THEME: Apples and new partnership! September 22-26

Good morning!

I enjoyed purchasing two beautiful Washington state apples last night at the grocery store. They made me think of all kinds of wonderful activities that can serve as the back drop for targeting social engagement with students! 

Let's move into a new partnership:  Same time, but different roles.  This partnership allows the student to truly see his or her role in relation to yours - that his/her active participation is not only requested but authentically necessary for the activity to happen!  We all feel good when someone needs our help and we can authentically and mindfully help that person. Make this partnership come to life in everything you do this week!

Always, continue the focus on starting and ending activities. Your student needs guidance to see the clear beginning of an activity by being involved with taking materials out from a bag or off a shelf... to then understand the clear ending by putting those materials away back into the bag or on that shelf... before moving on to the next activity.  Remember, you are the guide. Speed is not one of the goals, so you can take your time, you can (and must) allow processing time, and your student can certainly put his/her own personality into starting and ending activities... however, these must be required under your overall guidance to demonstrate beginnings and endings and how to identify them in a multitude of environments.

Here are some ideas for this week, integrating both the fun theme of Apples AND the new partnership of Same Time, Different Roles:

1.  Go to the store and one of you hold the bag while the other chooses apples
2.  When cutting apples, one of you holds the apple carefully while the other cuts using a knife (using your best judgement for safety, of course)
3.  Cut the apples in half and make star stamps with one of you holding the stamp pad, the other inking the apple and making prints (the star is on the inside if you cut the apple horizontally)
4.  Make an apple pie:  cut apples as above (or use an apple peeler-slicer that requires someone to hold while the other turns the crank).... then stir the ingredients in while one holds the bowl

5.  Deliver apple goodies to neighbors after you have made them.... one of you holds the basket, the other hands them to the neighbor or puts them in a safe place on their porch
6.  Create an apple story together... using plain paper to start, fold a "book" ready for your words and pictures. A simple story about a personal experience for your student (e.g., Once upon a time, there was a girl named Maggie who loved apples with peanut butter.  One day, she went to the store with her friend, John, who helped her buy a beautiful apple. She brought it home and cut it with a knife, making sure an adult was helping her. Then she got the peanut butter out of the fridge.....)
7.  Draw, print, or paint a picture of an open apple.... cut out little black seeds to place on the apple to create faces or simply a number of seeds (count them, if your child has counting goals).  There are so many partnering opportunities within this!  If you are painting, you can hold the paint while your student paints. You can use the partnering from the last couple of weeks to paint simultaneously as your student, helping them learn how to follow YOUR movements, not just you following his/hers.

Consider drawing, painting, cutting out a giant apple to start your week!  Write the word on or above it.... count seeds you place on it.... paint a little on it each day.... add stickers to it daily.... make the overall theme come to life between team members working/interacting/engaging with the student.

Use your imaginations... remember, it is not the activity that matters... it is the interaction between you, the partnering, the sustained engagement and active participation of each of you that matters most.

And if you make an apple pie, be sure to let me know so I can stop by!


Expansions
-Changing roles after establishing them is a great idea to support dynamic thinking but may be difficult. Try it and return to your original (if difficult) before ending the activity.
-Be sure that you are not cuing your student to take his role by telling him/her "do this..." but instead ensuring the role is clearly available and you are providing the opportunity for him/her to take the role more independently within your overall guidance.  This may take using strategies such as "body positioning" or "allowing processing time" or "tension" support. 

Happy Apple Week!

Barb