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Activity 1

What's My Name in Braille?

Items Needed:
Construction paper
Circle pattern (.5 inch reccommended)
Glue
Scissors
Braille alphabet guide
Optional: puff paint

Kids love to do activities that involve their name. With this activity, you use the Braille alphabet guide and have each student, create their name depicted in braille dots. We recommend you have the students cut out several circles of the same size and shape (these will be the Braille dots) and then paste them on a colored piece of construction paper in the orientation to represent their name in Braille. You could even have the students fill each dot with glue and let it dry for a "raised dot" tactile feel. Puff paint is also an option.
 

Below is an example of what the name Sam would look like on paper:

The name Sam in Braille

 

 

Dots 2, 3, and 4 represent the letter S
Dot 1 represents the letter a
Dots 1, 3, and 4 represent the letter m
 

Activity 2

Coins in a Can

Items Needed:
A coffee can
Several coins
A blindfold

Put several coins; quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies, in a coffee can (or some type of container that you cannot see through). Holding the can up high enough so the child cannot look inside but low enough for the child to reach in, have the student try to find the type of coin you request by using only touch. (Tip, you could blindfold the student.) 

The purpose of this activity is to discuss that each coin has a unique size and shape and an edge that may be rigged or smooth.  By using these tactile cues, a person can identify coin money without using vision. 

To elicit more of a competition, have the class divided into two teams and see which team can identify the most coins correctly.