Lesson Planning Form

Name of Activity – stacking cups and building towers

Originating Idea
I have noticed the children have been trying to play the cups game with some of the cups
in the house area.
Curriculum Area
Choose 1:
(Highlight one of the Categories)
Approaches to learning
Social and emotional development
Physical development and health
Language, literacy, and communication
Mathematics
Creative arts
Science and technology
Social Studies
KDIs – # 49. Drawing conclusions: Children draw conclusions based on their experiences and
observations.

Materials
Plastic disposable cups, Legos, tables

Appropriate Age group

Pre-K children – ages 4 and 5

Beginning of Activity
Opening statement
Today we are going to have a little competition to see which group can build their tower faster or
taller. One group will build with cups and you have to stack them like this (show stacking in a
triangle way) and the other group will use Legos.
Divide the class into 2 groups. One that will stack the cups and the other that will build the tower
with Legos. After we are finished making our towers we will come back together and see which
group made theirs taller or faster. You have 5 minutes, go!
Middle of Activity – (what will the children be doing/saying – how will you transition from
the teaching to the children doing – should read like a script but can be brief)
Early Extension:
After building their tower the child might not conclude correctly which material was
faster. The teacher can ask questions like “Was it easy for you to stack your materials to
make a tower?” “What material did you use?”
Middle:
Ask the children which material made it faster to build? They will come to the conclusion
that Legos were faster. Why was it faster for the group with the Legos?

Later Extension:
Ask the children which material made it faster to build? They will come to the conclusion
that Legos were faster. Why was it faster for the group with the Legos? The children
might predict why it is easier for the Legos to be built or faster. The children might also
suggest other materials that would be good for making towers quickly or tall. Ask the
children what materials would be hard to build a tower with.

End of Activity
Now that we have made our predictions who can predict what comes next in our daily routine?

Follow-up Ideas -
Repeat the activity and have the children switch which material they have to stack with.

Throughout the day ask children questions that could help them predict things. Like “Who do
you think will pick you up from school today?” “What do you think you will eat for dinner?”
“Why does that ball not bounce very well or high?”