Teacher: Coriel Gaffney

Age Group: Preschool- 2s/3s

School: Joybird Brooklyn

Title of the Lesson: Tracing & Making Tracks in the Snow in the Great Outdoors

Brief Description of the Lesson: In this lesson, we will continue to discuss winter-- the
third season in our four seasons unit. We will review the book we read previously, Tracks
in the Snow and the artwork we created in response and then we will take our learning
outside, where we will make our own tracks in the snow and investigate others tracks.
Note: This activity can only be completed in wintertime, and if there are a few inches of
snow on the ground.

Developmental Focus: Cognitive development, language, communication and literacy,

gross motor skills, fine motor skills, social/emotional development, approaches to learning

Objective(s): Children will recall the themes in the book Tracks in the Snow and continue
to explore the weather patterns-- i.e. snow-- that accompany winter. Children will consider
the malleability of snow and bear witness to their own tracks and the tracks made by others,
further enhancing their ability to order, think scientifically and work independently as well
as collaboratively. We will bring back a pail full of snow to see what happens to it (see
extension activities) and discuss at length what we saw outside.

Learning Activity Plan for Infants and Toddlers

Connection to Standards (if applicable): This lesson addresses the NYS Early Learning
Guidelines to promote positive outcomes in:
Domain I- Physical Well-Being, Health and Motor Development
-Gross Motor: Walks in a straight line, walks backwards, walks and runs and navigates
obstacles.
-Sensorimotor: Physically reacts appropriately to the environment, demonstrates awareness
of body in space, demonstrates concepts through movement.
Domain II- Social/Emotional Development
-Interaction with Peers: Show enjoyment working with peers. Show enthusiasm about the
company of other children. Plays side by side for some time. Cooperates with other
children.
-Self-concept: Abilities and Preferences: Engages in individual activities/play for brief
periods. Shows pride in achievements/accomplishments.
-Adaptive Social Behavior, Diverse Settings: Adjusts behavior to different settings (e.g.
indoor, outdoor)
Domain III- Approaches to Learning
-Curiosity and Interest: Investigates and experiments with materials.
-Persistence and Attentiveness: Completes projects. Remains engaged for 5 to 10 minutes.
-Scientific Thinking: Observes and manipulates materials to identify similarities and
differences.
-Reflection and Interpretation: Tells others what happened, describes events in the past.
Domain IV- Cognition and General Knowledge
-Critical and Analytic Thinking: Shows understanding of concepts of same and different.
Compares experiences with adult assistance. Uses actions or words to justify choices.
-Comprehension: Responds to questions with verbal answers or gestures. Extends/expands
the thought or idea expressed by another. Engages in conversation that develops a thought
or idea.
Domain V- Language, Communication, and Literacy
-Expressive Vocabulary: Uses new vocabulary in spontaneous speech. Pays attention to
speaker during conversation. Takes turns during group conversations/discussions, usually.

Relevance/Rationale As a result of this learning activity, children will better understand

the weather patterns of the four seasons and specifically winter, the third season we are
exploring. They will further explore the concepts of snow and footprints/tracks and build on
their understanding that we leave our own specific mark when we move through malleable
materials like snow. They will enhance their scientific thinking by being observant and
categorizing what we find outside. They will deepen and indulge their curiosity about the
world around them.

Time Needed: 40 minutes

Instructional Context This activity involves a whole group learning experience.

Procedure:
The children will gather for circle time at the sound of the singing bowl.
We will sing our daily morning song and then review what we talked about
yesterday.
I will hold up Tracks in the Snow and point out their drawings and playdough
impressions, displayed around the room at eye level, and we will recall the
themes we have been exploring together.
Questions and comments of all kinds will be welcome.
I will then collect the childrens outdoor clothing and help them get dressed for an
outdoor adventure.
I will briefly explain the outdoor activity-- we will be detectives outside looking
for tracks in the snow and noticing our own-- before asking them to form two
lines next to a buddy at the door. I will help them with that task. (Parent
chaperones will join us and will be arranged along the line as well.)
I will tell them we will walk down the block and then try to walk all the way back
to Joybird without making new footprints in the snow.
I will observe how the students meet that challenge, allowing silliness and play
and innovation. I will ask them questions when we return: Did you try to step in
the same tracks backwards? Was it hard? Did you make new tracks? How were
they different?
Then we will walk all the way around the block looking for tracks already made--
for example by a dog, pigeon, stroller or other people-- stopping to observe what
we see: how, if and where the tracks end and whether they are big or small, etc.
If we have access to magnifying glasses, we will use them to look more closely at
what we see.
Finally, if there is an open park or playground space within a block or two, we
will go there so the students can play in the snow. Well suggest they make snow
angels and see how their tracks change when they are running or walking or
skipping, etc.
At the end of our walk, we will collect snow in a pail to bring inside. I will ask
them what they think will happen to it. (See the extension activity for ideas on
where this lesson could go.)
Upon return, I will ask the students to recount what they saw in a big group. (See
 the extension activities for what could follow.)

Resources/Materials Needed: The book Tracks in the Snow, the artwork and playdough
from lesson two, warm clothes and snowboots for each child, a pail and, if possible,
magnifying glasses.

Room modifications: A carpet for circle time. Otherwise, well be outside so easy access
to the door!

Plan for differentiated instruction/Instructional modifications: Ensure that the path you
choose for the field trip is accessible to all children. Invite children in wheelchairs to
observe their own tracks in the snow as well, and to try to retrace the grooves they create.
Use inclusive language (not only footsteps). Ensure that all children are able to join in and
to enjoy the outdoor activity and check in periodically with each one to remove any barriers
to their learning. If you choose to do the extension activities, you can offer them a choice of
materials to recreate the experience visually to appeal to different learning styles.

Method of assessing childrens growth and learning Observe the students closely during
the opening and closing discussions and outdoor adventure, watching to see if and how they
are participating. Observe their process and listen closely to how they are moving around
and processing the information verbally. Ask them process-oriented questions to encourage
critical thinking.

Follow-up/Extension Activities:
-Continue to offer the children the opportunity to leaf through the book Tracks in the Snow
independently, leaving it out during open play and calling attention to it. This allows them
to recall its content and reinforces its themes.
-Continue to display their artwork at their eye level so they continue to think about the
concepts.
-Leave the pail of snow you collected at the science station so they can check on it
periodically throughout the afternoon. Leave it there overnight and ask them to describe
what happened to it the next morning.
-Have them recreate their experience outdoors through art (drawing or painting), blocks
(recreating the cityscape around them), playdough (perhaps making models of the footprints
they saw again with those same toy animals) and any other available manipulatives.
-Invite them to make handprints with paint and to think about the shapes and patterns on
other parts of their bodies.
-Bring in three trays-- one with ice cubes, one with icicles and one with snow-- and have
them observe which melts first and think about why.
-Bring in a snow and ice table (like a water table) for exploration. Offer them gloves to
keep their hands warm and droppers, funnels and other materials to try to melt the ice and
make imprints in the snow.