A 5-day science unit for K-2 SDC students exploring each of the five senses through interactive slides, hands-on mini-experiments, errorless matching worksheets, and teacher guidance.
🗣️ When facilitating Matching:
"Look at this picture. It's a cloud! It matches the fluffy cotton ball. Put the cloud on the matching cloud spot!"
Fine Motor Supports
Hand-over-Hand: Guide student's index finger along the dotted SVG lines to complete tracing.
Velcro Board: Replace glue sticking with pre-attached tactile Velcro squares on matching sheets.
Communication Board Tips
Have students point to AAC/Core symbols for "Feel", "Look", "Soft", "Rough" when touched.
Model standard errorless matching by tapping both target symbols on the worksheet.
IEP Data Collection Tracking Block
Record performance on the sensory task
Student Name
Senses Word Trace
Texture Feel ID
Icon Matching
Prompting Code
1. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
2. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
3. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
4. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
Prompting Codes: I = Independent | VP = Verbal Prompt | FP = Full Physical Guide (Hand-over-Hand)
Unit 1: Senses Scientist Guide Page 2 of 2
Visual Accommodations
High Contrast Borders: Red, blue, yellow, green boxes have bold, dotted boundaries to direct scanning.
Pre-cut Icons: Prepare cutout shapes with thick borders for easier pickup.
Communication & Choice
For non-verbal students, present exactly two choices: "Is this red or blue?" and allow pointing response.
Reinforce key AAC symbols: "I See", "More Colors", "Good Job".
IEP Data Collection Tracking Block
Record performance on visual tasks
Student Name
Word Trace (Sight)
Visual Scanning
Color Matching
Prompting Level
1. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
2. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
3. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
4. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
Prompting Codes: I = Independent | VP = Verbal Prompt | FP = Full Physical Guide (Hand-over-Hand)
Unit 1: Sight Seekers Guide Page 2 of 2
🗣️ When facilitating Instrument Review:
"Listen! (Strike xylophone) Ding-ding! Hear the xylophone? It sounds happy and bright. (Tap sound bowl) Hummm... Hear the deep sound bowl? Let's match them!"
Auditory Accommodations
Reduce Echo: Run shaker matches in carpeted areas or sensory corners to avoid overstimulating echoes.
Visual Cues: If auditory discrimination is difficult, place matching colored tape on cup bottoms or instrument handles.
Communication Support
Non-verbal children can hit a switch/button to indicate "SAME" or "DIFFERENT" sound patterns or point to pictures.
Prompting Codes: I = Independent | VP = Verbal Prompt | FP = Full Physical Guide (Hand-over-Hand)
Unit 1: Sound Explorers Guide Page 2 of 2
🗣️ When facilitating smelling:
"Smell this cup! Take a big sniff... mmm! It smells like a sweet strawberry. Can you point to the strawberry picture? Yes! Great sniffing!"
🗣️ When facilitating matching:
"Here is your lemon icon. It smells sour! Paste the lemon card on the yellow lemon spot. Pat it down!"
Sensory Accommodations
Hypersensitivity: If a scent is too strong, keep distance from the nose or allow the student to wave/fan the air to sniff instead of fanning directly over the cup.
Strong Lids: Double foil-wrap the cups to avoid spills if knocked over by excited motor actions.
Communication Support
Model standard facial expressions (happy smile for "good smell", wrinkled nose for "bad smell") to support emergent social cues.
Reinforce key core vocabulary symbols: "Smell", "I Like", "Yucky", "Stop".
IEP Data Collection Tracking Block
Record performance on olfactory tasks
Student Name
Word Trace (Smelling)
Scent Exploration
Olfactory Match
Prompting Level
1. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
2. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
3. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
4. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
Prompting Codes: I = Independent | VP = Verbal Prompt | FP = Full Physical Guide (Hand-over-Hand)
Unit 1: Scent Sniffers Guide Page 2 of 2
Teacher Verbal Prompts & Modeling Script
🗣️ When facilitating tasting lemons:
"Try a tiny lick of this lemon. Ooh! It puckers your mouth! That is SOUR. Can you make a sour face? Great tasting!"
🗣️ When facilitating matching:
"Find the lemon circle on your paper. SOUR lemon matches the sour box. Use your glue stick to paste it there. Excellent!"
Feeding Accommodations
Oral Aversions: If a student refuses to taste an item, do NOT force them. Allow them to touch/smell the item, or match based on pictorial observation instead.
Clean Utensils: Use single-use toothpicks or paper cups to maintain a sanitary SDC environment.
Gustatory AAC Cues
Utilize visual symbols representing "Sweet", "Sour", "Salty", and "Bitter" on the AAC talkers.
Facilitate self-advocacy by teaching "Finished" or "I want water" core buttons.
IEP Data Collection Tracking Block
Record performance on gustatory tasks
Student Name
Word Trace (Tasting)
Taste Experiment
Gustatory Match
Prompting Level
1. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
2. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
3. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
4. ___________________
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
◯ Yes ◯ No
I / VP / FP
Prompting Codes: I = Independent | VP = Verbal Prompt | FP = Full Physical Guide (Hand-over-Hand)