In this case, download this PDF slide presentation and read along as you scroll from slide to slide. Watch a slideshow presentation of the story.To make the activity more interactive and sensory, bring in some items related to the story.Use the discussion starters at the end to get a conversation going.Encourage people to close their eyes and see the story in their mind like a movie.Check out this interesting article from The New York Times.) (Many people with Alzheimer's can still read, especially if the font is very large. Individuals can follow along or even read aloud parts of the story. Print large-print copies of just the story and distribute them to participants.Print a copy of the story with tips and discussion questions for the group leader.Read the short story aloud to the group.There are three different options for presenting the story. Will the experience be just as she remembers? Today, her son and his family have invited her to join them on just such a cruise aboard a boat his friend has lent him for the weekend. It’s something she used to do with her husband each weekend years ago, and she misses the summer cruises very much. She is about to take a cruise along the coast of Lake Michigan from the quaint western Michigan town of Saugatuck north to Holland. In this story, we join Jean Chancellor for one of her fondest memories and forms of recreation. If they are successful, make the first fold in advance of the activity and use those sheets with the person.A Short Story and Discussion by Sheri Barile If they struggle with it, offer them a pre-folded piece that has been opened out and ask them to fold it. If there is a person who would enjoy participating but may be challenged to complete an entire task, in advance of preparing for the activity offer them a sample and have them try the fold. The first fold is typically the easiest task in the project. Place this folded paper so that it will be available for the next participant and so on. As before, show the person the prepared example of their task and demonstrate the task using one of the folded sheets prepared in the previous step. In a group program, invite the next participant to join you and have the person sit at the table with the first participant in a position that is within reach of the folded sheets. Once they are completing the task independently, have the person move on to the next task. Show them the example of the task that they will be doing and demonstrate the action that is required to complete the task. Place the prepared paper on the table within reach of the person and provide a designated location to set the folded sheets (a basket, place mat, etc). If you are doing it as a group activity, invite the first participant. In the case of the Easter Chick for example, the page has to be printed and cut before beginning as described in the instructions.Īfter you have prepared the materials, start by inviting the person to join you at the table and help make paper sculptures to be used to decorate the area. I find it best to do those steps in advance of starting the activity.
Some projects require preparation before the origami aspect begins. If you don’t have enough participants for each task, rotate the tasks among the participants as appropriate for their abilities.īefore starting the activity, prepare one finished example showing the progress after each task has been completed, as well one showing the finished sculpture. The key to making this a successful group program is to give each person a task in the assembly line. The activity can be done by individuals (perhaps with help for tasks that are too challenging) and is also an ideal small group program. Some tasks may be a single step (a simple fold, for example) while other tasks may involve several steps (a crease and a fold, for example) and be appropriate for participants able to handle more challenging instructions. Making the finished sculpture from a flat piece of paper may seem overwhelming to some and so we follow the Montessori principle of “Sequence” to break the activity down into distinct tasks.