Case

Study

Childs first name: Ben
Birthdate: 9/8/2009
Gender: Male
Educational Placement: Pre-K at UPC Discovery
Language spoken at home: English
Ethnicity/Race: Caucasian

Prenatal and birth history: Full-term pregnancy
Developmental milestones: Ben has reached all of his developmental milestones and
his developing as an above average 5-year-old
Medical history/concerns: None that have been noted in his records
Agency involvement: None
Family information: Bens parents are married and his mother works as a pt. He has
an older brother and an older sister. Ben is very involved with music and he goes to
a special music school every Wednesday instead of UPC Discovery.
Educational experiences: Ben is currently enrolled at UPC Discovery for pre-K. He
missed the cut off by 7 days, so he is very old for his grade level.

Background Information:

Ben is a lively 5-year-old boy who lives with his mother, father, twin sister, and 2
older siblings. He was carried to a full term pregnancy and was born on December
8, 2009. His parents are marries and he has an older brother and an older sister. All
of his siblings are very involved with music. Ben and his twin sister play the piano.
Ben is in the same pre-K classroom as his twin sister at UPC Discovery. Ben loves to
build with blocks in the block center and he also loves to work and play together
with his classmates at the different centers. He is of average height compared to his
other classmates and his gross motor skills are typical of a normal, developing 4-
year-old. Ben enjoys taking the lead in certain group activities and he likes to make
a plan before completing a certain task. Ben always has a plan in his mind and is
determined to finish one task before moving on to another. He sets his mind on
something and will complete it with satisfaction. After observation of Ben, it seems
that he is a growing preschooler who is on the acceptable path as far as developing
on time. He is progressing in all areas of development and he is very comparable to
that of an average developing child.

Observations:

I observed Ben 6 times at UPC Discovery.

October 9th, 2014- 1:00-2:15
October 16th, 2014- 1:00-2:15
November 6th, 2014- 1:00-2:15
November 13th, 2014- 1:00-2:15
November 20th, 2014- 1:00-2:15
December 8th, 2014- 1:00-2:15

Observation 1:
I met Ben the first day that I observed at UPC Discovery. I was observing the
children play at all the different centers, and I noticed that Ben was in the block
center, which was my favorite center growing up. I went over to the block center
and asked Ben what he was planning on building. He immediately told me that he
was building an airport so that the planes had somewhere to land. I asked if I could
help and he accepted my offer. He pointed out on the shelf where all the blocks were
located, and he told me what his design looked like in his mind. Ben began taking
blocks off the shelf and stacking them two by two. He then asked me if I would like
to help. I said yes and he told me that I could hand him the blocks while he designed
his airport. One of Bens classmates came over and asked if he could help out too.
Ben said yes and gave direction to the child as to what he could do. It took Ben about
15 minutes to build his airport. His airport was very elaborate, with a spot for the
planes to land on top and a runway that went under a table and chairs in the
classroom. After completing his design, Ben wanted to put a sign on his airport that
said Bens Do Not Touch. He got a piece of paper and marker and asked me to help
spell out the words he wanted to write. I worked with him on sounding out the
words and he was able to correctly write out each letter I told him.

Observation 2:
The second time that I observed Ben he was engaged at the sensory table. This
specific week the sensory table had water in it and water toys to play with. Ben was
able to put his smock on by himself and he just needed help with rolling his sleeves
up. When playing at the water table, Ben liked to scoop up water and watch it fall
through the water wheel. Ben also loved playing with 2 graduated cylinders in the
water. He would put water in one cylinder and then put the other cylinder on top if
it. He then would switch the water back and forth between the two cylinders. He
played at the water table for the majority of the time that I was observing. He played
with 2 other children at the sensory table. He worked well with the other children
and shared the toys fairly. He played independently and did not join in on the other
games that the children were playing with the water.

Observation 3:
The third time that I observed Ben he was working on a leaf melting project. He was
working with the assistant teacher. When Ben was waiting his turn, I asked him
what his favorite part of fall was. He said he liked to jump in the leaves and collect

cool looking leaves. We also talked about Halloween and he told me that he went
trick-or-treating an received lots of candy. His favorite candy is gummy worms.
When it was finally his turn to melt crayons on a piece of white paper with a leaf
traced out on it, he chose to use orange, yellow, and brown crayons. He swirled the
crayons around and he covered the whole sheet of paper with color. He then put his
piece of art on the drying rack. The next center that Ben wanted to play at was the
sorting beads center. There were containers of different colored marbles and a
basket to play with. Ben spilled all the marbles into the basket and then sorted the
colors back into the appropriate containers. He was able to sort all the colors
perfectly. He liked to engage in conversation with me while playing and he just like
to talk a lot.

Observation 4:
The fourth time that I observed Ben he was working at the play dough table. He was
pretending that he was working a pizza shop and making pizzas. He was flattening
out the play dough and then flipping it with a spatula. He also was adding different
toppings to the pizza by adding different colors of play dough to the top of the
dough. He then cut the pizza in a diagonal line and gave me a piece to eat. Other
children at the table then got the idea to also work at a pizza shop, so they all began
to roll out the dough and make pizzas. Ben engaged in conversation with his other
classmates and showed good manners by asking politely to use different play dough
toys that the other children were using at the center. After he was done at the play
dough center, he went to trace his shoe in play dough for an activity that the whole
class was participating in. One of the teachers asked Ben to give her his shoe.
Together, he and the teacher pressed down his shoe in the play dough. They then
lifted the shoe up and saw how it left a mark in the play dough. Ben then wrote on
the piece of paper tennis shoe and then signed his name at the bottom of it. He
then explained to me that his shoes were light up shoes and that he could change the
color of them. The red light meant that he was angry and the green light meant that
he was happy.

Observation 5:
The fifth time that I went in to observe Ben he was playing at the sensory table, but
this time the table had moist sand in it with seashells buried underneath the sand.
Ben was working on building a mountain with the sand. He was playing with
another young girl, who also was building a mountain in the sand. Ben had to make
his mountain taller than hers, and then he went looking for seashells to decorate the
mountain with. He put a skinny, pointy on top, and then covered the rest of the
mountain with flat shells. When he went to wash his hands, he told me to look after
his mountain and to make sure no one touched it. After playing with sand, Ben went
over to his favorite center, the block center. He told me that today he was going to
build a racetrack. A couple of Bens classmates came over and asked if they could
help. Ben agreed and explained the system that he had going. He showed them that a
thumbs up meant that he needed more blocks, a straight hand meant just enough,
and a thumbs down meant that he had too many blocks. The children made an
assembly line by having one student get the block off the shelf, the next child

passing it on, and then finally the last child handing it to Ben. Ben was in charge of
the design of the racetrack and he communicated well with his classmates. After the
building was done, he loaded the cars on the track. He was the only one allowed to
touch the cars and place them where he wanted them to go. It was then time for
clean up, and all the children worked together to put the blocks back on the correct
shelves in the center.

Observation 6:
The sixth time that I observed Ben was when I performed the Kaufman Assessment
Batter for Children. We were in a quiet environment and were sitting at a table in his
classroom. Ben was excited to be tested because he enjoyed the different types of
assessments that I described to him. We completed 4 out of the 12 tests from the
Kaufman. It took Ben about 30 min to complete all 4 of the tests. He was proud of
himself when he was able to identify the correct answer. At the end of the tests, he
told me that they were fun tests and that he wanted to do more.

Specific Assessment Data

I assessed Ben through authentic assessment and standardized assessment. I used a

time sampling at my Observation 5 for my authentic assessment and I used the
Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children for my standardized assessment at my
Observation 6. I also took anecdotal notes at my Observation 4. Both assessments
are attached at the end of this case study. I used the time sampling to see how often
Ben took a leadership role in the block center compared to how many times he
followed directions given by others. I also counted how many times he used the
thumbs up sign, the straight hand sign, and the thumbs down sign. I used the
anecdotal notes to observe Ben and remember key events that took place at the
observation. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children assessment measures
intelligence from a strong theoretical and research basis and it is used to separate
acquired factual knowledge to the ability to solve unfamiliar problems. I was only
able to perform four of the tests from the Kaufman because I did not have enough
time during my observation hours to complete all of them. Ben did an awesome job
with the standardized test and he performed much better than I anticipated. He
surprised me most on the picture wheel because I even have trouble when
practicing it.

General Assessment Data

Physical Development:
Health Status: Ben seemed healthy on both of the days that I performed the
assessments on.
Vision: Ben does not wear glasses and he makes eye contact with whom he is
speaking to.

Motor Development:
Gross: Bens body is proportionate and his height and size are similar to his
classmates. He can hop on both of his feet and he can move around the classroom in
a swift manner. He can also step over obstacles and he can a push a racecar,
especially on the racetracks that he makes.
Fine: Ben can write his name without assistance and he can draw shapes on a piece
of paper. He can also color inside the lines and hold a pencil/ marker correctly. Ben
also enjoys exploring the different materials at the sensory table each week. He can
build a tower of 9-10 small blocks, use play dough to make balls, pizza, etc., and can
build things with large blocks, such as a tower.
Cognitive Development:
Play: Ben engages in a variety of different types of play inside the classroom. He
plays with many types of toys, takes part in pretend play, paints, draws, and engages
with his other classmates. Bens favorite center is most definitely the block center. I
find it very interesting that he builds his projects very similar to what he had built
the week before. He always has a vision in his mind, and plans accordingly in order
to reach a successful final product. He works well with his other classmates and
enjoys the praise he receives from them when his project is completed. He also
enjoys participating in some of the other centers in the classroom. He likes to play at
the sensory table and work with all the materials that are provided at the table. Ben
plays with his other classmates, but he seems to work more independently rather
than playing and talking with a group of his classmates.
Attention Span: Ben was not easily distracted when engaged in an activity that he
chose to participate in. During the hour that I observed Ben each week, he usually
played at two different centers. Ben was always very interested in what he was
doing and liked to explain what his plan was for each activity that he participated in.
Imitation: Ben did not imitate any of his classmates when I observed him. He always
did his own thing, but other kids imitated him. For example, Ben would clean up his
play dough and move on to the block center. One of his friends would then do the
same thing and follow him. His friend seemed to follow him around whenever I was
present.
Problem Solving: Ben was able to solve problems with great efficiency. If his tower
was lopsided, he figured out how to make it straight without anyones help. He also
observed how the water wheel works and how to stop the flow of water. Ben also
was able to come up with a way to clean up his play dough section by creating a ball
and pressing it down on all the small pieces of play dough.
Classification: Ben was able to classify different colored marbles and separate them
from each other. He also was able to distinguish the different sizes and shapes of the
blocks. He also sorted out the different types of seashells from pointy ended to
smooth ended.
Social- Emotional Development:
Temperament: Ben got along with all of his classmates that he engaged with and he
listened to when the teacher said it was time to clean up. He enjoys each center that
he participates in and pays attention to the teacher when she is giving out directions
or asking him to do something specific.

Adaptability: Ben has no problem with changing centers and learning to play with
different toys. He is very comfortable around his classmates and he enjoys engaging
in conversation with them. Ben makes it very obvious that his favorite center is the
block center. Whenever he is done building one of his projects, he always makes a
sign that says Bens Do Not Touch.
Reactivity: Ben is most engaged in the activity that he gets to choose, which is
building in the block center. If he gets frustrated or upset, he handles the situation
well and just carries on to whatever he was doing before.
Mastery Motivation: Ben demonstrated this by showing leadership in the block
center and assigning roles to his fellow classmates to help get his block project
completed.
Interactions with Family: I found it very interesting that Ben did not really play or
engage with his twin sister inside the classroom environment. All the times that I
observed Ben, he was never playing with his twin sister or talking to her. When they
were sitting at the same table while playing with play dough, his sister told me that
Ben was her twin. If she hadnt told me that, I would have never known they were
siblings.
Interactions with Peers: Ben often plays around other children, but he is more of a
leader than he is a follower. He gets along with all of his classmates and he enjoys
the company of them. There is one boy in Bens classroom who seems to be a close
friend to Ben because he is always playing at the same center as Ben and engaging in
conversation with Ben.
Language and Communication Development:
Expression: Ben has very good communication skills and enjoys talking a lot. He
likes to ask a lot of questions and he is a good listener to his classmates and teacher.
I observed Ben one day during music call, and it was interesting to see that he
wasnt singing along to the songs. This observation surprised me because he is very
talkative with me and his friends. Ben also created different hand symbols to help
with the production of his block project. Ben can also write his name and he can
write out words if given the letters out loud. He can also say stories that stay on
topic and use sentences that give many details.
Comprehension: Ben seemed to have no problem in this area of comprehension of
language. He understood his classmates and what his teacher would ask of him.
Adaptive Development
Ben can wash his hands unassisted, blow his nose by himself, and he can put his
shoes on and Velcro them by himself.

Instruction Recommendations and Educational Goals

Ben is above average when compared to other students in his pre-K classroom. He is
a good listener when the teacher is talking, but he can work on raising his hand
before saying the answer. Sometimes he knows the answer so quickly that he says it
before any other children have a chance to answer. Ben finds great enjoyment in the
block center. One idea to help Ben developmentally grow is to interest him in other

centers and to have him explore other opportunities around the classroom. This
way he will have a chance to learn from participating in other activities and using
different ways of thinking to solve a problem. An educational goal for Ben is to
introduce the idea of more than or less than in reference to counting a specific
number of items. Another goal is to have Ben work on his collaborative skills and let
someone else design a project and have him be the helper instead of the leader. This
will help Ben learn to work together in a group and not be in total control of what is
going on. It will also help him work on his team building skills. Another area where
Ben could improve in is being more open-minded to different activities in the class.
His teacher told me that he is sticks to one thing, and has to complete it or else he
cant stop thinking about it. Ben is very smart for his grade level and I could
definitely tell that he was one of the oldest students in his classroom. Ben can also
work on paying more attention to the information that is being presented at a
certain time. For example, when I gave Ben the Kaufman, in between tests he would
keep mentioning how he was going to paint a volcano after snack time. What was
also interesting was the fact that he was able to identify a dinosaur in the test to the
fact that dinosaurs lived by volcanoes. Another recommendation I would give to
Bens teacher is to keep challenging him and asking more in depth questions during
exploratory time.

Communication Plan

My communication plan would consist of keeping all of Bens artwork, anecdotal
notes, and writing samples in his portfolio to show at parent-teacher conferences. I
would also recommend sending weekly newsletters to inform parents of what will
be happening in the classroom that week so that they can talk about with their
children at home what theyre learning in school. I also feel that progress reports
every 3-4 weeks are a great way to inform parents how their child is developing in
school. If Ben was ever struggling or needing help in a certain learning area, I would
inform his mother by sending home a note or sending an e-mail, just to keep her
updated about what is happening inside the classroom. I would also share with his
mother if he was performing great at a certain activity or exceeding expectations in
a learning domain. Another idea that I would love to do is to host a parent open
night, which would be where parents would be able to come in once a month and
see all the work their child has completed in school. I know Ben always leaves his
block towers built to show his mom at the end of the school day. As a teacher, I
think it would be awesome to take many photos of Bens masterpieces and then
compile them into a scrapbook at the end of the school year to show how he has
grown in his design concepts and building strategies. One other idea I had for the
teacher in Bens case was for her to have a teaching blog and update it every time
they start a new theme in their room. Ben would love this because the blog could

have pictures of his artwork or writing samples or quotes from him that go along
with the lesson.

Assessment Results

Assessment 1
Time Sampling:
I decided to do a time sampling because Ben was always in the block center and I
wanted to record his actions there. Each different time I observed him, he was
always adding on to his past design. He also always had a couple of students helping
him build his design. It was amazing to see how he remembered his past designs so
vividly and how he remembered what did and didnt work. I also loved how he
would put a sign on his creation says Bens Do Not Touch.
























Physical: No signs of sickness
Motor: Stack blocks, push cars
Cognitive: Putting the blocks in a certain pattern, balance the blocks proportionately
Social- Emotional: Engaging with classmates, setting up a system on how to work
together with his classmates to reach his ultimate goal
Language and Communication: Thumbs down means too many blocks, thumbs up
means more blocks, and straight hand means just enough blocks, communicating
with classmates

Assessment 2
Anecdotal Notes:
This form of assessment showed me how much knowledge Ben had in the pizza
industry. He was able to successfully role out the dough, flip it with a spatula, and
add the correct toppings to it that I ordered. He then cut it like a pie while using a
plastic knife. I also was able to record how he interacted with his classmates and
accepted their ideas.

Physical: No signs of sickness
Motor: Rolling the dough out, patting it down, flipping it in the air
Cognitive: Learning how to flatten the play dough by using the rolling pan, thinking
about different types of pizzas and what goes on them
Social- Emotional: Sharing the play dough toys, working together at the Pizza shop,
sharing ideas of different types of pizza
Language and Communication: Talked with his fellow classmates, assigned jobs at
the pizza shop
Adaptive: Rolled up his sleeves on his own