Designing Curriculum Activity

Designing curriculum activity for children with special needs
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Designing curriculum activity for children with special needs
Curriculum area selected
The curriculum area that was selected as the focus of the adaptation is Physical Development and Health. Preschoolers in general are physically active (Adkins & Bushman 28). Physical activities of the children would be utilized in the designed curriculum activity as a gateway to learning in each area of the curriculum.
The special needs being addressed
The curriculum activity is designed for children with autism. Young autistic children usually have trouble when it comes to developing fine-motor skills which result in hand-eye coordination, visual discrimination and ultimately writing and reading. Distractibility and an inclination to seek out sensory experiences such as movement usually impact the capability of the child with Autism Spectrum Disorder to sit and learn basic skills for instance placing pegs inside holes and fitting shapes through openings (Guldberg 170). Since autistic children have issues with fine motor skills, they typically find it very difficult to develop strong muscles in their wrists and hands.
Name and description of activity
The planned activity is called play-dough, a Fine Motor Activity. It entails helping the autistic children to develop fine-motor skills. Activities would be adapted to address learning and sensory motor needs. Play-dough is very fun and develops some skills which are essential to children who have autism spectrum disorder. Stretching and squeezing it will help in strengthening the muscles of the finger and touching it provides an important sensory experience (Mallary 102). This fine-motor activity for autistic children is developmentally just right; it would be both challenging and successful.
Age of child activity is designed for
The activity is designed for preschoolers – children aged 3 to 5 years – as well as children aged 5-7 years with autism. Given that a lot of autistic children have decreased muscle tone, strength, as well as coordination, they find it difficult to learn to manipulate objects. Nonetheless, with play-dough activity, they would develop fine-motor skills to do arts and craft, to write and even to manipulate toys.
Two measurable child objectives for the activity
Build finger and hand strength. Play-dough is intended to improve the autistic children’s fine motor functions such as dexterity, strength as well as coordination of hands. This objective should be attained within a period of 12 months.
Provide sufficient sensory stimulation that autistic children usually seek and facilitate learning in the child. This objective would be long-term hence its attainment is over a period of 12 months.
Process envisioned and how stage is set for play
The envisioned process of the activity entails rolling and moulding the play dough into balls of different sizes. They would utilize the palms of their hands as they face each other and with their fingers curled a little toward the palm. Play dough will facilitate learning since it will be used in teaching colours, shapes, numbers and letters to the autistic children. They would be taught how to make various numbers, letters and shapes. The stage for play, or playroom, will contain all the necessary materials and objects of the activity. In the playroom, they will play using the dough for instance by rolling the dough into peas or tiny balls with the use of the finger tip only.
Time and space needed
The time needed for the play dough activity is 1-2 hours every day. The activity would be scheduled at a certain time of the day; that is, before lunch time. This is the most appropriate time since the autistic children would not be hungry or tired; they would have eaten something, taken a nap and woken up ready for the next task of the day, which would be play dough. Since the children have Autism Spectrum Disorder, each of them would require a sufficient personal space.
The facility will have large play centres so that every child has enough space to engage in the dough play activity. Nevertheless, it is notable that the space for each child would not be too big. All in all, consideration would be given to the space needed to ensure safe play. Additional space would be created by removing unnecessary equipment and re-arranging the furniture. Re-arranging the playroom may be helpful in initiating further interest in the play dough activity (Guldberg 171). Every autistic child would be praised after completing the activity.
Play objects/materials needed
The play objects/materials basically include dough, dough tables, scissors, toothpicks, pegs, pizza wheels and plastic knives. They would play on the tables. The children will utilize the scissors, pizza wheel or the plastic knife to cut the play dough. They will use the toothpicks or pegs to make various designs in the ...