Cutting Hair...

Today, we worked on fine motor skills by cutting with scissors.  In the past, I've found that most students do not have the skills to use scissors, and when we've worked on it the first few times, they have become very frustrated.  This year, I tried something new, and I was so excited with how it turned out!  It stared a few weeks ago when we completed our first science experiment.  The students planted grass seeds in a cup with their picture on the front.  I told them the grass was their hair.  (Tip: I had the students put the dirt on one side and the cup on the other.  This forced them to cross the mid-line, so we're wiring left and right hemispheres.)  The students watered their plants using a spray bottle (the same motion as using scissors).  Once the grass grew, I had the students "cut their hair."  I found this to be less stressful because they could see results, and they weren't frustrated with staying on a line.  

Folder Slipping (Wrong Position)

I can't say how many times in the past I 

Folder Correct  (Cutting Position)

have had students turn their hands while cutting so their thumb is on the bottom instead of the top.  I read on The OT Toolbox's Facebook once about shoulder stability.  They said this is part of the reason why student chicken wing their arm and turn their hands upside down.  The OT Toolbox suggested putting a piece of cardboard under their shoulder forcing them to keep their arm in the proper cutting position and building muscles in their shoulders, arms, and fingers!  IT WORKED! You can see it the picture below that the folder starts to slip, and her hand starts to turn.  BUT when we put the folder back under her arm, her hand returns to the proper cutting position.  This was stress free, and so much fun.  With one project, we were able to get so many learning opportunities!