Large Group Time (Circle Time) Planning Form

Name: ___Alex Hernandez_____ Date: ________05/22/14__________

Length of large group time _15 minutes____ to ___20 minutes___________

Size of group____12-24 children___ Age of children __4 year olds________

Activities/Purpose:

Activity #1
o First I will read the book Born to be a Butterfly by Karen Wallace then we
will discuss the book such as different caterpillars, butterflies, and cocoons.

o I chose this activity because this will help transition the children from the
concept of caterpillars to cocoons and will prepare the children to transition to
the new concept of cocoons as it relates to their caterpillar.

Activity #2
o Next, I will start a conversation about the variety of different caterpillars that
can be found in nature and some of the qualities of these different insects. We
will examine the different patterns that caterpillars have, the number of
segments that a caterpillar has, as well as how many legs a caterpillar has
versus a butterfly.

o I chose this activity because this allows for the children to examine the
caterpillar critically as well as compare the differences between different
members of the same species of insect. I will also scaffold their exploration by
providing the children with open ended questions to encourage the children to
think critically about the numerical differences between caterpillars and
butterflies like: It says here that most caterpillars have sixteen legs, while a
butterfly only has four, why do you think that is? or A caterpillar has 3 parts
to it, a head, a body and a tail, how many parts to your body do you have?.
This activity and relation of body parts and segments will help children
develop an understanding in preparation for the small group activity of
constructing caterpillars and butterflies based on observations and pictures.


Activity #3
o Next, I will introduce some of the new props related to the thematic unit such
as the new art material papier mache that will be used during the next two
days to create cocoons for the caterpillars, I will also introduce cards of the
different butterflies we will be examining in class today which include the
caterpillar currently in class as well as other caterpillars for us to examine
such as the horned devil, the zebra caterpillar and the queen Alexandra
caterpillar to examine the pattern differences in the colors, shapes and order
that they appear on the caterpillar. The reason this is important is because it
will teach children about math concepts like patterns and sequencing which
will help the children become more aware of the differences in appearances as
well as teach skills like one to one correspondence (Do you think a caterpillar
could crawl very well if it only had legs for half its body?).

o I chose this activity because it will give the children creative inspiration to
really explore the differences in appearances and patterns between the
caterpillars. It will also prepare the children to examine pictures critically as
well as instill observational skills as well as compare and contrast skills to aid
in the retention of key mathematical concepts like differences in patterns,
geometric shapes within patterns, and one to one correspondence. Children
will also be able to count up and learn how to count through the use of the
subject they are examining closely.


Transition Activity
o Finally, I will end my circle time and transition the children by having the
teachers prep the feely box related to the small group activity, and then I will
split the children up into two groups. One group that I will select will be
referred to as the red pierrot caterpillars and will march with me to the small
group area, while the purple emperor butterflies flutter over to the work area
with the assistant teacher. Once the small group and I have settled in, I will
introduce the feely box to the children to encourage them to analyze the
geometric qualities of the object inside it (the object will be a multicolored
caterpillar that I will have made before hand and the feely box will be a
cocoon made from paper mache, an activity that they can create in a later art
activity).


o I chose this transition activity because it allows for smooth transitions than
just sending off the group to work on their own. It also allows time for the
assistant teachers to prepare the activities before hand so the equipment is
ready for children to use by the time we arrive. Having the children divide
into groups also allows for me to teach them about different caterpillars and
butterflies qualities such as names, pronunciation as well as vocabulary
associated with caterpillar movements like crawling, marching, or fluttering.