INTRODUCTION
This observational critique will plan, implement and critically evaluate two activities within a maintained nursery school, designed to develop early scientific skills through growth both indoors and out. The learning outcomes for the activities will be taken from the revised Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS) (EE, 2012) within one of the specific areas ‘Understanding the World’. It will also evaluate the important role of the practitioner when providing for the unique child within an enabling environment.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITY SHEET
Activity/Experience: Adult-led
An autumnal walk to create a colour pallet using leaves, introduced by the story ‘Why do leaves change colour’ (Maestro, 1994)
Main Learning Intentions:
• To begin to investigate the changes in the autumnal environment.
Main Links with EYFS: Understanding the World; Communication and Language
• Notice detailed features of objects in their environment (EE, 2012, p39).
• Shows understanding of prepositions such as ‘under’, ‘on top’, by carrying out an action(EE,2012, p18)
Targeted Children: The key person group (Refer to Appendix 1)
Date: 14.10.13 Time: 9.20am Adult/Child Ratio: 4:12
Place: The woodland area of the school.
Context: (Links with previous events or learning/Topic/Other available activities/Weather/New children)
The activity is linked to the current weekly planning impacted by the interests of the child. It is also in conjunction with a parental weekend walk with a child in the group, during which leaves were collected.
Resources:
Pre-set walk plan, prepared cardboard pallets, bags, magnifying glasses, visual prompt cards for LA.
Vocabulary/Key wor...
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The Child Development Center of College of San Mateo provides early care and educational programs for children between the ages of 3 to 5 years old. Children are divided into classrooms with a “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two or three “associate” teachers. Klara attended Classroom, “A,” a stimulating and well-resourced classroom. Klara was observed for two hours on Monday from 9 am to 11 am and for two hours on Wednesday from 9 am to 11 am. During these two hours, classroom activities consisted of “free time,” “story time,” and an outside “play time.” A “master” teacher, a “regular” teacher, and two “associate” teachers were present during observations. Additionally, a total of eighteen children were in attendance during the observed days.
Tickell, C., 2011. The Early Years: Foundations for life, health and learning. An independent report on the Early Years Foundation Stage to Her Majesty’s Government. London: HMG
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Infants and Children: Prenatal Through Middle Childhood. Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Cooper, J., Masi, R., & Vick, J. (2009). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. Social-emotional Development in Early Childhood.
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Robert-Holmes, G. (2011). It’s the bread and butter of our practice’: experiencing the Early Years Foundation Stage, International Journal, 20(1), pp. 30-42.
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Linda, M. & Linda, P. (2011). Theories and approaches to learning in the early years.