ALIKE AND DIFFERENT
Teacher of lesson: Megan Matthys
Lesson Topic/Subject: Sign language
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Estimated Time: 30-45 minutes

OBJECTIVES:

• Students will learn ways hearing impaired people communicate.
• Students will learn how to do certain signs for certain words.
• Students will either learn a short nursery rhyme or short song in sign language.

MATERIALS:

• Sign Language expert

PROCEDURE:

Introduction/Anticipatory Set

1. During Calendar time, while teaching the students the letters for the day in sign language, tell the students that they are really lucky because today, they are going to have a visitor come to the classroom who is an expert on sign language.
2. Remind students that when visitors come to their classroom they need to be on their best behavior.

Sequence of Instruction

1. When Meg, the sign language expert (speech and hearing therapist at Leal Elementary School) arrives, have all the students meet at the carpet. It will probably be a good idea for the students to sit in a circle to make sure that everyone can see properly.
2. Once everyone is seated, introduce Meg to the students and allow her to begin her presentation.
3. While the students are trying to learn new signs, walk around and help students who are in need.

Closure

1. When Meg is finished with her presentation, have the students thank her for helping them learn so much about sign language.
2. After Meg leaves, have the students discuss what they learned for a short time. Why is it a good idea to learn sign language if they can hear just fine? Do they think learning to sign is easy or difficult? What other words would they like to learn how to sign? As the students tell you new words to learn, write them down on chart paper in order to refer to later.
3. Tell the students that you think it might be fun for them to put on a little show for the other kindergartners in order to show them what a great job they have done with learning how to sing a song in sign language.

EVIDENCE OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES:

1. Students will demonstrate that they know how hearing impaired people can communicate by suggesting ideas such as using sign language, writing notes, reading subtitles, etc.
2. Students will demonstrate that they can do the signs for certain words by modeling Meg correctly for each word.
3. Students will successfully learn a whole song or nursery rhyme in sign language and will perform it all together at the end of MegÕs visit.

EXTENSIONS:

1. Have the students teach another kindergarten class the song or nursery rhyme that they learned in sign language.

REFLECTIONS:

1. How did the students react to the lesson?
2. Were the kindergartners capable of remembering a whole song in sign language?
3. Did the students express further interest by asking to learn new words?
4. What would I change about the lesson in the future?