November is a time to reflect on gratitude. I had the opportunity to observe a lesson in a general education classroom that encouraged students to document what they are thankful for in order to create a placemat for the big feast at the end of the month. Using braille, tactile stickers, and hands-on learning, a student in the classroom who is blind was able to participate alongside her peers.
Skills:
- Braille writing (including decoding and use of contractions)
- Spatial orientation of materials
- Tracing
- Cutting
- Gluing
Activity Process:
- Students were asked to trace their hand on yellow, orange, red, and green paper to make the feathers of a turkey. They traced one foot on brown paper to make the body of the turkey. These were cut out and set aside.
- On the footprint, students wrote in print or braille, “I am thankful for…”
- Students wrote in print or braille 4 things that they are thankful for, one for each of the paper hands. NOTE: The student using braille, wrote her words on braille paper, and they were cut out for her to glue onto the paper hands and foot.
- Using a large white sheet of paper, students glued the paper hands and feet to create a turkey.
- Students decorated the background of the turkey with patterns, a scene, or tactile stickers.
Extensions & Adaptations
- Support the student to trace, cut, and glue paper hands and feet.
- Brainstorm ideas of things to be thankful for prior to writing.
- Build concepts about turkeys using multi-sensory materials.
- Promote social skills by encouraging students to share about their turkeys with peers.
I’m so thankful to Ms. Bush and Ms. Moore for allowing me to observe, photograph, and document this lesson for Paths to Literacy.
More Thanksgiving Ideas
