Hands-On Hearing Loss (Grades K–3)
About
Hands-On Hearing Loss is an engaging, hands-on experience designed for students in grades K–3 to build understanding, empathy, and awareness of hearing loss and accessibility. Through storytelling, exploration, and interactive activities, students will discover that people experience the world of sound in different ways and that technology can help make communication and everyday life more accessible. The program begins with a read-aloud of Can Bears Ski? by Raymond Antrobus, a thoughtful story that provides an age-appropriate introduction to hearing loss and the experiences of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing. Kids will then have the opportunity to explore several hands-on stations (independently and under the guidance of our presenters) to learn about accessible technologies used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing, including hearing aids, captioning glasses, alarm clocks, and more. The experience is led by Julie DeMatteo-Lane and Brad McKenna, co-founders of Down the Tubes Productions, whose mission is to inform, educate, and entertain people with and without hearing loss about life with hearing loss. Julie is a career special education teacher with experience working with elementary-aged children, while Brad is a technology librarian who brings expertise in technology, information access, and hands-on learning. Together, Julie and Brad create an inclusive and engaging learning experience that encourages students to ask questions, explore technology, develop em
