Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Rainy day worktasks

I've been planning on heading into my classroom and creating several work tasks this week since I am on break from ESY. But the rainy weather that we've had the past several days has left me wanting to cuddle up at home in my PJs all day. I allowed myself to be lazy all day yesterday but today I started to get a little antsy! I searched around the house and found a lot of items that I can use to make some work tasks right here at home. I'll share a couple with you now and save the rest for a longer post later- I have to get back to being lazy after all;)

5 Items=5 Worktasks

Found Materials (clockwise from left):
1. Cardboard tube with top
2. Egg carton
3. Shoebox covered in paper with holes cut in top
4. Small Tupperware containers with top
5. Small household items (pennies & paper clips)

Creations:
Work tasks 1 & 2: Simple drop-in tasks

Students are presented with one small Tupperware container of similar items and a tube with a hole in top. They use fine motor skills to pick up the small item and drop it in the tube. They'll get some sensory input from the noise and they'll understand when they are finished because the Tupperware will be empty. Ill probably add a small "in" visual to the top of the tube.

Notes: task can be completed with any items- including coins, paper clips, marbles, Pom poms, toothpicks, etc. Coffee or oatmeal containers work great too.

Work tasks 3 & 4: One-to-one correspondence

Students are presented with a Tupperware container of small items and and an egg carton. Students pick up one of the small items and place it in one section of the egg carton. Visuals can be added to each section to illustrate that only one item belongs in that section.

Notes: Again, any items can be used. Tongs can be added for more difficulty.

Work task 5: Sorting

Students are presented with two Tupperware containers of two types of small items and a shoe box with two holes cut in the top. Visuals or examples of the items are attached to the top of the shoe box. Students will remove the small items from the Tupperware containers and place them in the corresponding hole in order to sort the items. The task can be made more difficult by combining the two types of items into one Tupperware container for sorting.