safety support, as feet will be slippery
Life Processes:
Allow children to share their baby picture and compare to present self / Baby pics sent in from home / Mount baby pics on popsicle sticks for easy sharing / Compare only one physical attribute / Students have opportunity to participate and lead discussion. / Display scanned pics using SMARTBoard for easy viewing / Verbal prompting
Space Systems:
Create hand puppet shadows and various materials / Art materials such as pipe cleaners and clothes pins, a light and blank wall space / Use larger materials for easier viewing and puppet identification. / Limit number of extra materials used. / Children identify which item they see. / Voice output device for the child to identify the shadow / Make a four-hand puppet! / Verbal prompting and modeling.
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change:
While discussing senses, consider what types of clothes are worn in different weather / Various clothing pieces and pictures of weather scenes / Use textured clothing, such as corduroy, sweaters, swimsuits, etc. for a tactile experience / Compare only winter clothes and summer clothes / Students help to choose what season they want to discuss. / Pictures of clothing can be placed on a key ring for easy access during this unit. / Peer assist with holding clothing / Modeling and verbal prompting.
Resources:
Teach students to recycle. / Recycling bins in the classroom. / Pictures of things that can be recycled. / Limit the number of different recycling bins. / Let students choose which recycling bin items belong in. / Pictures that can be placed on the recycling bins indicating which items belong in that bin. / Use peers to assist those who need help sorting the items in the right bins. / Modeling and gestures
History Similarities and Differences:
Bring in pictures of family members and look how they are alike and different / Unbreakable mirror / Affix pictures to popsicle sticks / Compare children with only pictures of their mothers / Allow the children to choose the family member they want to be compared to / PECS picture cards representing body parts as prompt cards / Children work in pairs / Verbal and gestural prompting
History Change over Time:
Invite a grandparent or great-grandparent in to talk about their childhood / Have grandparents create a poster with their grandchild to represent their childhood / “Grandchild” sits with grandparent / Pre-record questions that may be asked on a voice output device / Send home invitations and schedule visits
Geography/
Location:
Map of county and put block houses where each child lives / Blocks houses, map / Use textured materials on map, such as puffy paint on grassy areas, glass paint on water areas, bubble wrap on hilly areas, etc. / Only represent the school on the map / Child decorates own “house” (block) / Display map on a SMARTBoard or overhead and use different colored markers to mark locations / Kids that live near one another sit together / Modeling and redirection
Geography Descriptive Words:
Have a verbal scavenger hunt in the room, including direction words such as on, under, over, behind, near, far, above, below, toward, away, etc. / Pictures of doctor equipment / Place item at eye level on specific clues and offer these clues to a child who uses a wheelchair / Multiple children hunt the same clues / Children can make up clues / Voice output device with pre-recorded clues / Hunt in teams / Record output device, model and offer cues
Economics:
Role play the jobs in doctors office (doctor, nurse, receptionist) / Pictures and props of medical equipment and pictures from field trip. / Pictures can be adhered to foam for easy handling / Only focus on role of one occupation / Students can choose their job, props and pictures / Create matching game on SMARTBoard notebook / Peer assist to those students who may need it / Create game on SMARTBoard, verbal and gestural prompting
Economics Making Choices:
Provide choice board for daily center / work time activities. / Chart board
Pictures representing centers and work time. / Choice board and voice output device. / Fewer choices of centers and work time. / Child chooses their center and/or work time. / Voice output device with choices. / Peer assist to those students who may need it. / Monitoring and cuing.
Civics / Citizenship:
Establish class rules and expectations. / Pictures that represent class rules and expectations. / Provide smaller version of class rules and expectations using pictures for individual student use and reference. / Limit pictures and wording to describe rules and expectations. / Students choose whether to follow rules/ expectations or not with known consequences / PECS symbols / Peer assist to those students who may need it. / Model and prompt language to assure all necessary rules are included
Skilled Movement:
Sing and act out “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” / Pictures that represent each body part. / Use large pictures for easy viewing / Only touch certain body parts, rather than all / Child of the Week is selected to lead song / PECS symbols / Peer assist to those students who may need it / Modeling.
Movement Principles and Concepts:
Act out “Five Little Monkeys” and exaggerate what the “doctor” says / Doctor dress up materials, Word chart with fingerplay / Add pictures above some words on word chart, voice output device programmed with some or all parts of the song. / Act out “Three Little Monkeys” / Line Leader gets to play the “doctor” while others are monkeys / Voice output device / Monkeys all stand together / Modeling and visual cue
Personal Fitness:
Discussion of “healthy foods” and have students sort into healthy and non healthy categories. / Pictures of different foods and manipulatives representing foods / Choice board or voice output device for choosing food and deciding which category it belongs in. / Fewer choices / Child chooses the manipulative and/or picture for sorting and discussion. / Voice output device with choices. / Peer assist with voice output devices if necessary. / Monitoring and cuing
Responsible Behaviors:
Provide opportunities for children to practice “starting” and “stopping” to the sound of a whistle / Whistle, red flag, green flag / Use blinking flags / Limit number of trials per day / Children take turns blowing the whistle / Simulate the activity using Powerpoint and offer to students during the computer center / Peer assist to those students who may need it. / Redirection and cuing
Physically Active Lifestyle:
Identify places in the community that children can play safely and be active / Cue cards predetermined by teacher / Cue cards could be adapted using paint, sand, etc. for a tactile experience / Identify only several places / Each child has opportunity to share / Buddies / Cuing and modeling a healthy lifestyle
Self Concept:
Demonstrate knowledge of personal identification information / Photos of each child / Use pictures and materials on individual photos as cues to this information (i.e. Nicki has a “N” necklace on and teacher can point to this when asking “What’s your first name?” / Focus on one piece of information weekly / Children individualize their photos (i.e. add yellow yarn to their hair, etc.) / Pictures on a choice board to represent clothing/prop options / Peer assistance to those students who may need it / Be sure to decorate your own pic! Modeling and/or verbal prompting
Self Control:
Clean the “DoctorCenter” using child-sized materials / Broom, dust pan, “water” in buckets, sponges, trash bags, brushes, gloves, vacuum / Pictures representing what it takes to care for the office / As a group simply discuss what it would take to clean the office and why we should prevent spreading germs / Allow child to draw a picture of their favorite part of the activity during follow-up / Adapted props (i.e. large handle on bucket, Velcro on brush/glove with Velcro for the child with motor delays / Clean in teams / Modeling and verbal prompting.
Approaches to Learning:
Select and complete a doctor puzzle / Doctor puzzles / Offer puzzles with varying levels of difficulty / Work on puzzles in pairs / Students choose when they work puzzles / Record voice output device so a child can request “help” / Pairs / Verbal and gestural prompts
Interaction with Others:
Demonstrate interaction strategies
through role-playbetween doctor and patient / Dress up clothes for doctor and patient / Large dress up props for easy handling / In a group, discuss what interactions may look like / Plant Helper of the Day gets to be the doctor and choose the patient / Voice output device pre-recorded for a child with limit expressive language skills to lead conversation. / Work in small teams (doctors and patients) / Modeling and role playing.
Social Problem Solving:
Set a visual timer in the “Doctor’s Office” Center to increase children’s ability to share materials and toyswith others / Center materials and timer / Use a timer with a buzzer for an auditory experience / Set timer for a short period of time / Students draw pictures after their experiences to help express feelings regarding sharing and playing cooperatively / Timer / Peers encourage cooperative play skills / Modeling, cuing and redirection as needed