BRIGHT FROM THE START Pre-K Teaching Times GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CARE AND LEARNING SPOTLIGHT ON: Vocabulary Development Social Emotional Development Encouraging Family Field Trips VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 OCTOBER 2008 It's Time for a Fair! As temperatures start to cool, most of Georgia's communities will be hosting local fairs. From county fairs to arts and crafts fairs, cooking and food focused fairs to fairs focused on animals, and even fairs that simply offer plenty of games and rides, there are plenty of opportunities to learn and have fun. This newsletter offers ideas about bringing the fair into your classroom. Look for science activities learning about some of the simple machines children may see at fairs, innovative ideas for changing your classroom for a fair topic of study, and specific fair activities to get families involved in your classroom. Don't eat too much candy, and if you're afraid of heights, stay away from the ferris wheel--We're having a Fair! "It's ALL there... at the Fair" - anonymous INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Classroom 5 Changes Ask Pat 6 Assessment 7 Content 9 Standards Classroom 9 Kitchen Fingerplays 1 0 and Rhymes Exploring Simple Machines Introducing simple machines can begin with a field trip around your campus! Visit the website http:// www.mikids.com/Smachines.htm , and print examples of simple machines to share with the class. As the class moves around the campus, take digital pictures of simple machines for posting in the science area. You can also purchase inexpensive real life examples of some of the tools from your local hardware store. The following easy-to-make and use examples can help your children understand how simple machines work. A playground slide (inclined plane) can be used to dem- onstrate that pulling objects up the slide is much easier than trying to lift it to the top. To do this, tie an object to a rope and pull it up the slide to the top. Then try lifting it to the top without the rope--much harder! Thread crepe paper through the spokes of tricycle wheels to create a moving image of how the wheel and axle move the bike. Observe the pulley on the flag pole or on window blinds. Look for screws being used to keep doors mounted to door frames. Forks are easy to find examples of levers that offer opportunities for children to experiment. After you have sparked an interest in simple machines, you can add materials for the following activities to your classroom for your children's independent investigation. (Assessment: Use a matrix to document which children use each materials.) (Continued on page 7) PAGE 2 Developing Vocabulary - Developing Readers Book reading introduces children to words they do not encounter in everyday conversation. Vocabulary development is one of the most important aspects of children's language development. Learning new words allows children to accurately label objects and people, learn new concepts, and communicate with others. In addition, vocabulary development is closely linked to children's progress in school and, in particular, their success in learning to read. It is essential that all children have frequent opportunities to learn new words and to incorporate these words into their daily conversations. Family members, as children's first teachers, play an integral role in developing children's vocabulary. However, as children spend increasingly more time in school, teachers can significantly influence children's vocabulary development by providing experiences that expose children to new words and help them learn their meanings and use. In the first three years of life, children's language develops from cooing and babbling to speaking in simple sentences. During this time there are important changes in the development of the syntax and semantics of children's language. For example, chil- dren will learn to say "I want some milk, please" instead of "Me milk." However, the most significant changes occur in the acquisition of vocabulary. By age one, most children begin to use one- to twoword utterances, typically to identify objects and people and to make requests. By age three, on average, children have acquired 850 words (Fenson et al. 1994). However, between the ages of three and six, children learn words at a very rapid rate (Huttenlocker et al. 1991; Bloom 2000). By age six, children, on average, have acquired 10,000 words (Fenson et al. 1994). They understand the meaning of these words and can speak them correctly in context. In most cases, children learn words after hearing them many times. Through repeated exposures to words in various contexts, young children begin to use their growing vocabularies to express their own ideas, feelings, and needs. Book reading is another way to help young children acquire new vocabulary words (Whitehurst & Lonigan 1998). Book reading between a child and an adult often creates opportunities to talk and to share ideas. In addition, book reading intro- duces children to words they do not encounter in everyday conversation. A book can describe an ocean a child may never see, an instrument he may never hold, or a word he would never otherwise hear. Reading and discussing books, such as a story about a family living in another part of the world, can help children learn new words that are not a part of the here and now of their immediate experiences. Simply reading a book is not enough to significantly influence vocabulary development. Research shows that dialogic reading--using techniques such as asking children openended questions during book reading--can significantly promote children's oral language and vocabulary development. Researchers (Whitehurst et al. 1988; Valdez-Menchaca & Whitehurst 1992; Arnold et al. 1994) have shown that adults asking open-ended questions during book reading leads to increased conversations about the book. Asking questions also allows adults to determine which vocabulary words are unfamiliar to children. Multiple readings of a story can increase children's knowledge of unfamiliar words (Robbins & Ehri 1994; Penno, Wilkinson, & Moore 2002) and allows children to listen to and comprehend the story PRE-K TEACHING TIMES VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 PAGE 3 Developing Vocabulary - Developing Readers on different levels. Initially, children focus on the gist of the story and pictures to understand the book as a whole. With repeated readings, children can focus on different aspects of the story, such as the meaning of individual words or phrases. Many early childhood classrooms have word walls, a display of words that children have learned in class. Word walls allow children to see in print words they are learning. Successful word walls are a part of a dynamic set of materials that can be purposefully integrated into teaching. The words are generated from the children's experiences or from books shared in class. This way, children and teachers can discuss the vocabulary in a meaningful context. It is important to use the words in daily conversations with the children. When using a word, a teacher can show the children that it appears on the word wall. Teachers need to be sure that children understand the meaning of the word and should be aware that some children might not know the label or meaning of commonplace things in their environment, such as banana or napkin. Creating opportunities for children to use the words from the wall in a natural context as part of everyday activities will support children's learning. Several imaginative activities can integrate a word wall into an early childhood classroom. A word mascot, such as a puppet or a favorite stuffed animal, can introduce the new word and talk about its meaning. The mascot can cheer children on as they use their new words in meaningful ways. If the words of the week (see explanation that follows) are posted in the writing center, children can choose to incorporate them into their writing. Labeling objects in the classroom can also support children's learning when it is a dynamic process, and it is not overused. When children enter a classroom in which the tables, chairs, door, and cubbies are already labeled, they may see the words as static fixtures just like the objects they represent. When every object in the room has a label, yet the labels and vocabulary words are not a part of daily routines, the activity does not help children learn about print. To reinforce learning, it is more effective to use print in meaningful ways. Teachers can involve children in making labels, so they can make associations between oral and printed words. Take a picture of each child, have them write their name on it, and attach it to their cubbies. Have children take a "classroom walk," naming all of the objects that are labeled. Highlight new vocabulary words from a story, and have the children create their own story using some of the new words. The teacher can write the stories on chart paper, underlining the words. After a science activity, create an experience chart in which children use the related vocabulary to describe what they did. Teachers can identify five to seven words to be the focus for a week. These words should (1) relate to a current theme or project, (2) be a part of book reading, and (3) be unfamiliar to most children. Selecting words from a book or poem that was read to the children is effective because it provides a context. Teachers can actively involve children in selecting the target words. While book reading, a teacher might ask the children the meaning of a specific word. If they don't know, this word would be an appropriate target word. Target words might also arise during group times and center activities. The goal is to identify words children do not know and provide a meaningful context for learning them. As discussed previously, it is helpful if the target vocabulary word appears in a book that is read to the children. Many of the unfamiliar words children encounter come from experiences reading books. If a word is unknown, the meaning of a sentence or a portion of a story can be lost. Therefore, understanding the meaning of the story is a (Continued on page 4) PAGE 4 Developing Vocabulary - Developing Readers (Continued from page 3) strong motivation for learning vocabulary. While reading aloud, the teachers can explain the meaning of unfamiliar words. Extend the use of target words throughout the daily activities. Once teachers have identified the target words, they can use them in conversations with children during other daily activities. Talking about the target vocabulary actively engages the children in using rich language. Since target words are related to current classroom experiences there will be multiple opportunities to use them. Teachers also need to use the target vocabulary words in meaningful contexts. In natural discourse, adults tend to use pronouns to refer to objects. The sentence "Please pick up the ball, and give the ball to David" often becomes "Please pick it up and give it to David." For young children, however, repeated exposure to words increases the likelihood that they will learn the words. If teachers make a conscious effort to repeatedly use vocabulary words instead of pronouns, children will have more opportunities to hear and learn new words. Real objects or props and active demonstrations can help children understand the meaning of words. When reading a story about pumpkins, have a pumpkin on hand for the children to see, touch, and smell. The same is true when describing a more abstract word such as twirling. After the teacher models the action, children can twirl their bodies like falling leaves, or they can twirl a stick like a baton while they say the word. Both the teacher's demonstration and their own active participation will help the children understand the meaning of the word twirling. One common misconception is that once children hear a word and use it, they know it forever. Because young children constantly encounter unfamiliar words, they may need multiple exposures over time to gain a conceptual understanding of a word that allows them to incorporate it into their spoken vocabulary. As discussed, rereading a book in which the words appear optimizes children's exposure to new words. Also, weeks after working on target words from a former theme or a project, it is important to incorporate the former target words into the current theme. One common misconception is that once children hear a word and use it, they know it forever. Adapted from: Building Vocabulary One Word at a Time by Barbara A. Wasik Young Children November 2006 Vol 61 No 6 Let's Talk Fairs: Here are some fair vocabulary words to jump start vocabulary development with this topic of study: pavilion tent merry-go-round roller coaster ferris wheel ring toss face painting balloon pop spook house cotton candy candied apples popcorn funnel cakes pretzels hotdogs bumper cars train ride elephant ride PRE-K TEACHING TIMES games stuffed animals prizes livestock crafts quilts art tickets Talk about the sights you see at the fair, the odors you smell, the things you touch and how they feel, the sounds you hear. VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 PAGE 5 Bring the Fair Inside - Changes for Your Classroom Reading Area: Feed the Animals by H.A. Rey If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss Harriet and the Roller Coaster by Nancy Carlson Paddington Bear and the Busy Bee Carnival by Michael Bond Roller Coaster by Maria Frazee The Best Bug Parade by Stuart J. Murphy The Circus Alphabet by Linda Bronson Books representing cultures, abilities, ages, and races: Naty's Parade by Gina Freschet (also available in Spanish) What a Wonderful World by Ashley Bryan Special People, Special Ways by Arlene Maguire A Balloon for Grandad by Nigel Gray Listening Area: Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett Writing Area: Add sign and banner making materials (large sheets of paper, variety of writing implements, stickers, animal stamps and stencils, etc.) for children to make fair banners and signs. Hang the children's creations throughout the classroom. Include materials for children to make tickets for rides at the fair. Place the tickets in the block area. Add vocabulary words such as: animals, balloons, carnival, carousel, circus, clown, cotton candy, fair, parade, peanuts, popcorn, ringmaster, tent, and tickets, Remember to add a picture, clip art, or drawing next to the word on a word strip to address the needs of the readers and nonreaders in your classroom. Block Area: Add large appliance boxes for children to construct rides for the fair. Remember to include tickets. Math/Manipulatives: Add a container of animal crackers. Ask the children to guess how many crackers are in the container. How Many Peanuts? You will need small paper bags, a bag of peanuts, and 20 index cards. Label the cards individually 1-20. Turn the cards upside down and ask the children to draw a card. Have the children read the number and add the correct number of peanuts to the bag. You may also place a bag of peanuts for weighing next to your classroom scale. Dramatic Play Area: Create a circus attraction at the fair. Hang a parachute for the Big Top. Add tickets, clown costumes, big overalls, wigs, silly hats, oversized shoes, and empty popcorn containers. Props for circus acts can include small hoops and stuffed animals, beanbags or soft balls for juggling, and a rope on the floor for the tightrope walker. Science Area: Discuss sounds that might be heard at the fair (people laughing and talking, music, rides, animals, announcers, etc.). Add materials for making earphones for the children to investigate how sound travels. You will need: Paper or plastic cups (poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup) String or yarn Decorating materials (markers, glue, glitter, pompoms, foam pieces, etc.) Paper clip (optional) To make earphones: Each child decorates two cups. After the cups are decorated, help children thread the string through the small hole. Tie the string into a big knot on the inside part of the cup. Make sure the knot is large enough so that it can't be pulled back through the hole. Another option is to tie the end of the string to a paper clip to prevent the string from slipping through the hole. Thread and secure the string through the second cup. Ask the children to pair up. While each child holds onto a cup, have them walk away from each other until the string is taut (pulled tight). One child speaks into the cup, and the other child listens with the cup held against the ear. What happens if the string is not taut? Explain that in order for sound to travel, the string must be pulled tight so the sound waves can travel from cup to cup. Music and Movement: Circus Music from the Big Top (Merle Evans Circus Band) The Grand Old Circus Band (The Grand Old Circus Band) Megaphone Beanbags to juggle with music Outside: Bean bag toss: bean bags and a laundry basket Balance Beam (for tight rope) PAGE 6 Ask Pat In assessing Pre-K students your goal is to achieve a balance in variety and type of documentation. Dear Pat: What is the required number of pieces of documentation for each indicator on the Work Sampling System Developmental Checklist? I have heard different amounts and am very confused. One person told me to collect 2-3 pieces of documentation for each indicator marked. Another person told me that indicators marked proficient should have 6 pieces of supporting documentation. Pat, I have done the math and this will be quite time consuming: 55 items on the checklist X 6 = 330 anecdotals per child. That means we need 330 X 20 (# of students) = 6,600 anecdotals for the class per semester!!! Is this correct? Any guidance you can give will be very much appreciated. --CONFUSED TEACHER Dear Confused Teacher: No - this is NOT correct. There is no specified amount of documentation that is required per indicator. The amount of documentation varies. Some indicators require more than others. There is no magic number for documentation to be considered sufficient. You need to collect documentation to provide a clear picture of each child's level of performance. In addition the amount of documentation collected for an indicator will vary from child to child, depending on the child's developmental levels. Comparing two performance indicators offers some concrete examples of the differences in documentation. Language and Literacy (domain II): Writing (functional component D): Understands the purposes for writing (performance indicator 3.) This indicator will require several pieces of documentation to clearly indicate the child's level of performance. Writing has multiple purposes. Some examples include telling a story, describing directions for a game, and tracking items needed at the grocery store. Documentation should include more than one example of a child using or describing uses of writing. Language and Literacy (domain II): Speaking (functional component B): Speaks clearly enough to be understood without contextual clues (performance indicator 1.) This indicator may not require as many pieces of documentation. A simple Yes/No matrix could be used to document this for the children in your classroom. Your goal is to achieve a bal- ance in variety and type of documentation to show a good, clear picture of each child's level of performance. Fair Field Trips The perfect family field trip would be a trip to the fair. If there is a fair in your area, a field trip can be a great educational experience for children and their families. Often children who have been to a fair have not taken advantage of all a fair has to offer. Letting children see the animals, fruits, vegetables, displays, and music will expose them to a new and exciting side of the fair. If going during the week isn't an option, encouraging families to visit local fairs on the weekends can be wonderful as well. Creating a scavenger hunt for families to use at the fair can help parents and children see all the fair has to offer. Fair Scavenger Hunt: Encourage families to go on a scavenger hunt to find the following attractions and activities at a fair: Petting Zoo Merry-go-Round Craft stall/booths Musicians Vegetable Stalls You will need to add/delete attractions to fit the fairs in your community. PRE-K TEACHING TIMES VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 PAGE 7 Exploring Simple Machines (Continued from page 1) Activity One: Lever Create a discovery box that contains: rulers counting cubes several paper towel tubes (cut in half lengthwise.) Demonstrate how to balance the ruler on the tube (curved side up) to resemble a seesaw. Place cubes on either end of the ruler, maintaining its balance. Children may also enjoy exploring this concept on a larger scale by using small hollow blocks, a cylinder block, and long floor boards to create levers. Activity Two: Catapult Using the above paper towel tubes, rulers, and pompoms, encourage children to place pompoms on one end of the ruler and catapult them into boxes. How many pompoms go into the box? Activity Three: Pulley Attach a bucket to one end of a rope. Drape the rope over a shelf which can serve as support for lifting heavy objects. Encourage children to place different objects into the bucket and use the rope to lift. Pulling becomes easier if a pulley is mounted for use. Activity Four: Fix-it Shop Children love to take things apart and see how they work. Place a few discarded machines (phone, toaster, alarm clock, tape player, old radio, old push/pull toys) on a table and encourage the children to take them apart. Adult help may be needed to remove some of the smaller, more difficult screws. Be sure to cut off the cords to protect children. What simple machines do they find? Make sure to safety-proof all machines before putting them out for your child. (Remove small, sharp parts.) Activity Five: Ramp Build a ramp with a few blocks from the block center. Gather items such as small bottles, small cylinder block, toy cars, plastic eggs, wooden cube, wooden wheel, roll of tape, and round craft pompoms. Test whether they roll or do not roll. Put different materials such as bubble wrap, wax paper, and sandpaper on the blocks and have the children test which materials help or prevent items from rolling down. Books to support Simple Machine discovery: How Do You Lift a Lion? by Robert E. Wells Machines We Use by Sally Hewitt Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Burton Simple Machines by Deborah Hodge Assessment Corner Can you believe it?? We're half-way through the first assessment period! As your children continue to settle into and explore your classroom, opportunities for you to observe and assess children are all around. Returning teachers should have completed two cycles of the evaluation process on your developmental checklist. Did you fill it out in pencil? Remember, we use pencil to adjust our ratings throughout the assessment period. Children's portfolios should be filling up make sure that you are collecting a balance of types of assessment informa- tion. If you haven't already, now is the time to create and use some matrices. A sample matrix that will work well with the Exploring Simple Machines activities can be downloaded from our website (Teachers: Georgia Pre-K Child Assessment Program download and open Matrices Used in Training, page 5.) Talking about fairs could lead to a recreation of rides and attractions in the block area. Snap some pictures of the children's buildings remember to write down their descriptions of their creations! As you are reviewing your assessments, there will be indicators that you have not yet assessed. Now is the time to plan to address these items through specific activities. Differentiating small groups based on areas you need to assess can be an easy way to fill in the holes in your assessment. Be sure to capture all of your planning on your lesson plans! Keep in mind by the end of the 16 weeks you should have all indicators checked and documented. PAGE 8 Four year olds need constant, positive guidance to help them develop emerging social skills. Setting Your Environment Up for Success: Social and Emotional Development Teachers of four year olds need to provide an environment in which children have many opportunities for interactions with each other, adults, and with a wide selection of age appropriate materials. Because of their heightened social involvements, four year olds need constant, positive guidance to help them develop emerging social skills. For four year olds, peers are very important. Play is a social activity more often than not. Taking turns and sharing tends to become much easier because they begin to understand the reciprocal benefits of cooperation. This is why center time in a Pre-K classroom is such an important time and so many skills are being developed as the children explore and interact. This is a perfect opportunity for teachers to facilitate play and encourage positive interactions amongst children. Listed below are typical four year old milestones in the Social and Emotional domain of development. Outgoing, friendly, overly enthusiastic at times. Moods change rapidly and unpredictably; laughing one minute, crying the next; may throw tantrum over minor frustrations (a block structure that will not balance); sulk over being left out. Imaginary playmates or companions are common; holds conversations and shares strong emotions with this invisible friend. Boasts, exaggerates, and "bends" the truth with made-up stories or claims of boldness; tests the limits with "bathroom" talk. Cooperates with others; participates in group activities. Shows pride in accomplishments; seeks frequent adult approval. Often appears selfish; not always able to take turns or to understand taking turns under some conditions; tattles on other children. Insists on trying to do things independently, but may get so frustrated as to verge on tantrums when problems arise: paint that drips, can't get puzzle piece to fit. Enjoys role-playing and make-believe activities. Relies (most of the time) on verbal rather than physical aggression; may yell angrily rather than hit to make a point; threatens: "You can't come to my birthday party." Name-calling and taunting are often used as ways of excluding other children. Establishes close relationships with playmates; beginning to have "best" friends. Remember, your children are learning how to relate to each other. Your support, guidance, and understanding of their development will help ensure that they have positive social skills and behaviors when they move on to other classrooms and environments. Online Learning Modules Looking for more tips on how to improve your classroom? Check out the Pre-K Online Learning modules on the Best Practices website. The PQA module offers specific advice and photo/video examples of classrooms that meet and exceed standards. The Assessment module has been updated and offers an in-depth review that follows how children's portfolios develop over the course of the school year. Check with your director for the information you need to login and view the modules. PRE-K TEACHING TIMES VOLUME 5 ISSUE 3 PAGE 9 Content Standard Connections Wondering how to connect some of the Content Standards to the Fairs topic of study? We've highlighted a few here: CD1 a, CD 1 b: Sawdust painting Remember the sawdust all over the ground at the fair? Mix some clean sawdust into your tempera paint creating a fun and different medium for your children to experience. MD 3 a, MD 3 b: Cotton Candy Match-Up: A simple teacher-made matching game. Using paper cut several thin rectangles to be the cotton candy holders. Then make several "cotton candies" for the tops in colors that match the holders. Laminate both the holders and the cotton candy. The children can match up the color of the cotton candy to the holder. Classroom Kitchen: Fresh Lemonade Could anything be more refreshing than a cool glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade on a hot afternoon at the county fair? Mixing up a batch of homemade lemonade in your classroom is easy. You can expand from simple lemonade and include frozen berries, fresh herbs, and flavored ice-cubes to really shake things up. Ingredients: Lemons approx. 11 (you'll need 2 cups of juice) 2 Cups of warm water 1 Cup of sugar 5 Cups of cold water Equipment: Hand juicer Large pitcher Measuring cups Cups for serving the lemonade Method: Mix the sugar into the warm water until it is dissolved. Using warm water will help the sugar dissolve faster! Juice the lemons. You will need 2 Cups of lemon juice. Combine the lemon juice and cold water in the large pitcher. Ask your children to taste the lemonade before you add in the sugar mixture--whew, tart! Add in the sugar mixture--stir well and serve! To explore mixing and changing flavor further, you can offer the following add-ins for your lemonade. Encourage your children to see how the flavor will change when they add in: Frozen strawberries Frozen blueberries Cucumber slices Ice cubes made of cherry Kool-Aid Fresh mint Fresh basil Fresh rosemary Watermelon cubes Going Places: Fingerplays and Rhymes Five Fat Peas Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed (children hold hand in a fist) One grew, two grew, so did all the rest. (put thumb and fingers up one by one) They grew and grew (raise hand in the air very slowly) And did not stop, Until one day The pod went POP! (children clap hands together) Fluffy Cloud What is fluffy white and floats up high, (point up at the sky) Like a pile of cotton in the sky? And when the wind blows hard and strong, (wiggle hands side to side) What very gently floats along? (wiggle fingers and hands gently back and forth) What brings the rain? (open palms up) What brings the snow that showers on us way down below? When you look up in the sky, (look up) (rock back and forth) When the oven gets hot enough (uncurl slowly) Pop! I go! (jump up) What is that thing you see floating by? I'm a Little Popcorn Kernel I'm a little popcorn kernel, (sit on floor with arms around your knees in ball) Shaking to and fro, Pumpkins on the Ground (To the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star) Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (crouch down) How'd you get so big and round? (stretch arms out wide to sides and then make a circle) Once you were a seed so small, (pretend to hold a seed) Now you are a great big ball! (make huge circle with hands) Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground (crouch down) How'd you get so big and round? (stretch arms out wide to sides and then make a circle) 10 Park Place South, Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30303 404-656-5957 www.decal.state.ga.us