Description of Child Activities - Assignment Example

Basics List Give examples of how you either initiated or participated in the following competencies, citing descriptive details and the Basic Skill Date(s) Brief Description 1. Set up art activity that you’ve never tried before. 10/07/2013 Spin Art 1. Supplies: Salad Spinner, Washable paint, Paper, Pen, Scissors, Waiting List. 2. Instructions: Use the salad spinner basket as a stencil to trace small circles on a stack of paper. Cut out these paper circles. Insert a paper circle inside the salad spinner and help the children cover the surface with random, irregular globs of paint. The less of a consistent pattern the better! Close the lid and let the children give the spinner a whirl. Open the lid: there’s your pretty spin art design! Carefully detach the paper and let it dry. 2. Facilitated a group music or movement game or activity. 11/25/2013 Circle time – Children’s Grocery Store Theme Materials: Shopping Cart and Props. Sing “The Wheel on the Cart,” to the tune of The Wheel on the Bus, as a ‘Getting to Know Activity’. Introduce the ‘Grocery Store’ concept to the children through Props. Example: “I have something in this box. What is it? Will it come out? Oh, yes it will!” Repeat with at least five different items. Dismiss the children in pairs. Ask them to add one item to the shopping cart, put away their carpet squares and then go wash their hands. 3. Used a variety of math materials. 09/04/2013 Use a ruler and scale to measure the heights and weights of the children. 4. Presented a science experience using new materials to you. 10/07/2013 Feeding Snails Supplies: Corn meal, trays, snails, book, magnifiers. Learning: I learn that snails eat corn meal, make bubbles when attacked or hurt, and emerge from their shells when sprayed with water. 5. Presented a language/literacy activity to a small group. 11/27/2013 Children’s Grocery Store Facilitate interactive language: “What is the cost of an apple?” “What do you want to buy?” Make the children state the names of food items they place in the shopping cart. Stimulate the child’s literacy by holding up various food items, and indicating the lettering on the product, while reading aloud the word. Example: Holding up a bottle of milk, and pointing to the printed word ‘Milk,’ saying, “This word says ‘Milk’.” 6. Set up a dramatic play opportunity with new props. 11/ 14/2013 Beauty Salon Create a dramatic setting by putting up the appropriate props, such as Hairdryer, Hand Mirror, Brush, Comb, Hair Clips, Pretend Hair Spray, Spray Bottles, Rollers, and Picture Books. Separate the props into categories by allotting various boxes, such as hair box, makeup box, manicure box, etc. 7. Prepared a meaningful work experience for the children (this might be sweeping the floor, raking leaves, setting the table and decorating for lunch with the children, etc…) 09/04/2013 11/27/2013 12/04/2013 Clean up the Dramatic Play area, by separating the props in order, and putting them back in the appropriate boxes. Help to set-up a lunch table for ‘Fancy Dress Day.’ Help to clean up after lunch. 8. Adapted an activity to be more developmentally appropriate or inclusive. 10/16/2013 Children’s Grocery Store In order to heighten awareness of cultural diversity and inclusion, the ‘Grocery Store’ features food items from various cultures, such as Spanish, Asian and Japanese rice cartons. Orange juice, apple juice, blue berry juice and various vegetables and fruits feature in the inventory to emphasize the use of nutritious food. In adherence to safety norms, all food containers are labelled and all sharp edges are removed. 9. Assessed a child’s developmental need and responded to it. 11/25/2013 Children’s Grocery Store. Finn is a shy and rather reserved child, who is content with silently observing class activities and playing with cars. During the ‘Grocery Store’ activity, he comes up to me, waves his hand and says, “Hi”. I immediately respond with a “Hi,” and say, “Finn, would you like to be a shopper for your grocery, or manage the cash register today?” He replies, “Yes, I want to be a shopper,” and goes on to being actively involved in the activity from beginning till end. Finn’s involvement was a treat to watch! 10. Provide scaffolding to assist a child to accomplish something new. 10/16/2013 Children’s Grocery Store. While shopping at the ‘Grocery Store,’ Leyanna drops her shopping basket on the floor. She repeatedly exclaims, “Oh no, it’s broken!” Hearing this, I ask her “What happened, Leyanna?” She replies, “I dropped my basket and it’s broken.” I ask her, “Do you need my help, Leyanna?” She says, “Yes!” I notice that the handle is not broken, merely detached. I prompt her gently with questions: “Would you show me where it is broken?” “Let’s fix it together.” “I wonder whether there is a hole for us to put the handles into?” She indicates the hole and exclaims, “Here, I found it!” Leyanna inserts the handles in place and resumes her shopping! 11. Followed up on a child(ren)’s previously expressed interest. 10/16/2013 and 10/21/2013 Children’s Grocery Store It is a treat to see Dawson, who is usually content to be a silent observer of classroom happenings, enthusiastically take on the role of the cashier and shopper at the ‘Grocery Store.’ Following up on this interest, I encourage Dawson to interchange the roles of shopper and cashier in the subsequent ‘Revisit the Grocery Store’ Activity: which he does with great exuberance! 12. Created a display on a topic of interest to the group. 11/06/2013 Children’s Grocery Store Effectively communicating the children’s participation to the parents by displaying a storyboard, featuring photographs which capture the child’s involvement in a meaningful sequence. 13. Take the lead role in setting up the outside environment. 12/02/2013 I move the “Aluminum Climbing-Monkey Bar” from its usual position to the left in order to provide access to the Pulling Rope. I first see that the area under the equipment, and the corner of the stairway, are covered with sufficient soft mats to ensure the children’s safety. I suggest replacing the routine Lego blocks with the ‘People Building Blocks’ for an innovative activity. The box is placed on the clean table with four chairs. I agree with Paula and Jo’s suggestion to set up the Magna-Tiles near the small black gate as the children had earlier been absorbed in creatively constructing Magna-Tiles on that gate. We spread a large rug near the gate, put out the Magna-Tiles and also place a small table in the corner as an extra option for the children. I create a Library Area by spreading a large rug on the floor with some pillows and a basket of books. I set up the jumping mat on the grass, and cushion it by first covering the grass with soft mats, to doubly ensure a safe jumping environment. 14. Evaluated and adapted materials to enhance the learning environment. 11/25/2013 Children’s Grocery Store I sort out Vegetables, Fruits, Juices, and Canned Goods and put each category in a separate box. This works well, as it enhances the neatness of the ‘Store’ and expedites easy movement of the children. At the next session, the children help in restocking the shelves after their more extensive ‘purchases.’ This suggests that pictorial labels for each box will facilitate further restocking activity. 15. Improved the environment by rearranging the room or area (indoors or outdoors). 11/27/2013 Lend a hand in changing the new costumes, purses, shoes and putting away the old props at Dramatic Play areas. 16. Set up an entire curriculum area with new interesting materials. 12/04/2013 Colorful “Ice Cube” Painting Supplies: Ice cube tray, Food Coloring, Popsicle sticks, Paper, Tray. Direction: Fill each ice cube compartment with water Add fruit color and stir until thoroughly mixed Insert a Popsicle stick into each compartment and freeze the cubes. Place mats on the tables, in case of spillage. Lay out pieces of cardstock for the children to paint. 17. Facilitated children’s competence in interpersonal relations (impulse control, emotional regulation, conflict resolution, expression of wants or needs, making friends, etc.) Give at least two examples. 10/16/2013 11/25/2013 Children’s Grocery Store 1 Maryam – Leyanna holds a can of cherries and Maryam tries to grab it from her. Leyanna says “That’s mine”, and pushes Maryam away. I intervene and tell Maryam, “We have cans of many different kinds of fruit on the shelves. They look absolutely delicious to me! Would you like to buy one of them?” Maryam remains adamant and says, “No, no! I don’t want them. I want a can of cherries!” I tell her, “Leyanna has taken it first. You can ask Leyanna to let you have it when she finishes.” Maryam begins to weep and insists “No, I want a can of cherries!” I then ask Leyanna, “Leyanna would you like to buy a different can of fruit?” Leyanna says, “Sure,” and gives the can of cherries to Maryam. 2 Kylieann – As the ‘Grocery Store’ has only 4 shopping carts and two cash registers, I prepare a numbered waiting list of the children to take turns at being shoppers and for using the cash register. According to this, Maryam figures in the first group and Kylieann in the second. But Kylieann stands in line with a purse and attempts to take the shopping cart from Maryam. Maryam loudly protests, “No, no that’s mine.” I step in with “Maryam, please keep your voice low. I would like to hear you speak kindly.” I tell Kylieann, “You’re welcome to go shop with your friend, Rowan now. But you must wait to use the shopping cart because have only 4 carts.” Kylieann returns the purse to Maryam and joins Rowan as a shopper. 18. Took a lead role in facilitating the daily routines/schedule (flow of day, meals, greeting, diapering/toileting). 12/04/2013 I organize the lunch. First of all, I greet the children by name. I then introduce the menu to the children saying, “We have Mac & cheese, green beans, and bananas today.” I go on to ask the children to describe the food on their plates, such as the shape, color, taste and texture (crunchy versus soft) of the green beans. 19. Utilized a staff person and/or Classmate as a resource. From the beginning of the Lab until now. That’s why I don’t have a specific day for you! I am blessed to have Jo as my mentor. Her suggestions for the children’s ‘Grocery Store’ and ‘Circle Time’ activities were invaluable. The project would not have been possible without her guidance. In addition, my classmates are always open to discussion and quick to offer assistance. Read More