Core Word of the Day - All

Having an augmentative alternative communication system with a core vocabulary is considered best practice today.  A core vocabulary is a group of words that are most commonly used in English.  The words can be combined to form novel phrases and express a variety of communication functions.  But, students will not learn these words without some direct instruction. For a while, we thought teaching one word a week was good enough but now several experts have recommended teaching one of these words each day.  That way, you can teach and reteach your entire core vocabulary multiple times per year rather than just once per year.  Makes sense right? After all, our students need LOTS of repetition.

So here's an activity to teach the core word all.  All is one of those core words that I avoided because it seemed really hard to teach in a concrete way.  Finally, I challenged myself to come up with an activity to teach this word.  And because I am a glutton for punishment, I selected a craft.  Crafts are a pain because they require a LOT of prep.  I tried to keep the cutting to a minimum to save time but it was still a fair amount of work to get ready.  You can use this activity to teach the word some also. It makes sense to teach these words together.

All or Some Gumballs

Materials:

Colored construction paper, dark for background
Colored construction paper, light for gumball machine
White yarn or white crayon
small multicolored pom poms
glue
black marker

Prep:

1. Cut light colored construction paper in to rectangles.  Draw on the gumball chute and and coin slot on the rectangle with  a black marker.
2. If students have significant fine or gross motor disabilities, you might want to glue the gumball machine onto the paper and draw the circular globe where the gumballs will go.  For visually impaired students, use yarn to define the globe.

Activity (model the words in red on your core vocabulary board or student AAC system):

1. Introduce all and some using items in the classroom.  Ex: some of the markers, all of the markers, some of the blocks, all of the blocks, some of the home folders, all of the home folders.  Model some and all on your core board or student communication systems as you do this.

2. Show a picture of a gumball machine or an actual toy gumball machine (available at most dollar stores).  Say, "look at all those gumballs."  Provide additional description for those with visual impairments such as "they are round, colorful, etc. Encourage students to use their communication systems to make comments.

3. Introduce the craft: You are going to make a gumball machine.

4. Students make a choice: Put 6 pom poms in a small container with the symbol for all attached and 2 pom poms in another container with the symbol for some attached. Ask: Do you want some gumballs or all the gumballs?  The student should use their communication system to indicate a choice on their system or using the visuals attached to the containers.

5. Assemble the craft: Model the directions for assembly using core words "put on the gumball", "help", "more", "put here", "not here", "all finished" or any other appropriate words from your core vocabulary.  Encourage the student to make comments or give directions using their communication system and attribute meaning to whatever messages they choose.

6. Have students show their work:  Once completed, have students show their work to their classmates or other favorite people in the building.  Core words can be modeled such as look, some, all, and make.  Phrases such as "I make", "look I make", etc. can also be modeled. Encourage students to use their communication system to comment on the art work and attribute meaning to whatever message they choose.

You could do a similar activity (maybe fish in a fish bowl) when the word some comes up as core word of the day.