Swing Cell
15 min
1 participantTransform an egg carton into a swing cell - demonstrate dots 1 through 6 with finger and braille key positions.
Let's play!
Pick a brick from the bowl and read the dots on it.
Reproduce the constellation of dots by placing your fingers in the egg box in "write braille position".
How to prepare
1 base plate
10 bricks from 1st decade "A" to "J"
1 bowl
1 braille cell egg carton
Without completely disconnecting the egg carton, cut it lengthwise in 2 lines of 3 compartments, being certain the 2 rows stay connected at one end to use it as a swing cell.
When the swing cell is extended it demonstrates the writing braille position (dots are numbered left to right 3, 2, 1, 4, 5, 6).
Place the 10 bricks in the bowl.
Facilitation tips
Preliminary exercise: manipulate the egg carton as a "swing-cell" and go from "reading braille position" to "writing braille position".
Preliminary exercise: repeat the activity with all 6 fingers in the corresponding compartments: left index finger=dot 1, left middle finger=dot 2, left ring finger=dot 3, right index finger=dot 4, right middle finger=dot 5 and right ring finger=dot 6.
Possible variations
Change bricks: use letter bricks from other decades, with dot 3 and dot 6.
Download & print
Children will develop these holistic skills
cognitive skills
- Relate dot number 1 through 6 with finger and braille key positions to write with a braille typewriter or computer
creative skills
- Reproduce, assemble, organize, link graphic patterns and then create new ones
physical skills
- Develop finger isolation: single fingers use
emotional skills
- Solicit information/assistance from appropriate persons in various settings
social skills
- Understand, respect and enforce rules and regulations
Did you know?
The egg carton is an excellent tool: it is a giant braille cell! Children will learn the 6 dot positions and then braille characters.
The braille alphabet is based on decades (series). The first one, from A to J, requires only the first 2 rows of dots on a braille cell: 1, 2, 4 and 5. This is the foundation upon which the other decades are built.
Pre-braille activity groups
LEGO® Braille Bricks activities: MANIPULATION
Discover and get used to the bricks, learn how to handle, assemble and put them on the base plate.
LEGO® Braille Bricks activities: ORIENTATION
Learn how to position the bricks on the base plate and be aware that their orientation is important.
LEGO® Braille Bricks activities: CONSTELLATION
Discover the braille cell and how studs are arranged in two columns. Learn how to differentiate the studs.