Building Blocks

Kayla Harrison, Stephanie Netelkos, Jessica Weiner

Growth and Learning
Dr. Perkins
November 10, 2014

Table of Contents
Developmental Checklist3
References...7
Songs...8
Books..15
Activities/Games.22
Play Materials/Toys.27
References...32
Reflections...34
Kayla34
Steph36
Jessie38

Checklist for Development of a 5 year old

Physical
PBS:
Control and balance while walking, climbing, jumping, hopping, skipping, marching, and
galloping.
Walks heel-to-toe.
Skips unevenly.
Runs.
Alternates feet on steps.
Travels through space without bumping into others.
Stand on one foot for 5 seconds.
Coordinates movements to climb on jungle gym or jump on trampoline.
Supports weight on other body parts.
Increase ability to throw, catch, kick, and bounce balls.
Can throw a ball ten feet away.
Engage in long periods of active play and exercise.
Increase ability to use computer keyboard and mouse.
Cut continuously on a line with scissors.
Dress and undress without assistance.
Brush teeth.
Comb hair.
Drink out of cup without spilling.
Preference to right or left hand.

CDC:
Can do a somersault
Use toilet on own

Language
CDC:
Speaks clearly
Simple story with full sentences
Uses future tense
Says name and address
ASHA:
Understand order words (first, next, last)
Understands words for time
Follows longer
Follows classroom directions
Says all speech sounds in words (th, r, s, etc.)
Responds to What did you say?
Talks without repeating sounds or words most of the time
Names letters and numbers
Uses sentences that contain more than one action word
Tells a short story
Keeps a conversation going
Talks in different ways depending on the listener and place.
Approaches to Learning
PBS:
4

 Expands upon/is able to make decisions

Has an increased ability to focus attention
Able to complete longer/more complex tasks
Can set goals and follow plan
Increased independence
Asks to participate in new experiences that he or she has observed or has heard of others
participating in
Asks questions about future events
Flexibility with problem solving (can use various resources)
Seeks help from peers and adults
Can begin to think abstractly
Can engage in complex pretend play
Creativity for completing tasks

Cognitive:
NAEYC:
Can build inventive models
Begin spelling, writing, and enjoy telling stories to other children and adults.
CDC:
Name colors
Recall a story
Can write some letters/numbers
Common Core Standards:
Identify real-life connections between words and their use
Office of Child Development:
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 Can identify all letters in alphabet

Social/Emotional:
NAEYC:
Become increasingly independent
Will try new activities on their own.
PBS:
continues to make friends (builds/expands friendships)
seeks acceptance from peers
Enjoys interacting with other children and adults.
begins to expand trust in adults (trusts teacher, doctor, etc. not just parents and family)
gains self-esteem from demonstrating new skills
becomes aware of own abilities
uses complex language to express his or her comprehension of feelings
CDC:
Shows concern and sympathy for others
Aware of Gender

References
Approaches to Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/four/approachestolearning.html
Arts Education Partnership. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2014, from NAEYC:
https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200407/ArtsEducationPartnership.pdf
English Language Arts Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2014, from Common Core State
Standards Iniative: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/K/
Four to Five Years. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/45.html
Rogers, M. (2014, January 1). Physical Health. Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/four/physicalhealth.html
Social and Emotional Growth. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2014, from PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/five/socialandemotionalgrowth.html
Your Child at 5 Years. (2009, January 1). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/checklists_5yr.pdf

Songs1
1.

Palo, Palo adapted by Gerry Dignan and K. Guilmartin

a.

The song is played in duple meter D Major.

b.

Lyrics:
REFRAIN: Palo, palo, palo, palo, palito palo ay
Ay, Ay, ah, palo bonito palo ay
Enero, febrero, marzo abril y mayo son los cinco meses
Primeros del ano. Primeros del ano
REFRAIN
Baila con la conga, baila con la conga, baila con la conga,
Baila con la conga, baila con la conga
REFRAIN
Baila con los bongos, baila con los bongos. Baila con los bongos,
Baila con los bongos, baila con los bongos
REFRAIN
Uno, dos, y tres, cuatro, cinco, seis. Uno, dos y tres,
Cuatro, cinco, seis. Cuatro cinco, seis.
REFRAIN
Riqui tinqui tijin. Rinqui tiqui tijin. Requi tiqui tijin,
Riqui tinqui tijin. Rinqui tiqui tijin

c.

Justification: Because this song is sung in Spanish, it is the perfect song to introduce
multiculturalism to young children while making ELL Spanish speaking students feel more
comfortable in the classroom. This song introduces the concept of foreign language and

All Songs are taken from:

Guilmartin, K., Levinowitz, L., Hoffman, S. & Random, L. (2009). Music Together Family Favorites:
Songbook for Teachers. Princeton, NJ: Music Together LLC.
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different cultures in a very fun and exciting way. Students will learn to count in Spanish, as
well as the months of the year. Although it is sung in Spanish, this will help children learn the
months of the year in order because they will learn them through the song in Spanish, but also
when the teacher explains the translations in English.
Furthermore this song facilitates childrens physical development through the large
movement activities possible for this song such as dancing, the conga, etc. Teachers should
incorporate the conga, since it is mentioned in the song, as a teachable moment in the
classroom explaining what the conga is. Also, this large movement activity will exemplify the
students development because at this age they should be able to control their balance, move
without bumping into another child, and begin to coordinate their movements (Physical
Health, 2014, para. 2). Therefore, the conga and other dancing will prove to be
developmentally appropriate while also helping students that are behind developmentally to
hone their physical skills. Also, because children at this age should have mastered the concept
of jumping and keep their balance, teachers should incorporate a jump or hop into the activity.
For instance, when the song says Ay, ay, ah palo.. the students should hop to the beat of the
music, or on every syllable.
Additionally, this song promotes social-emotional growth as well. Palo, Palo teaches
children multicultural awareness by introducing a song from another country and in another
language. Also, because the children will be dancing with one another during the conga or
other large movement activities, it will promote interaction with peers and facilitate
relationship building (Levinowitz, 2014).
2.

Biddy Biddy Adapted by L. Levinowitz and K. Guilmartin

a. The song is played in duple meter C Major.
b. Lyrics:
1.

Biddy, biddy, bum bum bum bum bum bum, Biddy, Buddy bum bum
9

ba dum ba dum. Biddy, biddy bum bum bum bum bum bum
Biddy, biddy, bum bum ba dum ba dum. ba dum ba dum.
2.

Doodle, doodle, doot doot doot doot doot doot, Doodle doodle doot doot
doo doot doo doot. Doodle, doodle, doot doot doot doot doot doot,
Doodle, doodle, doot doot doo doot doo doot. doo doot doo doot.

3.

La la la la la la la la la la, La la la la la la
la la la la. a la la la la la la la la la ,
La la la la la la la la la la . la la la la

4.

Make up own words

c. Justification: This song would be perfect for a child with special needs or a learning
disability. Because the song requires the singers to create their own verses after the third
verse, teachers could incorporate letter sounds and other words and sounds in order to
allow the students to practice. For instance, a general education student should have no
problem pronouncing the th sounds or consonant sounds such as n, r, etc.
However, many students with learning disabilities, especially speech impediments or
low tone jaw muscles may struggle to pronounce these sounds. Therefore, incorporating
them in the song will facilitate the developmental growth of language or even physical
development for those with low tone (Levinowitz, 2014).
Moreover, this song promotes social emotional growth for all students, but will
especially assist special needs children in shortening their developmental gap with with
their peers. A general education five year old should seek acceptance from others, enjoy
interacting with peers and engage in more complex and sustained cooperative play,
including pretend play and simple games with rules (Social and Emotional Growth,
n.d). A five year old is also expected to gain self-esteem from feeling capable and
demonstrating new skills (Social and Emotional Growth, n.d). However, many
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children with special needs may lack the social or emotional skills they should already
possess at this age. Therefore, a teacher could choose children to be the leader during
the song and pick their own words and gestures that the rest of the class must mimic.
This will allow the students to learn to trust and enjoy the interaction with peers and the
desire to seek acceptance as they attempt to get the rest of the class to mimic their
actions. It will also boost their confidence when they begin to show their peers their
new skills when they are leader and receive positive feedback from their friends for
doing so.

3.

One Little Owl Adapted by Lillian Levinowitz and K. Guilmartin; Additional words by K.
Guilmartin
a. This song is written in duple meter d minor.
b. Lyrics:
1.

One little owl said whoo, whoo. Two little owls said
whoo, whoo. Three little owls said, whoo, whoo, as they
sat in the old oak tree.

2.

One little squirrel said stfz, sftz, sftz. Two little squirrels said,
sftz, sftz sftz. Three little squirrels said, sftz, sftz sftz, as they
sat in the old oak tree.

3.

One little crow said, caw, caw. Two little crows said,
caw, caw. Three little crows said, caw, caw, as they
sat in the old oak tree.

4.

One little cat said, meow, meow. Two little cats said,
meow, meow. Three little cats said, meow, meow, as they
sat in the old oak tree.
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5.

One big mommy said, Hold on tight!

Two big daddies said, Hold on tight!
Three big parents said, Hold on tight!
As they sat in the old oak tree

6.

And the poor old tree said, Oh, no!

And the poor old tree said, Oh, no!
All these things are sitting on me!

c. Justification: This song is ideal to facilitate the language development of a five year old.
The words in the song will really expand upon the vocabulary of a kindergartener,
especially parents, oak tree, etc. Teachers can sing this song with their students and
teach them what these words mean, expanding their vocabulary, while also practicing
the words they already know, such as, squirrel, cat, etc. (Levinowitz, 2014).
Moreover, this song will enable children to practice and expand their
imaginative play if teachers allow the students to act out the animals and other characters in the
play or if they merely assign gestures for each character, such as making owl eyes with ones
hands (Approaches to Learning, n.d).
This song will also promote social and emotional growth. Because five year olds are
beginning to seek acceptance from their peers, acting out the gestures for this song will allow
children to receive this acceptance because their peers are behaving similarly, giving them a
sense of belonging (Social and Emotional Growth, n.d).
Teachers can also promote a five year olds developmental milestone of gaining selfesteem from feeling capable and demonstrating new skills (Social and Emotional Growth,
n.d) with the help of this song. By asking a child, What would you like to see in the tree?
What sound do they say and what do they look like? students can demonstrate their
understanding of animals, their sounds, and visual characteristics by assuming a leadership role
12

in the activity. This will give them self-esteem and facilitate their comprehension of their own
abilities (Social and Emotional Growth, n.d). Also, it will help expand upon their ability for
complex pretend play (Approaches to Learning, n.d.).
4.

Stick Tune by K. Guilmartin

a. This song was written in duple meter D Mixolydian.
b. Lyrics:
Hey, hey, whaddya say, lets all click our sticks today!
Ba dum, bum bum ba dum. Ba dum, bum bum ba
dum. Ba dum, bum bum bum bum ba dum.
Hey, hey, whaddya say, lets all click our sticks today! Lets all stamp our feet today!
Ba dum, bum bum ba dum. Ba dum, bum bum ba
dum. Ba dum, bum bum bum bum ba dum.
Hey, hey, whaddya say, lets all click our sticks today!
Ba dum, bum bum ba dum. Ba dum, bum bum ba
dum. Ba dum, bum bum bum bum ba dum.
c. Justification: This song can be incorporated into many different activities. The teacher
can assign child leaders to demonstrate how to dance or behave or even what they
would like to act like. For instance, a child can act like a lion and make a lion sound
while singing, Hey, hey whaddya say, lets all act like lions today. Roar roar etc.
The child can also demonstrate a way to use the stick instruments or if you are
incorporating large movements into the activity, the child could model an action such
as, jumping. This concept of having a child leader facilitates social and emotional
growth, like all the other songs, because the child will be seeking acceptance from his
or her peers when demonstrating their skills, interacting with peers, and gaining self
esteem from demonstrating his or her abilities (Social and Emotional Growth, n.d).
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Also, this activity can promote the physical development of a five year old
because of the inclusion of large movement activities, strengthening and developing
gross motor ability. For instance, jumping, skipping, balancing, etc. are all physical
skills a child should have at this age (Physical Health, n.d.). Therefore, this activity
can help students that have not yet mastered these developmental abilities to practice
these skills. It will also allow students that have mastered these abilities to show off
their learned skills and expand upon their physical development.
Additionally, this song can facilitate a childs approaches to learning. For
instance, at age five, students should be able to focus attention, engage in pretend play,
think abstractly, and offer creative, unusual ideas about how to do a task (Approaches
to Learning, n.d.). This activity will force children to focus on the student leader and
think abstractly about animals, actions, etc. as the teacher switches the theme of the
song to acting like animals, etc. It will also encourage students to think creatively and
come up with unique ideas to demonstrate when it is their turn.

14

BOOKS
1.

Should I Share My Ice Cream?

a. Text and Illustrations by Mo Willems
b. ISBN 978-1-4231-4343-7
c. Published by Hyperion Books for Children in 2011
d. Summary: Gerald the Elephant must make a decision
whether or not to share his ice cream. Gerald learns the
importance of sharing and how it makes him feel when someone shares with him.
e. This book can be found at most libraries or book shops, and online.
f. Price: $8.99
g. Justification: Should I Share My Ice Cream is a great childrens story about sharing. It
teaches children that sharing can make you and others feel good. The story is made for
ages 4-8, and therefore, meets the Common Core Standards for Kindergarten. Should I
Share My Ice Cream introduces children to common nouns and verbs (English, 2014)
by incorporating verbs and nouns such as loves, share, like, eat, know, find, ice cream,
flavor, friend, and plan. After/while reading this, children will be able to group objects
into categories such as animals or foods (English, 2014). They will learn throughout
this book that the main characters are an elephant and a pig, which can be classified as
animals. This books allows children to make real-life connections on situations when
they had an opportunity to share something with someone. The illustrations in the book
can give the children a chance to connect the words with the text on the page. The
storyline introduces the children to sharing, which some may not be familiar with when
starting Kindergarten. This story can be read individually around this age, or with
another. The book is perfect for age 5 because at this age children are learning how to
15

use future tense and they are beginning to show concern and sympathy for others
(Your, 2009). Future tense is displayed when the elephant says, I must find her!
When I do, I will say: Would you like some ice cream? (2011, Willems, p. 31-33).
Throughout the book the elephant contemplates sharing his ice cream with his friend
Piggie. He questions where she is and whether she is happy or sad. Elephant realizes
that Piggie could be sad and if he shares his ice cream she would become happy. Just
like the characters, the children in the class can learn that their classmates have feelings
just like they do. This would be a great opening to discuss socioemotional topics such
as emotions, relationships with peers, etc.
2.

Skippyjon Jones in the Dog-House

a. Text and Illustrations by Judy Schachner
b. ISBN 978-0-14-240749-3
c. Published by Dutton Childrens Books and
Penguin Group in 2005
d. Summary: Skippyjon Jones is a Siamese cat
who wants to be a Chihuahua. He takes an imaginary adventure to Mexico with his
Chihuahua friends and helps them get rid of a monster in their doghouse while learning
about Spanish culture.
e. This book can be found at most libraries or book shops, and online.
f. Price: $6.99
g. Justification: Multicultural classrooms are far more likely to be successful than those
that are not. Multi-cultural awareness is the appreciation for and understanding of
peoples cultures, socioeconomic status, and gender (Morrison, 2014, p. 53). In
Skippyjon Jones in the Dog-House, Skippyjon visits his Chihuahua friends in Mexico
where they face up against a monster. This story incorporates Spanish words and
16

phrases, introduces a Mexican food, and contains illustrations of a Mexican village.

Skippyjon Jones is a great character to introduce to the children because he is
adventurous, brave, and funny. The children will love the illustrations, as well as the
incorporation of songs. One of the songs reads: Oh, my name is Skippito Friskito. And
I heard from a leetle birdito that the doggies have fled from the gobbling head who goes
by the name Bobble-ito (2005, Schachner, p. 9). The reader can sing the song however
he or she prefers because there is not set sound in the text. The text suggests the song is
sung with a Spanish accent but leaves room for creativity from the reader. Another
significant thing to notice throughout the text is the Spanish adaptation to the words.
The author modifies a word, such as little, and makes it sound like a Spanish word
would. In this case, the author changed the word little to say leetle because they
wanted to mix the English word with the sounds of Spanish. The incorporation of
Spanish words and sounds makes an easier transition into reading for those students
whose native language is Spanish. Along with the cultural aspect of this book, there are
a lot of things that can be talked about amongst the class and taught, if unknown. Since
the book has Spanish words, it leaves room for the teacher to take time and go over
what the words might mean and how the children came to their conclusions. The
children can also make connections between the book and the real world. Do they
recognize any objects in the book because theyre in the classroom? Do they recognize
an object from their home in the book? The teacher can take time to ask the class to
identify the characters and the major events at the end of the story to see what
information they retained. All of the above are part of the Common Core Standards for
Kindergarten reading and comprehension (English, 2014).
At 5 years old, a child should be acting more independent (PBS, n.d.).
Skippyjon shows independence when he goes to Mexico to help his friends. Although
17

his adventure is only imaginary, the thoughts about traveling on his own and helping
someone are showing his desire for independence. This story may encourage children
to be more independent or even show them that independence may be scary at first, but
they can do great things on their own.
3.

Splat says Thank You!

a. Text and Illustration by Rob Scotton;
Typography by Jeanne L. Hogle
b. ISBN 978-0-06-197874-6
c. Published by HarperCollins Childrens Books
in 2012
d. Summary: Splats best friend, Seymour is
sick and Splat tries to cheer him up by
making a Friendship Book. In the book, Splat
thanks Seymour for all the things hes done
to help Splat.
e. This book can be found at most libraries or book shops, and online.
f. Price: $16.99
g. Special Needs Modifications: In this case, the special needs student(s) can read along
with the teacher using their own book, an iPad so they can scroll through the story on
their own, or they can choose where they would like to sit during the reading. If the
child prefers to sit on a bean bag chair or lay on the floor, let them do so. This way they
can learn in an environment that is suitable for them. Another way to make the learning
environment better for the special needs student(s) is to pair them with a typical
developing student and have them take turns reading a page (Armstrong, 2013).

18

h. Justification: When a child sees the cover of a book and its title, they can make a guess
about what its going to be about. They can also connect the illustrations and text to
their personal lives. By looking at the title and the illustration on the cover, a child
might remember a time they said thank you or talk about one of their friendships. This
book is about helping a friend in need and saying thank you when someone does
something nice for you. This book has aspects from the social/emotional, approaches to
learning, and language domains. The story is about a friendship of two animals which
is shown through the Friendship Book that Splat makes Seymour when he is sick.
When a child reaches Kindergarten, they should start to show sympathy when others are
hurt or sad (Your, 2009). This book is ideal for ages 4-8 because it teaches a lot that
a child in that age range can identify with.
A perfect activity to go along with reading this book would be to have the
children receive a paper that say Thank you for ___________ and the children write,
or the teacher can write what they say, something they want to thank someone for. At
the bottom of the page they are free to draw a picture. They can then, give that paper to
a friend or family member to cheer them up.

4.

The Book With No Picture

a. Text by B.J. Novak
b. ISBN 978-0-8037-4171-3
c. Published by Dial Books for Readers in 2014
d. Summary: This book is full of funny words/sentences

19

for the reader to read aloud with the audience and it teaches the importance of words on
a page.
e. This book can be found at most libraries or book shops, and online.
f. Price: $17.99
g. Justification: The title and cover page may not be appealing, however, the text inside is
appealing enough. With pop of color, the text draws the reader in. The silly messages
within the book will make the children laugh and want to read the book over and over.
The message behind this book is that text on a page contains a message and when one
reads, one must read every word on the page. Children at the Kindergarten age need to
learn the concepts of print and the importance of written text (English, 2014). The
fact that the book contains no illustrations makes the children pay closer attention to
what is being said. The text is appropriate for Kindergarten age, as the suggested ages
are between 5-8 years.
The children will get the chance to use interrogative nouns such as who, when,
where, and what. They will be introduced to prepositions and how to produce complete
sentences. These are all part of what Kindergarten children need to know before moving
on to First Grade, according to the Common Core (English, 2014).

5.

George Shrinks
a. Text and illustrations by William Joyce
b. ISBN 978-0-06-443129-3
c. Published by Laura Geringer Books in 2000
d. Summary: George wakes up to find that he shrunk.
His mom and dad left him a list of things to do while

20

they are away. George goes on a fun adventure to complete the list before they return.
e. This book can be found at most libraries or book shops, and online.
f. Price: $6.99
g. Justification: The first thing the children will notice is the bright colors on the cover and
the difference in size between the boy on the counter and the boy behind the counter.
The boy in the story, George, dreams of shrinking, only to wake up and find he actually
has shrunken. His parents leave him a note that lists the thing he must do before they
return home. The things include brushing teeth, making the bed and taking a bath. The
teacher can remind the children of how important it is to keep themselves clean and
keep up proper hygiene. This is a great time to introduce proper hygiene if they are not
familiar with it. The first major goal of all early childhood programs is to provide for
the safety and well-being of children. The second goal is to help parents and other
family members provide for the well-being of themselves and their children (Morrison,
2014, p. 47). The teacher can make up a simple sheet that the children can take home to
their parents with a note about the story they read and how the boy kept proper hygiene.
This may prompt some parents to purchase the book for their child at home.
The boy continues his adventure by doing things like eating breakfast, feeding
the fish and taking out the garbage. The obstacle is the boy being so small while trying
to accomplish the list. In the end, the boy completes the list just in time for his parents
to arrive, and he suddenly returns to his normal size. Even though he is small, he can
still accomplish goals or daily tasks. If a child is reassured that even though they are
small, they need a little extra help, or theyre unique, they can still reach their goals and
perform like everyone else, they will be more likely to succeed. According to the
Common Core for Kindergarten, a child should become increasingly independent,
try new activities on their own, gain self-esteem from feeling capable and
21

demonstrating new skills, and they are aware of their own characteristics and skills
(Childrens, 2004; PBS, n.d.). All of these can be developed through the reading and
exploration of this book.
Activities/Games
1. Color Lesson
a. This game uses basic color names to get the kids used to knowing different colors. Ages: 3+
b. While playing this game children get to use their minds to determine what colors they know.
The teacher gets to pick any color that he or she wants (usually basic colors) and has the
student find an item in the classroom that is the color that they say. This goes on until all of the
students in the classroom have gotten the chance to find a color in the class. Here is an example
of what the game would be like:
Lets say that I am the teacher, I choose the color red and my student then goes around
the classroom looking for a red item. After they find the red item they tell another student to
find the color yellow. This repeats until everyone in the classroom has gotten a turn.
c. Source: http://www.eslhq.com/forums/esl-forums/esl-games-activities/games-5-9-year-oldslarge-groups-20-a-3628/
d.

Justification: Since this game gets each student involved in the classroom, not only are they
mentally thinking, but they also get to move around. This is vital for five year olds because it
keeps them more entertained. This game establishes a way for students to get a better idea of
knowing the different colors, but also getting to know their classroom more.
Physical and cognitive developments are key components in this game. Teachers need
to be able to keep the pace of the game fast moving to make sure all students are involved and
paying attention.
The child will be following the right classroom directions by listening to what color
their teacher is saying. (Four to Five Years, 2014; ASHA, n.d.).
22

Following directions in a classroom at a young age will be something that will follow
the child throughout all of their schooling. This will promote knowledge of colors and color
recognition. The child will grow in ability to understand abstract concepts, especially when his
or her thinking is supported by physical interaction with materials. (Childrens, 2004; PBS,
n.d.).This is ideal for young children. Being able to physically move around and understanding
interactions is part of a childs development. This can be seen when they understand the
different concepts of what color is.

2.

Getting Acquainted with Numbers

a.

This game uses childrens motor skills to adapt to knowing and understanding different
numbers. Ages: 3+

b. This game is fun and active for students because it strengthens their number skills. As the
teacher, you either have to jump, hop, clap or make any movement depicting a certain number.
The class as a whole will repeat the motion the teacher does while repeating back what the
number she motions is. While playing this game students not only have to be thinking about
what number they have, but what movement will go along with it. Here is an example of how it
would go: As a teacher I would jump five times and have the students repeat after me,
completing five jumps while counting out loud. Repetition of movement and words is more
reassuring for a kid then just hearing or doing something once.
c. Source: http://www.dreamenglish.com/games/counting.html
d. Justification: Because this game has interaction between the students and their teacher, some
students may feel more comfortable because they are playing with all of their peers and their
teacher as well. Cognitive and physical development is important to this game. The children are
not only thinking about what number the teacher is portraying, but they also need to physically
move their bodies in different positions to repeat the teacher.
23

This activity is a great way to control and balance while walking, climbing, jumping,
hopping, skipping, marching and galloping (Four to Five Years, 2014; ASHA, n.d.). Having
the children move around will be working on their physical development and motor skills.
Playing this game can also help students build endurance to engage in long periods of active
play and exercise (Four to Five Years, 2014; ASHA, n.d.). Even though they are doing
minimal physical activity in this game, they are still moving around, which gets them more
acquainted with being physically active.

3.

Creating a Multicultural Passport

a. This is a fun activity that brings awareness of the different cultures that are all around students.
It is an activity, which can become weekly and something fun for the kids to look forward to
throughout the year. Ages: 5+
b.

Having five year olds do this activity at such a young age will give them a better understanding
of different cultures. This activity involves each child making a booklet, which will eventually
be called their passport. Each child will then individually decorate the front of their passports:
writing their names and making them look unique. Each week the teacher has to give a
miniature lesson on what culture the class will be learning about that week. At the end of each
week the teacher will give students a picture that has to do with that culture to cut out and paste
in their passports. At the end of the school year the child will have enough pictures to remind
them of what was learned about each of the cultures.

c. Source: http://www.globalkidsoz.com.au/multicultural_games.php
d. Justification: This activity incorporates different elements of different cultures and gives the
children a chance to experience them while making their own passport. The experience of
different cultures is what makes this activity multicultural. The children will learn about
different cultures, but also get a better understanding on what a passport is throughout this
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activity. Even though some students may not understand what a passport is, by the end of the
school year they will have a better understanding. When a child travels for the first time, they
may not know what to expect. This activity not only teaches them about cultural lifestyles, but
it allows the children to see the cultures through the pictures inserted in their passports.
This activity is a great source of cognitive development because the children will learn
about cultures through pictures. Teachers should incorporate interesting pictures of things the
children may not have seen before. Having the students be hands on with their passport and
gluing the pictures in it will help them develop their fine motor skills.
This activity is a great approach to learning that can offer creative, unusual ideas about
how to do a task, how to make something, or how to get from one place to another
(Childrens, 2004; PBS, n.d.). Having the kids being able to work on their passports by
themselves allows them to be more independent and also lets them use their creativity. The
children will be able to grow to understand abstract concepts, especially when his or her
thinking is supported by physical interaction with materials (Childrens, 2004; PBS, n.d.).
Allowing the children to work with scissors, glue and other materials, such as crayons and
markers is all part of their learning experience. Arts and crafts let also allow children to show
their creativity and develop cognitively.

4.

Build Words
a. This is a great activity to help the students get to know how to spell their basic words. Using
letter tiles is a fun way to do so! Ages: 5+
b. This activity is an easy and fun way to go review spelling words. All the teacher needs is a
piece of paper with a word and blank boxes next to the word so the child can place the correct
tile in the boxes. The teacher will give each student tiles with letters on it and have them place
25

the correct tiles in the box. If the child gets all of the words correct they will get some sort of
reward.
(Special Needs) A way to make this game easier for a child who has special needs would to be
make the words smaller and easier than the others. Another modification for that child would
be to make sure that the child is working on it with someone who has a better understanding of
the activity and/or an assistant.
c. Source: http://www.babble.com/home/25-more-educational-activities-for-kids/
d. Justification: The Building Blocks game develops the childrens fine motor skills. In this
instance, they are using their hands and fingers to place the tiles in the right box. Learning to
use their hands to grasp objects is an important part in a childs motor skill development. Not
only are they working on that, but they are also working on cognitive development as well.
Cognitive development comes into play when the child has to think when putting the words
together.
This game can further expand areas of decision-making (Childrens, 2004; PBS, n.d.).
The children need to be able to decide what block goes where individually, using problem
solving strategies. They need to decide what letters match with the word that is next to them.
This works on a childs cognitive development, this can also be a form of language
development because they are working on building and spelling words that they will be using
every day. Since this activity is fun, children will show more enthusiasm for learning letters
(Childrens, 2004; PBS, n.d.). The goal is that the students will be excited to do an activity
like this because they get to use their motor skills to complete the task.

26

PLAY MATERIALS/TOYS
1.

Lego Brick Set (144 pieces)

a. Lego Brick Set is recommended for ages 5-7. It requires motor skills and creativity.
b. These blocks fit together a certain
way but can be made into any
structure or object that pops into a
childs mind.
c. Manufactured by LEGO Education
d. On Amazon, this LEGO set is $49.95.
e. This toy set can be purchased on the LEGO website, Amazon, eBay, and some
additional toy manufacturing websites.
f. Justification: Legos are an ideal toy set to have in a Kindergarten classroom. Legos
promote hands-on play, which results in learning through play. According to George S.
Morrison, play is one primary way in which children are actively involved in their
environments and by which they think and learn (2014, Morrison, p. 86). Teachers
should allow enough time in the day for children to have unrestricted play. When
grasping a Lego, children use their fine motor skills. The more they have access to the
Legos, the more they can develop their fine motor skills. The more their motor skills
develop, the better they will get at other things such as holding a pencil or coloring in
the lines.
At home, parents can interact with their children through play and discover the
childrens creative minds. Also, this is a great way for parents to observe their

27

childrens motor skills. When a child is 5 years old he or she should be able to offer
creative ideas on how to make something (PBS, n.d.). During this type of play the child
can use their creativity to pretend and make things out of Legos. George Morrison
states that play provides hands-on and minds-on opportunities so children can
experience and learn through all kinds of materials--water, sand, clay, indoor and
outdoor equipment, puzzles, blocks,...dolls,...and so forth (2014, Morrison, p. 86).
2.

Clay
a.

Clay is something great for children. It is a fun way to

work on their fine motor skills. Ages 3+

b. Clay can be used in many different ways. It can be used

to

sculpt things, it can be used for fun and it can be made to

make crafts. Crayola Air-dry Clay can be priced from $11.59-$45.29 depending on the
size that is being purchased.
c. This activity is perfect for children with special needs. The tactile feel of the clay
might be good for dexterity (Miller, 2004). The students may not be able to build
animals or clay pots, but they can use their current abilities and skills to build something
that they want to. This offers opportunities to be independent, which most special needs
students seek. A great project would be to tell the class that they will be able to share
their creation with the class. This provides a chance for the students to develop
conversational skills, peer relationships, and it will help the students to feel included
because everyone will get a turn to share.
d. Sources: http://www.chicagonow.com/new-abides/2013/06/3-reasons-your-kids-shouldbe-playing-with-clay/ http://www.shopbecker.com/arts-and-crafts/dough-andclay/_/crayolasup/sup-air-dry-clay/?q=clay

28

e. Justification: Clay focuses in on a childs social, cognitive, and fine motor skills. The
child using the clay with their hands and sculpting with it develops their cognitive
development. Using clay can help a child increase their ability to use a computer or a
keyboard mouse (Childrens, 2004; PBS, n.d.). It starts at using basic motions and
movements for children as simple as grasping clay that will help them better other
important skills like using a keyboard or a mouse. Which are all part of fine motor
skills. Developing their fine motor skills with clay can also help with their cutting in a
straight line with scissors (Childrens, 2004; PBS, n.d.). The small things are the most
important because they impact the

way

the bigger things function, like fine

motor

skills impact gross motor skills.

3.

Play Kitchen
a. Title of specific one: Grand Walk-in
Kitchen
b. Brand: Step 2
c. Price: $383.95
d. Age: 3 years and up
e. Requires assembly and 4 AA and 2 AAA batteries (not included)
f. Can be found/purchased from Smart School (School Specialty Website)
g. Source/Website to purchase:
http://store.schoolspecialty.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?minisite=10206&item=47
8818&category1=Early+Childhood&category2=Dramatic+Play
h. A play kitchen can be used many different ways and these ways are decided upon by the child.
They are usually intended to be used for role play, family relationships, sharing, rules and
responsibilities (School Specialty Store).
29

i. Justification: While this may be a pricey toy for a classroom, it is well worth the extra cost.
This toy will facilitate development across most of the domains. For instance, the role playing
aspect of the play kitchen will facilitate a childs ability to engage in complex pretend play and
the beginning stages of abstract thinking, which are approaches to learning (Approaches to
Learning, n.d.). Also, this kitchen will promote interaction with other children, which as a five
year old, a child should begin to seek out and enjoy more and more (Social and Emotional
Growth, n.d.).
It is an extremely developmentally appropriate toy because it promotes these two skills,
but it also helps to increase development in certain domains, as well. For instance, the play
kitchen can encourage the expansion of language and vocabulary. Children will be interacting
with one another, therefore, the use of sentences, conversational etiquette, etc. will be used
constantly. Also, the expansion of vocabulary is possible because children will be
experimenting with various pieces of kitchen equipment and may ask the teacher or peers
questions about such materials. For instance, a child that has never seen a spatula before may
pick it up and ask what it is. Learning the term for this utensil will facilitate vocabulary
expansion.
4.

Multicultural Puppet Set

a. Recommended for children ages 3-6. The set of 6 puppets features puppets from all different
ethnicities. The children can use the puppets to conduct miniature plays for their peers during
free play. Also, the teacher can use the puppets as
part of a lesson to help the children learn about
different cultures and ethnicities.
b. The price on Lakeshore is $79.99.
c. Manufactured by Lakeshore

30

d. It can be purchased at the following address:

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/product/productDet.jsp?productItemID=1%2C689%2C949
%2C371%2C895%2C818&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181113&bmUID=14
15323713871
e. Justification: These puppets are ideal for a classroom to promote diversity and introduce
children to different ethnicities. During class time the teacher can use these puppets to
introduce different ethnicities to the students through plays or just by showing each puppet and
explaining each ethnicity. Another use for the puppets is leaving them out for the children to
play with during free time. In Kindergarten, a child should be able to tell short stories
(Four, n.d.) which they can practice with the puppets. Children will love playing with the
puppets because they can engage in pretend play and tell stories using the different ethnic
puppets. When the children get involved with puppet plays or stories, they could potentially
engage the puppets in a conversation. This allows the children to strengthen their
conversational skills. Children that are 5 years old need to be able to keep a conversation
going (Four, n.d.). Additionally, these puppets promote social emotional growth because
the children get to spend time telling stories with their peers. Another way they support social
emotional development is that the children will be able to identify with one or more of the
puppets and feel that their ethnicity and culture is just as important as their classmates.

31

References
Approaches to Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/four/approachestolearning.htm
Armstrong, T. (2013, January 1). 7 Ways to Adapt the Common Core Standards for Students with
Special Needs. Retrieved November 4, 2014, from http://edge.ascd.org/blogpost/7-ways-toadapt-the-common-core-standards-for-students-with-special-needs
Boneau, J. (2013, November 1). 25 More DIY Educational Activities for Kids. Retrieved November 5,
2014, from http://www.babble.com/home/25-more-educational-activities-for-kids/
Children's Developmental Benchmarks and Stages. (2004, July 1). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from
https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200407/ArtsEducationPartnership.pdf
Crayola Air Dry Clay. (2014, January 1). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from
http://www.shopbecker.com/arts-and-crafts/dough-and-clay/_/crayolasup/sup-air-dryclay/?q=clay
English Language Arts Standards. (2014, January 1). Retrieved November 4, 2014, from
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/
Four to Five Years. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/45.htm
Guilmartin, K., Levinowitz, L., Hoffman, S., & Random, L. (2009). Music Together Family Favorites:
Songbook for Teachers. Princeton, NJ, USA: Music Together LLC. .
Levinowitz, L. (2014, October). Music and the Child. Glassboro, NJ, USA.
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Miller, S., Barrick, S., White, M., Potter, J., Freeland, S., Bowen, B., ... Whisenhunt, P. (2004, March
1). Working with Special Needs Students in Art. Retrieved November 7, 2014, from
http://www.incredibleart.org/files/special.htm
Morrison, G. (2014). Understanding and Responding to Current Issues. In Fundamentals of Early
Childhood Education (7th ed., p. 47, 53, 86). Texas: Pearson.
Multicultural and Indigenous Learning Resources, Cultural Diversity, Child Care Learning Resources,
Early Learning Tools - Multicultural Games. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from
http://www.globalkidsoz.com.au/multicultural_games.php
Physical Health. (2014). Retrieved Octoober 7, 2014, from PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/five/physicalhealth.html
R, M. (n.d.). Easy Counting Game, Quick and Easy Kids Games for the Classroom. Retrieved
November 5, 2014, from http://www.dreamenglish.com/games/counting.html
Social and Emotional Growth. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2014, from PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/five/socialandemotionalgrowth.html
Your Child at 5 Years. (2009, January 1). Retrieved October 10, 2014, from
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/checklists_5yr.pdf
[lemonzest] (2006, June 25). Games for 5-9 year olds in groups [Online forum]. Message posted to
http://www.eslhq.com/forums/esl-forums/esl-games-activities/games-5-9-year-olds-largegroups-20-a-3628/
3 Reasons Your Kids Should be Playing with Clay. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.chicagonow.com/new-abides/2013/06/3-reasons-your-kids-should-be-playing-withclay/

33

Kayla Harrison
Dr. Perkins
Growth & Learning
7 November 2014
Reflection
Most people might say that teachers have an easy job and ask why a young student such as
myself, would want to become a teacher. I would reply, first, with the fact that teachers do not have an
easy job and there is so much people do not understand about teachers. Day upon day, hour upon hour,
teachers are planning, rearranging, strategizing, and organizing lesson plans so that their students can
learn at the appropriate level. Throughout this project I have learned about how hard it is to piece
together how certain activities or stories may fit into a lesson and what skills can be taught in the
process. When I first began college, I didnt expect teaching to be so complicated. I knew it would be
hard and I would have to work my very best. However, I did not understand the amount of
expectations that are put on teachers. This project taught me to analyze story books, activities, songs,
and toys so that I can determine if they are developmentally appropriate for a 5 year old. This was a
challenge because normally I would just look at the recommended age on the box or the back of the
book and think nothing of the why? Going back to the questions mentioned in the beginning, I
would answer the second part by simply saying that I want to be a teacher because I get to see students
succeed and work their hardest. It is a joy to see children succeed.
My part of the project was to find several story books that were developmentally appropriate
for 5 year old students. As I have younger siblings, this was not a troubling task. As I began to read
through the books I had chosen, I realized that there are so many skills that can be taught just from one
book. One of the books I had found, The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak, was definitely my
favorite out of the four. The reason I loved it so much was because it teaches children the importance
of words on a page and how every word must be read when they engage in reading a book. I
34

absolutely love to read and because of that, I cherish words. Words arent just print on a page. Words
can be adventures, protests, thoughts, and even written exchanges between the writer and the reader.
Words are so important. A teacher must make sure that his or her students learn the importance of
words and the fact that words can have more than one meaning. This project was really interesting and
I enjoyed being able to explore different books, activities, games, and childrens toys.
Additionally, I learned that as a teacher I should always try to incorporate diversity whenever I
can. Showing children different lifestyles is a great way for them to avoid prejudice and help them get
along better with their peers. Also, if I am in an inclusion or special education classroom, I now
understand that I can still do activities with them that are normally done in a general education class;
however, I would just need to modify them a bit.
By looking through and reading the Common Core standards and the developmental milestones
of a 5 year old, I have learned a lot. This project opened my eyes to the different resources that are
available for me as an educator and it introduced to me the standards that are required to be met within
each year of schooling. It also allowed me to work with a group and get their feedback on things. I
enjoyed getting to work with Steph and Jessie because we all took part in making sure the project was
done with creativity in mind and was completed.

35

Stephanie Netelkos
Dr. Perkins
Growth & Learning
7 November 2014
Reflection
This project has been a great learning experience for me on getting a better understanding on
the different effects certain activities, games, books and songs have on children. At the age of five,
cognitive and physical development are ideal components for growing kids. They are present in many
of the things the children do in the classroom, especially cognitive development. For example through
researching, everything that a child does at this age goes toward their cognitive development. This is
the age where a childs foundations are being set for them.
It was hard for me to realize the social emotional growth related with songs. But after all, in
most cases the children are all singing with one another and are interacting. It is great that the children
are so young, where they learn to accept one another no matter how good or bad someone around them
sings. At this age and during this activity they are learning to grow, not only by themselves, but with
one another. Singing by themselves or with others is all part of social development. I learned that by
having young kids work in groups when they are younger could benefit them when they are older by
teaching them that working together is a great way to build relationships. For example, the child who I
observe for this class befriended someone in the classroom who sat at the same table as him and
worked in centers with him.
Games in the classroom are what keep most kids engaged in what they are learning. I learned
that kids play many different games that can affect different aspects of development. Whether the
game is based on colors or is based on numbers or some sort of learning outcome they have a good
effect on children.

36

All development in young kids is vital because in all seriousness, all of the games, activities,
books and songs that we have listed are the building blocks to their education. Multicultural learning
for young children is great because they get to realize at a young age the different cultures around
them. After I researched the multicultural passport activity I knew it would be a great opportunity for
kids to learn about other cultures, while getting to use their fine motor skills when they had to glue and
cut each booklet. When kids are young and enjoy a certain activity they look forward to doing that
activity each week and I feel as if this is an activity that the children would love.
Working in a group for this project was great because I got to see Kayla and Jessies
perspective on each section that we were required to provide information for. I learned not only from
the research that I did, but from them as well. Kayla explained to me how important repetition was
when teaching kids at such a young age. She told me that is was a great way to encode information in
their brains. Without the help from one another we would not have been able to come up with such
great examples and collaborate so well on what we were doing. The examples and research that we
have done are things that will stick with me through the rest of my teaching years. I hope to be able to
take these games, activities, songs and books with me to when I am able to teach one day.

37

Jessica Weiner
Dr. Perkins
Growth & Learning
7 November 2014
Reflection
One of the biggest misconceptions for teachers is that they have the easiest job with a summer
vacation. However, what most individuals do not see is the long hours and hard work teachers put in
outside of the classroom in preparation for the lessons they teach during the school day. This
assignment gave me a little glimpse of the extensive research and preparation that goes into planning
activities and lessons for students.
Before this project, I never thought teachers had to research activities and analyze how they
would affect a childs development. I assumed that teachers had resources that gave them these lessons
and that they merely regurgitated the information back to their students. However, by completing my
part of the assignment, which was the song section, I realized how much thought is put into lesson
planning. For example, as I completed the song section, I realized how long it took to put together just
one activity. Each of my songs took me at least forty-five minutes to put together and justify, so I can
only imagine how much thought and effort goes into planning an entire days worth of lessons. More
so, each song required so much analyzation to determine if it was developmentally appropriate for a
five year old student. It took me hours to research and analyze the songs in my Music Together
songbook because I had to first decide what I would do with students for each song and then research
all the developmental milestones, standards, etc. and determine if these songs facilitated growth in any
of these areas. However, by doing this, I learned so much about developmentally appropriate practice
and its importance. Without this research, students really do not benefit from the lessons teachers teach
because they are not being taught at an appropriate level. For instance, some activities may be too
simple for students or do not assist in the development in any of the five domains. Additionally, some
38

activities may be way beyond the developmental ability of a child, therefore, preventing the student
from getting anything out of the lesson.
While I may have found the process of the project to be overwhelming and extensive, I
appreciated every stressful moment because I learned so much about the development of a five year
old, developmentally appropriate practice, and the hard work teachers put into their daily lessons. Not
only did I learn from my song portion of the project, but I learned so much from Kayla and Steph, as
well. They taught me a lot of techniques in selecting books and games for my students, as well as
challenging and expanding upon my thought process for my own portion of the assignment. Kayla was
an excellent resource throughout this entire assignment because she constantly peer reviewed my work
and gave me so many other ideas. For instance, she would suggest that one of my songs may facilitate
growth in a domain I never thought about.
Overall, this assignment really helped me get a clear understanding of the work that needs to go
into planning each lesson. In the future, I will be better prepared to teach my kindergarten students
now that I have a better understanding of the developmental milestones, standards, and overall abilities
of my students, as well as, what is required when preparing each lesson. Finally, this project will
become an excellent resource as a new teacher because I will have so many fun and creative activities
to utilize in my classroom that will be developmentally appropriate and ensure the success of my
students.

39