Have a Conversation about Water in ASL

What can we use if we don't have a mirror, ASL reference sheet, or a notepad?

Use a phone or tablet front camera to check your handshapes and facial expressions, open a reputable online ASL guide or print screenshots in place of the ASL reference sheet, and write your short simple sentences on loose paper or a digital notes app instead of a notepad.

What should we do if our partner can't understand our signs or our handshapes look wrong during practice?

Practice each sentence slowly again in front of the mirror or phone camera while checking key words in the ASL guide, then take turns signing while the other watches quietly and gives two things you did well and one thing to work on as instructed.

How can we adapt the activity for younger or older kids?

For younger children, choose very simple topics like drinking water and write single-word or one short simple sentence per topic and shorten the performance to about 30 seconds, while older kids can use more vocabulary from the ASL guide, combine sentences into a full 1–2 minute signed conversation, and focus on nuanced facial expressions and grammar.

How can we extend or personalize the signed conversation after practicing and getting feedback?

Record the revised performance on your phone, annotate your notepad with the partner feedback and practiced improvement, add props or specific facts about your chosen water topics (drinking water, ocean, conservation), and then share the polished video on DIY.org.