Activity
Reindeer activities
Reindeer facts, poems and tactile graphics activities to expand your reindeer knowledge, reading skills and tech skills!
This time of year, students are dreaming about Santa and his infamous red-nosed reindeer, Rudolph. Does your student with visual impairments know what a reindeer looks like? Jessica McDowell, TVI extraordinaire, has created an accessible version of a reindeer designed to be printed on Swell paper which is run through a PIAF machine to make raised lines and braille. (Learn more about the PIAF tactile images here.) The first image is the original visual image of a reindeer with various parts of the reindeer labeled. Reindeer PDF version available here.
The second image is a picture of the accessible version reindeer graphic, designed to be printed on Swell paper and run through a PIAF machine. This image has tactile wavy lines which indicate white areas on the reindeer and small tactile squares (grid-like) which indicate the reindeer’s antlers. In the tactile version, the text is in braille. Reindeer PIAF version PDF available here.
Reindeer poems
These poems are accessible PDF documents designed for students to read using their preferred device or can be embossed for students who prefer paper braille. Use these poems to practice reading or technology skills, such as increasing reading speeds. Rudolph the Renewable-Nosed Reindeer poem can be used to teach reading comprehension skills!
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer poem/song
- Five Little Reindeer poem
- Rudolph the Renewable-Nosed Reindeer poem (fun recyclable twist on Rudolph!)
Fascinating reindeer facts
Ever wonder why Santa’s sleigh is pulled by reindeer? Reindeer represent journeys, wandering, strength and endurance – which may be the inspirtation for Santa using reindeer to pull his sleigh! Here are some fascinating reindeer facts:
- In North America, reindeer are also called caribou.
- Both the males and females grow antlers.
- Their noses are specially designed to warm the air before it gets to their lungs.
- Reindeer hooves expand in summer when the ground is soft and shrink in the winter when the ground is hard.
- Some subspecies have knees that make clicking noise when they walk so the animals can stay together in a blizzard.
- Some North American caribou migrate over 3,000 miles in a year – more than any other land mammal.
Source: National Wildlife Federation
By Diane Brauner
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Attached File(s)
https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Reindeer%20print.pdf https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Reindeer%20Swell%20PIAF_1.pdf https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Rudolph%20the%20Red%20Nose%20Reindeer.pdf https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Five%20Little%20Reindeer.pdf https://www.perkins.org/sites/elearning.perkinsdev1.org/files/Rudolph%20the%20Renewable.pdf
