Teaching Preschoolers

FCS Majors

Build a Portfolio:

Step 1: Before you do anything…

Know Your Audience!

Children of different ages require different needs.

Physical Development

 

• Run• Jump• Hop• Throws ball overhead• Catches a bounced ball• Walks on a balance beam• Balances when standing on

one foot

• Uses their fingers to pinch an object to pick it up

• Makes pictures and shapes• Uses scissors and glue• Stacks small objects in a

tower• Can button and unbutton

Gross

MotorFine Motor

Intellectual Development

Intellectual = CognitiveRecognizes and

matches colorsStacks blocks

according to sizeGroups objectsCounts to 10Recalls 3 hidden

objects from memory

• Knows body parts• Knows name, age

etc.• Gives emotions to

inanimate objects• Has imaginary

friends • Has basic fears• Expresses anger

with words rather than acting out physically.

Emotional Development

Emotional Development

Social Development

Engages with peers and adults for an extended amount of time

Is starting to notice other people’s moods and feelings.

Understands that family’s culture may be different from others

Shares with others

What is the best way children learn?

Play!An adult’s job is to ___________________

A teenager’s job is to _________________

A child’s job is to _____________________

work

study

play

Play enhances development:

With your neighbor, spend 5 minutes and list as many reasons why you believe PLAY is important to the development of a young child.

Be specific! Think:

What does play allow a child to do?What can play DO to a child?What can play help a child overcome?What can playing TEACH a child?

Play enhances development because it:

Allows kids to be creative!Develops a child’s imagination

Improves dexterity (fine motor abilities)

Improves physical, cognitive, and emotional strength Teaches kids to interact with

the world around them

Enhances their self confidence!

Helps kids practice decision-making skills

Teaches kids how to work in groups, to share, negotiate, solve conflicts and to stand up for themselves

Types of Play:Solitary Play:

Parallel Play:

Cooperative Play:

Constructive Play:

Dramatic Play:

Plays alone. (ex: playing with a rattle)

Plays alongside, not with, another child. (ex. One child plays with a car sitting next to a child playing with blocks)

Interacts while playing with other children. (ex. Playing tag)

play with materials that can create. (ex. Playing with building blocks)

imaginative play that usually involves more than one child, for instance, playing house or doctor

Planning for Preschool

Step 2: Plan, Research, and Describe.

Theme•Come up with a unit theme to hold all of your lesson ideas together.

•Make sure your ideas teach the children physical, intellectual, emotional and social skills as well as can be safe.

Examples of ActivitiesExamples of themes?

LiteracyMathScienceMulti-culturalFine motorGross MotorArtMusic and MovementComputers

Research:

The internet as well as preschool teacher books have many activity ideas, how to prepare for and how to perform the activities.

Describe:

Write the directions as if someone who has never heard of the activity has to do it.

Lesson Plan Outline

Over all theme or big idea:

Title of your book:

Provide 3 questions you will ask while reading the book:

a.

b.

c.

Objective for activity: The students will…

Materials:

Step by Step Directions:

What curriculum area does your lesson fall under?

How will you know that the children learned what you wanted them to learn (met the objective)?

• Bonding: • Oral Language: • Opens New Worlds: • Kindergarten Readiness: • Smart:

          Reading to children is an essential skill to build a love of learning and books. In class and at home we will be working on writing our very own children’s book.Plan a book that supports your thematic unit.

The Importance of Reading to Children

What is your favorite preschool book?

What made that

book so

memorable?

GO!

TEACH!