CEP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher: Fiona Krieger Date: 3/29/22

School: Teaching Tree Early Learning Center Grade Level: Infant Lesson #: 1 of 3

Content Area: Cognitive Development (Cause-and-Effect) and Learning Approaches (Initiative and Curiosity)

Title: Exploring Planting Flowers (through sensory play)

Lesson Idea/Topic and In this activity, students will be participating in a spring themed sensory activity. This sensory activity is one
Rational/Relevance: where the students will have access to a sensory table with the following materials: “dirt” (edible), flowerpots,
shovels, and fake (age appropriate, non-choke able) flowers. Students will be scaffolded in scooping the “dirt”
into the pots, and putting flowers into them, but ultimately will more be supported in exploring the materials
and being creative with their use in the play experience. This activity will encourage students to explore cause
and effect, work on their fine and large motor skills while scooping and dumping and encouraging participation
in a sensory experience. The lesson is one that is meant to provide students with an opportunity to engage in
sensory play with guidance and support to make their experience positive. It is an important lesson to this age
range as sensory experiences are so sought after during this developmental time. In the infant class, there is not
a particular unit of study through creative curriculum, so to follow along with common themes of books and
decorations in the classroom, spring and growth is the focus. This activity is also relevant, as it is one where
students can participate in sensory play, but also work on other areas of development in addition to the sensory
experience. It provides an opportunity for the students to participate a new sensory experience and be able to
explore the materials.

Student Profile: The students taking part in this lesson includes a group of four infants/young toddlers who are between the
ages of 13 and 17 months old in the infant classroom. This small-group activity will consist of four students who
are all mobile, at varying levels from bottom scooting, and very early stages of walking to practically running.
They are all able to stand independently, and in this activity will be supported by having the sensory bin on the
ground, to support their varying levels of mobility. These students have begun not only developing their large
motor skills, but also their more fine motor skills such as using utensils loosely, holding toys with fingers, and
utilizing pincer grasps, which will be incorporated in this activity through the use of shovels which they will use
fine motor skills to hold and use to scoop and dump. Additionally, these students have begun to become more
responsive in expressing their emotions and in terms of communication. They are able to properly express their
interest and disinterest, as well as use some simple signs to ask for more or express that they are all done with
things. These students have also all expressed their interest in new experiences and are not usually able to
consistently participate in larger sensory activities like this, so this will allow them to explore in a more unique
way to them. The students in this small group are very curious, and having a chance to explore in a way like this

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences Page 1

CEP Lesson Plan Form

will be a new and different experience for them.

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson:

Domain: Cognitive Development

Standard: Cause-and -Effect: The developing understanding that one event brings another about.

Indicator: 1. Combine simple actions to cause things to happen.

Domain: Approaches to Learning

Standard: Initiative and Curiosity: The developing interest in a variety of topics and activities, a desire to learn and independence in learning.

Indicator: 1. Demonstrate initiative in interactions, experiences, and explorations. 2. Show interest in and curiosity about objects, materials, or
events.

Language Goal: Receptive Language: The developing ability to understand words and increasingly complex utterances.

Indicator: Show understanding of one-step requests that have to do with the current situation.

Understandings:

The desired understanding of this lesson plan is to see students demonstrating application of the content standards. Application in the case of the
standard initiative and curiosity would be seen in students showing initiative and curiosity by acting on it to participate in playing in the “dirt”. Student initiative
and curiosity will be seen in their interest in the activity and how they are able to begin playing and participating, acting on that curiosity and taking the initiative
to do so. Application of their curiosity about cause and effect is seen in students carrying out an action with the goal of a reaction of some sort. In applying their
understanding, students will show that they are curious, have initiative, and are able to connect actions in hopes of a reaction.

Inquiry Questions:

Initiative and Curiosity:

How does the “dirt” feel when you touch it? Is it soft? Is it rough?

How does the “dirt” look? Does it look fun to play with? Would you like to touch it?

What can you do with the “dirt”? Can you hold it? Can you scoop it?

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences Page 2

CEP Lesson Plan Form

Cause-and-Effect:

What happens when you dump the sand? Does it sprinkle? Or does it spill?

Are you using the shovel to scoop the “dirt”?

What happens when you know over the pot of “dirt”? Does it spill out?

Evidence Outcomes:

Cause-and-Effect: Every student will be able to explore the relationship between actions and reactions

I can explore how actions and reactions occur and are related.

This means that I am exploring the cause and effect of scooping when bringing about one action and seeing a reaction.

Initiative and Curiosity: Every student will be able apply their curiosity and initiative when participating in sensory play.

I can show my interest and drive to play with the “dirt” by participating in the sensory play.

This means that I am interested in the activity and acting on the desire to learn.

List of Assessments:

Through structured and nonstructured observation, students will be observed for their curiosity, desire, and interest to independently learn, assessing their
development of the learning target of initiative and curiosity. Additionally, through structured and nonstructured observation, students will be observed on their
exploration of how one action brings another into existence, assessing students on their exploration of cause and effect.

Planned Lesson Activities

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences Page 3

 Name and Purpose of Lesson
CEP Lesson Plan Form
Co-Teaching
Will co-teaching models be utilized
in this lesson? Yes
Approx. Time and Materials
Anticipatory Set
Exploring Planting Flowers (through sensory play)
The purpose of this lesson is to provide infants/young toddlers with an opportunity to explore “planting flowers”
in a developmentally appropriate way that encourages sensory exploration. This will provide an opportunity to
explore cause-and-effect, use fine motor skills, and develops student initiative and exploration.
Which model(s) will be used?
One Teach, One Observe
Why did you choose this model(s) and what are the teachers’ roles?
This model was chosen in order to best support the students in participating in the sensory play. In the activity,
the teacher roles are one teacher to support the direct play with the “dirt”, and the second teacher assisting in
the play. The assisting teacher will be providing support in participating, as well as helping students clean up and
wash their hands as they enter and exit the activity. While the teacher will be with the students while they are
actively playing in the sensory table, asking clarifying questions and providing students with necessary support.
Time:
The approximate time for this activity will be about twenty minutes. The activity will begin with a
developmentally appropriate opening, which will be an initiation to students to participate, and what they are
being invited to participate in. This activity will then span twenty minutes of availability for the students to
engage in the activity as they please, or as they are interested. As this activity is one that can easily become too
much stimulation for some students, having it be at the student’s interest will allow them to engage more
meaningfully. As the students leave the activity, questions will be asked about their experience to label their
emotions and sensory perceptions.
Materials:
The necessary materials for this activity include:
-“Dirt”, which will be made from graham crackers and chocolate cheerios so that it is edible, as they are most
likely going to be inclined to explore their gustatory senses as well.
-Shovels, which will be developmentally appropriate to support their developing fine motor skills.
-Pots, which will be simple planting pots that are sanitary and cleaned.
-Fake Flowers, which will also be developmentally appropriate and non-choke able.
The strategy I intend to use is: Guided Discovery
I am using this strategy to help students in exploring the “dirt” and to unpack the experience as this sort of
sensory input can be overwhelming to young toddlers. Additionally, to help the students explore unusual
sensory experiences, and label their senses and emotions in the process.

Procedures The strategy I intend to use is Invitation

The invitation strategy will be used as part of the transition into participating and in participating in taking part
in the actions. I am using this strategy, as the activity is a sensory one that will include multiple sensory inputs.
The sensory engagement will also be best provided with labels of feelings and how that relates to the sensory
inputs. Using invitations will also support students in experiencing and labels the unusual sensory experiences,
providing support for how to take the input.
Teacher Actions Student Actions Data Collected
To Start… To begin…
…Begin with an invitation to students … Students will respond to the initial
Colorado State University College ofabout
Health
theand Human
activity thatSciences Page
it welcoming to 4 invitation by showing their interest
their participation. and curiosity and beginning to
“Friends, would you like to come play transition into participating.
in the sensory table? We are going to …Students will demonstrate their
CEP Lesson Plan Form

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences Page 5