Orange
Spice Potpourri* with adaptive lesson
plan
About this project -
- This is a wonderful smelling potpourri recipe. This can be given to anyone as a small gift at Christmas time (or any time) to let them know you are thinking of them -- mail carrier, hairdresser etc. And it is very inexpensive.
- This project is rated VERY EASY to do.
Supplies -
- 1 pound Orange peel (Dime Size)
- 1/2 pound Lemon peel (Dime Size)
- 1 pound Whole Star Anise
- 1 pound Small Cinnamon Sticks (1 inch)
- 1 pound Whole Allspice
- 1 pound Whole Cloves
- 4 ounces Fixative Orris root, Cellulose Fixative
- 1-2 ounce bottle with dropper of Orange, Cinnamon, or Christmas Oils.
-
Note: This recipe uses 1 pound of each ingredient and will make
about 52 snack size ziplock bags. Cost: $35.00 = .65 per bag.
Project how to -
- If making a small amount, use a jar. If making a larger amount, use something that you don't mind having the aroma in forever. When I make it I use a plastic shoe box container. When finished I can put my craft supplies in it and whenever I open it I get the most wonderful aroma.
- Mix together all ingredients except the oil. After mixing, add the oil by dropping it onto the potpourri. Trying to get as much as possible of the oil on the fixative. Continue to mix as you drop the oil into the potpourri. Use 1/2 of the oil. Check the aroma by smelling 2 or 3 days later; you can always decide to add more oil.
- Let the potpourri sit for 2 to 3 weeks in a cool dark spot. Stirring every couple days. When finished bag up and label. I use ziplock snack bags and make labels using address labels on my computer.
Remember you can make as little or as much as you want with the recipe above -- just add and adjust to your liking. Good Luck.
- This project was contributed by:
- First I took each of the 8 ingredients and put a sample of each in a small jar and labeled the jar in bold print and with pictures when possible. We passed these jars around and had each student smell and touch the ingredients (except the orris root which is a powder). We named the ingredient, described its characteristics in regard to texture, color, and scent: round, star shaped, rough, smooth, brown, sweet smelling.....smells like...., feels like....
- I also took an eight item "cheap talker" (communication device) and recorded the names of each ingredient. The cheap talker buttons were labeled and are color coded. This was used for nonverbal students to identify the ingredients and participate in the activity by pressing the required buttons when each ingredient was being discussed. It was also used with an "active" student to have a hands on activity to do, while at the same time we could reinforce color recognition and appropriate class participation.
- The students helped scoop ingredients out of the spice bags with a one cup flour scoop and mixed the ingredients in a large stainless steel bowl stabilized by the assistance of classroom staff.
- Each class period after the initial mixing of ingredients we took out the 4 large containers of spicy mixture, mixed it up again by shaking the container, then added a few drops of orange oil and shook it up again.
- Next we reviewed the ingredients by passing around the jars of spices and identified them by name, textures, shape etc. using verbal language and the cheap talker for student responses.
- We did this for about 3 weeks while at the same time working on other Christmas craft projects.
- I purchased 3 yards of red mesh and cut it into squares. We scooped a heaping scoop of the potpourri onto the square of netting and tied a green ribbon around the top of it. I passed around samples of the netting for the students to feel. Ingredients labels made on the computer were stapled on the bundles of potpourri. Each student got a finished potpourri to examine while we were doing this. Finished potpourris were counted individually by students and as a group.
- To keep short attention span students with the group, they were given the cheap talker to touch and another was given a big red switch attached to a tape recorder (via Ablenet switch control box), and they pressed the switch to keep the Christmas music playing. These activities where switched after approx. 10 minutes so students could get a variety of activities to do and to maintain attention level.
- Next class the students decorated lunch bags that were used to package the potpourri's to take home. Many of the students need assistance with writing and fine motor tasks so we provided a variety of decorative materials that the students could choose from to decorate their bags. Example: different colors and types of bows, gift labels, stickers (these were taken off of their papers and stuck to the edge of the table. This way student with some gross motor ability could touch the sticker and peel it off the table then stick it onto the bags independently). The students decided who the gift was going to be given to and gift labels here written to them with staff assistance.
adaptive lesson ideas for students with disabilities or young children:
- Make up activity sequence cards with each step illustrated by either drawings or photos and numbered. This would add an activity to the project for students who have abilities in picture identification, reading and sequencing.
Bath