Physical Environment Observation

1. School: Acelero Learning (Cecile Walnut Development Center).

Phone: 702-799-3910

2. Teacher: Veronica Benavidez

Age/ Grade Level: 3-5 years old/ Pre-school

3. Number of children enrolled in the class: 9

4. List of the centers and the number of children each center can accommodate:

1. Library (two children can play)

2. Block Area (four children can play)

3. Dramatic Area (four children can play)

4. Science Area (two kids can play).

5. Toys and Games center (four children can play)

6. Music and Movement center (two children can play)

7. Art center (four children can play)

8. Writing Center (two children can play)

9. Computer center (one child can play)

5. Floor Plan

(There were two shelfs for art area and toys and games center that kids could grab the toys from
the table and take them to the tables and play. One table was for art and one table was for Toys
and games)

6. * Arrangement of Physical Space:

- Quiet and noisy play areas are all separated from one another.

- Popular centers have enough space

* Learning Materials, Equipment and furniture:

- Routine care furniture are easy to use.

- Furniture designed for a specific activity.

- Furniture are clean and in a good repair.

* Storage of Material and Equipment:

- Using of ample and varied equipment

* Other Elements of Physical Environment:

- Natural light is used can be controlled: Not Present.

- Durability of indoor surfaces

7.

* Arrangement of Physical Space:

- Quiet and noisy play areas are all separated from one another, not just by furniture but by
physical space: Not Presented

- Popular centers have enough space: centers requiring more space (block, dramatic play, very
popular or active play) have sufficient space to accommodate the type of play required and the
number of children who want to participate.

* Learning Materials, Equipment and furniture:

- Routine care furniture are easy to use: routine care furniture are convenient to use (Ex: cubbies
and shelfs and accessible without leaving room.)

- Furniture designed for a specific activity: three or more pieces of furniture designed for a
specific activity are used.

- Furniture are clean and in a good repair: all furniture are clean and in a good repair (Ex: no
tears in soft furnishing that expose padding; all surfaces clean and well-maintained)

* Storage of Material and Equipment:

- Using of ample and varied equipment: use of ample and varied equipment is observed. (Ex: no
waiting to use popular equipment, different skills encouraged by equipment.)

* Other Elements of Physical Environment:

- Natural light can be controlled: Not Present.

- Durability of indoor surfaces: Most indoor surfaces are durable and easy to clean and maintain.

8. As I observed the centers were named in both Spanish and English. The important
vocabularies are translated in Spanish as well. In the library children could find multicultural
books that some of them were in Spanish and English both. In Dramatic area children could find
multicultural foods and clothes and dolls. And as I saw all material tags were in Spanish and
English both.

9. a) As I observed children during choice time or play time knew the centers. They had their
own name tags that they should put them on the specific area to play. When they saw that a
center was full and there was no place to put their name tags, they were going to another center.
Sometimes if a child really wanted to play in a center that was full, for example computer center,
the teacher was using a timer to solve that problem. All the materials in the shelfs or at the
library were accessible for the children and they could grab them by themselves. They knew that
if they want to play with toys and games materials or use art materials they have to take them to
the specific table.

b) My evaluation for this part from 1-5 is number 5. As I observed all materials were accessible
for the children, the chairs and tables that they use were in the appropriate size for children. They
knew about the number of children that can play in each center so in the centers were enough
space for playing. As I observed before choice or play time they had play planning, so most of
them knew that where they wanted to play, with who and what they wanted to do. For the
children that still they didn’t know where they want to play the teacher guided them to the
centers that have enough space for them based on their interests. They could grab each toy they
wanted with their friends and go the table, choose the sits together and play. As I saw, in all
centers they have enough space to play. In such a environment they could improve their social
skills very well.

10. a) My rating scale is number 4.

b) Based on what I observed and the checklist that I made, the weaknesses of this class room
were that this classroom was so small and they don’t have enough space to separate noisy and
quiet space by physical space. Another thing was they just have some natural lightening through
windows and there were not enough windows or natural light and the room looked a little bit
dark. On the other hand, they have a lot of strengths. The materials in all centers were enough
and accessible and children could use them easily so they could improve their social and
cognitive skills very well. All furniture were clean and well-maintained and routine furniture
care convenient use. In the centers they had enough space and different skills encouraged by the
variety of equipment.

c) I think the only thing that they can improve in this class was separating noisy and quiet centers
physically, by moving the centers. For example they could library and science area or writing
center together and keep them separate from dramatic and block area which are noisy.