Preschool Activity Plan

Name __Shaunna Johnson___________________ Placement _Creekside Early Elementary______

Brief Description/ Central Focus

This a visual arts activity that is connected to the current curriculum theme of fairytales and is specifically connected to the book the class is
reading this week “Three Little Pigs”. The children will engage in painting with materials, working with traditional paint not traditional paint
brushes. Instead children will paint with materials that the little pigs used to build their houses: straw, sticks, and stone/bricks. The children
be encouraged to express themselves creatively while making their marks and will observe the different marks they can create with each
object.

Background/ Learning Connections

The class is currently reading two books connected to the fairytale “Three Little Pigs” so they are becoming familiar with the physical
properties of the materials the pigs use to build their houses through text. This activity will allow the children to touch and explore the
materials described in the book.
Based on classroom observations, some students excel at the opportunity to express themselves creatively with little engagement from the
teacher. Other students require more support and prompting. This activity will allow children to experiment with materials that may be
unfamiliar to them (hay, sticks, stone/brick) in a familiar way- as paint brushes. Through observation, painting seems to be an activity that all
children enjoy and remain engaged in.
The children will be encouraged to examine the objects and discover details that may not be seen through images. Some children have
experience with hay/straw from a recent trip to a local farm, other students were very interested in sticks and rocks. Children seem to have
piqued interest in authentic materials that are found in nature.
Finally, I have noticed that some of the children mark on the table as well as the paper. Marks on the table are not there to stay, so I chose to
cover the art table with paper, so that the children can freely express themselves on a smaller piece of paper, or on the table itself.

Theoretical/ Research Connections

This activity is based on Piaget’s philosophy of constructivism, where children construct knowledge in relationship to their knowledge and
experiences (Mooney p. 92). The concrete objects promote interaction and curiosity, and allows knowledge to be constructed. The children are
encouraged to interact with the objects on the table. Touch, observation, and interaction with the materials allow discovery of unique details,
furthering cognitive development. According to Fox and Schirrmacher, there is a perceptual explanation in the development in child’s art, the
child draws what they perceive rather than what they see. Children may first scribble, then add lines and shape, continuing to increase the
 Preschool Activity Plan

complexity of their drawings. The painting activity can provide an example of what the children perceives, which is beneficial for social and
emotional development. Through art, young children learn about themselves and others (Fox & Schirrmacher p.76). The experience is set up
to engage the children and allow exploration of the materials and the environment. According to the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment
is the third teacher. This activity and table are set up in a way to provoke the children, inviting them to interact with the materials in a way that
is open ended and free of rules.
Standards

ODE- Early Learning Content Standards:

Domain- Approaches to Learning
Strand- Creativity
Topic- Expression of Ideas and Feelings Through the Arts
Standard Statement- Express individuality, life experiences, and what they know and are able to do through a variety of media.

Domain- Cognition and General Knowledge

Strand- Science Inquiry and Application
Topic- Inquiry
Standard Statement- Make careful observations.

Head Start
Domain- Logic and Reasoning
Domain Element- Symbolic Representation
Example- The use of symbols or objects to represent something else.

Objectives

1. By using different materials for paintings tool materials (conditions), the children can create representations of what they see or know
(behavior) to construct knowledge or make connections to prior knowledge or experiences (outcome).
C: You have a lot of interesting lines here, and you have been working very hard, I wonder what your picture is about.

2. By observing and paying attention to the details of the materials (condition) the children will discover (behavior) that different
textures produce different outcomes such as neater lines, interesting shapes, or softer shapes (outcome).
Q: How do you think your picture would if you used the stone to paint instead of the hay?
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3. Using unique mark making tools, (conditions) the children will discover (behavior) the forms, shapes, and lines they can create, which
are unique to the object (outcome).
W: I will sit beside the children and model how through experimentation, different types of marks, shapes, and images that I can
create images with the materials available for use.
Differentiation/ Adaptations

Children with less dexterity make larger movements when drawing. The craft paper covering the table allows the child to draw as large as
they would like, without being confined to a smaller piece of paper.

Children who cannot grip objects and move their hands and arms to paint can be encouraged to feel the objects, then use the objects as a tool
with the assistance of a teacher.

Academic Language
 Color
 Shape
 Line
 Variety
 Mark
 Create
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Student engagement with authentic materials, painting with sticks, bricks, and straw: