Lesson Plan: Fall Foliage 🍂 in North America 🌏🌎
Grade Level: For Non-Verbal Students, Middle School (Adaptable to other levels)
Subject: Social Studies 🎬 / Geography🥴
Duration: 45 👍 minutes 🐁
Objectives:
• Students will be able to identify where the USA🇺🇸 in the world 🌎 map.
• Students will be able to tell what the current season is. (autumn).
• Students will be able to pick one word and complete tasks with help.
Materials:
• Use visual prompts to ask students about the current season. Show picture cards of different seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall), and ask students to point to or indicate (using gestures or AAC devices) which season they are currently in Autumn.
• Visuals of Adirondack Mountains (photos showing fall foliage, maps, etc.)
Ask point out winter season. Wait for response to verbal prompt. If needed apply physical prompt hand over hand. Good job! Repeat saying Show me the picture of autumn.
• Picture cards for different seasons (winter, spring, summer, fall)
• Globe or map of North America, with the USA and New York highlighted
• Fall-themed sensory items (leaves, pinecones, etc.)
• Art supplies (construction paper, markers, glue, etc.)
• Bulletin board space for displaying student work
1. Sensory Warm-Up:
• Show students pictures of the Adirondack Mountains in the fall with beautiful fall foliage (red, ❤️ orange, 🧡 and yellow 💛 leaves).
• Pass around real or artificial fall leaves 🍁and other sensory items like pinecones 🌲 for students🧑🎓 to touch and explore.
• Encourage students to make sounds or gestures indicating how they feel about the items (e.g., point to happy 😁 or hungry 😋 faces or sick 🤮 or angry 😡 on emotion cards).
2. Engagement Question:
Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
1. Location & Season:
• Use a map or globe to point to North America and the USA. Highlight the state of New York and show where the Adirondack Mountains are located.
• Say, “The Adirondack Mountains are in New York, USA, in North America.”
• Use simple sentences supported by images or icons to reinforce these points (e.g., a picture of a mountain, a map of the USA, and a tree with fall leaves).
2. Fall in the Adirondacks:
• Show a series of pictures of the Adirondacks in fall, emphasizing the beauty of the changing leaves and cooler temperatures.
• Have students match images of fall leaves to the pictures, helping them connect the concept of fall with what they see.
• Use a fan to simulate the cool breeze typical of fall, letting students experience how the weather changes in the fall season.
Guided Practice (10 minutes):
1. Matching Activity:
• Provide students with a set of images: one of the Adirondacks in fall, one of winter snow, one of summer, and one of spring.
• Ask students to pick out the image that shows the Adirondack Mountains in October (fall).
• Encourage students to use communication devices or gestures to select the correct image.
2. Group Work:
• In small groups, students will create a simple collage representing fall in the Adirondacks, using construction paper, leaf cut-outs, and markers. The teacher will assist and guide students in arranging the materials on paper to reflect what they have learned.
Evaluation (5 minutes):
• The teacher will assess students’ understanding by asking them to:
• Point to the picture of the Adirondack Mountains in fall from a set of season-based images.
• Indicate which season it is (fall) using gestures, pointing, or AAC devices.
• Identify the continent and country they are in by pointing to the USA on a map or globe.
Conclusion (5 minutes):
• Praise students for their work and recap the key points: “We learned that the Adirondack Mountains are in New York, USA, and that it’s fall in October.”
• Let students know that their artwork will be displayed on the bulletin board to show what they learned about the Adirondacks and the fall season.
Bulletin Board Display:
• Create a section titled “Our Fall Trip to the Adirondack Mountains.”
• Post each student’s collage, along with pictures of fall leaves and mountains, with labels such as “Adirondack Mountains,” “Fall,” and “New York, USA.”
• Include a small map of the USA with New York highlighted and images of students engaging in the activities.
Adaptations for Non-Verbal Students:
• Use picture symbols, gesture prompts, and AAC devices for communication.
• Allow students to express choices and understanding through pointing, gesturing, or using communication boards.
• Incorporate sensory elements (fall leaves, cool breezes) to enhance engagement and understanding.
This lesson helps non-verbal students explore the geography of the Adirondack Mountains while reinforcing their knowledge of seasons and locations in a multi-sensory, interactive way.