For an individual or small group activity, have students sort and match mittens and gloves, hats, coats and scarves. For students who already have an understanding of basic sorting, make mitten or sock shapes from cardboard and cover them with fabric of different textures, wrapping paper, plastic bubble wrap and other materials. Have students make pairs of sock and mitten shapes using color or texture as cues. Look for a shape on your school s die cut system in the shape of a mitten to speed preparation time. For students who need counting practice make sets of small mittens or socks of different textures and colors.
Students can count out sets onto a card with the number written and brailled on it.
Use large index cards or file folders cut into convenient sizes. Keep these materials and change the shape of counters according to the thematic unit used in your classroom. Look for inexpensive rubber stamps made from high density foam at hobby stores, or make your own by cutting Fun Foam or similar material into the shape of mittens, hats, boots or socks and attaching to a wood block or corrugated cardboard. Students can stamp images of these items on paper which ask them to make a certain number of shapes for counting practice. Feed the Birds Animals can have difficulty finding food in the long cold winter.