3/27/18

Early Childhood Education

Learning Experience Plan

Name: Caroline Green Lesson Title: Build Your Own Structure

Date: 3/27 Grade Level: Preschool Circle one: ECE PKSN
Standard(s)/Guideline(s):
Physical: Coordinate the use of hands, fingers and wrists to manipulate objects and perform tasks requiring precise movements (Pa6).
Language: With modeling and support, use words acquired through conversations and shared reading experiences (Vocabulary) (L10).

Pre-assessment of current knowledge: Students have been read “The Three Little Pigs” and have manipulated straw, stick, and brick, which are the materials
they will use to build their own structures. Students have been asked if each material is weak or strong, and there is a check sheet for teacher to know if student
understands concept of weak vs. strong.

Instructional Objectives (1-2) Assessment of Student Learning Learning Experience

One/Two Assessed Instructional
Objective(s): The student will be
able to…
 The student will be able to
manipulate materials of
sticks, straw, and wooden
blocks to build their own
structure
 The student will be able to
describe their structure
and identify their chosen
building material using the
vocabulary words such as
straw, sticks, or brick
One Assessed Developmental
Skill:
Fine motor skills
(manipulating/building with the
materials)
Safety Considerations:
The building process may get
messy as students can break
sticks and straw. Also, the sticks
may be sharp for students to
manipulate. Teacher should put
tablecloth/newspaper underneath
table.
Identify Evidence: (What will you collect or record as data
to demonstrate students have met your objective(s) and
skill?)
 The check sheet will assess if students are able to
construct a building using the given materials and
clay to connect the structure together.
 The check sheet will also assess if students are
able to describe their building through use of
vocabulary words, such as straw, sticks, or brick.
 For nonverbal students, instead of verbally
describing their building, the teacher can observe if
the student is able to use their fine motor skills to
build their structure.
Program Monitoring: (How will you aggregate or compile
your evidence into a class or group view?)
Based on this information, we will know how to further this
investigation by what the students know or do not know. If
the students know how to construct the building, manipulate
materials, and can say the names of the materials
successfully, then they will be able to understand more
abstract concepts such as the effect an earthquake on a
building and the outcome of that event.
Academic Language:
Straw, stick, brick, foam blocks, clay, tape (painter’s tape,
duct tape, scotch tape), weak, strong, building, structure
Procedural steps:
1. Individual students will come to the building center
and wait for instruction.
2. The student will be asked if they want to build with
straw, sticks, or “bricks” (foam blocks).
3. The student will begin to build their own structure
using the chosen material.
4. Teacher will ask: “What can you do to connect your
building?”
5. Teacher will give options of different kinds of tape or
clay for student to connect structure.
6. Student will continue to build structure by connecting
building pieces together with chosen material.
7. Teacher will mark down on check list if student is able
to construct their building and if they are able to
name the materials
8. After this experience, the student will go to another
learning center to play.
Authentic Materials: (Describe authentic real life, hands-on
materials.)
The students will be allowed to use and manipulate real straw
and sticks to create their own structures. They will also use
different kinds of tape (scotch tape, duct tape, and painter’s
 3/27/18
Early Childhood Education
Learning Experience Plan

tape) and white clay to connect the materials together.

Adult Roles:

The adult will oversee all activities and make sure children
are being safe with the materials. The adult will also ask
questions such as “what materials are you using” so students
can use their new vocabulary and think more in depth about
their building process and its outcome.

Resources & References:

Ohio Early Learning Standards: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Early-Learning/Early-Learning-Content-Standards/Birth-Through-Pre_K-Learning-and-

Development-Stand

Reflection: (What have you learned about your students? How will this inform future instruction?)

In the preschool classroom at Rosa Parks, we have been working with the students on learning about construction. We began our first investigation
through a hook lesson, where we read “The Three Little Pigs” and brought in real, authentic materials of straw, sticks, and bricks for students to manipulate and
make a connection with from the events in the story. Based on this, I decided to have students build their own structures like the pigs did in the story. I sat at a
table in the classroom and set up the station with the materials on the floor. I put a tablecloth and newspaper on top of it so the floor would not get too messy with
the breaking of sticks and straw. As each student came to my table, I explained how the students can choose straw, sticks, or “brick” (foam blocks) to build with. I
also brought in painter’s tape, scotch tape, and duct tape as well as white clay for students to connect the pieces of their building together. As the students built
their building as towers, I asked them how they were going to connect their building like the pigs did in the story. I explained how the one pig used “mortar” to
connect the brick and make the building stand strong. I let the student choose if they wanted to connect the materials with clay or the different kinds of tape. All of
the students who participated in the activity were able to construct the building using the given materials that they chose. Most chose bricks, as they remembered
from the story that the bricks were the strongest material to build with. However, two chose to build with sticks and one chose to build with straw. When the student
was finished building, I asked them to tell me about their building, seeing if they could use their new vocabulary words. Most students were able to tell me what
material they chose and how they connected the building. Three students did not remember the name of their chosen material. Another student did not fully
participate in the activity. He was able to manipulate the materials he chose, sticks, but could not verbally tell me the name of the material.

I have learned that the students in this classroom were focused and engaged during the lesson. One student even asked if he could build his structure
again. Another student wanted to use sticks and brick to construct his building, and one student used both tape and clay to make sure her structure was very
strong. They enjoy hands-on experiences and being able to manipulate materials. It was clear that providing authentic materials and real-life experiences was the
most beneficial to reach these students. Based on their prior knowledge from the hook lesson on “The Three Little Pigs”, they were able to make connections in
building their own structures to the events in the story. If I had to do the activity again, I would review the book and key words out loud before the lesson since it
had been over a week since the students read “The Three Little Pigs” and some forgot the vocabulary. This experience will inform future instruction as the lesson
can be implemented as a longer investigation. Students can build their structures, and then over a span longer than one lesson, can experiment how different
occurrences can knock down their structure based on if their structure is weak or strong. The lesson can even lead to a discussion of natural disasters, and the
teacher can simulate earthquakes by shaking the table or a tornado with the wind blowing on the structure to prove if the student built a strong or weak structure. If
the student’s structure falls down, they can rebuild it and continue in their learning.