Fall Trees and Apples - Video 2 of 2

Summary

The video captures a lively and engaging classroom experience centered around an apple orchard-themed unit. The teacher creatively integrates hands-on activities like apple bowling, bobbing for apples, and a hayride relay race. Each activity incorporates motor skills, math, color identification, and letter recognition while keeping students entertained and engaged. The students work on their fine and gross motor skills, problem-solving, and communication through interactive tasks. The lesson is designed to be fun, inclusive, and educational, emphasizing individualized learning objectives and making every moment count in their development.

Takeaways

• 🍎 The teacher plans fun and engaging field trips, such as visiting an apple orchard, to complement learning units.
• 🎳 One activity is 'Apple Bowling,' where students use apples as bowling balls to knock down pins and then perform a simple math problem by counting and adding the pins they knocked down.
• 🖐 The apple bowling activity helps students work on gross and fine motor skills, as well as math skills like counting and number identification.
• 🔤 Another activity, 'Bobbing for Apples,' involves matching letters on apples to the first letter of the students’ names, promoting letter recognition and fine motor skills.
• 🚜 The 'Hayride Relay Race' activity lets students race while collecting colored apples from trees, focusing on motor skills and color identification.
• 🎯 Activities are carefully designed to incorporate a variety of learning goals such as math, literacy, gross motor, fine motor, and vision skills.
• 📋 The teacher emphasizes embedding IEP objectives within fun, themed activities to keep students engaged while working on individual goals.
• 🏆 Prizes are used to reward students for participation in activities, with apple-related treats like apple juice or applesauce as special rewards.
• 📚 The teacher’s focus is on creating differentiated instruction that meets each child’s unique needs by embedding learning into playful activities.
• 🎉 The lesson ends with a reflection on the importance of celebrating small wins, as even tiny achievements can be significant for the students.

Q & A

What is the primary theme of the unit discussed in the script?

The primary theme of the unit is an apple orchard, where students engage in activities related to apples, such as apple bowling, bobbing for apples, and a hayride relay race.

How does the teacher incorporate physical activity into the lesson?

The teacher incorporates physical activity through games like apple bowling, where students roll apples to knock down pins, and a hayride relay race, where they collect apples while racing. These activities focus on gross and fine motor skills.

How does the teacher use apple bowling to teach math?

During apple bowling, students knock down pins and then count the number of pins they knocked down. They are encouraged to perform basic addition by combining the results of two turns and identifying the correct total.

What sensory and motor skills are targeted in the apple-related activities?

The activities target gross and fine motor skills, such as standing and rolling apples, reaching for apples, and using nets to collect apples. Sensory skills, like visual tracking and tactile exploration, are also emphasized.

How does the teacher make the lesson inclusive for all students?

The teacher adapts the activities for students with different physical abilities by allowing them to use walkers, standers, or wheelchairs during tasks. The teacher encourages all forms of participation, such as using verbal cues, eye blinks, or gestures to communicate.

What is the educational purpose of the bobbing for apples activity?

The bobbing for apples activity helps students identify and match letters, particularly the first letters of their names, which reinforces letter recognition and matching skills. It also encourages students to use fine motor skills by reaching into the water with nets.

How does the teacher ensure that students are engaged during the lesson?

The teacher ensures engagement by making the activities fun, interactive, and relevant to the apple orchard theme. The teacher uses praise and encouragement throughout the activities, acknowledging students' efforts and participation.

How does the teacher encourage independent participation from the students?

The teacher encourages independent participation by giving students choices and asking them to indicate their preferences using voice, gestures, or eye contact. Students are also given opportunities to assist with setting up the activities.

What type of reinforcement does the teacher provide during the lesson?

The teacher provides positive reinforcement through verbal praise, high-fives, and special rewards, such as apple-themed prizes like apple juice or applesauce during the final prize distribution.

What is the significance of the final apple-picking activity in the lesson?

The final apple-picking activity allows students to experience the key aspect of an apple orchard—picking apples. They practice identifying numbers and receive prizes, making it a fun and interactive conclusion to the unit.