Multisensory Monday- Springtime Nests
Posted by Brainspring on 20th Apr 2014
Hi everyone,
I know Mondays after a break are tough, but today’s Multisensory Monday filled with spring colors will brighten your day. I had a lovely weekend celebrating Easter with my family. Many of my cousins have small children, which means lots of plastic eggs, Peeps, chocolate bunnies, fake colored grass, baskets, candy and treats. Hiding baskets and eggs for kids to find is one of the best parts of the day, but what do you do with everything afterwards? Use the leftovers for multisensory activities of course! Grab some leftover jellybeans and Rice Krispy treats and you’re all set to make some edible Nests.
Post other ideas for holiday leftovers in the comments below!
Springtime Nests
This multisensory fits right in with Lesson 1-12: n. This activity uses ‘nest’ as the keyword. For those of you using the Phonics First keyword stickers, this activity will match perfectly. This activity can easily be done with a whole class, small group or in a tutoring setting. You’ll need a Rice Krispy treat for each student and about 6 jellybeans, plus some napkins for sticky hands.
First, the students shape the Rice Krispy treat into a nest shape. Yes, this means they will be playing with their food, so have them wash their hands first. Use fresh Rice Krispy treats so the students will be able to mold them. Old Rice Krispy treats tend to be dry and brittle and won’t shape well.
Then, students place one jellybean egg into the nest for each word they hear that has the /n/ sound. You can either the students listen for whether or not words you say have the /n/ sound, or the students can brainstorm their own words. Depending on their ability level, you can only use words that have the /n/ sound at the beginning, or you can use words with the /n/ sound in different places. 
After the students fill their nests by listening for the /n/ sound, they can eat and enjoy!
Extensions
If you are doing this activity in the spring, I think it would be awesome to include some information on bird nests. You could discuss what kinds of materials birds actually use to make their nests (I have yet to see one made of Rice Krispy treats), how they make their nests, why they choose certain locations and what purpose the nests serve. Especially if you are working with an older student, adding extra information makes this simple activity more sophisticated, more memorable and more interesting.
An extra FYI for the teachers out there- A couple years ago I attended a fantastic workshop for an inquiry-based science program called Flying Wild. “Flying WILD offers practical hands-on classroom and outdoor field investigation experiences connecting real-world experiences in bird biology, conservation and natural history.” It was the best workshop I have ever been to (not including RLAC’s workshops). If you ever have the chance to go, please do yourself a favor and attend. Here is the website for more information: http://www.flyingwild.org/.
Have you been to a workshop you thought was absolutely fantastic? Share below.
Be sure not to throw out the rest of your Easter leftovers yet! I have a few more ideas I’ll be sharing over the next few Mondays. Remember to share your ideas as well. And, if you liked this post, share it with a friend or colleague.