Delay, delay, delay! Wrapping Up the January Unit!

ANOTHER delay this morning due to icy road conditions and cold temperatures! This is seriously impacting my blogging schedule ;) 

January is a big month for me- four mountains of paperwork annual case reviews, lots of testing and major weather delays/closings throughout!

Just a quick few words about our morning lesson about the United States...

We finished up our January unit on American History with a discussion about the Constitution and a review of the American Revolution. We were even able to make a connection between our Classroom Constitution and the US Constitution! The kids have really enjoyed learning about American History. 

You may be wondering how US History is relevant to a Lifeskills class... We touched briefly on the bones of American History, giving an overview of colonization, the Boston Tea Party, the American Revolution and the Constitution, but we also drew connections to topics that are relevant and functional to our students. 

For example, when talking about the Revolution and how it took place during a blustery winter, we made connections about what the soldiers wore versus what we should wear to protect ourselves from the elements. 

When we talked about the Boston Tea party, we talked about self-advocacy skills and how to appropriately let others know when you disagree or have a problem. We also flexed our gross motor skills and practiced throwing imaginary tea crates overboard. 

I've said it before, but there is just about nothing better as a special educator than being able to give my kids access to the general education curriculum (hearing an 8th grade peer say, "hey, that's what we're studying!" makes my day!) while providing instruction in content that is relevant and appropriate for my students.  

Stay warm, friends!