The girl who thought in pictures

ACTIVITY 1. 
What do you Know about Temple Grandin? 
 

1. Watch the video or read the text and do the activities 
 
Reading 
 
Temple Grandin was born in Boston. As a toddler she was perceived as “an unusual girl” who “loved spinning in circles and watching things twirl.” She hated loud noises, bright lights, crowds, itchy clothes, and too much intimate contact. 
 
When Grandin did not begin speaking by three-years-old, her parents brought her to doctors who suggested sending her “away”. Her family was finally able to find doctors and teachers able to help her. 
At school, Grandin was teased for being different from her peers, which eventually prompted her to respond angrily. After throwing a book at a student she was expelled. Her mother recognized that she needed a change of space and pace and arranged a visit with her aunt who lived on a ranch. This ended up being a life changing decision. 
 
On her aunt’s ranch, Grandin discovered an intuitive connection with animals. She was especially intrigued by cows. In fact, after careful thought and observation, she figured out that similarly to her, they thought in images. 
 
When she began attending a new school, she worked with a science teacher who encouraged her interest in science and became a lifelong friend and mentor. She was inspired to find solutions to the cruel treatment of cows at factory farms. She eventually earned a doctorate in animal studies and designed equipment to use in the management of cows that was widely adapted. She invented the squeeze hug.

2. Do the following activities: 
 
1. CHARACTER MAP. 
-How did she feel? How did she act? 
-What did she say or think? What did she do? 
 
2. THE MAIN POINTS 
-What are the main events in the story? 
-What`s the main idea? 
-What´s the main message the author wants to share? 
 

 ACTIVITY 2 

Read the information given to each pair and share the answers with your classmates 
 
1. Dr. Temple Grandin was diagnosed with Autism when she was a child. Perhaps you know someone with Autism! People with Autism are just like you and I. However, a person with Autism has a brain that sees and feels the world a little differently than the rest of us. 

Can people with Autism speak? 
When Dr. Temple Grandin was a child, she was unable to speak. Many people with Autism have trouble speaking. Some of these people, like Dr. Temple Grandin, eventually learn to talk while other people with Autism may never speak or are only able  to speak a few words. Those who cannot speak may use a special board with pictures that they can point to so that they can communicate. 
 
2. Why do some kids with Autism have tantrums? 
While reading or listening “The Girl Who Thought In Pictures”, we learned that Dr. Temple Grandin  had tantrums and even had one so big that she ended up being kicked out of school. What causes these tantrums? Let’s think for a moment about something that bothers you. Is it loud noises? Or maybe the smell of a food you dislike? What about when the tag in your shirt scratches your back?

Whenever these things bother us, we either fix the problem or talk to someone about it in hopes that they can help us solve the  problem. For people with Autism, sometimes communicating what is bothering them can  be very difficult. Imagine if you couldn’t speak or find the right words to communicate why you are bothered. Eventually whatever is bothering you will get on your nerves so bad that you will feel overwhelmed and unable to focus on anything else. Eventually all of these bothersome things you cannot stop can overwhelm you until you have  a tantrum. 
 
 
3. Do kids with Autism play differently? 
All people with Autism are different from one another. Some kids with Autism will play  with toys just like any other child while some other children with Autism may play with  things and see them in a totally different way than the rest of us. Many children with Autism like to stare closely at the object they are playing with, or watch objects spin. 
 
4 . How should I act around someone with Autism? 
As a child, Dr. Temple Grandin did not like loud noises, bright and noisy places, or scratchy clothing. She could not use her words to say she was bothered by these things   and needed a break. Eventually she would become so overwhelmed by bright lights, loud noises, and scratchy clothing that she had a tantrum. 
 
- Are there things that bother you so much that you are unable to enjoy yourself? Maybe it’s the smell of a certain food you dislike or the way your socks feel on your toes. Write  about it . 
- How do you deal with the thing or things that bother you most? Have you ever had a tantrum because of it? What could you have done to prevent yourself  from having a tantrum? Write about it.

5. Dr.Temple Grandin has an amazing ability to memorize images and see them over and over in her mind. This is known as photographic memory. True photographic memory like Dr Temple Grandin has is a rare ability, but all of us have certain memories in our mind that we can see clearly right down to the smallest detail. Think about one of the most vivid images in your mind of something you can remember happening in the past. Draw it and write about it. 
 
6. People with Autism see the world differently and many have different abilities. They may seem different from us because they have difficulty speaking or they play with toys differently. Differences are what makes each person with Autism unique. Guess what? ALL people have things that make them unique and special. Do you have a special ability? What makes you unique? Draw and/or write about it.