New Year's Resolution Update & Task Box Countdown: Task Box # 10 - Pincer Grasp Bead Grab

Today is the final task in my Taskbox Countdown.  As you may recall, my New Year's Resolution was to use my classroom materials in a more purposeful and sequential order. 

Post Update:  I really did have the very best of intentions to get my classroom organized this year. Unfortunately, life had other plans.  The sickness of my own boys, as well as managing daily stresses like classroom paperwork, new students, IEPs, and inservice trainings have kept me busy recently.  However, I owe it to my readers to press on with my New Year's Resolution. Frankly, this blog keeps me accountable and I refuse to be one of the 92% who do not keep New Year's Resolutions!

So even if it gets done December 31, 2013, I will get it accomplished! Stay tuned & please keep me accountable! In the meantime, I'd love to hear about your classroom happenings and how you adapt my ideas in your classrooms.  Join the discussion on Facebook! 



Task Box Countdown: Task Box # 10 - Pincer Grasp Bead Grab

Several years ago, someone donated small tackle boxes of pony beads to the classroom.  For the longest time we used them to make bracelets and necklaces at the art center until I came up with this special function.  

Melissa, an occupational therapist in our school district, explained to me that children can really exercise their pincer grasps by digging small items out of little cases and containers.  For example, instructing them to use their thumbs & pointer fingers to pull out coins or beads from film canisters.  This is an excellent fine motor activity! 

With this idea in mind, I created two different tackle box activities that work on fine motor skills to strengthen students' pincer grasps while simultaneously providing students an opportunity to review colors, numbers, and counting.

In the above task, the students take the film canisters from the top row, read the color on them and put the same colored bead inside the canister. They then put the lid on them and place the canister in the third row (a.k.a. the "all done" row).

In the above task, the students take the film canisters from the top row, read the color and number label on the canister and then fill them accordingly.  When finished, they put the lid on the canister and place it in the "all done" third row.

Teacher's Tip: Although this task serves two purposes, I am able to store them together in one tackle box to save space.  (Keeping in line with my New Year's Resolution!)