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Using APH Materials to Extend a Story: Playing at the Park

This activity provides concrete, hands-on experience to supplement a story for students who are blind or visually impaired.

This activity uses materials from APH (American Printing House for the Blind) to extend the story “Babysitting Blues” and to reinforce the story through concrete hands-on experiences.

Goals and Objectives:

The student will:

  1. Demonstrate reading skills by reading aloud the appropriate level story card.
  2. Demonstrate comprehension of the story by telling or summarizing the story out loud with the use of the light box and associated story demonstration materials. 
  3. Show wayfinding skills by plotting the route from the neighborhood to the park and pond and back to the neighborhood.
  4. Fill up measuring bottles and add ice.
  5. Make a picnic lunch filled with fresh finger foods. 
  6. Identify different types of fish (salt and fresh water) by researching on the internet.
  7. Participate in indoor games, such as Tic-Tac-Toe.
Walk-Run-for-Fitness Kit
Walk Run for Fitness kit

All of the materials in this activity are from APH (American Printing House for the Blind).

  • Tactile Town: 3D O & M Kit
  • 30-Love Tennis Kit
  • Walk-Run for Fitness Kit  
  • Mini-Lite Box
  • Sense of Science Kit: Animals
  • Invisiboard
  • Tic-Tac-Toe
  • Making Picture Recipes Kit
Tic Tac Toe on Invisiboard
Tic Tac Toe on Invisiboard
Sense of Science Animal Kit
Sense of Science Animal kit
  1. Read aloud with the student the story, “Babysitting Blues”.  The student will echo read each line after listening to the teacher read.  
  2. Children will summarize the story using light box story characters (black outlined) and discuss “Babysitting Blues”. 
  3. The student will check the temperature using the internet.
  4. Assist the student to set up a small community using Tactile Town while identifying three houses, grassy areas, the pond, four people, and one car. 
  5. The student will practice filling measuring bottles with water and ice cubes after reading the story.  
  6. Ask the child to list the differences between fresh and salt water fish. The student will Google and keyboard the two categories and email the information to the instructor.  
  7. Discuss plants and animals using the APH Science Kit with the lite box. 
  8. The student will play tennis using the Tennis and Running Kit after summarizing the part of the story when the children play tennis. 
  9. Play Tic-Tac-Toe using the Invisiboard with the student.  Discuss the importance of learning to play games and socialize with others. 
  10. The student will research simple lemonade recipe using the computer. The child will make a quart of lemonade using the Recipe Cards and surprise someone with a delicious cool drink. 
  11. The teen will go on a walk with peers. Students will discuss the environment, feel of the grass, tree bark, dirt, small rocks and other natural objects. Teens will read poetry to each other under a shady tree. 
Babysitting Blues screenshot
Download the “Babysitting Blues” story.
Collage of Babysitting activities
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