| Hemi is a 175# Great Pyrenees who works with 8th | | | | themed beads with polymer clay. They used molds, |
| graders at a Middle School in Knoxville, TN. Hemi is a | | | | cookie cutters, and clay extruders. On the fourth day, |
| H.A.B.I.T. dog who works in the Ruff Reader Program. | | | | students added fringe to their dream catchers. Very |
| H.A.B.I.T. (Human-Animal Bond in Tennessee) is a | | | | little instruction was given and the students were |
| program run by the University of TN College of | | | | encouraged to create their own design. Some of the |
| Veterinary Medicine. The organization sponsors | | | | kids initially did not like the lack of structure and started |
| programs which foster pet visitation to nursing homes, | | | | copying their classmates, but, by the end of the class, |
| assisted-living residences, retirement centers, mental | | | | each was happily going his own way. It was fun to |
| health centers, residences for children with special | | | | watch them decide how much fringe, length of fringe, |
| needs, rehabilitation facilities, hospital settings, and | | | | and location of fringe. On the last day, students added |
| schools. H.A.B.I.T., which was established in 1986, | | | | the beads they had made on day three. They used a |
| medically and behaviorally screens animals and trains | | | | hand drill to add holes to the beads as needed. Beads |
| their volunteer owners regarding pet visitations. | | | | were strung onto the yarn fringe using a dental floss |
| Every Friday, Hemi patiently sits and listens to 8th | | | | threader and secured in place with an overhand knot. |
| graders practice their reading. The students also take | | | | Neatness was encouraged throughout the project. |
| turns lovingly brushing his long white fur. The fur was | | | | Students were taught design terms like variegated, |
| collected and sent out to be spun into yarn. I worked | | | | balance, scale, symmetry and asymmetry. They also |
| with the students for 1 week to create dream | | | | learned various knots and Native American folklore. |
| catchers, using the fur yarn. Students each created a | | | | IEP goals like listening, patience, following directions, |
| small dream catcher for themselves and worked | | | | problem solving, attention span and attempting a novel |
| together to create a large one to be auctioned off to | | | | task were addressed. While working on the group |
| help support H.A.B.I.T. programs. | | | | project, students were required to state their design |
| Since this was a literacy-based program, I started | | | | ideas and respectfully critique the ideas presented by |
| each day by reading a different dream catcher legend | | | | others. The students stated they enjoyed to |
| and discussing it. On the first day, students wrapped | | | | experience of making the dream catchers. |
| yarn around a 7" metal ring, completely covering it. On | | | | For more information on H.A.B.I.T., please contact them |
| the second day, students were provided with a | | | | at: |
| pattern and taught the half hitch knot to create the | | | | H.A.B.I.T., Department of Comparative Medicine, 2407 |
| web. Students who mastered to technique were | | | | River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996 |
| paired up with classmates who needed further | | | | Tel: (865)974-5633 |
| instruction. Teaching others helped reinforce the | | | | (I wrote this article for first publication in ADVANCE for |
| learned skill. On the third day, students created dog | | | | Occupational Therapy Practitioners. |