Implications for Teaching Pre-School By Melissa Law and Gina-Marie Vincent

Implications for Teachers Teaching Pre-school Gaining Sense of Self As children start to experience the world, it is important that they find ways to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. The Importance of Play Playing is a valuable tool for children to learn about themselves, others and the world around them. Development of Fine and Gross Motor Skills Activities that encourage children to start coordinating thoughts with actions is important. Language Development Language development is a key milestone for this age group as they start to develop questions, statements and clauses.

Ferdie the Frog Outline of activity: The class meets a shy, young frog who is keen to learn about them, their world of school, and the children themselves. Goals: To heighten senses through sensory walks that explore the world To understand differences between self and others To problem solve and communicate Activity Step 1: Tell the class that you are going to go on an imaginary walk. Ask the children to each put on an imaginary coat, hat and scarf. ‘Walk’ along the past, across the road, in the gate, through a muddy field and into a forest. Step 2: Talk about the noises they hear in the forest. Allow the class to sit on the floor in a circle and create some of the noises (branches, leaves, rabbits, frogs, birds, bats.) Create a soundscape with all of the sounds Step 3: Tell the class “ssshhh” I think I hear something. There’s something rustling. The class finds Ferdie. Ferdie whispers in your ear and wants to know where the children come from. Ask the children if they can take Ferdie back to school. Retrace footsteps. Step 4: Back at school, ask the class to sit in a circle. Tell the class that Ferdie can speak to you if you hold him up to your ear. Pass him around the circle. Outline of activity: The class meets a shy, young frog who is keen to learn about them, their world of school, and the children themselves. Goals: To heighten senses through sensory walks that explore the world To understand differences between self and others To problem solve and communicate Activity Step 1: Tell the class that you are going to go on an imaginary walk. Ask the children to each put on an imaginary coat, hat and scarf. ‘Walk’ along the past, across the road, in the gate, through a muddy field and into a forest. Step 2: Talk about the noises they hear in the forest. Allow the class to sit on the floor in a circle and create some of the noises (branches, leaves, rabbits, frogs, birds, bats.) Create a soundscape with all of the sounds Step 3: Tell the class “ssshhh” I think I hear something. There’s something rustling. The class finds Ferdie. Ferdie whispers in your ear and wants to know where the children come from. Ask the children if they can take Ferdie back to school. Retrace footsteps. Step 4: Back at school, ask the class to sit in a circle. Tell the class that Ferdie can speak to you if you hold him up to your ear. Pass him around the circle.

Ferdie the Frog cont’d Step 5: Ferdie is wondering if they know what he is? Could the class find out more about frogs to tell Ferdie? Discuss the difference between them: what he eats and what they eat; where he lives and where they live; what he likes and what they like. Step 6: Movement break: Divide class into 4 groups and each group is given a piece of fabric with string attached. Tell the students that they are now frogs with work to do. The pieces of fabric and lily pads on the pond that Ferdie used to visit. The frogs that to work together to move the lily pads around the pond, perhaps trying to carry Ferdie fro one end to the other, or passing food. Step 7: Ferdie is not tired and would like to learn more about the children. Do all people have the same color eyes? How many color eyes are in the room? Hair color? Are people born with different lengths of hair? Step 8: Ferdie starts to get very sleepy and wants to sleep. Do they think he’s ill? Discuss what might happen if someone is sick. Step 9: Suggest looking up a book on frogs on why frogs might be sleepy. Explain that Ferdie needs to hibernate. Ask what Ferdie needs to go to sleep for a long time and create a bed for him. Allow the children to create the bed together. What goes on a bed? Step 10: Ask the children to put on their imaginary coat, scarf and hat again and tell the class that we are going to take Ferdie back to his home. Walk along the path, through a muddy field and into a forest, kicking the leaves. Let the children say goodbye to him. Step 5: Ferdie is wondering if they know what he is? Could the class find out more about frogs to tell Ferdie? Discuss the difference between them: what he eats and what they eat; where he lives and where they live; what he likes and what they like. Step 6: Movement break: Divide class into 4 groups and each group is given a piece of fabric with string attached. Tell the students that they are now frogs with work to do. The pieces of fabric and lily pads on the pond that Ferdie used to visit. The frogs that to work together to move the lily pads around the pond, perhaps trying to carry Ferdie fro one end to the other, or passing food. Step 7: Ferdie is not tired and would like to learn more about the children. Do all people have the same color eyes? How many color eyes are in the room? Hair color? Are people born with different lengths of hair? Step 8: Ferdie starts to get very sleepy and wants to sleep. Do they think he’s ill? Discuss what might happen if someone is sick. Step 9: Suggest looking up a book on frogs on why frogs might be sleepy. Explain that Ferdie needs to hibernate. Ask what Ferdie needs to go to sleep for a long time and create a bed for him. Allow the children to create the bed together. What goes on a bed? Step 10: Ask the children to put on their imaginary coat, scarf and hat again and tell the class that we are going to take Ferdie back to his home. Walk along the path, through a muddy field and into a forest, kicking the leaves. Let the children say goodbye to him.

Why Ferdie the Frog? What developmental implications does this activity incorporate for the pre-school age? How did the activity do that? – Gaining Sense of Self – The importance of play in understanding the world Can this activity work in your classroom? What modifications could you make? TIP: Working with pre-school students, you may not get through all of these activities in one day or one session. This exploration can be spread out over many weeks.

HEY! Outline of Activity: Students explore various environments they may encounter in real life or locations that they can imagine. Goals: To explore location in the world physically and verbally To make sense of the world through exploration To create teamwork and listening Activity: Step 1: The class gets into a clump in the middle of a large space. The teacher first starts by saying “Hey!” The class repeats “Hey What?” The teacher responds with a location to explore by saying “Let’s go to the Zoo!” Step 2: The children then go to the Zoo. They can be animals or people, rocks or trees. The goal is to allow them to explore these places and all they have to offer. Step 3: When visiting a location, the teacher can guide them and coach them along. For example: if a student is a Giraffe, the teacher can ask the student what they are eating. Or if there is not a Zoo Keeper, the teacher can encourage someone to be one and take care of the animals etc… The goal is to explore all the possibilities of each location. Step 4: When ready to switch, the teacher calls out “freeze.” The teacher can decide on a new location, or a student can suggest a location. Remember that is starts with “Hey!”

HEY! What developmental implications does this activity incorporate for the pre- school age? How did the activity do that? The importance of play in understanding the world Can this activity work in your classroom? What modifications could you make?

Star Light, Star bright Outline of activity: Student think of a wish while singing “Starlight, Star Bright”- then whisper their wish into their hands before releasing it. Goals: Expression – Ideas and needs through singing and speaking Language and Vocabulary – Rules of Phonology- describe a language’s sound system – Rules of Syntax- determine sentence structure and word order – Rules of Semantics- how to interpret the meaning of words – Rules of Pragmatics- language used in social context Activity Step 1. Tell the students to think of a wish while clasping hands Step 2. Sing “Starlight, Star Bright” to class Outline of activity: Student think of a wish while singing “Starlight, Star Bright”- then whisper their wish into their hands before releasing it. Goals: Expression – Ideas and needs through singing and speaking Language and Vocabulary – Rules of Phonology- describe a language’s sound system – Rules of Syntax- determine sentence structure and word order – Rules of Semantics- how to interpret the meaning of words – Rules of Pragmatics- language used in social context Activity Step 1. Tell the students to think of a wish while clasping hands Step 2. Sing “Starlight, Star Bright” to class

Star Light, Star Bright Step 3. Have the class repeat each line for memorization Step 4. Sing song all together Step 5. After the song, ask the students to whisper their wish into their hands Step 6. Release the wish all together What developmental implications does this activity incorporate for the pre- school age? How did the activity do that? -Language: Expressive language- The language children use to express their ideas and needs. Can this activity work in your classroom? What modifications could you make?

Sally Go Round The Sun Outline of Activity: The class will use physical movement while singing “Sally Go Round The Sun. Goals: Combining music with movement Gross Motor Skills: Large Muscle skills resulting from physical development enabling children to perform smooth and coordinated physical acts. o Example: Running, Climbing, Jumping... Activity: Step 1: Class stands in circle Step 2: Teacher chooses a student to stand in the center of the circle Step 3. Students sing “ Sally Go Round The Sun” while student in the center walks/runs around the inside of circle. Step 4. Once the song is over the student in the circle closes his/her eyes while spinning around in a circle to choose the next student.

Sally Go Round The Sun What developmental implications does this activity incorporate for the pre- school age? How did the activity do that? -Gross Motor Skills: Running Can this activity work in your classroom? What modifications could you make?

5 Finger Piano Outline of Activity: Students will learn the finger movements used for piano. Goals: Basic piano skills Growing Motor Skills – Fine Motor Skills- Small muscle skills involving hands and fingers that result from physical development. Activity Step 1. Show students finger numbers for piano (1’s thumb, 2’s pointer finger, 3’s middle finger, 4’s ring finger, 5’s pinky) Step 2. The teacher will then ask students to tap fingers that are being called out Step 3 (more advanced/elementary age). Place printed keyboard in front of each student then have them tap their 5 finger pattern on the keys.

5 Finger Piano What developmental implications does this activity incorporate for the pre-school age? How did the activity do that? Fine Motor Skills- Fingers and Hands Can this activity work in your classroom? What modifications could you make?

Helpful Classroom Materials Costumes- hats, scarves, fabrics, ears Props- wands, wings, balls, tools, bubbles, balls, juggling scarves Musical instruments- shakers, bells, sticks, make-shift shakes, rainmakers etc…