Re: Social Studies and Science

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Well, we are just finishing up 4th grade and have had a fun time adapting the

ciriculum.

First they started the year out doing Ocean reports. The kids had to get

facts on all sorts of different ocean life and then draw pictures of it.

Maverick was able to really participate with this with his aide looking up

the info and writing it down.....and he loved drawing the pictures. I'm not

sure what they thought he was getting out of this. He loved the routine of

doing all that the other kids did and of having a report finished with an

awesome mural. I felt the aide did more of the work, but he was included and

there was no discussion about it.

THEN, I opened my big mouth and said that I would rather we identify things

that we want him to learn...so we discuss this at our inclusion meetings.

When they studied the North American Indians, he studied one of the 3 tribes

and then had 3 facts that we wanted him to come away with. With the test,

his was a 5 question, choose one of 2 answers. No problem including him

there. He had to build a desert habitat. That took support from the family,

but it did with my other children also. He had to build an Indian Pit House.

That was a fun project for he and his daddy to do. Now we are on the human

body. His teacher for next year is making a body with puzzle peices that we

want him to identify. (For example, the Heart...it pumps your blood...and

then he will put the heart where it belongs on the body.) That will be his

test. She will keep the body and add to it next year.

These are just a few ideas of what we did with Maverick. It works....he

enjoys telling us about what he is learning, and he picks up alot from the

classmates.

[Guest guest]

Kathy,

Hi, does Sara get speech? The speech teacher is very integral in the SS

component at amanda's school. Since she has all the inclusion kids, she does

things with them like, making up board games on the unit of study, creating

puppet shows and doing the hands on stuff like the crafts parts.

Yes there is alot of reading, but it could be partly done as a read aloud.

started doing research in 3rd grade and we really simplify it. This

year, she's in 4th and one of the units was the Iroquois. She really did

well because they made a village out of clay and made long houses out of

twigs and bark. they also visited native american museums which she got a

lot out of. The speech teacher made up the board game and she gives them the

facts that way, by playing the game. her research on the Iroquois, was games

they played and she did a great job!!!!

Next year in 5th, it will be the Civil War and the speech teacher already

showed me what she has planned for them as far as the re-enactment. d

oes get a little lost, but the hands on stuff helps get her back on tract.

If sara has a resource teacher, maybe she can do some of the activities I

suggested.

As for science, I teach also, and I usually have the kids work in small

groups so that everyone can get something to do in the group and the whole

group can particpate and be included. i feel that science is very hands on

and in my school/district we do include a lot of reading, but again, it could

be in a read aloud, or a simplified text which is adapted to sara's needs.

There are also lots of big books and easy reading books with pictures for

most units of study in science and social studies.

In the IEP, though, I would put the goals as simply as possible for SS and

science. Sorry this was so long hope some of it helps!

PS- find out what the units of study will be and during the summer, try to

plan some family trips to the museums or other educational places. I find

that really helped!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/1/01 3:14:56 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

b4alltoday@... writes:

> Soooooo anyone out there that has any ideas on how to sell this for 3rd

>

Find out what your 3rd grade SS and Science curriculum is. Here SS is

communities, map reading, US geography. This was easy to adapt and Sheila

loved it. Science is physical science easily adaptable to hands on material.

She really impressed them when they hit inclined planes. Sheila was able to

take " a slide is an inclined plane " and generalize it to the paper tray on

the copy machine, the ramp from one wing to another and to a screw! The

teachers gave us the same argument, but by October they were finding it

really was a lot easier than they initially thought it would be to do the

adaptations. So, first find out the curriculum then show them with a few

examples of adaptations and then toss the ball back into thei court. (I'm not

a teacher but I thought I'd attempt a gew adaptations I think Sheila will be

successful with--I'm sure that those of you in the teaching field can do a

much better job. LOL)

nancy

[Guest guest]

This is just MHO but I think teaching a curriculum with only reading and

writing is boring and wrong. I also think it is d*mn lazy. If you can't be

a little more inventive than that, you shouldn't teach. There are many

kinds of learners and using all 5 senses (including touch) is the best

approach for teaching ALL children (including all typical kids).

has been very lucky. All his teachers here in Hawaii have had hands on

Social Studies and Science projects at least weekly. There are things he

can look up on the computer (current events) and his aide or I read them to

him and put them in simpler terms. He has enjoyed mixing things that boil

over or fizz. He has loved going to the aquarium and finding our first hand

about jobs (with reg. ed). He has also made pyramids, Egyptian dolls,

watched films about Greek gladiators, etc. In the sped class, he has to

locate states, rivers, continents, etc. He also has to use measures and

weights. He has studied engines and other things. I have had to list

everything I wanted him to know. I took a curricular guide from Alaska to

develop a program to give him the appropriate goals he MUST have. I also

depend on reg. ed. teachers to figure out what he can do with their

curriculum. I would talk to the teachers about incorporating more hands-on

learning.

Elaine

Social Studies and Science

> HI

>

> Well, IEP time is drawing near and a few things have been brought to my

> attention lately........comments from persons connected with Sara's

school.

>

> Sara will be entering 3rd grade next year. I imagine Ill do as this year

and

> have her continue the Edmark program and Touch math. Ill suggest adding

> calculators to her program, plus a few other things (lol don't know yet)

in

> the Resource room. I do want Sara to have the social studies and science

> curriculum done with other third graders. The problem is I keep hearing

that

> this is going to be difficult because this curriculum doesn't have a lot

of

> hands on learning. I'm guessing they might fight me on this. Our county

does

> NOT veer off it's curriculum, meaning the teachers have full decisions on

how

> it is taught. 3rd grade SS and Science is a lot of reading and other

things

> that would not be appropriate for Sara without modifications and support.

I

> need ways and arguments on how this can be done successfully. I have

always

> had to sell my ideas to get what Sara needs, so I don't think I can get by

> saying she will be included and end it at that. Ill have to show them how

> Heehee

>

> Soooooo anyone out there that has any ideas on how to sell this for 3rd

> grade? For a pretty heavy reading curriculum what kind of accommodation

> /supports will Sara need, mods etc...? I don't want them to say, " oooh we

> will let Sara participate for part of the curriculum when the situation

> arises "

>

> Thank you

>

> Kathy mom to Sara 9...............starting to get ducks in a row

>

>

> Please edit posts when replying!

>

>

[Guest guest]

<< I feel as though this year

is lost on the inclusion thing >>

I cannot stress enough the importance of the montly Inclusion meetings. That

is where we discuss all of the accomodations for each subject matter as it

comes up. And, while Maverick gets a regular report card, the grades are

based on what he does as far as his IEP goals and NOT on what he is learning

in science or social studies.

At our monthly meetings, the teacher is asked what she is going to teach

next, and we discuss what we want Maverick to get out of this subject and how

to present it to him and how to test him on it. The teacher, unfortunately

has very little imagination, and I do end up going to the listserv for some

suggestions, but I always get great ideas that we can somehow use.

I am looking forward to next year. His 5th grade teacher is enthusiastic

about having him in her class and is already involved in adapting his work

this year.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/3/01 9:23:54 AM Central Daylight Time, Michdock@...

writes:

> I cannot stress enough the importance of the montly Inclusion meetings.

That

>

> is where we discuss all of the accomodations for each subject matter as it

> comes up.

HI

Fist I want to say thank you for everyone's suggestions I will be using

all of this info at annual meeting.

Now I have touched on this subject before with team and what I get

is....... " Oh we have the staff to help modify, " " we don't have the time, " and

my favorite " Sara will do fine, " now I really want to push for this support,

for this fall. What if they flat out refuse, what can do I do then lolol

Kathy mom to Sara 9

[Guest guest]

Kathy--- is in third grade this year and his

school in my opinion has earned a failing grade on

including in science and social studies. They

used the same excuse here and then gave him some

dittos on china and a ditto on big little and med. for

science after I asked to have him learn these

subjects.(by the way knows big and little, and

did not want to do the ditto. I wonder why?)I had a

meeting and sent a letter saying how disappointed that

was not being included in these subjects and was

told about his behaviors. I feel as though this year

is lost on the inclusion thing so siting thier

reference to his behaviors I am demanding that they

teach this child gradually to sit and listen and

provide him with adequate adapted work. Also next year

I am having put into the Iep that they must include me

before a subject is taught and get my impute on

adapting the work before they teach it not after when

they get the behaviors. I also said if they do not

give him opportunities to sit at a desk and do

independent work he never will. I do not like adults

always sitting next to him,touching his paper,pointing

to the words he is to read ect. Give him space and

encourage him to read for himself which he can . The

little rat has been hiding it for some time now. He

likes undivided attention of adults and will let them

do as much as possible for him as he can. So when they

put him in class with the other kids he is set up to

fail because he has not learned to do his work on his

own.

>

>

> Sara will be entering 3rd grade next year. I imagine

> Ill do as this year and

> have her continue the Edmark program and Touch math.

> Ill suggest adding

> calculators to her program, plus a few other things

> (lol don't know yet) in

> the Resource room. I do want Sara to have the social

> studies and science

> curriculum done with other third graders. The

> problem is I keep hearing that

> this is going to be difficult because this

> curriculum doesn't have a lot of

> hands on learning. I'm guessing they might fight me

> on this. Our county does

> NOT veer off it's curriculum, meaning the teachers

> have full decisions on how

> it is taught. 3rd grade SS and Science is a lot of

> reading and other things

> that would not be appropriate for Sara without

> modifications and support. I

> need ways and arguments on how this can be done

> successfully. I have always

> had to sell my ideas to get what Sara needs, so I

> don't think I can get by

> saying she will be included and end it at that. Ill

> have to show them how

> Heehee

>

> Soooooo anyone out there that has any ideas on how

> to sell this for 3rd

> grade? For a pretty heavy reading curriculum what

> kind of accommodation

> /supports will Sara need, mods etc...? I don't want

> them to say, " oooh we

> will let Sara participate for part of the curriculum

> when the situation

> arises "

>

> Thank you

>

> Kathy mom to Sara 9...............starting to get

> ducks in a row

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

<< What if they flat out refuse, what can do I do then >>

Well, I would really push it saying that you feel that it will be a support

for the teacher as much as for Sara. Actually, it is more of a support for

the teacher (which benefits Sara more in the long run.)

So, if they still refuse, I would go to the school board, explain the whole

issue. Tell them that you want the team to continue working to ensure that

Sara gets the education that she needs and the teacher gets the support that

she needs.

The last student I helped get included added this to the IEP with no

hesitation. I am going to the IEP of another student this Friday and we'll

see how much luck we have. They are in another district so they haven't been

privy to all the talk about me and our due process, so I'm not sure if

they'll be intimidated enough, but we'll try.