This document describes an art activity facilitated at a special school for pupils with learning disabilities and autism. The activity involved students tracing their hands, decorating them, and attaching them to a plant bucket filled with soil and decorations to create the effect of hands growing out of the soil. The goals of the activity were to build belonging, encourage communication, and promote creativity among the 7 students ages 9-10 who participated with assistance from special needs teachers. The students engaged well with the activity and were pleased with the colorful final result.

2. •Special School
•The school caters for pupils with
severe/profound learning
disabilities, moderate learning
disabilities and for pupils with
autism.

3. •“The aim of the Board of Management and the
staff of the-----. with assistance and guidance from
the Department of Education and Science and the -
-----Health Board, is to provide the highest quality
of care and education to all the children in this
service, thus enabling them to achieve their fullest
potential and thereby allow them to participate as
fully as possible within their local communities and
society in general”

4. •The School was established in 70s
Initially there were three classrooms, an
all purpose hall, a Special Care unit and
kitchen.

5. •There were three teachers in the
school catering for the needs of pupils
with moderate learning disabilities.
There were 23 pupils in the school at
that time.
•Over the last thirty to forty years the
school has undergone many changes
including two extensions.
•It presently caters for over one hundred and
thirty pupils and has a staff of 75 including
teachers, nurses, speech and language
therapist, special needs
assistants,housekeepers, secretary, caretaker
and bus escorts.

6. •7 children with varying conditions
•9-10 years old
•2 Special Needs Assistants

7. I sought permission from the school teachers to
carry out the facilitation with a specific class within
the school. It was agreed I would carry out the
facilitation with 6th class ( 9 – 10 year olds). Date and
times were then confirmed.
I then met with the students to gather some of their
ideas for the facilitation. One of the students came
up with the idea of a plant and another suggested he
would like to trace the outside of his hand and stick it
onto paper. After many ideas I came up with the idea
of making a plant and instead of using flowers to use
each of the students outline of their hands coming
out from the soil in the bucket.

9. •To establish a sense of belonging and security
among the group and to bring the group
together
•To encourage communication
•.To promote creativity

10. •Plant bucket
•Garden Soil
•Stickers
•3 sheets of coloured
paper – green,orange and
yellow
•3 sheets of coloured
crepe paper
•Spoons
•Lollypop sticks
•Sellotape

11. •Before the facilitation, I made name stickers
for each of the children so I could speak to
them during the activity
•I then laid out all the materials on the desk
and explained to the children the idea I had
suggested.
•Next I explained the sequence in which we
were going to approach the activity e.g First
cutting out the hands, then filling the bucket
with soil etc..

12. The children began by drawing
the outline of their hand onto
coloured paper of their choice

14. Some of the children
decided to decorate
their hand by using
stickers

15. Next the children
attached their lollypop
stick onto the outline of
their hand.
It was decided sellotape
would be easier for the
children to use

16. Next it was time to pass
the bucket around and to
allow each of the children
to take turns filling the
bucket with soil

17. After the bucket was
filled with soil, the group
rolled pieces of crepe
paper into little balls to
decorate the inside of
the bucket

19. The children then put
their balls of crepe
paper into the bucket

21. The children then
decorated the bucket
with stickers

22. The end result

23. •I observed how stimulating art can be. I noticed
how focused the children were and how it created a
sense of partnership among them. The children also
engaged in communication.
• I also noticed how important it is for children to
recognise how to share with others. At several
times I had make sure that each of the children
took turns while taking part in the activity

24. •I did not realise the individual attention some of
the children needed while completing the art
activity. I found the activity less stressful by
being helped by one of the special needs
assistants

25. •The children enjoyed themselves and staff were
pleased. They each gave each other a round of
applause afterwards and I awarded them with
sweets for their efforts.
•One of the children noted how colourful the bucket
looked and that everybody's hands were closely
together.