My students are in a Self-Contained Special Education Unit. These students have severely deficient cognitive, academic, adaptive, physical and functional abilities. These students struggle to participate fully with their general education peers. Some of my students are mainstreamed with assistance from aides and peer tutors.
My students are curious and love to learn.
Hands-on activities are the best way my students learn. Our curriculum is based on the Essential Elements for Language Arts, Math, and Science. We also work on life skills and explore the world around us.
Having actual items for my students to explore through hands-on activities will make learning fun and real. My students are not just audio learners or visual learners, but kinesthetic learners as well.
Having actual owl pellets to explore as we learn about the food chain, or having prisms to refract light, or having types of rocks to contrast and compare is what makes learning fun, engaging, and real.
Some of my students are not able to go out and explore the world around them due to their disabilities. These supplies make exploration possible. These supplies bring the outside world into the classroom.