Session 2
1. Session 2
1.6. Learning Activity 3
Session 2: Intellectual Development
Learning Activity 3: Children Learn as They Explore
Focus
When child care providers take time to analyze how the environment can encourage children’s intellectual development, they are better able to create environments in which children have lots of opportunities to learn.
Directions
Step 1: Review Exploring Environment: A Way to Learn.
Step 2: Complete Part 1 of Learning Activity 3: Children Learn as They Explore.
Step 3: If you have never read Bartholomew and the Oobleck, by Dr. Seuss, obtain a copy of the book and read the story, or read an overview of the story on the Internet.
Step 4: Do an Internet search using the terms “oobleck + Dr. Seuss + science experiment.” Find a recipe for making Dr. Seuss’ Oobleck, otherwise known as goop.
Important: There are lots of recipes for goop. It doesn’t matter whether you use a recipe based on cornstarch, a recipe based on white glue and borax, or some other recipe. You might even decide to try several recipes.
Step 5: Gather the ingredients, find an area in which you can get messy, and make goop.
Step 6: As you interact with the goop, imagine activities you could do with the goop with children in a child care centre, and then consider how these activities could promote children’s intellectual development.
Important: In Step 6, think about how you might incorporate Dr. Seuss’ story into your goop activities. Don’t forget to think about how the book could also be incorporated into activities.
Step 7: Discuss Step 6 with a partner. Together, complete Part 2 of the activity sheet you already started, Children Learn as They Explore.
Step 8: Review the Student Rubric for Learning Activity 2: Many Ways Children Learn and for Learning Activity 3: Children Learn as They Explore. Assess your work from both activities together and make any necessary adjustments.
Checking In
Save your completed learning activity and your self-assessment in the appropriate sub-folder of your course folder.