TITLE OF LESSON Disability Awareness Stations

CONTEXT OF LESSON

This lesson is appropriate for this class at this time because October is Disability
Awareness Month. Also, it is important that these students have some basic knowledge of
the ways in which people with disabilities live and learn differently than them. In these
differences, my practicum students need to learn to respect, accept, and include these
friends.

RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING (K & 1) OR FOUNDATION BLOCKS (1st

Grade)

Social Studies Grade 1 VA SOL

1.10 The student will apply the traits of a good citizen by

a) focusing on fair play, exhibiting good sportsmanship, helping others, and treating others
with respect;
1.12 c) include people who have diverse ethnic origins, customs, and traditions, who make
contributions to their communities and who are united as Americans by common principles.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Radio, headphones, sign language sheet, Read-Aloud text, Reading Centers texts (3), shoe box full
of random objects, Braille Nametag guide sheet, computer paper, puffy paint, Sign Language
Alphabet, socks, pennies.
I did not choose to use instructional cards as this lesson was teacher led.

PROCEDURE

I will set up the reading centers during Morning Work time. Reading Center 1 will need the Some Kids
Are Blind book, a screen to show blurred sight words, paper/pencils for students to use to write the words
on, Braille nametag worksheet, and Braille example. Reading Center 2 will need the Some Kids Are Deaf
book, headphones, a radio, and sign language alphabet sheet. Reading Center 3 will need Some Kids
Wear Leg Braces book, socks, and pennies.

Set-Up Picture:
 Engagement and introduction of the lesson- Directly after morning work, I will
guide the children to sit in the group reading area. I will proceed to ask pre-read
aloud questions.
Read Aloud: Were Different Were the Same
o Pre-Questions: What does the word different mean? What is the opposite of different? What
about this front cover is different?
o Post-Questions: How should we treat people that are different than us? What would life be like if
everyone was exactly the same?
Implementation of the lesson- Explain that some people are different than you
are. Sometimes people have an easier or harder time doing things that you do.
Some kids are blind. Some kids are Deaf. Some kids use wheelchairs/leg braces.
This is because their eyes dont work the same way yours do. This is because their
ears dont work in the same ways that yours do. This is because their legs dont
work the same ways yours do.
Today, we are going to see what it is like to use our senses (may have to define
senses) in different ways than we are used to. While we are doing these activities,
remember that some people actually live this way, see this way, hear this way, and
move this way.
Break up into Reading Groups. At each reading group table, there will be a
different activity representing a different disability. There will be a reading level
Grade 1 book about that disability at each table for the students to picture walk/read
together. After reading, the students will do the corresponding activity.
Reading Center #1- Some Kids Are Blind
o Read together/picture walk the book- Some Kids Are Blind
o Stop to define together words that students may not know. Special emphasis on words: Blind,
Braille, Guide Dogs, visually impaired, and white canes.
o Ask students: Do you know anyone that cannot see? Do you
think it makes school easier or harder for them? Why?
 o Lead activity: Blindfold one student and have them feel in the shoe box and try to identify what
object they are feeling.
o Emphasize that they have to use their sense of touch instead of sense of sight.
o Listen carefully for emotion words to how this activity makes them feel (frustrated, difficult, etc.)
Prompt students with questions as they are completing
the activity: Is this easy or hard? How does this make
you feel?
Have students share their emotions/feelings about this
activity. Emphasize that people actually have eyes that
see like this.
Explain what Braille is and show students example of
the Braille book, The Cat in the Hat. Show example of
Audio Book.
o Have students make a Braille nametag using the Braille Cells. Cut out the construction paper in
the shape of a nametag. Have the students pick out their Braille cells (they need one braille cell
for each letter in their name). Have students glue their cells down on their nametags. Let the
students put puffy paint in the corresponding spot that is for the letter they are on. Use the Braille
Alphabet attached for reference.
 Reading Center #2- Some Kids Are Deaf
Read together/picture walk the book- Some Kids Are Deaf
Stop to define together words that students may not know. Special emphasis on words: Deaf,
hearing aids, speech therapist and sign language.
Ask students: Do you know anyone that cannot hear? Do you think it makes school easier or
harder for them? Why?
Lead activity: Choosing one student at a time to wear the headphones, turn on a static radio
station. While the one student wears the headphones, the other students in the group have to try
and explain to their partner what ever prompt the teacher gives them (ex: tell them that for
homework they have to write a story about a time where they went on an adventure. Tell them that
Miss Vs favorite Klines flavor is Chocolate Peanut Butter and that is the flavor this week, etc.)
The partner has to try and hear what the others are saying before moving on.
Have students share their emotions/feelings about this activity. Emphasize that people have ears
that hear like this and so they have to learn special ways to live because of it. For example, they
can try using hearing aids or sign language.
Listen for emotion words and student use of indicated deafness vocabulary words. (deaf, hearing
aids, sign language, hearing impaired, speech therapist)

o If theres extra time, teach students how to sign their names.

Use Sign Language letter handout.
Closure- Invite students back into group area rug to discuss the activities together.
Questions:
What was the hardest thing you had to do today?
How did it make you feel
If you were deaf, how would you like help hearing?
If you were blind how would you like help seeing?

o Emphasize that even though some kids senses work differently than ours, they can still
do the things that we can do, they just do it a little differently.