Kristine, our speech therapist, has been doing special group projects with our day students during rest hour. In addition to individual and small group sessions, these larger group projects have given students the ability to employ their speech devices, signs, and voices to participate in hands-on activities. Earlier this year, she put together a fall Madlib-type story where the students could fill in the blanks and write a silly story as a group that they could then share with several people.
With fall here and a newly minted herb garden to protect, Kristine helped the day students assemble a scarecrow to watch over our chamomile, lavender, and thyme as the weather turned cooler and the plants went dormant.
Students first assembled scarecrows out of paper in small groups, gaining familiarity with what a scarecrow looks like and the words needed to discuss it. They then used their voices, signs, and AAC devices to make an inventory of things they would need to gather in order to make the real-deal scarecrow. This included straw, a shirt, pants, a bandana, a hat, and a post. Straw was sourced from our farm crew, and clothing was rifled through to pick the perfect outfit. Our garden crew set the post in the ideal spot, and construction was underway.
Everyone had a hand in building our scarecrow, taking turns filling the shirt and pants with straw and then sewing the clothing shut. After it was secure and looking good, the entire group walked down to the garden to set their creation up, overlooking the herb beds, and he was given a bandana, stylish hat, and a name: Bob!
So if you find yourself on a stroll through the gardens at Beaver Farm, be sure to swing by and wave hi to Bob as he watches over the plants that will yield next year’s community tea blend.