Learning Plan (Early Childhood)

Topic: Penguins Date: 12 May 2014 Age group: 3-4 years

Title of experience: Penguin World Ice Play
Links to the Early Years
Learning Framework:
Outcome 1. Children have a strong sense of
identity (Department of Education, Employment
and Workplace Relations [DEEWR], 2009, p. 20).
Outcome 3. Children have a strong sense of
wellbeing (DEEWR, 2009, p.30).
Oucome 4. Children are confident and involved
learners (DEEWR, 2009, p. 33) .
Oucome 5. Children are effective communicators
(DEEWR, 2009, p. 38).

Content/concepts
being explored:
Body control.
Following instructions.
Respectful relationships.
Science: Melting ice.
Different shapes, sizes and numbers.
Vocabulary.

Rationale: Why did you choose this particular experience? (Community event, child/teacher/family interest, identified as missing from curriculum etc.)

The children have been talking about the Walt Disney movie Frozen a lot and asking questions about winter, snow and the cold. They also love to
experience with different materials and playing with ice is a new experience for them.

Child/childrens background knowledge: What is your starting point what does the child/children already know, what have they done before, how does
this experience connect to or build on their existing knowledge/interests?


There is a small penguin world set up in the room for this term, which the children love to play with. They have also been talking about the movies Happy
Feet and Frozen when playing with the penguins. The outdoor experience will extend on this knowledge and interests, by showing what real ice feels and
looks like.

Learning objectives: What will the child/children learn?

Outcome 1.4: Children learn to interact in relations to others with care, empathy and respect (DEEWR, 2009, p. 24), through giving each other space and look
out for each other.

Outcome 3.2: Children take increasing responsibility to their own health and physical wellbeing (DEEWR, 2009, p. 32), through dancing and being outside in
nature.

Outcome 4.1: Children develop curiosity, cooperation, creativity, enthusiasm and imagination (DEEWR, 2009, p. 34), through playing with the experience
together as a group.

Outcome 4.2: Children develop experimentation, researching and investigating skills (DEEWR, 2009, p. 35), through experimenting with the different
materials and substances.

Outcome 4.3: Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another (DEEWR, 2009, p. 36), through connecting the penguin ice
world to movies they have seen.

Outcome 5.1: Children interact verbally and non-verbally with other (DEEWR, 2009, p. 38), through discussing and debating while playing with the
experience.

Children will develop:
Physically, by developing their balance and gross motor skills (Gardner, 1993).
Socially, by moving alongside each other and sharing the space (Gardner, 1993).
Language skills, by using descriptive words while singing the song and discussing the melting ice (Gardner, 1993).



Teacher focus/intentionality: What areas will you concentrate on? e.g. teaching strategies, EYLF practice principles, interests, equity.

Teaching Strategies: Active learning, experiential learning, learner-centered teaching (Merlot, n.d). Also following the childrens interest in the subject Winter
and their love for dancing.


Environment and resources: What resources and materials will you need to have collected? Where will the experience take place? Considerations for time,
space and teacher support? How will the environment be prepared?

Open space. Lyrics/ actions Penguins Song Penguins attention, penguins salut. Frozen ice blocks in different shapes and sizes. Big outdoor tray. Salt.
Blue food colouring and droppers. Toy penguins. Laminated white paper. Laminated blue paper. White fabric.


Assessment strategies: How will you identify what the child/children have learnt and how will you record this?

Recording childrens thoughts and conversations in my notebook. Taking pictures of the children, while they are interacting with the experience. Observing
childrens body control and concentration during dance.



Stage
Plan for all stages
of the experience
Approx.
time
(Full day?
Morning?
Specific time?
e.g. 12-1pm)
Pre-service teachers actions
What will you do during this time?
What prompting questions might you need to prepare?
How might you assess and record learning?
How will you cater for individual differences?
Child actions/tasks
What will the children be doing during this time?

Stage 1
Introduction
How will you
introduce the
experience/concept(s)
and engage the
interest of the
child/children?


Read the story of Emily and Alfie by Meredith
Hooper. Start a conversation about the book and
observe, which children are interested in the story.
Ask questions about the characters in the book, ice,
snow, cold and so on and record childrens answers
for later reflection on the learning.

Explain to the children that you are going to do a
special penguin dance first and afterwards they can
explore a Penguin Ice World outside. Ask, who
would like to do the dance and take those children
outside.



Children sitting down, watching the teacher reading the story
and discussing the story afterwards.







Stage 2
Main body
Describe the
experience: what will
children be doing?
How will concepts/
issues be explored?
List at least three
focus questions
relating your learning
objectives to be
asked of the children.


Stand in front of the children and briefly explain the
song to the children and ask them to copy your
movements. Start singing and dancing.
Watch the childrens ability to follow instructions and
awareness of other children around them.

After the dance direct the children to the tray with the
Ice World. Set it up with the white paper on the
bottom as snow and ice, the blue paper as the sea
and some wood covered in white material as
icebergs. Place animals, ice blocks, containers with
salt and jugs with blue water and droppers around
the tray. Teacher to ask open ended questions like
what happens when salt touches the ice?. What
does the blue water do? Why does the ice melt?
What does it feel like?. Record childrens answers
for later reflection.

Children sing along and copy movements







Stage 3:
Conclusion
How will you conclude
the experience?
Reflect on learning
with children?
How will you
encourage a smooth
transition to the next
experience?
The experience will be available for all children while
we are outside, or until all the ice has melted. I will
keep an eye out for children that I believe want to
have a look at the experience but might be to shy to
come over straight away, to ensure that every child
can have a go.

Ten minutes before the lunchtime routine begins, I
will start packing up the experience with the help of
some children, to ensure a smooth transition.

In the afternoon meeting we will reflect on the
experience and record childrens thoughts. I will also
include this experience in their portfolio with pictures
and the childrens comments.

Children are free to come and go from the experience. Some
might only be interested for a little while, while others could get
fascinated and really get involved in it and interact with it for
ages



Children to help clear away the different materials and cleaning
up the tray.


Listen to each other. Ask questions. Make suggestions what
else they would like to know about the topic.






Evaluation and self reflection: Did your experience meet your learning objectives? Why/ why not? What aspects of the experience worked most effectively?
What aspects could be improved and how could they be improved? e.g. flow, resources, teaching strategies, environment, assessment of learning.

The children loved the experience and had a lot of fun dancing like penguins. They were very excited about the ice world and stayed focused and engaged
for a long time. Children shared their thoughts about the experience with each other, which showed that children are effective communicators (DEEWR,
2009). And they were also excited to experiment with the blue water and salt. They counted the ice blocks and animals and also commented on the different
shapes, showing confidence exploring numbers and patterns (DEEWR, 2009). During the dance they followed the instructions really well.
One thing that I underestimated was the ink in the water. I used too much and we all ended up with very blue hands. In the future I would freeze coloured
water instead of adding the colour later on.


Follow-up: Are there any areas that you would like to follow up on? Emerging interests/concepts to explore further?

With winter emerging we will read and discuss more winter stories.




Mentor teacher comments:

Rebecca managed to keep the children engaged throughout this
experience. It was great to see how all the children were really excited
about the ice world and couldnt wait to experience it.
Pre-service teacher final reflection:

Except of the blue hands it was a very joyful and exciting experience to do with
the children. Even children, who usually are a little shy enjoyed dancing like a
penguin and were fascinated by the ice blocks.








References

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR]. (2009). The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Retrieved from
http://education.gov.au/early-years-learning-framework
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York. NY, US: Basic Books.
Merlot Pedagogy Portal. (n.d). Teaching Strategies. Retrieved from http://pedagogy.merlot.org/TeachingStrategies.html