There’s a Bear on My Chair and 6+ Core Vocabulary Activities
There’s a Bear on My Chair by Ross Collins is a hilarious book about a mouse who discovers a polar bear sitting on his chair. No matter what the mouse does, he cannot get the bear to leave. The sequel, There’s a Mouse in My House, is just as entertaining. These rhyming books feature expressive characters and provide opportunities to target the core words “on” and “my”.
Read There’s a Bear on My Chair with your AAC user. Model “on” and “my” on their AAC system. Visual cues like pointing are often helpful when teaching pronouns like “my” and “your”. Otherwise, it can be difficult for the AAC user to know whether you are referring to them or to yourself.
Free Downloads
“My Favorite Things” Worksheet
Download this worksheet. Draw pictures of the AAC user’s favorite colors, sports, foods, etc. Help them complete the sentence “my favorite ___ is…”.
There’s a Bear on My Chair Sorting Activity
I also created this free sorting activity. Cut out the pictures and help the AAC user determine who it belongs to. Place each item on the bear’s side or the mouse’s side.
Igloo Craft
Download this igloo background. Cut out small squares of white or blue tissue paper and stick them on.
Taking Turns
Turn-taking provides the perfect opportunity to model “my turn” and “your turn”. The AAC user may ask for a turn to play with a toy or to go on the swings. Games with quick turns like Crocodile Dentist or Pop-Up Pirate (my personal favorite) work perfectly for this.
Musical Chairs
Musical chairs is a classic. Gather a group of children and enough chairs for everyone – minus one. Arrange the chairs in a circle facing outward. Then play music while the children move around the chairs. When the music stops, they will each quickly try to sit on one of the chairs. Have each of them model “this is my chair”. Whoever does not have a seat will be out. Remove one chair and continue until the last person who sat down is declared the winner.
Tea Party
Here’s what you will need:
- Tea set
- Toy bear (or picture of a bear)
- Toy mouse (or picture of a mouse)
- Chairs including one big chair and one small chair
As you sit down, place the bear on the mouse’s chair just like in the story. Model “on” and “my” throughout the activity.
Routines and Daily Activities
Core vocabulary is everywhere. Model “on” and “my” during routines like getting dressed (e.g., “my jacket”, “shoes on”) and at lunchtime (e.g., “my sandwich”).
Core Vocabulary Resources on TPT
For more core vocabulary resources, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
