By Minkina Blackburn and Kathleen Michielsen
Creativity is often part of the job description when you’re working with children who are blind or visually impaired, particularly when teaching concepts that can be very two dimensional. In this lesson plan from Yakima Public Schools, students are introduced to shapes and matching through the bright lights on the LightAide.
Activity Goal: Match the Shape
- Match the shapes on the LightAide, then have the student find the correct 3D shape
- Discuss the shapes and their visual and tactile differences
Curriculum Alignment: Common Core Standards for Mathematics
- Sort, categorize and classify objects by attributes
Leader’s Role
- Get the learner’s visual attention focused to the LightAide
- Identify the switches and which switch changes the left and right shapes
- Review the shapes with the learner
- Show the learner the corresponding 3D shapes
- Switch the shape on the left and ask the learner to find the shape on the right by using the switch
- Ask the learner to find the 3D Shape to match the shapes on the LightAide
Learner’s Role
- Use the switch to change the shape to match the leader’s shape
- Find the 3D shape to match the shapes on the LightAide
Extensions
- Ask the learner to match other sizes of 3D shapes to the shape on the LightAide
- Ask the learner to describe the differences in the shapes
- Ask the learner to match shapes with another learner
