In Senior Infants, the class often get their eyes tested by the HSE Public Health Nurse. This is a nice topic to do in Aistear at that time.
I like the book Princess Peepers as an introduction to the topic. Another book that could be used is Luna and the Big Blur. I sometimes use one as an introduction and the other book half way through the topic. It is also a great topic for SPHE and discussing how children may be different from each other, those children who may wear glasses get to chat about how they chose their glasses and what the eye test consists of.
This is another topic where you might need help from parents for resources. I asked parents for 3D glasses, as I am sure there are some in cars and bags around the house, I pop out the lenses when using them in class. Parents could also send in glasses cases, empty boxes for contact lens, and bottles of lens solution. At this stage of the year children’s sunglasses will be reduced in Pennys, Dunnes and other similar stores so it can be worthwhile picking them up for this topic.
Other resources for the socio-dramatic area could be the cash register, phones, clipboards, signs for waiting room, and of course the chart for the eye test. This can be downloaded from twinkl.co.uk with the optician role play pack.
Small world and construction could be creating the optician and the town. By printing images from the story and placing them in the sand tray. The children could find them and sequence them. Finally art has lots of ideas, the children could make their own glasses using a variety of materials, paper, pipe cleaners, feathers etc. The children really enjoy this, some of mine spent half the Aistear session admiring themselves in the mirror with their glasses on! Templates for glasses can be found here.
My plan for The Optician is now available in Mash.ie along with the newsletter for parents.
Aistear Múinteoir 