15 SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES Moriah Roan ECD 1414 4-14-11

1)-Originating idea: DinosaursMaterials: Modeling clay Curriculum Content: Science Beginning: Opening statement: I have noticed that you have been interested in playing with the dinosaur fossils, we are going to move these into the play dough table today Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: Play with the clay; make the dinosaur fossil walk on the clay Middle: Make habitat or food for the dinosaur toys Later: Try and make their own dinosaur with the clay, press dinosaur fossil on clay to make fossil print. Classify dinosaurs. How will you scaffold their learning? Strategies (earlier): Include dinosaurs with different sizes and types of footprints or include other animals as well.

Strategies (middle): Include other materials like dirt, rocks, and grass. Strategies (Later): Include different types, sizes, colors, and textures of dinosaur toys.

End: Warning and transition to next part of routine; - Did you like playing with the dinosaurs? Should we keep the dinosaurs with the play dough? Follow up ideas: -Read book with dinosaur characters -Add the fossil prints children may have made to the dinosaur toys

2)-Originating Idea: BubblesMaterials: several different containers to hold bubbles, different items to blow bubbles with ex: large variety of sizes for wands, flyswatter, straws, etc. Curriculum content: Physical development (small motor) Beginning: Opening statement: Yesterday Sadie and Jonathan were telling me that at home they like to blow bubbles outside, today we are going to have bubbles outside.

Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: shake wands to create bubbles Middle: simply blow bubbles, Catch bubbles with wands, trying to make bubbles stick to surfaces, pop bubbles Later: Count bubbles as they pop them, talk about bubble sizes How will you scaffold their learning? Strategies (earlier): Include music while playing with bubbles to encourage movements. Strategies (middle): Include plastic bubbles that can stick to most surfaces and can be explored and observed. Add cups with a very small amount of bubbles, use straws to blow the bubbles to fill the cups. Strategies (later): Ask students which wands they think will make big bubbles, and which wands will make small bubbles, show example. End: Warning and Transition to next part of routine; We are going to get ready to go to circle time, as we walk inside to the carpet I wonder if we could pretend we were flying through the sky like bubbles. Follow up ideas:

-Use bubbles in an art project ex: blowing bubble onto a piece of colored paper to see the bubble prints

3)-Originating Idea: InstrumentsMaterials: A variety of noise making instruments; noise sticks, tambourines, drums, maracas, any homemade noise makers Curriculum Content: Creative Beginning: Opening Statement: Yesterday, I noticed that during our group time song we started clapping to the music. Today, we are going to use some other instruments to make noise with our music. Middle: What will the children do?: Earlier: experiment with an instrument and explore its sound Middle: Use their instruments in various ways Later: Play instrument to the beat of the music, dance to music How will you scaffold their learning?:

Strategies (Earlier): Do an instrument switch every 3 minutes to give the child a chance to explore other instruments and sounds Strategies (Middle): Do a follow the leader activity with the instruments encouraging the children to use their instruments in many ways Strategies (Later): Play/sing a variety of different songs that incorporate movement. End: Warning and transition to next part of routine: Would you like it if we left the musical instruments in the play area today? Follow-up ideas: - use instruments in planning/recall time

4)-Originating Idea: NumbersMaterials: Chalk Curriculum Content: Math Beginning: Opening statement: Do you remember when we played mother may I yesterday? Well today we are going to play mother may I with numbers!

(There will be numbers 1-3 drawn on the sidewalk in a zigzag pattern. Play like classic mother may I game. Have children make their way towards the number one, then the number two then the number three) Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: Hop to the numbers one, two, and three Middle: Use several different movements to reach the numbers one, two and three Later: Count their steps, hops, jumps etc. as they work their way to the numbers How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (Earlier): Add things on to the play surface like hoops to jump into, carpet squares or pillows to jump on top of, balance beams to walk across. Strategies (Middle): Count out loud the number of steps, jumps, hops, etc. they make towards the numbers Strategies (Later): Encourage the child to recall how many steps it took them to reach each number, and write it down once they get there. Ex: it took you 5 hops, and 5 skips to get to number one. How many all together?

End: Warning and transition to next part of routine:

Did you all like playing mother may I with numbers? Great! Now we are going to take 10 hops to the door to line up! Follow up ideas: - Number Hunt - Number collage - My favorite number photo

5)-Originating Idea: LettersMaterials: Sand table, foam letters Curriculum Content: Literacy/Language Beginning: Opening statement: Today during our small group time we are going to move to the sensory table. Someone told me that some letters were hiding in there. Im curious to see what we can find! Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: dig for letters in the sand Middle: find letters, point out Hey I found an M, my name starts with M! Later: Spell out short words, classify letters How will you scaffold their learning?:

Strategies (Earlier): Provide materials such as shovels, measuring cups, paint brushes to brush the sand off of the letters, etc. Strategies (Middle): Ask child what other objects start with the letters they find, or what sound it makes. Strategies (Later): Provide a word box and a name placemat to encourage spelling. End: Warning and transition to next part of routine: You all did a great job finding those letters! Should we leave the letters in the sand table today?

6)-Originating Idea: SpidersMaterials: large ball of white yarn Curriculum Content: Social/emotional development Beginning: Opening statement: Remember when Sean brought in his per tarantula yesterday for show and tell? Do you think we could make a spider web of our own with our classmates? (Teacher will start sitting down in the middle of the circle holding the yarn; they will then hold the end of the yarn and pass the ball to a student. Continue until the ball of yarn is gone)

Middle: What will children do:? Earlier: cooperate in catching and throwing the ball of yarn Middle: Try to untangle web Later: observe patterns How will you scaffold their learning:? Support (Earlier): Try activity with smaller group to encourage catch and throw cooperation Support (Middle): Encourage children to work together to find a way to untangle the web Support (Later): Add more balls of yarn that are different colors and textures End: Warning and transition to next part of routine: I think that this would be the perfect web for a spider! Do you think that a tarantula would like this web? Me too! Lets untangle our web and stay in our circle for a spider song! Follow up ideas: -spider web art activity -plastic insects added to play areas

7)-Originating idea: BeachMaterials: Sand for sensory table, shells, different sized stones, sticks Curriculum Content: Approaches to learning Beginning: Opening Statement: Yesterday we were talking about vacations, and many of you said you have been to the beach! Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: Manipulate sand, bury other materials Middle: Count materials (shells, stones, etc.) Later: Classify materials How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (Earlier): Add strainers for sand, measuring cups, shovels, hide some materials to be unburied such as special golden stones Strategies (Middle): Add more materials to encourage counting Strategies (Later): Add many types of stones and shells as well as many different sizes and textures End: Warning and transition to next part and routine: What did you think of the things you found in the sand table today?

Did you see some things that you saw at the beach while you were on vacation? Follow-up Ideas: -Have children bring in pictures from their vacation trips to put on bulletin board - Bring in a hermit crab for a class pet; it can live in the environment with sand, stones, and shells that was similar to what the children experienced.

8)-Originating idea: Flowers/GardensMaterials: Soil, area outside to create garden, rakes, shovels, seeds, watering cans Curriculum Content: Approaches to Learning Beginning: Opening Statement: Weve added something new to the play area outside for you to explore. Read book about flowers or engage conversation about what flowers need to grow. (sun, water, soil) Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: Dig through soil Middle: Dig holes for seeds; bury them Later: Nurture flowers; watering them, making sure they get sunlight

How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (Earlier): Bury worms in the soil to be discovered Strategies (Middle): Put signs with pictures of flowers in the ground for them to bury the holes in front of Strategies (Later): Include many gardening tools watering cans, create a to-do list for caring for plants everyday End: Warning and transition to next part of routine: What did you think of planting the flowers in the garden? We can come back tomorrow to water them, and we will watch how they start to grow! Follow up ideas: -Include magnifying glasses in the area when plants start to grow -Vegetable garden? -Include books about plants and flowers in reading area

9)-Originating Idea: NatureMaterials: glue, tree bark, leaves, grass rocks, dirt, paper, small tree branches Curriculum Content: Critical Thinking Beginning: Opening Statement: We are going to add some new materials to the art area for you to use today

What will children do?: Earlier: Recognize different materials (this bark came from a tree!) Middle: Glue materials together or to paper Later: Seek out other materials in the classroom that might go with the newer items. How will you scaffold their learning:? Strategies (Earlier): Include more recognizable materials; have child explore the outdoors for similar materials Strategies (Middle): Add other fastening items to the table such a staplers and paper clips Strategies (Later): Place similar materials in different areas around the classroom for child to discover

End: Warning and transition into next part of routine: I like some of the things you have made/found today! Can we hang some of these up on the bulleting board? Follow-up ideas: -tree/leaf rubbings

10)-Originating Idea: ColorsMaterials: Spray bottles filled with colored water

Curriculum Content: Creative Beginning: Opening Statement: Weve been learning a lot about our colors today. Ive added some spray bottles with colors in them outside for you to use. Middle: What will children do:? Earlier: Experiment spray on different surfaces Middle: Recognize the different colors Later: Mix colors to make new colors How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (Earlier): Bring other outdoor art materials to include in the area such as chalk or construction paper Strategies (Middle): Gradually start adding new colors to the collection Strategies (Later): Allow child to experiment with the water and food coloring to make their own spray bottles End: Warning and transition into next part of routine: Did you like playing with the colored bottles today? Would you like me to bring them outside for tomorrows play time?

Follow-up ideas: -Build snowman and use spray bottles for face, buttons, and scarf -Bring colored bottles into the art area inside the center

11)-Originating Idea: BirdsMaterials: Binoculars, magnifying glasses, pads of paper Curriculum Content: Science Beginning: Opening Statement: Ive noticed that you have been interested in the birds on our bird feeder lately, during our small group time we are going to observe the birds with or binoculars and magnifying glasses! Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: Recall times they have seen a certain type of bird before Middle: Notice colors of birds Later: Start to recognize the type of bird they see How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (earlier): Put pictures of familiar birds on the window.

Strategies (middle): Use varying types of bird feed to attract different birds and even other animals Strategies (later): Include a bird book at the table

End: Warning and transition into next part of routine: Weve seen a lot of different birds today! Did you like to watch the birds? Follow-up ideas: - Bird hunt outside - Crafting bird feeders for them to bring home - Talk about other kinds of birds (penguins, turkeys, ostriches)

12)-Originating Idea: CommunityMaterials: calculators, pads of paper, bags, grocery baskets, cash register, coins, empty food containers Curriculum Content: Social Studies Beginning: Opening statement: Yesterday, Jasmine told us about her brother that works at the grocery store, weve placed some things in our kitchen area today that are like the things you would see in the grocery store. Middle: What will children do?:

Earlier: Recognize and point out familiar food containers Middle: Count items as they are placing them in their basket Later: Coin recognition How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (Earlier): Ask parents to bring in their childs favorite foods container and add them to the area Strategies (Middle): Add more items to encourage addition and subtraction Strategies (Later): Include price stickers on items for basic coin values (1 penny, 3 dimes, 2 quarters, etc) End: Warning and transition into next part of routine: What did you think of our new grocery store? Should we leave our grocery store set up for free time tomorrow? Follow-up ideas: -Field trip to local market

13)-Originating Idea: Outdoor ActivitiesMaterials: Jump ropes, Hula-hoops, Balls, Chalk Curriculum Content: Health and Body Beginning:

Opening statement: For small group time we are going to go outside and use some new toys Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: Jump inside, and outside of hula-hoops, bounce balls Middle: Use jump rope, or hula-hoops correctly Later: Make a game using materials How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (Earlier): Bring out baskets for them to shoot the ball in, bring out beanbags to toss inside or outside of the hula-hoops Strategies (Middle): Introduce jump rope songs and rhymes Strategies (Later): Include more materials such as large exercise balls, baskets, balancing beam, bean bags End: Warning and transition into next part of routine: Should we keep these materials outside for playtime later on?

Follow-up ideas: - create obstacle course

- Introduce exercise activities that can be done with objects.

14)-Originating Idea: MeasuringMaterials: Sand or water for sensory table, measuring cups, tablespoons, bowls, sifter Curriculum Content: Math Beginning: Opening Statement: Ive added some new items to the sensory table for small group time today Middle: What will children do?: Earlier: Scoop water/sand into bowls Middle: Identify small, medium, or large measurements Later: Identify measurements (1 cup) How will you scaffold their learning?: Strategies (Earlier): Add droppers, and tubes to table Strategies (Middle): Add varying sizes/types of measuring tools

Strategies (Later): Include more measuring tools that have clearly labeled measurement marks on them

End: Warning and transition into next part of routine: You all seemed to like the new measuring tools we have, do you recognize some of these items from home? Follow-up Ideas: - Different types of measuring tools in classroom (measuring tape, or ruler)

15)-Originating Idea: Small-motor activitiesMaterials: Beads, various buttons, strings, pipe cleaners Curriculum Content: Creative Beginning: Opening Statement: Ive noticed some of you playing with the beads and buttons during free time, we are going to use these materials in our small group today. Middle: What will they do:? Earlier: separate beads from buttons

Middle: String beads onto string or pipe cleaner Later: Create a pattern while stringing beads How will you scaffold their learning:? Strategies (Earlier): Add another item that could be strung onto the strings or pipe cleaners that could be sorted Strategies (Middle): Add a larger variety of beads and types of string Strategies (Later): Add a larger variety of beads (natural beads, colorful beads, clay beads) End: Warning and transition into next part of routine: It looks like you have found a new way to use the beads, should we keep the strings with the beads and buttons? Follow-up ideas - Working with beads for sorting and classifying activities