School-based professionals give so much during the year. They support students through challenges and
milestones, collaborate with IEP teams, complete documentation, attend meetings, manage schedules,
communicate with families, and adjust services to meet student needs. Their work is meaningful, but it can
also be demanding.

That is why summer break matters.

Time away from the daily pace of school allows clinicians and educators to refill their own cups. It creates
space to spend time with family, travel, enjoy hobbies, organize life outside of work, continue professional
learning, or simply rest. For many school-based professionals, this seasonal pause is one of the reasons they
are drawn to working in schools.

Summer break is not just time off. It is part of a healthy professional rhythm. Rest helps providers return with
more energy, creativity, patience, and focus. When clinicians and educators have time to recharge, students
benefit too.

For school-based therapists, the summer can also be a time to reflect on the previous school year. What went
well? What strategies helped students make progress? What professional goals feel exciting for next year?
What type of setting, schedule, or role would feel like the best fit moving forward?

At 草莓社区, we understand the value of work-life balance. School-based careers can offer meaningful
student impact while also providing a schedule that allows professionals to enjoy seasonal breaks and a more
family-friendly calendar.

Of course, every school-based role and district schedule may look different, but many clinicians appreciate the
opportunity to align their work year with the school calendar. For providers who value both purpose and
balance, school-based therapy can be a rewarding path.

As summer continues, we hope school-based professionals take time to rest without guilt, enjoy the slower
moments, and celebrate the difference they made during the school year.

You have earned the break.

And when the new school year begins, your students will be lucky to have you back.

At 草莓社区, we are grateful for the opportunity to support students, families, schools, and communities
across the districts we serve. Every day, our school-based clinicians and educational professionals help
students access learning, build confidence, communicate more effectively, participate in school routines, and
reach meaningful goals.

Independence Day reminds us that freedom and opportunity are worth celebrating. In schools, those values
show up in powerful ways. They show up when a student finds their voice, when a child gains independence
with a daily routine, when a student learns to advocate for themselves, or when a team comes together to help
a child succeed.

Our speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school psychologists, social
workers, special education teachers, interpreters, and other related service providers help create opportunities
for students to grow in ways that matter. Their work supports not only academic progress, but also confidence,
access, participation, and independence.

This holiday weekend is also a time to recognize the importance of rest and connection. Many school-based
professionals spend the school year giving so much of themselves to students and teams. A long summer
weekend offers a chance to slow down, enjoy time with family and friends, and recharge before the next
season of service begins.

Whether you are traveling, spending time outside, relaxing at home, watching fireworks, or simply enjoying a
slower pace, we hope this July 4th weekend brings joy, gratitude, and rest.

From all of us at 草莓社区, we wish our clinicians, school partners, families, and communities a safe and
happy Independence Day weekend.

Happy July 4th from 草莓社区!

At 草莓社区, our work is centered around supporting students, schools, families, and special education teams through high-quality related services staffing. Our clinicians and educational professionals work directly with school districts to help students build the communication, motor, social-emotional, behavioral, and functional skills they need to succeed in the school environment.

School-based therapy is different from therapy provided in a clinic or medical setting. In schools, the focus is educational impact. That means services are designed to help students participate in classroom routines, communicate with teachers and peers, complete school tasks, safely navigate the school environment, regulate emotions, access instruction, and engage in learning.

Depending on a student’s needs, school-based services may include support from:

• Speech-language pathologists
• Occupational therapists
• Physical therapists
• School psychologists
• Social workers
• Special education teachers
• Behavior specialists
• Interpreters
• Vision, hearing, and orientation and mobility professionals
• Other related service providers

These professionals are an important part of the educational team. They collaborate with teachers, families, administrators, and IEP teams to create practical strategies that support students throughout the school day.

Strong school-based therapy services can help students improve communication, increase independence, participate more fully in classroom activities, build confidence, and reach meaningful educational goals. For districts, having dependable related service providers also helps support IEP compliance, service continuity, and student outcomes.

草莓社区 is proud to partner with school districts by providing qualified professionals who understand both the clinical and educational sides of school-based services. Our goal is to help schools meet student needs while giving clinicians the support they need to do their best work.

Whether services are delivered in person or through teletherapy, the purpose remains the same: helping students access learning, grow their skills, and thrive in school.

Call to Action

Looking for school-based therapy support for your district or interested in joining a team that supports students every day? Connect with 草莓社区 to learn more.

A strong staffing partner should do more than fill vacancies. The right partner should understand the full picture of school-based service delivery, including IEP requirements, documentation, communication with school teams, student-centered care, and the importance of continuity.

When evaluating a related services staffing provider, districts should consider several key areas.

First, experience matters. School-based therapy and special education staffing require knowledge of how services function within the school day. Providers should understand how therapists, psychologists, social workers, teachers, interpreters, and other related service professionals support students in classrooms, therapy spaces, and educational routines.

Second, districts should look for clinical and operational support. Clinicians should not feel isolated once they begin an assignment. A strong staffing partner provides guidance, communication, and support so providers can focus on serving students effectively.

Third, recruitment and credentialing are critical. Districts need confidence that assigned professionals are qualified, properly licensed or credentialed, and prepared for school-based work. This includes attention to background screening, documentation requirements, state licensure, and district-specific onboarding.

Fourth, communication should be clear and responsive. Schools move quickly, and staffing needs can change throughout the year. A dependable partner should communicate promptly, address concerns professionally, and work collaboratively with district teams.

Finally, a good staffing partner should understand that relationships matter. Related services staffing is not just a transaction. It is a partnership built around students, schools, families, and educational outcomes.

草莓社区 works with school districts to provide qualified professionals across a wide range of special education and related service areas. Our focus is on supporting students while making the staffing process as smooth and reliable as possible for district teams.

When districts choose a related services staffing partner, they are choosing a company that will represent them in schools and support some of their most important student needs. That partnership should be built on experience, trust, responsiveness, and a shared commitment to student success.

Call to Action

If your district is planning for current or future related services staffing needs, 草莓社区 is available to discuss how we can support your team.

In the school setting, therapists and related service providers are often balancing direct services, documentation, IEP meetings, collaboration, scheduling, evaluations, progress monitoring, and communication with school teams. For new school-based clinicians, this can feel overwhelming at first. Even experienced providers benefit from having a knowledgeable support system.

Clinical support may include guidance on school-based service delivery, documentation expectations, IEP-related questions, caseload management, communication strategies, and problem-solving when challenges arise. It can also include mentorship, check-ins, and support for clinicians who are new to a district or new to school-based practice.

For districts, clinical support helps promote consistency and professionalism. Supported clinicians are better equipped to understand district expectations, communicate effectively, and provide services aligned with student needs. This can strengthen relationships between the staffing partner, the provider, and the school team.

For clinicians, support can make a major difference in job satisfaction. School-based providers want to do excellent work for students, but they also want to know they have someone to turn to when questions come up. A strong staffing partner should not disappear after placement. Ongoing communication and support matter throughout the assignment.

At 草莓社区, we understand that our clinicians are the heart of the work we do. They are the professionals supporting students, collaborating with schools, and representing 草莓社区 in districts every day. Providing support to our staff is essential to helping them succeed.

School-based related services require both clinical skill and educational understanding. Clinicians must be able to connect therapy goals to classroom performance, student participation, and meaningful school outcomes. With the right support, providers can feel more confident navigating that role.

When clinicians feel supported, students benefit. School teams benefit. Districts benefit. That is why clinical support should be a key part of any related services staffing partnership.

Call to Action

Are you a clinician looking for school-based opportunities with support behind you? 草莓社区 would love to connect with professionals who are passionate about helping students thrive.

A student’s IEP may involve support from multiple professionals. Speech-language pathologists may address communication needs. Occupational therapists may support fine motor, sensory, or functional school skills. Physical therapists may help with mobility and access. School psychologists, social workers, behavior specialists, teachers, interpreters, and other professionals may each contribute specialized expertise.

When these providers work together, the student benefits from a more complete support system.

Collaboration is one of the most important parts of school-based service delivery. Related service providers communicate with teachers about classroom strategies, help families understand student progress, participate in meetings, and work with administrators to support service implementation.

This team-based approach helps ensure that student goals are not isolated from the school day. For example, a communication goal may connect to classroom participation. A fine motor goal may support written assignments. A mobility goal may help a student move safely through the building. A social-emotional goal may support peer interaction and classroom engagement.

Strong related service providers understand that their role goes beyond therapy sessions. They help translate student needs into practical strategies that can be used across the school environment.

For districts, having reliable related service providers supports service continuity, IEP implementation, and team collaboration. When providers are consistent, prepared, and communicative, school teams can work more effectively.

草莓社区 partners with districts by providing professionals who understand the importance of collaboration. Our providers support students while working closely with the educational teams around them.

School-based services are strongest when everyone is working toward the same goal: helping students make meaningful progress. Related service providers bring specialized knowledge to that process, but their greatest impact often comes from how they collaborate with others.

Every student’s success is supported by a team. Related service providers are a vital part of that team.

Call to Action

草莓社区 supports school districts with qualified related service professionals who understand the importance of collaboration, communication, and student-centered service delivery.

The primary difference is that school-based therapy is connected to a student’s ability to access and participate in their education. Services are based on educational need, IEP goals, and how a student’s disability impacts school performance.

In a clinic, therapy may focus more broadly on developmental, medical, functional, or family-selected goals. In a school, therapy goals must connect to the student’s educational program. That means school-based therapists are always thinking about how skills apply to the classroom, school routines, peer interaction, communication, mobility, written work, self-regulation, and participation in educational activities.

School-based therapists also work as part of a larger team. Collaboration with teachers, special education staff, administrators, families, and other providers is a major part of the role. Therapists may provide direct services, consult with school staff, attend IEP meetings, complete documentation, and recommend strategies that can be used throughout the school day.

Another difference is the natural environment. School-based therapy often happens in classrooms, therapy rooms, hallways, playgrounds, cafeterias, or virtual learning spaces. The setting depends on the student’s needs and goals.

This makes school-based therapy highly practical. A therapist may help a student communicate during a classroom activity, use tools for writing assignments, safely access school spaces, or participate more independently in daily routines.

For clinicians, school-based practice can be incredibly rewarding. It allows providers to see how their work impacts a student’s daily life in school. It also offers opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve, and support long-term student growth.

草莓社区 works with clinicians who understand that school-based services are both specialized and deeply meaningful. We also support providers who are transitioning into school-based roles and want to build confidence in this setting.

School-based therapy is not just therapy that happens at school. It is therapy designed to help students learn, participate, communicate, and succeed in their educational environment.

Call to Action

Interested in exploring school-based therapy? 草莓社区 connects qualified clinicians with opportunities to support students in meaningful educational settings.

When related service positions are filled and providers are prepared, students are more likely to begin services on time, teams can communicate more effectively, and IEP implementation starts with greater consistency.

As districts prepare for a new school year, it can be helpful to review several key areas.

1. Identify current and projected vacancies. This may include speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, school psychology, social work, behavior support, special education teaching, interpreting, vision services, hearing services, nursing, and other related service areas.
2. Review caseloads and service needs. Understanding the number of students requiring services, the frequency of services, evaluation needs, bilingual needs, and specialized support areas can help districts plan more accurately.
3. Confirm credentialing and onboarding requirements. Providers may need licensure verification, background checks, district training, technology access, documentation system access, school assignments, and orientation before services begin.
4. Plan for communication. District leaders, school administrators, providers, and staffing partners should have clear points of contact. Quick communication helps resolve scheduling, documentation, and assignment questions early.
5. Consider both in-person and teletherapy options when appropriate. Some positions may be difficult to fill locally, and remote service delivery may help support continuity when used thoughtfully.
6. Build a plan for mid-year changes. Student needs, provider availability, and district priorities can shift throughout the school year. Having a responsive staffing partner can help districts adjust when needs change.

草莓社区 partners with school districts to support special education and related services staffing throughout the school year. Our goal is to help districts secure qualified professionals, support service continuity, and provide students with the services they need.

A successful school year begins with planning, communication, and the right team in place. Related services staffing is a critical part of that foundation.

Call to Action

If your district is preparing for the upcoming school year or has current related services staffing needs, 草莓社区 is available to help develop a staffing plan that supports your students and schools.

School-based teletherapy may include services such as speech-language therapy, occupational therapy consultation, counseling, evaluations, meetings, and other supports depending on district needs, student eligibility, provider qualifications, and state requirements.

For students, teletherapy can provide access to consistent services even when an in-person provider is difficult to secure. This is especially valuable for districts facing provider shortages, rural staffing challenges, bilingual service needs, or mid-year vacancies.

For school teams, teletherapy can help maintain service continuity. Students continue working toward IEP goals, providers can participate in team communication, and documentation can remain current. With the right systems and support, teletherapy can become an effective part of a district’s special education service model.

Successful teletherapy depends on more than simply placing a provider online. It requires planning, scheduling, communication, appropriate technology, student support at the school site when needed, and collaboration with the IEP team. Providers must understand how to engage students virtually and how to connect therapy goals to educational participation.

草莓社区 has experience supporting school districts with both in-person and remote service delivery. We understand that each district has different needs, and each student requires an individualized approach. Teletherapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it can be a strong option when matched appropriately to student and district needs.

For clinicians, teletherapy can also offer meaningful opportunities to serve students while working in a flexible environment. Many school-based teletherapists build strong relationships with students and school teams through consistent communication, preparation, and collaboration.

As districts continue planning for related services staffing, teletherapy remains an important tool. It can help bridge gaps, increase access, and support students when qualified providers may not be available locally.

Whether services are provided in person, remotely, or through a combination of both, the goal remains the same: helping students receive the support they need to access their education and make progress.

Call to Action

Interested in school-based therapy opportunities? 草莓社区 works with clinicians who are passionate about helping students succeed.

A school-based speech-language pathologist may begin the day by reviewing therapy schedules, checking in with teachers, and preparing materials for students working on articulation, language, fluency, social communication, or assistive technology goals. Sessions may take place one-on-one, in small groups, in classrooms, or virtually through teletherapy. An occupational therapist may support students with fine motor skills, handwriting, sensory regulation, self-care routines, or classroom participation. A physical therapist may help students with mobility, positioning, safe access to the school environment, or participation in school-based activities. School-based clinicians do much more than provide direct therapy. They collaborate with teachers, attend IEP meetings, document services, communicate with families and school teams, monitor progress, and adjust strategies based on student needs.

One of the most important parts of the role is problem-solving within the school environment. A student may be able to complete a skill in isolation, but the real question is how that skill supports learning, independence, safety, communication, or participation during the school day. School-based therapists also become part of a larger educational team. They work with special education teachers, general education teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, families, and other related service providers. This collaboration helps create consistent support for students across settings. The work can be busy, but it is also deeply rewarding. School-based clinicians often get to see students grow over time, build confidence, and achieve goals that make a real difference in their daily school experience.

At 草莓社区, we understand that school-based therapists need more than an assignment. They need support, communication, and a team that understands the unique demands of school-based practice. Our goal is to help clinicians feel prepared, valued, and connected while they support students and school communities.

For therapists who enjoy collaboration, problem-solving, student growth, and meaningful work, school-based practice can be an incredibly fulfilling career path.

Call to Action

Interested in school-based therapy opportunities? 草莓社区 works with clinicians who are passionate about helping students succeed.

• https://www.yourtherapysource.com/freestuff.html

• https://www.theottoolbox.com/31-days-of-occupational-therapy-with/

Proprioceptive Activities:

1. Carrying groceries from the car to the house
2. Carrying laundry up and down the stairs
3. Pulling a blanket with toys or pillows on top for added weight
4. Jumping on a trampoline
5. Animal walks

Vestibular Activities:

1. Bike riding
2. Jump rope
3. Egg races
4. Hopscotch

Tactile activities:

1. Playing in a bin of raw rice or beans
4. Play with
5. Play in the sand

Auditory Sensory Activities:

1. Play
2. Scavenger hunt with sounds (instead of looking for objects, listen for sounds!)
3. Make and play with sensory shakers
4. Listen to calming music
5. Fill the backpack or beach bag game (give simple 1 step directions)

Fine Motor Activities:

1. Play travel size board games with tiny pieces
2. Make beaded necklaces or bracelets
3. Pipe Cleaner and Colander Activity
4. Make origami or paper airplanes
5. Trace objects using stencils

Visual Motor Activities:

1. Sidewalk chalk art
2. Paint or color by numbers
3. Throw water balloons at a target
4. Place action figures in plastic container of water and freeze鈥攈ave them use a hammer to get them out later
5. Writing with shaving cream

Visual Perceptual activities:

1. I Spy Eagle Eye; I Spy Go Fish
2. Spot It game
3. Word听search puzzles
4. Connect the dots pictures
5. Memory game

Bilateral Coordination Activities:

1. Put big sponges in a bucket of water outside and squeeze them
2. Punch holes with a hole puncher
3. Make a marble maze with recycle materials like toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls
4. Make and play with playdoh– use cookie cutters, rolling pins, and scissors with it
5. Go fishing

Have a wonderful summer!

听

听

鈥� ASHA’s May is Better Hearing and Speech Month website has a screen saver, activity booklets, bookmarks, information packets, and more! – http://www.asha.org/bhsm/

鈥� Speaking of Speech’s May is Better Speech and Hearing Month Materials (created/shared by speech-language pathologists) – http://www.speakingofspeech.com/May_is_BSHM_Materials.html

鈥� Super Duper Publications’ Celebrate Better Speech and Hearing Month Handy Handout by: Robyn Merkel-Piccini, M.A. CCC-SLP – http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/19_Celebrate_Better_Speech.pdf

鈥� Michigan State University’s Better Hearing and Speech Month website with information, video links, and banners – https://www.msu.edu/~comdis/bhsm/

鈥� LiveSpeakLove created free printable information sheets for various communication disorders – http://livespeaklove.com/2012/05/01/happy-better-hearing-and-speech-month/

鈥� Speech Room News’ Better Hearing and Speech Month calendar and Vocal Hygiene flyer – http://www.speechroomnews.blogspot.com/2012/04/better-speech-hearing-month.html

鈥� The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s website full of hearing and speech handouts – http://www.entnet.org/AboutUs/betterHearingSpeechMonth.cfm

鈥� ASHA’s Pinterest account full of Better Hearing and Speech Month related pins – http://pinterest.com/ashaweb/better-hearing-speech-month-ideas/

鈥� ASHASphere’s Better Hearing and Speech Month Roundup Week 1 post identifying various websites promoting Hearing and Speech Month – http://blog.asha.org/2012/05/03/better-hearing-speech-month-roundup-week-1/

鈥� Super Duper Publications’ Handy Handouts – http://www.superduperinc.com/Handouts/Handout.aspx

鈥� Pedia Staff’s Better Hearing and Speech Month Resources Blog Post – http://www.pediastaff.com/blog/better-hearing-and-speech-month-resources-2011-3457

鈥� American Academy of Audiology Worksheets – http://www.audiology.org/resources/consumer/Pages/kids.aspx

鈥� Speech Lady Liz’s blog post – http://speechladyliz.blogspot.com/2012/05/happy-better-speech-and-hearing-month.html

鈥� Consonantly Speaking’s Coloring Page With Suggested Homework Activities for BHSM – http://consonantlyspeaking.com/posts/2012/05/better-hearing-and-speech-month-coloring-page-with-suggested-homework-activities

We hope that you find these materials created by other speech-language pathologists and professionals helpful this month to share with your students, colleagues, and parents!

Our jobs as therapists in the schools can be a lot like this.听 All the things that we need to do can look like insurmountable mountains to climb.听 I鈥檝e been talking to quite a few people about documentation and data collection.听 That seems to be a really big mountain for many of us.听 So, how do we climb Mount Data?

Here are a few strategies that come to mind:

Climb the mountain one small step at a time.

Right now, if you are having trouble taking any data at all, set a small goal and work to reach it.听 Maybe the goal is to take data on just your articulation students.听 Maybe the goal is to take data on a certain number of your groups, or maybe the first small goal is to figure out, and organize how you will actually document the skills being taught. If you are so paralyzed by the size of the task, find ways to break it down into small steps and move forward.

There are different trails up the mountain.

Data collection is not a one-fits-all type of activity.听 How and when you document progress will depend on the skill being taught, and the ability of the student to participate in monitoring his or her own progress.听 We are all familiar with taking frequency counts where you can compute the percentage of correct responses. With some skills, you may need to take speech or language samples, analysis of a story retells, pre-tests/post-tests, observations, work samples, or descriptions of student responses. One really effective way to document progress is by using learning scales (rubrics) to break down the smalls steps needed to achieve the overall goal, and to chart the progress towards the goal.听 It is basically a continuum of teaching behavior leading to student expertise. Learning scales can be used to track student progress, and used by the student to track his/her own progress. 听This data can be descriptive in nature or could be set up to be graphable data.听 Learning scales are very effective informal assessment tools used during the learning process in order to modify teaching and learning activities to improve student achievement.听 In fact, research has shown that tracking student progress using learning scales results in a 34% higher gain than when not using this strategy. I will be writing more about how to use learning scales to document student data at another time, so stay tuned for that. 听As you move up the mountain, pick the trail that will get you to the top.

Stop and evaluate your progress up the mountain.

听It is important to remember the purpose of taking data.听 So often, we become so overwhelmed by all the tasks we need to do that we simply complete the activity, and then file it a way.听 The key to data is using it to drive your therapeutic instruction.听 It is critical to elicit evidence of the student鈥檚 understanding, and then give accurate and specific feedback to the student. What does your data tell you?听 Is the student making progress or not making progress?听 Do you need to add in more supports?听 Do you need to change the strategies you are using to teach the skill?听 If the student isn鈥檛 鈥済etting it,鈥� we need to dig deeper and analyze why they may not be making progress on the skill. 听Data gives you information to provide guidance to the students, and to help you understand when and if you need to alter or differentiate your therapeutic instruction to ensure all your students make progress. Stop, take a breath, and take of picture of what the data looks like by analyzing it and using it to guide you as you continue up the mountain.

Celebrate a Successful Journey.

You have conquered that mountain.听 You have developed ways to efficiently and effectively document student progress.听 You have provided feedback and the students are now documenting and taking pride in their own progress. You have differentiated and altered your therapy on an ongoing basis to meet the needs of your students, and, as a result, students are meeting goals and being successful in the classroom.听 Before you try to conquer that next mountain in front of you, be sure to celebrate!听 Take a look at your journey over the mountain.听 Stop and enjoy the view!听 Make sure you have a support team 听waiting at the foot of the mountain to cheer you on, or to make the climb with you!

The Heart of a Therapist!

We can have all the knowledge, know all the therapy techniques, and be highly skilled,
but we must have the heart needed to genuinely care for our students to be the best we can be!

We will never make it up those mountains without the heart to do the work!

At 草莓社区, our therapists have heart!!

Happy Climbing!

Jane Hastings, MMSc, CCC-SLP
jane@commrehab.org

As you start back to school after Hurricane Irma, a book you may want to consider using in your therapy is Calvin Can鈥檛 Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne.听 Calvin is what you would call a very unusual starling.听 While his siblings and cousins are learning to fly, Calvin is much more interested in books about pirates, dinosaurs, and other interesting topics.听 While the other starlings soared through the air, Calvin dreamed of becoming a great writer.听 The other starlings called him names, and poor Calvin realizes that when it is time to migrate, he can鈥檛 fly.听 As the other starlings carry him in the air, Calvin notices on their way south, how the winds are blowing hard, how the trees are bending, and how the air starts to smell strange.听 Calvin knows it is a hurricane!!听 Because Calvin read about hurricanes, only he can save the day for all the starlings!!

Calvin is a great story about perseverance, friendship, and kindness.听 Using this book, you can focus on the Narrative Macrostructure (Character, setting, kick-off/initiating event, feeling, plan, planned attempts, direct consequence, and resolution), Narrative Microstructure (mental state verbs, cohesive ties, etc.) and expository text structures (descriptive, compare/contrast, list, sequence, cause/effect, problem/solution, persuade/convince/argument).听 You could focus on key vocabulary such as starling, eaves, swoop, hover, soar, flutter, migration, and formation.听 The list is really endless with the language skills that can be targeted using this book.

What is really ideal about using this book now, is that all of your students now have prior knowledge about hurricanes.听 I鈥檓 sure they will want to share their experiences, and compare their experience with Calvin鈥檚.听 You can use the Think Aloud Strategy to help your students learn to verbally describe their prior knowledge about hurricanes with the content in the book.听 It is a great opportunity to start an academic notebook with your students so they can record and represent their knowledge using pictures, graphic organizers, and text.

If you don鈥檛 have this book in your school media center, take a look at some of the videos on the internet of the story being read.听 Here鈥檚 one to try:

I have included some lesson plans and activities I have found using Calvin Can鈥檛 Fly.听 Be sure to look at the information from MindWing using this book to work on both narrative skills, and expository text structures.

Enjoy!听 I would love some feedback on what you focused on with your students, and how your sessions went.

Jane Hastings, MMSc, CCC-SLP
jane@commrehab.org

Resources:

Follow the links below for resources that include different lesson plans and worksheets for your students.

Do Your Best Intermediate Lesson Plan for Calvin Can’t Fly

Calvin Can’t Fly Expository Features and Social Situations

Source Credit: Kate Naritaat
Book Author: Jennifer Berne
Publisher: Sterling
ISBN: 978-1-4027-7323-5

FROM THE FLAP: Calvin was born under the eaves of an old barn with his three brothers, four sisters, and sixty-seven thousand four hundred and thirty-two cousins. Calvin may be one of many, but he鈥檚 certainly different from the rest.

While the other little starlings learn to swoop and hover and fly figure eights, Calvin buries his beak in books. In the library his mind soars, taking him places his wings never could.

KATE鈥橲 TAKE: A fun fall read that celebrates books and being one’s self.

FALL FUN BOOKS:听Verbal/Linguistic, Visual/Spatial, and Intrapersonal
Give each student a piece of paper with the sentence starter: In the fall I like to_____________. Ask each student to finish the sentence and draw a picture to go with it. Then, have students illustrate their sentences. Put each sheet in a three ring binder and make a class book to send home with the students.

FORMATION TAG-Bodily/Kinesthetic and Naturalist
Discuss the possible reasons why starlings might fly in formations. One reason is to protect themselves from possible predators such as hawks. Take students outside to play a game of predator vs. prey tag, hawks vs. the starlings. As the starlings try to cross from one line to the other, they鈥檒l learn the benefit of flying in a group vs. flying solo.

STARLING BLACK BIRDS-Musical and Bodily Kinesthetic
These lyrics are adapted from Music Together
Starlings black birds-put hands in your armpits and flap wings
Crow flying round-flap arms out at your side
Nut hatch hopping down the tree-have one hand hop down your opposite arm
Chickadee, dee, dee, dee-hold both hands out front and open and close fingers to thumb like a bird beak, using quick, small motions
Caw, caw, caw, caw-do same motion as chickadee but open the beaks wider and at a slower pace
Repeat chickadee line and actions four times
This is a fun song to sing in a round, too.

STARLING STAMPS-Visual/Spatial
Starlings form all sorts of amazing formations while flying through the sky. Ask each student to outline their favorite shape on a large piece of sky blue construction paper. Make bird stamps out of a potato or apple and have kids stamp multiple bird shapes inside their outline.

STARLING SENTENCE SEQUENCING-Verbal/Linguistic
Divide a 8×11 sheet of paper into 6 parts. Trace a flying bird shape into each section. Write one of the following six words on each bird: Starlings fly south for the winter. Make enough copies for the class. Ask each student to cut out the six birds and glue them in order onto a long strip of paper made from a 11×18 sheet of construction paper cut in half length wise and stapled together. Ask students to glue the birds down in order on their paper.

BOOK BUDDIES:
–Book! Book! Book!听by Deborah Bruss
–How Rocket Learned to Read听by Tad Hills
–Swimmy听by Leo Lionni
–The Library Lion听by Michelle Knudsen
–Wolf!听by Becky Bloom