Removing, Carrying and Replacing a Geometrical Cabinet Tray

Material
The Geometric Cabinet Tray

Presentation

Introduction

Prepare the material needed: the geometric cabinet tray. 
Invite 3-4 children to come participate in your lesson by telling them you have something to show them.
Show each child where exactly to sit and once the children are seated, you sit so that you can see them all, they all can see you, and yet you are not in front of them.
Call their attention to the geometric cabinet tray and tell them you are going to show them how to carry the geometric cabinet tray.
Stand up so that you are directly in front of the cabinet tray.

Removing

1. Place your right thumb on the edge of the tray in the middle of the far right square.
2. Lower your four fingers so they are leaning against the shelves.
3. Place your left thumb on the edge of the tray in the middle of the far left square.
4. Lower your four left fingers so they are leaning against the shelves.
5. Slide the tray slowly toward your body.
6. Once the tray has been pulled out enough to give room to your fingers, place your four right fingers under the tray and then your four left fingers.
7. Continue pulling the tray out until you have reached the median line.
8. Unwrap your four right fingers.
9. Lift your right thumb.
10. Replace your right thumb on the vertical line of the tray near the middle to top of the bottom right square.
11. Wrap your four right fingers under the tray.
12. Grasp firmly.
13. Unwrap your four left fingers from under the tray.
14. Lift your left thumb.
15. Replace your left thumb on the vertical line of the tray near the middle to top of the bottom left square.
16. Wrap your four left fingers under the tray.
17. Grasp firmly.
18. Take one step back.
19. Continue sliding the tray off the top of the geometric cabinet until it is fully slid off.
20. Lift the tray and turn your body 90° to the left.
21. Bring the tray in close to your body at about lower stomach level.
22. Walk with the tray in your hands and come back to the geometric cabinet.
    
    

Setting Down

1. Place the top right corner down first near the front right side of the cabinet.
2. Place the top left corner down near the front left side of the cabinet.
3. Slowly lower to the tray so that it can lay flat on the top of the cabinet.
4. Slide the tray until the tray is about 1/3 of the way in.
5. Lift your left thumb.
6. Unwrap your four left fingers.
7. Replace your thumb in the middle of the bottom left square nearest to you.
8. Wrap your four left fingers under the tray.
9. Lift your right thumb.
10. Unwrap your four right fingers.
11. Replace your right thumb in the middle of the bottom right square nearest you.
12. Slide the tray back in until your fingers touch the edge of the cabinet.
13. Lay your left fingers and then your right against the drawers of the cabinet.
14. Push the tray the remainder of the way with your thumbs.
15. Lift your left and then right thumb off the tray.

Offer each child the opportunity to pick up and carry the geometric cabinet tray.

Once they have all had a turn excuse them one at a time, making sure each child has thought of what he would like to de next.

Purpose

Direct: Growth in independence with regard to the performance of the movements necessary for the removing, carrying and replacing of the Geometric Cabinet tray without damaging himself, others, or the tray. 
 
Indirect: Coordination of the child’s movement, development of the muscles, and concentration.

Points of Interests
Checking to see that when carrying the tray, it remains parallel to the floor.

Age
2 1/2 onwards

Note
I begin with my right arm but make sure the arm with which you begin, is the arm furthest away from the child. Then make necessary alterations to the directions based on where the children are sitting.