Environmental Print

Over the past 2 weeks our language unit lessons have focused on environmental print. Environmental print is the print we see in everyday life. It includes signs, symbols, numbers and colors found in fast food and grocery store signs, labels on the foods we eat, street signs, building based signs and so much more. Environmental print is a natural place for our young readers to start recognizing letters, letter sounds and words since they are already familiar with many of the signs and symbols. For those students who are already well into beginning reading, environmental print offers a connection with what they are reading while also providing a chance to work on more complex word families and blends.



Students began the unit by discussing common restaurant symbols. They identified the symbols for the restaurants, differentiated among which foods they could get at which restaurant and identified vocabulary that went with each restaurant. We also used one of their all time favorite songs "Pizza Hut" by Dr. Jean!












(Top Left: PECS symbols for nonverbal communication related to restaurant lesson. Bottom Left: Symbols, pictures, and vocabulary words. Right: Matching fast food symbols game)






During the second half of the week students worked on food labels they are familiar with including their favorite cereals. This also gave us a chance to include a functional skills lesson on making your own bowl of cereal. Students helped to create a book we read on their favorite types of cereals and worked on puzzles created from cereal boxes.

During week 2 students began working on identifying signs and symbols. We focused on signs we see and use everyday (restroom, exit, playground, stop, walk, etc.)

Students matched, identified, read and explained signs based on their individual level and needs. We took picture walks through the books I Read Signs and I Read Symbols both by Tana Hoban. 

Next week we are on to a short unit focusing around the Thanksgiving holiday. Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving with friends and family!