(PMD school group session)

- for use with snowman PECS, picture, or puppet/stuffed

- remember to touch items named (snowman, boots, mittens) each

  time specific word is  sung ("snowman", "boots", "mittens")  

"Earl the Snowman" Picture -  (I used this on a PECS board)

Other Ideas:

1) add items named (boots, mittens, etc) as they are sung

2) let child (hand over hand if necessary) 'build' the snowman (after singing) by having snowman made of three seperate cirlces (balls) of paper (you can also work on small/medium/large concepts here) 

(for PMD school group session)

- remember to establish pat/clap first (for attention, interest, and prep)

- for use with PECS/pictures (table and chair)

- point to appropriate PECS/pictures when singing "table"/"chair"

- have client visually (and/or physically) identify each (table/chair) at the end of the activity (or as appropriate to each child)

EXTRA:  Depending on the child, you may want to use hand over hand for child to pat/clap as this could allow for additional work in gross motor, fine motor, midline work, etc.  NOTE: Involving both sides of the body to establish beat helps to engage both hemispheres, and often leads to higher cognitive attention.

Follow same instructions as above (in Part I of "My House")

- for use alongside My Rain Story (below)

* NOTE : This song was written for and perscribed to a certain client     specific to her situation/circumstance

* for individual client

(remember, this is how it is used in session for him)

* for individual client

Materials needed:

1)  FIND IT! game   

(local chain bookstore carries this or you can make one like I did)

2)  Picture cards to match items in game (items to be found)

(This is optional, but is especially important if your main goal here is to work on increasing cognitive skill such as matching items)

Activity:

* First demonstrate how to slowly and carefully turn the container in order to see all the hidden pieces (I demonstrated this in session, but he'll need a reminder).

1)  Sing song in call and response fashion

     *  This means that you sing, "Can you find it, can you find it?" AND then  

         child sings (answers), "Yes, I can, Yes, I can"

2)  Child draws picture card, and then turns the container (as mentioned

     (above) until he locates the item (that matches the item on the picture

     card) ... reward him with a high five (this is what we did in session, and

     he got a kick out of it!)

3)  Repeat process (steps 1 and 2) until all items are found (only do

     about 5 pictures/items maximum per game or the game will be

     too long).  Be sure to sing the call/response song (as indicated in #1

     between each turn.

Goal areas for this activity:

*  Increase impulse control

*  Decrease anxiety/frustration over performing task (not being able

    to find item immediately)

*  Increase cognitive skill

*  Increase cognitive attention/attention to task

*  Increase duration of cognitive attention

*  Participation for the duration of a given task ("finishing")

*  Increase auditory attention/following auditory cues

*  Increase social communication (call and response)

*  Decrease echolalia

See June 09 Newsletter for accompanying activity.  (Newsletter listed on "MT Newsletter" page of this website)

*  Social communication

*  Visual attention

*  Decrease social anxiety

Here's a simple little song and activity to help teach/reinforce certain theme/holiday related cognitive concepts (colors/black & orange, shapes, etc).  This activity may also be used with these goal areas:

• Auditory Attention (listen for and follow auditory cue)
• Impulse Control (wait for cue to touch items)
• Cognitive Skill (teach/reinforce concepts such as colors, shapes, holiday/theme related material, etc.)
• Verbal Commands (follow verbal prompts/commands/directions)
• Sensory

Use props for this activity (a real or toy pumpkin and black cat AND/OR pictures of a pumpkin and black cat).

This song is set up in the same fashion as The 12 Days of Christmas in that you go back and say all the words said previously in the song.  I typically use word cards for each 'heart rhythm' ("Tap, Tap"), and lay these out on the floor as we intro each.  This gives added visual aid.  Also, I demonstrate (or we come up with ideas for) a coordinating movement for each heart rhythm (i.e., stomp your feet for "boom, boom", pump your muscles for "pump, pump").  This involves not only memory recall of words, but also of movements (and sequencing).  When word cards are present, this helps with association as well in that you are recalling associated movements with words you are reading.  I even have the word cards out for children who cannot read them.  This is a good visual either way, and is a good pre-reading concept.  Speech develpment and verbal clarity can benefit from this as well as there are various speech sounds represented here (blends, nasals, plosives/stops, etc).  You may choose to change/add some heart rhythms to cover the speech sounds needed.  Have fun!

POSSIBLE GOAL AREAS:

• memory recall
• sequencing
• cognitive attention/skill
• visual/auditory attention
• auditory cueing
• association
• motor coordination/sequencing
• speech production/verbal clarity

 *  See February 2010 and February 2009 MT Newsletters for more Valentine related activities

FOR USE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN

 * Allow discussion of each emotion and circumstance that results in having that emotion (can relate this specifically to a recent/specific circumstance). 

NOTE:  This song starts out with "SAD" emotion and then moves through emotions, ending on "HAPPY".  This was purposeful and appropriate for the client for which this was intended/recommended.  This allows you to meet the client where they are (sad, i.e.), gives opportunity for the client to identify/express the emotion as well as to identify the scenario that lead to this emotion, and then moves them past this (onto contentment).  Again, this is appopriate for certain situations, but not for others.  Feel free to contact me for info on appropriateness/implementation. 

Also, I sometimes will start out with "MAD", and follow with "SAD".  I will rewrite the verse for "MAD" to say: 

"Sometimes I feel Mad,

Mad, mad, mad!

(but) sometimes when I'm mad,

I'm really feeling sad.

Do you ever feel Mad like this?"

I will implement this when appropriate to a given scenario if I think the client is masking sadness with anger (often times anger is a 'safe' emotion).  Following this then with "SAD" often helps the client to recognize if they are really feeling sadness or anger.  This helps with identification and expression.

1. IMPORTANCE OF TEMPO:  This song is somewhat upbeat (for attention and interest), however, it is purposefully not set to an especially quick tempo as this could inspire gross motor movement (possibly leading to distraction and impulsivity).  This would defeat the purpose of this activity which is to TEACH AND PRACTICE APPROPRIATE LUNCHTIME STEPS AND BEHAVIORS.  Keep this in mind when practicing the song. 
2. REPETITIVE NATURE OF SONG:  This song is very repetitious so that it is easy to learn and recall.
3. STEP/PICTURE CARDS:  Introduce this song along with the STEP CARDS (see below), going through them in order as child/student/client listens to the song.  PRINT AND LAMINATE CARDS.  Be sure child has these cards to take with them when implementing at school during lunchtime.  You may wan to hole punch them, and put them in order, on a key ring. 
4. PRACTICE BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION:  Be sure to play the song enough (sometimes just in the background a few different times during the day) to allow child to have high comfort level with song before actually implementing this at school. 
5. OPTION OF RHYTHMIC SPEECH RATHER THAN SINGING LYRICS:  Practice ALSO just saying the words/lyrics to song (in a rhythmic manner such as in poetry or chants).  Don't spend a lot of time on this.  This is just to offer this as an option in the event that the child cannot recall the melody when using this.  However, this is typically the point of implementing the music/a melody as it typically becomes engrained in the memory with enough practice/repetition.
6. PROVIDE CONCRETE ACTIVITY FOR DOWNTIME DURING LUNCH:  Typically for the card that says, "Sometimes I get bored ... just think of fun things quietly ...", I have the client EITHER write down fun things on the back of that card ahead of time (things they enjoy, favorite things, etc, and then they can turn the card over to read it during that time) OR have a separate little set of pocket picture cards (with favorite subject matter) to look through

   during this time.
7. DRESS REHEARSAL:  After going over the song (with the step cards), you may want to physically act out the process at home (pretending you are at school and going to lunch).  ALSO, if able, a teacher may want to 'run through' this with the child earlier in the day (physically practicing the process in steps) when the lunchroom is free from distractions (peers, noises, sensory, etc).
8. FAMILIARITY BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION:  Only after card use, step practice, and song is familiar should you implement this at school. 
9. BUILD POSITIVE ASSOCIATION:  If you feel child is ready to take the cards and implement this at school, go ahead and send them along, saying he/she "gets to use your new cards today at lunch!