Cross-curricular theme-based learning is a wonderful way to help children with visual impairments learn new skills and concepts. This page includes lots of ideas for incorporating all of a child’s senses (tactile, visual, auditory, olfactory, smell and even taste!), as well as literacy through the theme of “weather”.
For other cross-curricular theme-based approach activities, see some of my other posts.
Tactile
- Rain – rain maker, watering can on metal tray
- Water spray on metal tray,
- Spray child’s hands gently with warm water
- Play splashing in puddles.
- Wear cagoule, wellingtons, souwester, umbrella.
- Spray watering can over umbrellas held by children.
- Sunny day – sun cream, sun hats, sun glasses, bright light from torch to represent sun.
- Use torch to make patterns of light (created by sun)
- Simulate seaside -make sand castles, use different shaped moulds to form the sand shapes.
- Children to have barbecue, salad, picnic.
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Snowy day – feel ice crystals, make ice shapes using different shape containers, colour the water.
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Parkin, brownies, hot soup, pumpkin lanterns, hot dogs for cold day.
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Make a snow man around a big cylindrical shape, use cotton wool balls to glue on.
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Washing powder, bubble bath to create bubbles to replicate snow.
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Windy day – use fan/bellows, bicycle pump, air bed pump to create breeze. Go for a walk on a windy day to feel the real breeze. Pick up leaves – make rubbing, add black outline or transfer into tactile outline using zychem paper, make collage of leaves.
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Fan streamers, balloons, net curtain, wind chimes, bells on string.
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Tie balloon or streamers to child’s wrist so that they blow in the air stream created by the fan.
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Use cheerleaders pom-poms to make sound of rustling leaves in wind.
Visual
(some of these ideas would also be used in the tactile section also)
- Position leaves for collage on clear contrasting background. Cover in glitter or paint with fluorescent paint and hang from black umbrella.
- Make sunny day scene in classroom.
- Use sand pit make sand pies, add in parasol, beach towel, beach bag, sunglasses, sand toys.
Sound
- Sound made by rain, hail, (small pebbles on plastic or tin tray, watering can spraying on metal tray)
- Sound of sea at seaside, waves lapping.
- Description of seaside scene – audio version on mp3 player for children to listen too. Songs to listen to about the weather.
Taste
- Taste sandwiches, ice cream, ice lollies
Smell
- Smell ice cream, cucumber, spring onions, tomatoes, sausages cooking, parkin
Literacy
- Stories and songs about a rainy day, snowy day, sunny day, on the beach, making snow men, splashing in puddles.
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I’m a Little Snowman
I’m a little Snowman, round and fat,
I’ve got a woolly scarf
and a little bobble hat.
When the snow is falling,
Come out and play.
You can make a snowman with me today.
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Eensy Weensy Spider
Eensy weensy spider climbed up the water spout,
Down came the rain
and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
And the eensy weensy spider,
climbed up the spout again.
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It’s Raining, it’s Pouring
It’s raining its pouring,
The old man is snoring.
He went to bed
and bumped his head
and couldn’t get up in the morning.
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I’m a Little Snowflake
I’m a little snowflake, small and white.
When the moon is shining
I’m sparkly and bright.
When you see me falling,
Come out and play.
You can make a snowman with me today.
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I Hear Thunder
I hear thunder, I hear thunder,
Hark don’t you, hark don’t you.
Pitter patter raindrops,
Pitter patter raindrops.
I’m wet through,
So are you!
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Doctor Foster
Doctor Foster went to Gloucester,
In a shower of rain.
He stepped in a puddle,
right up to his middle.
And never went there again
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There are more shared ideas at www.positiveeye.co.uk
