Spirit Beads help promote peer acceptance and social interactions between students and their peers / teachers.
A Spirit Beads Social Strategy
Following a template for a specific design, students string beads into bracelets or necklaces in their sports team’s colors to sell to students and teachers at school. This type of school enterprise activity can help students engage in social interactions on a school-wide level, providing opportunities for community-building amongst peers.
Example:
Sometimes I feel like the students in my Life Skills class are rather isolated from the rest of the school, even though they have lunch and specials with their peers. What can I do to increase opportunities for interactions and help my students feel more a part of their school?
Social Interaction & Life Skills
The Spirit Beads Social Strategy is a fun way to get your students involved in supporting the school’s sports program while promoting interactions with typical peers and adults. Students make beaded necklaces and bracelets in their team’s colors, then sell them to students and teachers at school.
This strategy also promotes math / money skills (pricing and making change), hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills (stringing beads), as well as communication skills.
Quick Facts
- Child’s Age: 11-17
- Planning Effort: Moderate
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
Pre-requisites
- Obtain necessary materials
- Identify time and place for selling items
How to Use a Spirit Beads Social Strategy
- Enlist students’ help to design a necklace and/or bracelet pattern of beads. (i.e., two red beads, three blue beads, two red beads, three blue…).
- Purchase beads, stretchy cord for bracelets, and strong cording for necklaces.
- Create a simple template with the color pattern for students to follow while they string the beads.
- Assist students to finish the necklace or bracelet by tying off or adding a clasp.
- Talk with students about pricing. Help them make and hang signs to advertise their creations throughout the school. NOTE: Specify when the items will be sold to avoid problems with missed classes (i.e., during homeroom, lunch, end of day).
- Set up a cash box and teach students how to greet customers, take and fill their order, and make change.
- Consider making necklaces in holiday or professional sports team colors to increase sales opportunities.
Resources
Achieving Transition Goals through School-Based Enterprise (Watson Story)
If you have questions or concerns about the Watson Institute’s use of this information, please contact us.
This resource was authored by Watson Institute Special Education Consultant, Lynne Ireland-Knight.