Project Planning Journal

ECED 323: Project and Play

Name of Teacher: Rebecca Gober

Project Title: Thanksgiving

Project Dates: 11/6/17 to 11/17/17

School/Center: The Growing Tree

Age Level: Pre-K Ages 4-5

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

 Planning Web:

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

 Children will need enough knowledge about the topic to develop questions for investigation.
What event can be used to focus the children’s attention on this topic?

✓ Book ☐ Video ☐ Related objects ✓ Discussion ☐ Dramatic play

Explain the activity: During circle time I will ask the children if they know what holiday is
coming up. I will ask them if they know about the holiday and we will talk about different things
we do during this holiday. After talking about it, we will read a story about it in order to clarify
their understanding of the holiday.

KWL Chart
K (Know) W(Want to know) L (Learned)
 Have a feast  Who are the  Pilgrims sailed
 We eat turkey pilgrims on the
and pie  Who are the mayflower
 Has to do with Indians  Pilgrims hit
pilgrims and  Why do we Plymouth rock
Indians have a feast and met
 We talk about  Why do we indians
what we are talk about  Indians taught
thankful for what we are pilgrims how
 It is before thankful for to farm
Christmas  Indians invited
pilgrims to a
feast
 We talk about
what we are
thankful for
because it is a
holiday of
unity

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

PA Standards:
1.2 PK.B Answer questions about a text.
9.1.M PK.B Respond to different types of music and dance through participation and discussion.
10.5 PK.A Use hands, fingers, and wrists to manipulate objects.
2.1 PK.A.1 Know number names and the count sequence.
3.1 PK.A.2 Identify basic needs of plants (water and light) and animals (food, water, and light).
9.1.V PK.E Use imagination and creativity to express self through visual arts.
10.5 PK.B Coordinate eye and hand movements to perform a task.
1.2 PK.A With prompting and support, retell key details of text that support a provided main idea.

Goals:
Students will be able to understand different foods that are eaten on Thanksgiving.
Students will be able to express their thoughts, ideas, and personal experiences of Thanksgiving.
Students will be able to enhance different skills by using Thanksgiving materials.

Objectives:
The students will be able to list the items that the old lady swallowed throughout the story.
The student will be able to repeat the song “Five Little Turkeys” with the teacher.
The students will be able to use tongs or tweezers to pick up objects.
The student will be able to identify the number of kernels they place on their corn.
The student will be able to show how to count on when a specific number is provided.
The students will be able to discuss the differences between the plant getting sunlight and the plant not
getting sunlight.
The student will be able to create a work of art to represent a real or imagined object, animal, or person
(turkey).
The students will be able to test their hand/eye coordination to roll an apple in order to knock over the
turkey bowling pins.
The students will be able to describe the two main groups in the video.

Level Objectives
Knowledge Language Arts (Read Aloud), Language Arts (Song)

Comprehension Math (Counting), Science (Exploratory Activity

Application Language Arts (Prewriting), Math (Number Sense)

Analysis Physical Education (Turkey Bowling)

Synthesis Art (Painting and Gluing)

Evaluation Technology

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Vocabulary:
 Thanksgiving  scarecrow
 turkey  feather
 dinner  farmer
 pie  pilgrim
 cider  Indian
 corn  Mayflower
 kernel  pot
 squash  Cornucopia
 thankful

Materials:
 I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a  2 buckets
Pie book by Alison Jackson  Water
 “Five Little Turkeys” lyrics  window (with sunlight)
 Toilet paper roll turkeys  Styrofoam cups
 toilet paper roll trash can  Paint
 corn kernels  paint brushes
 tweezers  googly eyes
 Corn worksheet  construction paper
 bingo dabbers  glue
 markers  orange cups
 Turkey clothes pins  ball
 number line  Computer
 dice
 2 Indian corn

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University


Objectives
 The students will be able
to list the items that the
old lady swallowed
throughout the story.
 The student will be able
to repeat the song “Five
Little Turkeys” with the
teacher.
 The students will be able
to use tongs or tweezers
to pick up objects.
 The student will be able
to identify the number of
kernels they place on
their corn.
 The student will be able
to show how to count on
when a specific number is
provided.
 The students will be able
to discuss the differences
between the plant getting
sunlight and the plant not
getting sunlight.
 The student will be able
to create a work of art to
represent a real or
imagined object, animal,
or person (turkey).
 The students will be able
to test their hand/eye
coordination to throw a
ball in order to knock over
the orange cups.
 The students will be able
to describe the two main
groups in the video.
Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
Assessment Plan:
Assessment Plan Assessment Evidence
 I will observe to see if  The students were able to
the students are able recall items that the old
to recall items that lady swallowed in the
the old lady story.
swallowed in the  The children were able to
story. sing the song with me, but
 I will observe to see if they had trouble doing the
the children are able hand movements at the
to sing the song with same time.
me while doing the  The children were able to
hand movements. use their fine motor skills
 I will observe to see if to pick up corn kernels
the children are able with tweezers, but some
to use their fine did struggle with the task.
motor skills to pick up  The children were able to
corn kernels with count the number of
tweezers. kernels they placed on
 I will observe to see if their corn worksheet.
the children are able  Some of the children were
to accurately count able to move their turkeys
the number of kernels the correct number of
they place on their times, but some children
corn worksheet. needed my guidance in
 I will observe to see if order to move their
the children are able turkeys
to move the turkeys  The children were able to
the number of spots recognize the difference
that correspond with between the two plants.
the dice.  The children were able to
 I will observe to see if visually represent a turkey
the children are able using the materials I
to recognize provided them.
differences between  Some of the children were
the two plants able to use their hand/eye
(sunlight and no coordination to aim and
sunlight). throw the balls at the
 I will observe to see if orange cups, but some
the children are able were not able to hit the
to visually represent a cups.
turkey using the  The children were able to
materials I provide to recall the two groups
them. (pilgrims and Indians) from
 I will observe to see if the video.
 the students are able
to use their hand/eye
coordination to aim
and throw the ball at
the orange cups.
 I will observe to see if
the children are able
to recall the two
groups in the video.

Phase I: Reflections:
1. What are your reasons for selecting this topic?

I did not select this topic. My host teacher already had this topic selected. When I asked her
why she selected this topic, her reasoning was that because Thanksgiving was an upcoming
holiday and the children are interested in holidays.

2. What possible directions could it take?

There are a few different directions this topic could take. The children could learn about the
First Thanksgiving, which would include the pilgrims, Indians, and the mayflower. The children
could also learn about Thanksgiving food in particular, which would include turkey, mashed
potatoes, green beans, stuffing, and pie. The children could also learn about farming, which
would include different crops, harvesting, and farm animals.

3. What content or skills would be strengthened?

The content that would be strengthened would be their language and cognition. A lot about
this topic is memorization, which has to do with their cognitive development. The children will
be able to talk about the holiday and different things that it entails. Their memorization skills
would be strengthened by learning about this topic.

4. What do you know about this topic? What would you like to know about this topic?

I know that the pilgrims sailed to find new land, and crashed their ship (The mayflower) into
Plymouth Rock, which led to the pilgrims meeting the Indians. The Indians taught the pilgrims
how to farm and then the Indians invited the pilgrims to a feast. I would like to know about
different traditions that people have on Thanksgiving.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

 Activities You Have to Do
Summary of the plan When will you
Content Activity teach/do the
Partner 1 Partner 2
activity
Routine Morning meeting X X Everyday
Narrative
Create a literacy center Narrative 11/6
1. Read aloud Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/9
Language Arts
2. Teach a song or finger play Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/6
3. Word Wall One Word Wall 11/6
4. Pre-writing activity Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/8

Create a math center Narrative 11/6

Math 1. Teach at least two lessons Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/7-11/8
2 2
Create a science center Narrative 11/6
1. Do an exploration activity Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/6
Science

Change the dramatic play area Narrative 11/13

Dramatic Play related to your topic
Area

Painting, Drawing, Using play Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/13

Art dough, craft

Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/16

Physical Integrate music and movement
Education activities

Technology Use Technology Lesson Plan Lesson Plan 11/14

Organize an Activity narratives One Event 11/15

event for the
parent
Guest Speaker Activity narratives One Guest Speaker 11/10

Field Trip One Field Trip 11/17

Activity narratives

Documentation One Poster End

Panel

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Language Arts: Read Aloud
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/15/17
Duration: 10 minutes Time: 10:00 am

Standards 1.2 Reading Informational Text B. Text Analysis –

1.2 PK.B Answer questions about a text.

Objectives The students will be able to use specific details from the text to answer questions.
The students will be able to answer “who” or “what” the text is about.
The students will be able to list the items that the old lady swallowed throughout
the story.

Vocabulary Thanksgiving, pie, cider, roll, squash, turkey, pot, bread

Materials I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie book by Alison Jackson

Description of the Activity
Motivation: We are going to read this really silly book called I Know an Old Lady
Who Swallowed a Pie! What do you think it will be about? Do you think she is
going to swallow that pie? Do you like to eat pie?
I do: I will read the story aloud to the children. I will pause before rhyming words
to encourage the children to “read” with me. I will ask questions while reading to
clarify the meaning of some words.
We do: We will go through the story again after reading it once to recall what
items the old lady swallowed. We will create a list of items that the old lady
swallowed.
You do: When called on, you will tell the class one item that the old lady
swallowed in the story.

Assessment I will observe to see if the students are able to recall items that the old lady
swallowed in the story.

Documentation I will take a picture of the students listening to the story.

This activity did not go as well as planned. I had ordered the book online, but it
Reflections: did not deliver in time. I had to use the book on the computer screen, and read as
a video went along with the story. The children did enjoy the story, but it was
hard to keep their attention when the story was on the computer screen instead
of in my hand. Because of this, not all of the children were able to recall items
that the Old lady swallowed in the story. This lesson could be improved by having
the book in person, rather than using the book online.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Language Arts: Song
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/6/17
Duration: 5 minutes Time: 9:30 am

Standards 9.1.M Music and Movement B. Demonstration –

9.1.M PK.B Respond to different types of music and dance through participation
and discussion.

Objectives The student will be able to sing familiar songs, chants, and finger plays.
The student will be able to participate in teacher-guided music and movement
activities.
The student will be able to repeat the song “Five Little Turkeys” with the teacher.
Vocabulary Turkeys, grow, Thanksgiving, row

Materials “Five Little Turkeys” lyrics

Description of the Activity
Motivation: I have a fun, new song to teach you! We are going to sing it together
and I will teach you hand movements to go along! We will practice singing the
song three times.
I do: I will sing the song once by myself. I will also do hand motions while I sing
the song.
We do: First, we will sing the song together. After we sing the song together, we
will practice the hand movements. After we practice the hand movements, we
will sing the song and do the hand movements at the same time.
You do: You will try to sing the song without the teacher. The teacher will help
you by doing the hand movements with you.

Assessment I will observe to see if the children are able to sing the song with me while doing
the hand movements. I will observe to see if the children are able to sing the song
without the help of a teacher singing.

Documentation I will take pictures of the children singing the song and doing the hand
movements.

This activity did not go as well as planned. The children are used to being in a
Reflections: routine, and their routine was thrown off this morning. They had yoga before
circle time, which is something different than the regular schedule. The children
seemed distracted and uninterested in learning a song. I taught them the song
one line by one line, in order to make it easier for them. They were able to repeat
the song after me (I say one line, they say one line), but they were not able to sing
the song by themselves. They also struggled completing the hand movements
while singing. This lesson could be improved by having the hand movements on a
poster for them to look at, and by teaching it on a normal schedule day.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Language Arts: Prewriting
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/10/17
Duration: 10 minutes (per center) Time: 10:00 am

Standards 10.5 Fine Motor Development A. Strength, Coordination, and Muscle Control –
10.5 PK.A Use hands, fingers, and wrists to manipulate objects.

Objectives The students will be able to manipulate smaller objects (e.g., pegs into a
pegboard, puzzle pieces, stringing beads).
The students will be able to use tongs or tweezers to pick up objects.

Vocabulary Thanksgiving, turkey, corn kernels, tweezers

Materials Toilet paper roll turkeys, toilet paper roll trash can, corn kernels, tweezers

Description of the Activity
Motivation: I need some help sorting the Thanksgiving Colored corn kernels into
the turkeys because they are hungry! Can you help me feed my turkeys? They
only like to eat red, yellow, orange and brown corn kernels!
I do: I will demonstrate to the children how to pick up the corn kernels with the
tweezers. I will also demonstrate to the children where to drop the kernels for the
turkeys to eat them.
We do: We will talk about thanksgiving colors and what colors remind the
children about fall. We will make a list of those colors (red, orange, yellow, and
brown) and we will place the list next to the turkeys.
You do: You will pick up the correct color kernels and drop them into the turkey
so the turkey can eat. You will pick up only red, orange, yellow and brown kernels.
You will put the rest of the kernels in the toilet paper roll trash can.

Assessment I will observe to see if the children are able to use their fine motor skills to pick up
corn kernels with tweezers. I will observe to see if the children are able to select
the correct colored kernels for the turkeys to eat.

Documentation I will take pictures of the children using tweezers to separate the corn kernels.

This activity went very well. The children loved that the activity had to do with the
Reflections: monthly theme (Thanksgiving) and they loved that it gave them a challenge.
Almost all of the children were able to pick up the corn kernels with the kid-sized
tweezers, but only some of them were able to make the kernel into the turkey.
The ones that could not make it into the turkey dropped the kernels before
making it into the hole. This activity could be improved by moving the turkeys
closer to the children who struggled or allowing the children who struggled to use
their pointer finger and thumb to pick up the kernels.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Math: Counting
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/8/17
Duration: 10 minutes (per center) Time: 10:00 am

Standards 2.1 Numbers and Operations A. Counting and Cardinality 1. Cardinality –

2.1 PK.A.1 Know number names and the count sequence.

Objectives The student will be able to name numerals up to 10.

The student will be able to rote count up to 20.
The student will be able to identify the number of kernels on their corn.
Vocabulary Corn, kernels

Materials Corn worksheet, bingo dabbers, corn kernels, markers

Description of the Activity
Motivation: Does anyone like to eat corn? We are going to use bingo dabbers to
make our own corn and we are going to color in our worksheet! After we color,
we are going to count the number of spots on our corn and we are going to play
with corn kernels.
I do: I will demonstrate how to use the bingo dabbers, and I will demonstrate how
to count the number of spots on the corn. I will also demonstrate where to place
the corn kernels and how to count them.
We do: We will count the number of spots together on the worksheet. We will
touch the corn kernels to see what they feel like.
You do: You will use the bingo dabbers to fill in each spot on the corn. You will
color the rest of the worksheet and then you will place a corn kernel in each spot
on the corn. You will count how many corn kernels are on your worksheet.

Assessment I will observe to see if the children are able to accurately count the number of
kernels they place on their corn worksheet.

Documentation I will take pictures of the children placing the corn kernels on their corn
worksheet. I will save a corn worksheet for an example.

This activity went very well. The children use bingo dabbers often, so they were
Reflections: familiar with how to use them. They loved the fact that they were able to make
their corn many different colors, and not just yellow. After completing the bingo
dabber part, they were very engaged because they were able to touch the corn
kernels. Allowing them to do a hands-on activity really kept them involved and
interested in the lesson. The children asked to do more activities using the corn
kernels because they liked to touch them.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Math: Number Sense
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/7/17
Duration: 10 minutes (per center) Time: 10:00 am

Standards 2.1 Numbers and Operations A. Counting and Cardinality 1. Cardinality –

2.1 PK.A.1 Know number names and the count sequence.

Objectives The student will be able to name numerals up to 20.

The student will be able to show how to count on when a specific number is
provided.

Vocabulary Turkey, number line, dice, add

Materials Turkey clothes pins, number line, dice

Description of the Activity
Motivation: My pet turkeys are going to have a race! Can you guys help me race
them? Which one do you think will win?
I do: I will tell a story about a turkey race. I will demonstrate how to roll the dice
and where to move the turkeys on the number line.
We do: We will rote count on the number line (1-20). We will roll the dice
together and use our fingers to point where the turkeys will go.
You do: You will take turns rolling the dice along with the story. You will move the
turkeys as many spaces as the dice indicates.

Assessment I will observe to see if the children are able to identify the numbers 1-20. I will
observe to see if the children are able to move the turkeys the number of spots
that correspond with the dice. I will observe to see if the children are able to
count on from a specific number.

Documentation I will take a picture of the children playing the turkey race. I will save the number
line and turkeys for an example.

This was one of the children’s favorite activities. Most of the activities that they
Reflections: do in class do not entail playing games. It is mostly just imaginary play or crafts, so
this activity was something different for them. They loved that they were
participating in a turkey race, and they made up stories to go along with the race.
The children were able to count along the number line very easily when they were
starting at 0, but after their first turns, counting became a little more challenging
because they were not starting at 0. It was also somewhat challenging for the
students to identify what number the dice landed on. I had to help the children
count the numbers on the dice and help them count on after their first turns. I
would try to make the number line bigger if I were to do this lesson again.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Science: Exploratory Activity
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: Start 11/6, End 11/17
Duration: 5 minutes (per center) Time: 10:00 am

Standards 3.1 Biological Sciences A. Living and Nonliving Organisms 2. Energy Flow –
3.1 PK.A.2 Identify basic needs of plants (water and light) and animals (food,
water, and light).

Objectives The students will be able to state that living things need air, food, and water to
survive.
The students will be able to list the differences of the plant at one week intervals.
The students will be able to discuss the differences between the plant getting
sunlight and the plant not getting sunlight.

Vocabulary Corn, plant, water, sunlight, grow

Materials 2 Indian corns, 2 buckets, water, window (with sunlight)

Description of the Activity
Motivation: Does anyone know how to grow a plant? Do you think that we could
make a plant grow from this corn? What do plants need in order to grow?
I do: I will fill the buckets with water. I will ask the children which corn will grow
faster (sunlight or no sunlight).
We do: We will make a list of some of the things plants need to grow. We will
create a chart that shows who thinks the corn in the sunlight will grow faster, and
who thinks the corn in the dark will grow faster.
You do: You will observe the corn periodically throughout the two weeks. You will
tell the teacher some of the differences that you observe.

Assessment I will observe to see if the children are able to list different resources that plants
need to grow. I will observe to see if the children are able to recognize differences
between the two plants (sunlight and no sunlight).

Documentation I will take pictures of the progress of the two plants. I will take pictures of the
children observing the plant.

I wasn’t completely sure if this activity was going to work, because I had never
Reflections: heard that Indian corn sprouts when it is left in water. I saw this experiment
online and thought that the children would enjoy watching the corn over the
course of the two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, the corn in the sunlight did
sprout a plant, and the corn not in direct sunlight did not. Over the course of the
two weeks, the children were not able to completely understand why the corn in
the sun grew but the corn not exposed to sunlight did not grow. If I did this lesson
again, I would just use one piece of corn and not compare it to the other.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Art: Painting and Gluing
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/9 and 11/13
Duration: 10 minutes (per center) Time: 10:00 am

Standards 9.1.V Visual Arts E. Representation –

9.1.V PK.E Use imagination and creativity to express self through visual arts.

Objectives The student will be able to participate in teacher-guided visual arts activities.
The student will be able to create a work of art to represent a real or imagined
object, animal, or person (turkey).

Vocabulary Turkey, cup, paint, paint brush

Materials Styrofoam cups, paint, paint brushes, googly eyes, construction paper, glue

Description of the Activity
Motivation: I need your help to create a turkey farm! Can you all help me by
making your own turkeys to put in my turkey farm? We will be able to paint and
glue our turkeys.
I do: Before the lesson, I will cut out noses and feathers so the children do not
have to cut out their turkey pieces. I will set out all of the supplies (paint, paint
brushes, glue, paper, eyes). I will demonstrate how to paint my cup and glue on
the rest of the turkey parts.
We do: We will talk about the different parts of a turkey. We will specify the parts
that we will add on the turkeys after painting. We will specify that the eyes and
nose go on the front of the turkey, and the feathers go on the back of the turkey.
You do: You will paint your cup that will be the body of your turkey. After your
cup is dry, you will glue on your eyes, nose, and feathers. When you are finished,
you will name your turkey.

Assessment I will observe to see if the children are able to visually represent a turkey using the
materials I provide to them. I will observe to see if the children can follow my
directions on how to create a turkey with these materials.

Documentation I will take pictures of the children creating their turkeys. I will take pictures of my
“turkey farm” when all of the turkeys are finished.
This activity was too long to do in one round of centers, so it took multiple days.
Reflections: The children really enjoyed making these because a lot of the crafts that they
create are not 3-D. One thing that I would change if I were to do this activity again
would be to use brown cups instead of white cups and painting them brown.
Once the pain dried on the Styrofoam cups, it started to peel off and chip. This
created a mess and the cups did not look very aesthetically pleasing. Other than
that, the activity went pretty well.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Physical Education
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/14/17
Duration: 30 minutes Time: 11:00 am

Standards 10.5 Fine Motor Development B. Eye/Hand Coordination –

10.5 PK.B Coordinate eye and hand movements to perform a task.

Objectives The student will be able to use their hand/eye coordination to complete a specific
task.
The students will be able to test their hand/eye coordination to toss a ball in
order to knock over the orange cups.

Vocabulary Orange, pins, game

Materials orange bowling pins (cups), balls

Description of the Activity
Motivation: We are going to play a fun fall game! Has anyone been to a carnival
before? Has anyone played the carnival game that you throw balls to knock over a
cup?
I do: I will set up the cups in the formation of a triangle. I will demonstrate to the
children how to throw the in order to knock over the pins. I will explain the rules
of the game to ensure safety within the classroom.
We do: We will count how many pins are set up. We will repeat the rules to
ensure safety within the classroom. We will practice aiming the ball at the orange
cups.
You do: You will throw the ball at the orange cups to try to knock them down. You
will count how many cups you knocked down. You will get another ball and try to
knock the rest of your orange cups over.

Assessment I will observe to see if the students are able to use their hand/eye coordination to
aim the ball at the cups. I will observe to see if the students are able to hit the
cups with the balls. I will observe to see if the students are able to knock over the
cups with the balls.

Documentation I will take pictures of the students playing the game.

When I first planned this lesson, I was going to have the children use the turkey
Reflections: cups that they made in the art lesson as bowling pins. After the art lesson was
over, the paint was peeling off of the cups and they were making a mess, so I had
to think of a different activity. I used orange cups to set up as “bowling pins,” but
the cups were too small to knock over with a rolling ball, so I decided to set the
cups up in pyramids and have the children throw small balls at the cups to knock
them over. The children loved this activity because when they play outside, they
usually don’t have anything to throw balls at.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 ECED 323: Project and Play
Simplified Activity Plan – Technology
Name: Rebecca Gober Date: 11/9/17
Duration: 5 minutes (per center) Time: 8:45 am

Standards 1.2 Reading Informational Text A. Main Idea –

1.2 PK.A With prompting and support, retell key details of text that support a
provided main idea.

Objectives The students will be able to provide relevant details from a text which support a
provided main idea.
The students will be able to describe the two main groups in the video.

Vocabulary Thanksgiving, Pilgrim, Indian, Mayflower

Materials Computer, video (http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-

thanksgiving/videos/kids-history-the-first-
thanksgiving?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false)

Description of the Activity
Motivation: We are going to use the computer to watch a fun video! Who likes
Thanksgiving? Does anyone know how Thanksgiving started?
I do: I will set the video up on the computer. I will ask questions throughout the
video to provoke interest. I will clarify throughout the video.
We do: When the video is over, we will talk about the First Thanksgiving. We will
talk about the Pilgrims, Indians, and the Mayflower. We will talk about our own
Thanksgiving feasts and what we are thankful for.
You do: You will tell the teacher one group that was included in the First
Thanksgiving. You will tell the teacher what your favorite Thanksgiving food is.
You will tell the teacher one thing you are thankful for.

Assessment I will observe to see if the children are able to recall the two groups in the video. I
will observe to see if the children are able to recall some of the Thanksgiving food
from the video.

Documentation I will take a picture of the children watching the video.

The children were slightly distracted during this activity, but they were still able to
Reflections: achieve the objectives of the lesson. The children were able to identify the main
ideas of the video, but I needed to redirect their attention to the video a few
times. I also think that if I were to do this activity again I will use the projector to
play the video for the children instead of having them gather around the
computer. The area around the computer is too small for all 20 students in the
class.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University
 Center Narratives
Morning Meeting

I will start off Morning Meeting by having all of the children sit in a circle on the carpet. We will
talk about what day of the week it is and what date it is. We will use the big calendar to count how many
days have gone by in the month so far. After going over the date, we will sing the “Days of the Week”
song, and we will follow along using sign language. We will also sing the “Months of the Year” song.
When we finish singing those two songs, we will sing “What’s the Weather,” and the weather man or
woman will go to the back door to check what the weather is like. He or she will pick the correct picture
that describes the weather and hang it at the bottom of the calendar. At the end of Morning Meeting,
we will sing songs that have to do with the monthly theme. For example, the children will sing “Five
Little Turkeys,” “Scarecrow, Scarecrow,” and “If You’re Thankful and You Know It.” After Morning
Meeting, I will call the children into a line by spelling their names out, and then we will go outside.

Literacy Center

In the literacy center, I will include materials that correspond to the monthly theme and that will
enhance the children’s ability to identify letters and sounds. Some of the materials that I will include are
letter matching puzzles, initial sound puzzles, thanksgiving poem books, I Know and Old Lady Who
Swallowed a Pie book, and an alphabet pie activity. The letter matching puzzles will require the children
to match uppercase letters with lowercase letters. There will be thanksgiving pictures on the puzzle
pieces so the children will be able to match the pictures if they cannot match the letters. The initial
sound puzzles will require the children to match pictures with the appropriate letter. The beginning
sound of the picture will match the sound that the letter makes. The alphabet pie activity will require
children to identify letters that make up a pie. All of these activities will help to enhance the children’s
literacy skills.

Math Center

In the math center, I will include materials that correspond to the monthly theme and that will
enhance the children’s math skills. Some of the materials that I will include are number matching
puzzles, number counting mats, pattern mats, and a pie number matching game. The number matching
puzzles will have thanksgiving pictures on one piece, and the matching piece will have a corresponding
number. The number sorting mats will have a picture of a featherless turkey on it with a number on the
turkey. The children will have to match the number of feathers with the number that is on the turkey.
The pattern mats will have a few patterns on them using thanksgiving pictures. The children will have to
complete the pattern with the correct thanksgiving picture. The pie number matching game is similar to
the number sorting mats. There will be pieces of pie with a number written on them. The children will
have to place that many cotton balls (whipped cream) on top of the pieces of pie. All of these activities
will help to enhance the children’s ability to identify numbers.

Science Center

In the science center, I will include materials that correspond to the monthly theme and that will
enhance the children’s ability to explore their surroundings and observe their environment. Some of the
materials that I will include are sensory buckets, pumpkins, pinecones, corn, kernels, scales, magnifying

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

glasses, tweezers, and pumpkin scented playdough. The sensory buckets will include feathers, corn
kernels, acorns, and small pumpkins. The children will be able to feel the different items and describe
their textures. The scales will be used for the children to explore the idea of weight. They will be able to
place the different sensory bucket items in the scales to see what items weigh more or less than the
others. The magnifying glasses and tweezers will be used for the children to observe the sensory bucket
items. The pumpkin playdough will allow the children to use their sense of smell and to use their sense
of touch. The children will describe how the playdough smells and feels. All of these materials will help
to enhance the children’s ability to observe and describe their environment.

Dramatic Play Center

In the dramatic play center, I will include materials that correspond to the monthly theme and
that will enhance the children’s ability to use their imaginations. Some of the materials that I will include
are farmer dress up clothes, scarecrow dress up clothes, bakery dress up clothes, felt ingredients to
make pies, scarecrow masks, and turkey masks. The dress up clothes will allow the children to pretend
they are farming for thanksgiving, scaring away crows from their crops, and baking pies for thanksgiving.
The felt ingredients to make pies will allow children to imagine that they are actually baking pies,
because the ingredients will come with a recipe as well. The pie-making will also help the children to
practice following directions and following a recipe. The recipe will be made up of numbers and pictures,
so the children can understand what the recipes entail. The scarecrow masks and turkey masks will
allow the children to pretend that they are scarecrows and turkeys around thanksgiving time. All of
these materials will help to enhance the children’s imaginations and creativity.

Parent Event

I will invite the parents to an event where we will create “I am Thankful For” crafts. The children
and their families will create a craft together that tells what they are thankful for. After the crafts are
completed, each child will share their craft with the rest of the class and their families. When everyone
is done sharing, we will enjoy thanksgiving themed treats and we will teach the parents our thanksgiving
songs. The parent event will take place during the day and parents can come and go as they please.

Guest Speaker

I will invite a guest speaker in to talk to the students. The guest speaker that I will invite will be a
baker. The baker will read a story about pumpkin pie, then the baker will teach the students how to
make a pumpkin pie. The children will be able to help the baker make a pumpkin pie, then we will enjoy
pumpkin pie for snack (baker will bring pumpkin pie, we will not bake the pie that we make at school)

Field Trip

For our fieldtrip, I will take the children outside of the daycare to go on a “Turkey Hunt.” I will
hide foam turkeys and feathers around the playground and blacktop area for the children to look for.
Each child will have to find one turkey and one turkey feather. After each child has found one of each
item, we will go inside and decorate our turkeys. We will draw faces on them and give them names.
Then, the turkeys that were found on our turkey hunt will be used to play with in the dramatic play area.
This fieldtrip will help children understand that turkeys are wild animals, and in order for us to eat them
on thanksgiving, hunters must go on Turkey hunts to find them.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

 Summary of 2 weeks Project Plan
Project Title: Thanksgiving
Name of the School: The Growing Tree University Supervisor: Susan Harlan

Name: Rebecca Gober

Week 1
Day Description of the Activity Responsibility
Partner 1
Monday Language Arts (Song), Science Bring materials, teach
Tuesday Math (Number Sense) Bring materials, teach
Wednesday Language Arts (Prewriting) Bring materials, teach
Thursday Technology Bring materials, teach
Friday Math (Counting) Bring materials

Week 2
Day Description of the Activity Responsibility
Partner 1
Monday Art (Painting and Gluing) Bring materials, teach
Tuesday Language Arts (Read Aloud) Bring materials, teach
Wednesday Guest Speaker Bring materials
Thursday Physical Education Bring materials, teach
Friday Field Trip Bring materials

***Parent event took place on Nov 21st (Thanksgiving Feast)***

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

 Evaluating the Project:
Learning How to Do It Better

1. Review the project. What have you learned about topic selection? Was this
a good topic? Why did it work or not work for children’s investigation?

I learned that it is very important for teachers to select topics based off of the interest of the
children, rather than what the teacher thinks the children should learn. If the teacher bases the
topic off of the children’s interests, the children will be more likely to be engaged in the lessons.
I think this was a good topic for the children because it is a well-known holiday, and it is not a
very challenging topic. I think it did work for children’s investigation because all of the children
have different Thanksgiving traditions and plans, and children love to talk about their traditions
and plans. This topic kept the children interested and engaged.

2. Did children gain the content knowledge and skills that you hoped they would?

The children did gain most of the content knowledge and skills that I hoped they would. The
only knowledge I do not think they fully gained was the objectives of the science activity. They
were a able to observe the corn and tell if it sprouted or not, but they were not able to realize
why the corn in the sunlight grew, but the corn without sunlight did not. Other than that, they
achieved the objectives of the other lessons.

3. What did you learn from your project?

I learned that it is important to base lessons off of the children’s interest. If the children are not
interested in the lesson, they will not be engaged and they will not gain from the experience. I
also learned that not all lessons will work the way you plan, so you need to learn how to
improvise. If a lesson does not go as planned, that does not mean that you failed. It just means
that the activity needs to be adjusted.

4. What would you do differently in the next project?

If I were to do a project like this again, I wouldn’t wait until the last minute to plan my lessons. I
would be sure to observe the children and talk with the children to find out what their interests
are and what their strengths and weaknesses are. I would also ask my host teacher for
suggestions if I were to do this project again.

5. What suggestions do you have for other teachers working with the same age group or
topic?

I suggest that they do not wait until the last minute to write their lesson plans and to make sure
they find out about the children’s interests. I suggest that they also talk with their host teacher
to find out information about the children as well.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

Final Thought: Write a final narrative on this project. Was this project an
engaged learning experience for you and your children? What might you have done differently
to increase engagement?

This project was an engaged learning experience for both me and my children. During
my visits prior to two weeks in the field, I observed that the children do not do many hands-on
activities that align with the monthly topic. Many of the activities that align with the monthly
topic are crafts and songs. Other than that, the topic was not evident. I believe that my project
allowed the children to explore more hands-on lessons, without the children realizing that they
were being taught. Most of these activities were very simple, but the children loved doing
them.
If I were to do a project like this again, I would allow for more independent exploration.
A lot of my lessons were teacher-directed, rather than being open-ended. If the lessons were
more open ended, the children would be able to express their individual creativity and the
lessons would feel less formal. It is important to allow the children to explore their environment
because that is how learning takes place.

Closing thoughts:
Evaluate Engagement in Learning
Apply the concepts of engaged learning to your project:

1. Did the children take responsibility for their own work or activity?
☐ Did they show that they have a voice in what they study?
YES. They told me what they liked and what they didn’t like.
☐ Did they take charge of the learning experience and explain or show the teacher what they
wanted to do?
NO. They followed the example that I showed them and did not try to individualize it.
2. Were children absorbed and engrossed in their work?
☐ Did they find satisfaction and pleasure in their work?
YES. They were engaged and they enjoyed the activities.
☐ Were they developing a taste for solving problems and understanding ideas or concepts?
YES. They began to show more understanding for different concepts.
3. Were children strategic learners?
☐ Were they developing problem-solving strategies and skills?
YES. The math centers and the math lessons helped the children to develop problem
solving strategies.
☐ Did they apply what they learned in one experience to a similar experience?
YES. They connected similar lessons and continued using what they learned in different
activities.
4. Were the children becoming increasingly collaborative?
☐ Did they work with other children?
YES. My class loved to work together.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

☐ Could they talk about their ideas to others?
YES. They like to talk about themselves and their experiences. They love to hear the
other children’s ideas as well.
☐ Were they fair-minded in dealing with those who disagreed with them?
NO. If a child disagreed with another child, they would argue and the disagreement
would have to be settled with the help of an adult.
☐ Did they offer each other support, suggestions, and encouragement?
YES. They did offer encouragement and compliments to each other. They liked to
complement each other’s work.
☐ Did they recognize their strengths and the strengths of others?
NO. In order for the children to recognize their strengths, they had to be praised or
complemented by an adult or another child.
5. Were tasks in the projects challenging and integrative?
☐ Were they complex, requiring sustained amounts of time over days or even weeks?
YES. Some of the activities took place over the whole two week period.
☐ Did tasks require children to stretch their thinking and social skills in order to be successful?
YES. The tasks required the children to communicate with others and to think about
new concepts in order to be successful.
☐ Were children learning how literacy, math, science, and communication skills are helpful?
YES. Towards the end of the two week period, the children were beginning to
incorporate new skills into everyday activities.
☐ Were all children encouraged to ask hard questions, to define problems, and to take part in
conversations?
YES. I made sure to have a conversation about the topic before starting each lesson, in
order to give the children something to think about first.
6. Is children’s work from the project being used to assess their learning?
☐ Is there documentation of how children constructed knowledge and created artifacts to
represent their learning?
YES. I took pictures of every lesson, and I took notes during most lessons.
☐ Is there documentation of achievement of the goals of the curriculum?
YES. I took notes during and after most lessons.
☐ Does the documentation include individual and group eff orts?
YES. There are pictures of individual children and groups as a whole.
☐ Does the documentation make visible children’s dispositions in the project such as to solve
problems, to ask questions, and so forth?
YES. My notes include questions from the children and different efforts they made to
solve problems.
☐ Does the documentation include drafts as well as final products?
YES. For the activities that were prolonged, there are pictures of the different steps.
☐ Were children involved in the documentation process and encouraged to reflect on the
documentation?
YES. I asked the children what they liked and didn’t like about each activity.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University

☐ Were children encouraged to generate criteria, such as what makes a good observational
drawing or a good question?
NO. I tried to ask them questions in order to form criteria, but they did not understand
what I was asking.

Nurun Begum, East Stroudsburg University