Gwynedd-Mercy University

School of Education
Valuing Diversity ~ Deepening Community
Name:Deborah R Givens

Date:October 12, 2015

School:Easter Seals Towamencin

Grade/Topic:Pre-K/Art

STANDARDS: PDE ELS: Creative Thinking and Expression: Communicating

Through the Arts
9.1C Production and Performance: Visual Arts
PDE ELS: Health, Wellness and Physical Development: Learning
About My Body
10.5 Concepts, Principles and Strategies of Movement:
Fine Motor Development
PDE ELS: Approaches to Learning Through Play: Constructing,
Organizing and Applying Knowledge
15.1 Constructing and Gathering Knowledge
15.2.1 Organizing and Understanding Informaiton
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATION: The students will create play dough and will use
hands, fingers and wrists to manipulate cookie cutters to create fall shapes and will
identify shapes by using, sorting, and matching activities.
I.

PLANNING AND PREPARATION:

1.

Briefly describe the students in your class, including those with special
needs; explain how you will meet the needs of the learners.
The class consists of seven pre-school students, one girl and six boys, all
of whom have IEPs. Four students are diagnosed with Autism, one with
Fragile X Syndrome, and the other students are classified with a diagnosis
of PDD-NOS.
During the lesson, I will address various learning styles while the students
create play dough from raw ingredients, create fall shapes, identify, sort
and match the shapes.

Visual learners will observe modeling by teachers and peers.

Auditory learners will hear instructions for each activity and will listen
to the names of each fall item.
Kinesthetic and tactile learners will be engaged when they create the
play dough and produce fall shapes.

2.

What are your expectations for this lesson? What do you want the students
to learn and be able to do with the knowledge?
The students will learn to combine and mix ingredients to create a finished
product, play dough. The students will manipulate the play dough for
tactile exploration and will create the fall shapes by using pre-selected
cookie cutters. We will identify the name of each shape as the students
create their products. After the shapes are created, they will sort the
shapes and practice matching them to a corresponding shape mat.
Students are to learn how to combine ingredients to create another
substance, play dough. They are to use their motor skills in this lesson and
explore by utilizing tactile hands-on experiments. They are to learn the
names of autumn shapes, such as a pumpkin, and will attempt to sort and
match three shapes on a corresponding mat. This knowledge will enhance
their educational experience and improve their motor skill abilities.

3.

Why are these expectations suitable for these students?

The students will utilize their fine motor skills while developing strength,
coordination and muscle control as they combine ingredients and mix the
play dough. They will use four senses (sight, hearing, smell and touch) as
they create and manipulate the play dough. They will use the materials to
create representative objects (pumpkins). They will use cognitive skills of
deductive reasoning when they sort and match the shapes.
These skill sets are listed in the students IEP goals and necessary for
personal and academic growth and development.

4.

How do these expectations support the school districts curriculum, state

standards, and content standards?
These standards are supported by the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for
Early Childhood.
PA Academic Standards for Art
9.1.c.2 Construction
PA Academic Standards for Health, Wellness and Physical Development
10.5.1 Strength, Coordination and Muscle Control
PA Academic Standards for Approaches to Learning Through Play
15.1.3 Stages of Play
15.2.1 Engagement Attention and Persistence
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5.

=rplain the psychological principles/theories you used in constructing this

lesson.
I have selected Bruners Three Modes of Representation for this lesson
because he proposes education should also develop symbolic thinking
in children. I feel this occurs when the student will make the mental
connection between the symbolic shape of a play dough pumpkin versus
the shape of an actual pumpkin.
As noted at simplypsychology.org, in Bruners constructivist theory, my
student would fall in the iconic stage where his learning would be visual.
Brunner believed that information acquired is stored in a form of images.
Brunner also stresses the need for language skills, where the use of words
allows the student to have flexible cognition promoting the
acquisition of abstract concepts.
Lastly, he believed, a child (of any age) is capable of understanding
complex information. I believe this ties into my lesson, as my student is
capable of learning and he will acquire skills needed to process complex
information. (http://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html?
PageSpeed=noscript)
The National Autistic Society created a framework, SPELL for students
with Autism and I will address part of the structure in my lesson.
Ensure all planned activities are achievable. Explain tasks in small
manageable chunks with a clear start and end point.
I will meet this goal by using constructivist educational theory in using
scaffolding. I will activate the students prior knowledge by first
reminding students they have recently created play dough with their
teacher, introduce our lesson where I will model the skill/activity and
finally observe the student complete the skill on their own with little to no
support.
(http://autismeducationtrust.org.uk/resources/teachers%20guide.aspx)

II.

CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT:
6.

7.

Describe the effective classroom routines and procedures resulting in little

or no loss of instructional time.

All materials will be prepared and stored in separate activity

containers.

The students will sit and work at the table, minimizing potential
distractions.

The aides will distribute the materials to the students and they will
help them create the project.

Unnecessary materials will be clear from the working area and the
student will only be presented with pertinent materials for each
activity.

Students will be monitored and given positive feedback on their

efforts, thus keeping students engaged and on task.

Identify what you will do to set clear standards of conduct and behavior
management of student behavior.
The students will be reminded they are to sit in their seats.
The students will be rewarded with positive feedback and offered a
reinforcement item if necessary.
If inappropriate behavior occurs, the student will be consistently
redirected.

8.

Identify what you will do to establish expectations for student

achievement.
The students will work at the table with assistance from aides. They are
expected to sit and participate in all art activities, and as such, they should
understand this expectation. I will reward the student for good behavior by
using positive reinforcers.
The students will sustain focus on the project by working in an uncluttered
environment. I will ensure that at each stage of the project only the
current materials will be displayed on the table.

III.

INSTRUCTION:
9.

What will you do to motivate students?

I will use actual pumpkins in the classroom to enhance the association
between the abstract and reality.
Look what is here in the classroomits a pumpkin! Pumpkins come in
different colors and today we will make our own pumpkins.

10.

What will you do to activate prior knowledge?

I will remind them they took a trip to Merry Mead Farm and collected
pumpkins last week. I will remind them that they made play dough with
their teacher as well.

11.

Materials in detail.

12.

Pumpkins for display

Pumpkin cookie cutters
Plastic containers with premixed ingredients
Bottles of water
Measuring cups
Bowl with extra flour
Large spoons
Kool aid
Sprinkles
Laminated pumpkin mats
Plastic storage bags
Formal assessment check list
Clip board

How do you plan to engage students in the content? What will you do?
What will students do?
Part I
1. I will begin the lesson by reminding the students,Last week you took
a trip to Merry Mead Farm and collected pumpkins just like these. You
made play dough with Mrs. Riley before and today we will be making
our own play dough pumpkins.
2. Each aide will work with small groups of two or three students and
this will be prearranged. The students will help each other when they
create the play dough.

3. I will explain, We will add one cup of water into our containers. Next
use the spoon to mix it together. If the ball of dough is too sticky, you
may add extra flour.
4. I will distribute the plastic bins and pull out the jugs of water and
measuring cups.
5. Once the play dough is created, I will remind the aides that each
student may select a color of Kool Aid to add into their play dough
mixture.
6. The play dough will be placed on the table and the containers and
spoons will be removed from the work surface.
7. The students will flatten the play dough with their hands.
8. The students will select a pumpkin cookie cutter shape and will cut out
play dough pumpkins.
9. Each student should create one of each type of pumpkin shape.
10. The students may use sprinkles to decorate their pumpkins.
11. The students will be asked if they can match their pumpkins to the
laminated pumpkin mat provided.
12. I will model the matching procedure and will have a completed
example for the visual learners.
13. I will remind students they are creating play dough pumpkins and they
are images of the real pumpkins on our table.
14. I will distribute plastic bags, pre-labeled with their names, for the play
dough pumpkins.
15. The students will place their play dough in the bags and I ask an aide
to collect them.
16. I will congratulate the students on their effort.
17. I will announce the next activity.
18. The play dough bags and a note will be sent home with the student for
future use.

13.

Describe the use of questioning and discussion strategies that will

encourage students to participate in class.
I will use the mode of questioning as noted in the IEP, What is this?
when questioning students. The students will work in pairs or small
groups to ensure they share the experience by learning and exploring
together. I will describe the items we are creating and will review the
difference between actual and abstract pumpkins.

14.

What difficulties do students typically experience in this area, and how do

you plan to adapt/modify to meet their needs?
I expect this lesson may need to be modified when delivered due to the
needs of the student. Autistic students need extra supports with behavior
and I am planning to have reinforcers available to redirect any behavioral
issues. If a student completes their work early, they may create and
decorate additional shapes.

15.

Identify what informal and/or formal assessments you will use to monitor
student learning.
I will be informally assessing the student when he activates prior
knowledge during the matching and sorting activity.
Formal assessment will occur as I complete a checklist of skills scoring
attention, engagement and persistence. Students will be evaluated to note
if they were able to complete the step by step instructions independently or
if they needed assistance.
Formal assessment will occur when I observe the matching activity, noting
if the student has matched the correct shapes with the laminated sheet.

16.

What will you do to bring closure to the lesson?

I will remind the students they have created play dough pumpkins today
and how they look similar to the real ones. I will praise their efforts with
positive feedback and will transition them to the next activity.

IV. PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

17.

Identify Easter Seals policies regarding staff attendance and punctuality

on the job.
Attendance
If there is an absence or tardiness from work, it is your responsibility to
notify your supervisor prior to your start time. You are to make every
effort to directly contact your supervisor. Tardiness occurs when one
arrives ten minutes later than their start time.
If you are to be absent for any period of time in excess of five days you
will need a note from your physician. An absence (multiple consecutive
days) counts as one occurrence. If you fail to report to work for a period of
time in excess of three business days, the Agency considers you have
terminated your employment. The only exception to the rule is if there is
an unexpected accident, emergency or pre-approved absence (FMLA).
There is a tier chart listing absence/tardiness occurrences in a six-month
period where verbal warning, written warnings and termination is
documented.

18.

Identify Easter Seals plan for professional development.

Job related seminars, workshops and training conferences are offered to
the staff. Subject to funding, many of these programs will be preapproved for payment for full or part-time employees who work 900 hours
or more. Many programs are available, not only ones that are directly
required. Attendees are strongly encouraged to share their acquired
knowledge with their department/division and this may determine
eligibility.

19.

Describe what you have done to effectively communicate, both orally and
in writing, with your cooperating teacher, administrative staff, supportive
staff, students and parents.
My first contact with my cooperating teacher was by telephone, due to an
unexpected illness. I have exchanged emails communications with her.
I have had oral conversations with the teacher and her staff members.
They have been welcoming and helpful, as I have become aquatinted with
the program and the students. The staff members have shared personal
experiences both professional and personal, as we have spent time before
and after work getting to know each other.

Engaging with the students has been most enjoyable and I look forward to
my time with them. I try to physically move to their level to establish eye
contact and bond with them during paring activities.
I created a short introductory letter for parents and this was distributed on
my first day of class.
20.

Identify what you have done to participate in and support school building
or district projects and or/ events.
I have not been involved with any event as of yet, however, I volunteered
to be available for the Halloween parade and the trip to the pumpkin patch
if they need extra help with the students. I have not been advised of any
future events as of yet, but I will check with the teacher this week.

CITATIONS
A Guide for Teachers." Http://autismeducationtrust.org.uk/resources/teachers
%20guide.aspx. N.p., n.d. Web.
McLeod, S. A. (2008). Bruner. Retrieved from www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html

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