August 2021: “Birthday Bash”
Grab Your Birthday Bash Cube Here!
TPT Seller of the Month
Counting Surprise Party
Well, I simply love this set of toys from Learning Resources. There are endless possibilities! Each gift box opens with a surprise object inside. So far, I’ve used this resource to target:
- requesting (“I want the pink box”),- labeling (“it’s a guitar”),
- and asking questions (“what’s inside the blue present?”)
Some other ideas for therapy targets:
- Same and Different: Hide your own tiny objects inside. Consider using all objects of a similar category or color and talk about how the items are alike or different.- Describing: Use semantic features (i.e. category, use, action, etc) to describe each object. Change the items inside the presents each time to continue this activity for several weeks.
- Articulation: Choose items/pictures that have target speech sounds to hide inside each present.
- Core Vocabulary/AAC: open, close, more, yes, no, in, out
Use the dry-erase “I found…” as a perfect sentence expression companion for this activity! Plus, it comes with an organizing bag, which is icing on the (birthday bash) cake!
Articulation Norms Poster
Another great item to add to your speech room! I have a new speech office this year and it has completely bare walls. I love to use decor that is also useful for my students AND me, and actually, any other staff members that come into my room. This norms poster from @thespeakboutique will be a great conversation starter with other staff members who may be referring students to you this year!
Don’t forget! Tali from The Speak Boutique is offering our August subscribers 10% off of her Party Animals book! The discount code is inside your August Speech Cube!
Free CEU Course
What an AWESOME surprise this month!! This free CEU course came just in time to get those last minute CEUs for your state or ASHA renewal. I actually just got my email a couple weeks ago -- which means we are definitely in the second half of the calendar year already (how?!)
I’m curious, which @abaspeechbyrose course will you be choosing? I am working with middle schoolers this year and doing a lot more therapy in the classroom. I see some titles that catch my eye! Check out Rose Griffin’s website for more!
Magnetic Speech Bubble
Speech bubbles are one of my favorite tools to use when targeting social language! They are a great visual resource during activities like reading a book, looking at a picture scene, or watching a video. Sometimes I actually write on the speech bubbles, while other times I use them as a visual to show my students that we’re focusing on someone else’s perspective. During these activities, I like to pause and talk with my students about what that person or character is probably thinking and expand that to what they could be saying. We look at the details, including facial expressions and what is happening in the scene, and I model my own thought process. For example, I might say “hmm… this girl has her head down while the teacher is talking in the front of the room. When I put my head down, I’m either feeling tired or bored. The girl might say ‘I need a nap!’”
Sequencing Cards 
This month our Spark Innovations sequencing cards set -- of course -- is birthday themed! Kids typically love birthdays! For great reasons, too: there's cake, presents, friends, and more. Use these sequencing cards to tell the story, then expand by talking about their own experiences with birthdays and/or birthday parties. Another great extension is to plan a birthday party during speech! The students need to answer basic WH questions like who, what, where, and when. They also need to describe the decor - colors, shapes, etc! Throw in some problems like, what if their friend doesn’t eat cake? and discuss the possible solutions.
Rose Gold Pen
Just another stylish reason to doodle during staff meetings.
Visuals/Sentence Strips
This month our visual is a “I found…” sentence strip. This is a perfect companion for your Counting Surprise Party toy!
We want to know how you’re using all your new "Birthday Bash" Speech Cube items! Tag us on social @speechcube on Instagram & Facebook