Review: Let Me Hear Your Voice

What to Do with One Pumpkin: Activities for Everyone!

Key:

AU = Autism CMH = Child Mental Health

D/HOH = Deafness/Hard of Hearing VI = Visual Impairment

Center
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Dramatic Play Use parachute to make giant pumpkin for children to play in. Build the set of a pumpkin patch using classroom props and activities Do "Ten Little Pumpkins Sitting on the Fence" with pumpkin masks Act out field trip to pumpkin patch using Tuesday's set--work on cooperation and turn-taking (CMH, VI mobility) Stage a play about waiting for the "Great Pumpkin." Have children write script in literacy center

Art Area Tear pumpkins out of paper (VI), use textured wallpaper for increased touch sensation Make pumpkin masks using fun foam and inexpensive kid's sunglasses Do cooperative drawings of jack-o'-lanterns with students seated across from each other and shared drawing paper; use picture cues for steps (AU and CMH) Use grocery sacks and paints to make pumpkin and other costumes for Friday dramatic play Use clay (or cookie dough) to make miniature pumpkins; adapt pumpkin cookie cutters with handles for those with motor challenges (All disability areas)

Literacy Center Smell ten orange items (e.g., orange-scented marker, fruit, pumpkin, carrot, etc.) and tell how it smells; make wall journals of comments Individual recipe cards: "How to Make a Pumpkin Pie". Bind into classroom book using Writing with Symbols 2000 (Mayer-Johnson Co.) for picture descriptions Write a story about the great pumpkin and use script for Friday's dramatic play activity Make a "p" sound collage using old magazines, pumpkin-shaped papers, tearing paper for VI and touch input; list steps on table to help with task sequencing With adult supervision, use a disposable camera to take pictures of pumpkins, etc. on field trip. Describe the pictures; write and tape descriptions for VI and D/HOH benefits

Math & Science Test fruits, including a pumpkin, for sink or float properties; graph results Make real pumpkin pies and taste* and smell ingredients in the process. Use a picture recipe chart
(*only if items can be tasted safely raw--no eggs!)
Go to a pumpkin patch and see how pumpkins really grow! Write a social story before going (resource: Gray, Carol (1994) The Original Social Story Book--good for both AU and CMH) Cut pumpkins to make jack-o'-lanterns; take turns talking about parts of the plant (use picture symbols to assist process for CMH, D/HOH and AU) Plant pumpkin seeds and watch them grow! Team students as partners to care for their plants (CMH)

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Center	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Dramatic Play	Use parachute to make giant pumpkin for children to play in.	Build the set of a pumpkin patch using classroom props and activities	Do "Ten Little Pumpkins Sitting on the Fence" with pumpkin masks	Act out field trip to pumpkin patch using Tuesday's set--work on cooperation and turn-taking (CMH, VI mobility)	Stage a play about waiting for the "Great Pumpkin." Have children write script in literacy center
Art Area	Tear pumpkins out of paper (VI), use textured wallpaper for increased touch sensation	Make pumpkin masks using fun foam and inexpensive kid's sunglasses	Do cooperative drawings of jack-o'-lanterns with students seated across from each other and shared drawing paper; use picture cues for steps (AU and CMH)	Use grocery sacks and paints to make pumpkin and other costumes for Friday dramatic play	Use clay (or cookie dough) to make miniature pumpkins; adapt pumpkin cookie cutters with handles for those with motor challenges (All disability areas)
Literacy Center	Smell ten orange items (e.g., orange-scented marker, fruit, pumpkin, carrot, etc.) and tell how it smells; make wall journals of comments	Individual recipe cards: "How to Make a Pumpkin Pie". Bind into classroom book using Writing with Symbols 2000 (Mayer-Johnson Co.) for picture descriptions	Write a story about the great pumpkin and use script for Friday's dramatic play activity	Make a "p" sound collage using old magazines, pumpkin-shaped papers, tearing paper for VI and touch input; list steps on table to help with task sequencing	With adult supervision, use a disposable camera to take pictures of pumpkins, etc. on field trip. Describe the pictures; write and tape descriptions for VI and D/HOH benefits
Math & Science	Test fruits, including a pumpkin, for sink or float properties; graph results	Make real pumpkin pies and taste* and smell ingredients in the process. Use a picture recipe chart (*only if items can be tasted safely raw--no eggs!)	Go to a pumpkin patch and see how pumpkins really grow! Write a social story before going (resource: Gray, Carol (1994) The Original Social Story Book--good for both AU and CMH)	Cut pumpkins to make jack-o'-lanterns; take turns talking about parts of the plant (use picture symbols to assist process for CMH, D/HOH and AU)	Plant pumpkin seeds and watch them grow! Team students as partners to care for their plants (CMH)