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Inclusion Palooza sign

Make & Take: INCLUSION PALOOZA

Inclusion Palooza signIf you are looking for a spirited way to move your inclusion-related goals forward, steal this idea from creative teacher educator, Shelley Littleton. Shelley works as a Project Specialist in the William & Mary School of Education. She supports educators in a number of ways, but one of her roles is hosting a high-energy “make and take” event each year; she calls it Inclusion Palooza.

At this event, teachers explore a range of curricular adaptations and differentiated materials and have opportunities to create them at stations scattered around the event space. Many of the adaptations are drawn from two of my books (co-authored by my talented colleague, Sheila Danaher), From Text Maps to Memory Caps and From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks. Because she uses these books, Shelley has always generously shared photos of these events with me. This year, however, she didn’t need to send photos because I got to attend in person, and it was just as joyous as I had imagined it to be!

Some of the tools created by attendees included communication boards, break cards, sensory bins, active learning tools (e.g., review Frisbee), slant boards, and adapted books. The participating educators could make just a few tools or they could visit most or all of the activity tables.

Examples of materials created at Inclusion Palooza event

Paula and friends showing materials from Inclusion Palooza event

Person displaying an item at InclusionPalooza

Shelley works hard to help teachers extend their learning and create lasting change. Therefore, she embeds this make-and-take into a months-long study of inclusion. At the end of all of it, participants are asked to share a plan of how they will use the content to move their inclusive models forward. Shelley reports that educators use many formats to report on their plans and target many different practices for their project. In an e-mail Shelley sent to me after one of the group’s gatherings, she wrote: “I was a proud witness to the sharing of inclusion websites, tip books, and music performances; PowerPoint presentations on co-teaching; and posters describing school-division initiatives to build capacity. One school division even did an Echo Event of the Make-and-Take!”

Would you consider planning a “make and take” event for your group? It might be a nice kickoff to a school year or a celebration to end a semester or learning experience. If you try an “Inclusion Palooza” of your own, I would love to hear about it! Contact me at to share your story.

Inclusion Planning Form

FREE DOWNLOAD: “Don’t We Already Do Inclusion?” Planning Tool

Don't We Already Do Inclusion? by Paula Kluth

I have been having so much fun working virtually with book clubs this summer—it has helped me to connect with so many of you in a personal way. To keep the fun moving forward and to provide inclusion energy and support for your inclusive activities, I wanted to share a handout that I’ve been using with study groups, book clubs, and steering committees who are using Don’t We Already Do Inclusion?: 100 Ideas for Improving Inclusive Schools as a planning tool.

If you are using Don’t We Already Do Inclusion? with your group, you can use this template to choose which pieces of your model you want to target for improvement. A hundred is a lot of ideas to consider all at once, so I suggest picking a few ideas from each section of the book, working on those ideas as goals and then choosing new ideas once you have met those goals.

Download Inclusion Planning Form

And don’t worry if you are interested in learning more about the process or the book, but don’t have a group—you can go to my Facebook page and find my bookclub videos (four part series).

Download Paula Kluth's inclusive summer bucket list form

31 Ways to Enjoy an Inclusive Summer

Summer is finally here, and I am looking forward to having time to share content through my site. As an easy way to get started, here is a list I created to help families generate ideas for activities that children with a wide range of needs, interests, and abilities will find accessible and enjoyable. Feel free to add you own and keep this list growing!

  1. Tell stories around the fire. Use AAC device for catch phrase/sound effect/punch line. Let everyone try!
  2. Rain? Try a big family puzzle. Turn taking, talking and eye-contact are not necessary, and everyone works at their own pace.
  3. Head to a drive-in. No need to use quiet voices and those needing to move around during the film can do so.
  4. Remember headphones during fireworks or watch from a distance to make the night comfortable for all.
  5. Play audiobooks on road trips; those who cannot access books independently get to read & the family gets to share a story.
  6. Take pics of a fun day and assemble into a book. Kids can take snaps, write captions, etc. Read and repeat to build fluency.
  7. Try a kayak, paddle boat, or bicycle built for two. It’s more fun than a solo trip and a buddy provides support.Summer kayak trip
  8. Create a ritual that everyone can look forward to and participate in: an after-dinner stroll, a weekly visit to the park, etc.
  9. Invite friends over for non-competitive games like scavenger hunts, charades, and sidewalk chalk exhibitions.
  10. Let everyone in the family suggest one NEW summer activity—one that is accessible and fun for all.
  11. Get a museum pass and cut visits short when it is too crowded/overwhelming. Make several short visits vs. one long one.
  12. Create collaborative art. Make a mural on a sheet, create photo collages, or paint an old chair.Collaborative painting
  13. Dive in! For many, the pool/lake/ocean is the ultimate “accessible environment” and enjoying the water is THE quintessential summer experience.
  14. Make gluten-free s’mores.
  15. Play board games that build literacy skills such as Scrabble, Boggle, Story Cubes, etc.
  16. Play board games that build math skills such as Pay Day, Yahtzee, Candyland, Monopoly, Sorry, Connect 4, Tangrams, Rummikub, etc.Family-friendly games
  17. Connect w/ pen pals. Learn about the world and build lang/literacy skills. Writing to a pal is also a great excuse to try new assistive tech.
  18. Have some sensory fun. Dig in the sand, play in the mud, or make water balloons!
  19. Suggest skits, backyard performances, and improv games. These are lots of fun and they are helpful in developing communication, social, and literacy skills.
  20. Cook or bake something new and let everyone take part. Use a switch to mix/blend if needed.
  21. Dive into your child’s fascinations. Learn about Minecraft, read vampire books, listen to Taylor Swift, etc.
  22. Find a summer activity (e.g., jump rope, kick-the-can, tag). Develop as many possible adaptations/versions as possible.
  23. Ride around your city on your child’s favorite type of transportation—bus, train, subway, or pedicab. See the sights and relax.
  24. Camp in the backyard. Save money and don’t worry about forgetting meds, special foods, or adaptive equipment.
  25. Take a day trip and build background knowledge. A trip to a pond to learn ecosystems? To the state capitol to learn about government?
  26. Give kids odd jobs to earn spending money. Find chores that teach new skills, if possible (e.g., organizing, counting, cooking).
  27. Learn a new card game. Use pool noodles as card holders for little hands or for those needing support.
  28. Play some mini golf and give different roles to different players (e.g., putting expert, cheerleader, scorer).Mini golf
  29. Look into inclusive summer camp experiences like those promoted by the National Inclusion Project.
  30. Shoot silly videos. This is an easy way to let everyone be expressive and create in their own ways. The video serves as a keepsake too.
  31. Volunteer (e.g., bring treats to an animal shelter). Kids who get a lot of support often love the chance to provide it.

Do you have a co-teaching vision?

Have you been using 30 Days to the Co-Taught Classroom to learn about co-teaching or to teach your staff about co-teaching? If so, you may have used the tools on Day 2 to create vision statements/pictures. This section of the book is designed to give teams an opportunity to envision their ideal environment, classroom “feeling”, teaching practices, and co-teaching relationship.

I have used this tool with several teams, but ...

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