Actual Size Social Studies {Product Review}

I'm excited to share a new and different product with you! I'm always looking for ways to make "non-traditional" therapy items into fun, new ways to target students' goals.  My supervisor always says, "There's language in everything," meaning you can make a therapy lesson out of everything. I firmly believe that, so I'll be sharing Actual Size: Social Studies with you. 

I know what you're thinking. Why are you writing a review of a Social Studies activity book?  Well, I'm using it to show you how we SLPs can integrate in the classroom curriculum with our goals.  We push in a lot in my preschool placement, so these would definitely be ideas to push in with.  They could also be used as language activities on the playground, too.

The book comes with a list of core vocabulary words.  This is great for language AND artic students. Just pick the words that have the target sounds in them!

There are 36 activities in this 89 page book.  The main themes are American Landmarks, Warfare, Historic Transportation, U.S. History, Native America, The Old World, and The Seven Wonders of the World.  Each activity comes with an introduction page that lays out the purpose, focus, plan, and conclusion. 

During your therapy session, you can read the focus paragraph aloud (for listening comprehension) or have your students read it to themselves (for reading comprehension).  This can be followed up with a series of comprehension questions.  The "focus" section also provides suggested discussion topics.

In the "present" section, directions are given for how to complete the activity (draw the chalk lines) and discussion about it.  One idea that I have my students do is to come up with a plan on how to construct it.  They will receive the "map" or plan of how it is supposed to look when drawn out of chalk.

Now, these plans have actual measurements on how long the lines are supposed to be.  I don't worry too much about that.  What I do is have my students tell me their step-by-step plans to draw it (expressive language). OR I have my students listen as I tell them my step-by-step plan (receptive language). 

What I love about this product:
-It gives students the chance to be creative, which they love!
-It gives them a chance for some carryover of their classroom lessons into the speech room.
-It gets them up and moving, so the students who benefit from sensory integration will maybe get in some hard work or physical activity.
-It's a different, yet educational and still fun approach to therapy!
-You can target SO many goals with it.
-Students get to use all of their senses and will play, talk, pretend, and learn.
-It's hands-on. Not only do students love it, they will retain more. 
-They're pedagogically sound and appeal to a lot of different learning styles.

Interested in this product? It will be available, along with a science version, starting today!  There's even a 32% discount! You can check them out here.

Do you have other ideas for how to use this or other "non-traditional" therapy ideas in your speech room? I'd love to hear them.

Disclaimer: A copy of this product was provided to me for my review.  No other compensation was received.  The opinions expressed above are mine.