Learning Opportunity Planning Form

(Avoid opportunities associated with holidays)

Student Name: Bradi and Hannah

Resource Used: Osborn, S. (2015). How to Make a Pine Cone Bird Feeder. Retrieved from
http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/birdfeeders/ht/PineConeFeeder.htm
Date to be presented: 4/23/15
Site Supervisors Signature _________________________________________ Date __________________

It is required to discuss your final written plans with your site supervisor and obtain a sign-off signature one week before presenting this learning opportunity.

Primary Curriculum (content) Area: Science, literacy

Learning Opportunity Name: Pinecone bird feeders
Brief description/type: Children will learn a little about spring by reading a poem with us and then create a bird feeder.
WHO Its For: Four or five 4/5 year olds
List specific accommodations/adaptions: Children are having difficulty following directions during an activity- set the tone of
classroom by telling it is okay to ask others for assistance, make sure that the activity is age appropriate, explain one step of
the activity, let the children complete it, explain step two, let children complete it, etc. (CARAs Kit pg.10)
WHY-Rationale: Science process skills permit children to process new experiences through their senses. Children can observe,
compare, classify, measure, and communicate their observations of events and objects. Science can be incorporated into all daily
routines and play experiences as adults provide materials and experiences for children to explore and manipulate, as well have
conversations with children about their explorations, observations, and predictions.
Objective(s): By participating in this opportunity, the children will

Uses hand- eye coordination to perform self-help and small motor tasks with a materials (pinecone, bird seed)
Expresses an interest and enjoyment in listening to books

Makes close observations of living and non-living things

Standard(s): Area 8: Physical Well- Being and Motor Development -8.3 Small Motor Development
Area 11: Communication, Language, and Literacy- Early Literacy
Area 12: Mathematics and Science- 12.4 Scientific Reasoning
HOW to Prepare: What you need:
MATERIALS: poem, bird feed, 18 pine cones, peanut butter, 5 butter knives, 5 trays, 18 plastic baggies, 2 bowls
TIME: 15 minutes
SETTING: small group
SET UP/SPACE: 1 table and 5 chairs
HOW to Teach:
Introduction: What season is it? How do you know it is spring? What do you notice is changing outside? Today we are going to
make bird feeders, but first we are going to read a poem about spring. (connection to spring and birds?)
Teaching steps:
1. Read the poem Springtime
A small green frog
On a big brown log;
A black and yellow bee
In a little green tree;
A red and yellow snake
By a blue-green lake.
All sat and listened
To red bird sing,
Wake up, everybody,
Its spring! Its spring!
2. What signs of spring have you seen? What do you think we can make out of a pine cone?
3. Pick out a pinecone What do you think we will do now with the pinecone since we have it picked out?
4. Use the knife to spread peanut butter on the pine cone
5. Feel the texture of the birdseed

6. Roll the pine cone in the birdseed on the tray

7. Place the pine cone in the plastic baggie

Closure & Transition:

Where are you going to put your bird feeder? What kinds of birds do you think will eat off of your bird feeder?
Glide like birds to the next station
HOW to Assess and Document
Objectives
Evidence of Learning
How to Document This Evidence
Children might

Uses hand-eye coordination to

perform self-help and small motor
tasks with a materials (pinecone,
bird seed)
Expresses an interest and
enjoyment in listening to books

Children holds the plastic knife

without using their entire fist
rolling the pinecone in the bird
seed.
I like birds. I see birds all the
time. Children pay attention
during the reading.

Observation, work sample

Anecdotal record, observation

Assessment Documentation:
I observed a girl who at first didnt really know what to think about the peanut butter so I helped her with holding the cone
while she put peanut butter on it and I also helped her roll the seeds onto the cone. She used her eye hand coordination she
really was observing on how she put on the peanut butter.

Evaluation:
What evidence of childrens engagement and learning did you see during this learning opportunity? How were the
objectives met?
The evidence of childrens engagement and learning I seen during this learning opportunity as they all knew it was seeds when we
let them play with them. When we did the poem at the beginning we had one girl go up by herself and was trying point to the
words while reading if off the board. The objectives were met by they used their small motor with the pine cone and the seeds.
They were also all actively engaged.
What did you learn from planning and presenting this learning opportunity?
I learned from planning and presenting this learning opportunity is that children need hands-on experiences, love learning about
nature and they love that we brought the things real in life to show them and have that experience because all children dont
have that opportunity.
a) About the learning opportunity itself: I learned from this learning opportunity itself is that children love the real
things brought into their world and used in the classroom and I also liked that the plan was easy and nicely managed.
b) About children: I learned about children is they need hands-on materials to work with otherwise they wont be able to
know the real world and they loved what we did for them by smiling, talking about it, and even interacting with us.

c) About your own abilities: I learned about my own abilities that I can do anything that I put my mind to and that you
learn something every day from experiences.

Evaluate this learning opportunity as a whole. Share suggestions, as discussed with your site supervisor, for improvement.
a) As I reflect on this learning opportunity, I feel my strengths were:
I feel my strengths were in this learning opportunity is that I gave open ended questions really good and that I gave
the children my full attention while doing this activity.

b) As I reflect on this learning opportunity, I realize that I could improve by:

I could improve by stepping into things more easily and not depend on Taylor so much and just spoke out when I wanted
to speak. (down at childrens level- more interactions and questions)