Hello Carrie's Speech Corner readers! My name is Lindsey and I am very thankful to be guest blogging for the very first time! About a month ago, I started a blog called Word Nerd Speech Teach and began making materials to share. In my blog posts, I try to incorporate a free, limited prep time activity that can be used for a variety of different goal areas. I hope that you can use the activities that I blog about or are inspired to make a variation that suits your needs!!
I LOVE "snow" activities. Honestly, I could spend the whole month of January relishing the wonderfulness of snow, so I've decided to share an activity that can be used for a whole bunch of language goals and/or as a reinforcer for articulation. I started to make my own snowman for this activity, but then realized that a fabulous SLP in my district had made and distributed snowmen to all of the SLPs in our district last year, so I used hers (since she has way more artistic talent than I would ever have)! First, start by making a few snowmen of different sizes.
Next, create the "accessories" in different sizes, shapes, and colors. These accessories are made out of milk filter paper, but you can always make them on regular paper and laminate them for durability. You can also use items you already have in your room - random buttons, extra scraps of fabric or felt, ribbons, cotton balls, etc.
I picked up a few baking sheets from my local dollar store and attached one snowman to each. Then, I put tape in the corners of the pan and attached contact paper UPSIDE DOWN (so that the sticky side is facing up). This increases the "magic" of the activity. You can do anything you want to the pan and the parts never fall off because they stick to the contact paper!
Ta-da! Instant snowman work surface!
Here are three different size snowmen, ready to be put to work.
As I mentioned before, this activity can be used for a multitude of goal areas. I thought of nine different ways to use this activity, but I'm sure you can even come up with more!
- attributes/modifiers (e.g. "one, round, green button")
- same/different (e.g. "The snowmen are the same because they both have red buttons but they are different because mine has black arms and hers has brown arms.")
- 1, 2, 3-step directions as well as conditional directions (**This would be a great activity to target "before" and "after" directions.)
- giving directions (**Have the students practice giving directions to each other.)
- prepositions (e.g. "on top", "on the side", "above", "below", etc.)
- pronouns (**Give each snowman a name and have the student talk about what "she" has or what items of clothing belong to "him".)
- possessives (**Give each snowman a name and have the student talk about "Jane's hat" and "Bob's button".)
- story retell (**Talk about what happened "first", "next", "then", and "last" while making the snowman.)
- reinforcer for artic
Here is a look at the final product after it's all "dolled" up!
I've also created a FREEBIE that you can access at my TpT store. Introducing: Snowman Language Round-Up! This activity includes: 16 same and different pairs
12 describe with attributes cards,
and 18 multiple meaning word cards.
You can access this activity at my TpT store here. You can also follow my blog or "like" my Facebook page in order to stay up-to-date with new products and freebies!
I hope that you find these activities useful and that they save you a little bit of time as far as planning and preparing are concerned! Thanks for reading!
Thank you so much Lindsey! Reminder: if you download Lindsey's freebie, please leave her a comment!! Also head on over to her pages and show her some support :)