Dot-to-Dot Exercise

Estimated time:  8 minutes

Students are asked to listen to a tape and follow the directions to connect the dots given on the tape, even though there is a lot of background noise.

What you will need:

  1. CD/tapes to copy the ones we have

  2. CD/tape player

  3. Dot-to-dot paper

Grades 1-2:

Dot to Dot Handout for Grades_1-2

Sample Script:

Now we are going to do a listening exercise.  You need to listen very carefully.  There will be a lot of noise in the background, so just do the best you can.  If you lose your place, put your pencil down, and pick it up and continue where you can.  Do not get upset at not being able to do this.

(The helpers pass out the dot to dot activity paper.  You play the tape.  When it is over, ask:)  How many thought this was easy?  How many thought this was hard?  There are people in the world who can not filter out all that background noise, they hear every little noise that is made in the classroom all the time.  There are also kids with something called ADD attention deficit disorder.  So if you are tapping your pencil, the person sitting next to you may not be able to concentrate because he is hearing you tapping your pencil.  So when your teacher says to be quiet, she means, be quiet for the sake of not only yourself, but for others who might have this problem.  (Discussion follows.)

Grades 3-6:

Dot to Dot Handout for Grades_3-6

Sample Script:

(Volunteers pass out the upper grades dot-to-dot page.) This is a connect-the-dots activity.  I am sure you have done lots of these exercises before.  You will hear a lot of background noise, but I want you to listen to the instructions and connect the dots.

(Leader plays tape.  After the activity, show the completed dot to dot picture.) Did anyone find that very easy? And anyone find it difficult??  You see we have a rainbow of ability in this classroom.

This activity shows you what it is like to be hard of hearing or to have some kind of attention disorder, when you cannot pick out some sounds from others or cannot stay focused on what is being said.

Lots of children have these problems. Can you imagine how hard is be in class to concentrate if you have this problem and there is a lot of noise going on.  You should try to think about this the next time your teacher asks you to be quiet in class.  There may be other students feeling this kind of frustration, the kind of frustration you experienced doing this exercise.  (Discuss frustrations with the students.)