EDUC 1092: LESSON PLAN Template

General Information
Instructor: Lesson: Loose Parts
Holly Orr
Time (length): 30 minutes
Course: Play

Next Lesson (topic):

Learning Module/Unit: Creating Invitations for Learning
The Value of Open-Ended Play
Student Profile: Mature students, most who have children of their
own.

Safety Notes: N/A

Lesson Focus
Learning Goal:

The students will learn the definition of loose parts, their potential
play value, and how to incorporate open-ended, loose part play
experiences into the lives of children.

Specific Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. Identify open-end materials to be used as loose parts
2. Categorize loose parts into developmentally appropriate
groupings (infant, preschool, school-age).
3. Integrate materials with props to create an open-ended play
experience.

Rationale:

Children learn best through open-ended play experiences. Early

childhood educators, parents and caregivers need an understanding of
what these experiences look like and how to implement them in
developmentally appropriate ways.

Required Materials
Handout: Loose Parts
Computer/data projector/clicker
Table
Smart phone or iPad for taking video
Variety of loose parts:
- Poker chips, sticks, stones, perm rods, dehydrated orange slices,

Please delete the red text with the prompts

 Pinecones, buttons, rocks, gems, toothpicks, fabric, cardboard
tubes and pieces, canning rings and lids, plastic lids, pipe
cleaners, straws, golf tees, hooks, connectors, paper, wooden
rings baskets and trays for display
- Loose parts props such as candle holder, mirrors, picture frames,
salad tongs, tree slices, placemats

Presentation Materials:
PowerPoint
Handout
Variety of loose parts (listed above)

Resources: Books : Loose Parts - Inspiring Play in Young Children

Loose Parts 2 – Inspiring Play with Infants and
Toddlers, Lisa Daly & Miriam Beloglovesky
PowerPoint
Handout – Loose Parts

Technology: Computer with data projector

Cell phones or other devices to record video

Lesson Outline
Guiding Questions:

Why is it important for a child to nourish right-brained skills?

What did you play with as a child that wasn’t a toy?
How many uses can you come up with for….(item)?
What skills would children learn from using these items?

Focusing Event:

How many of you feel like you’re a creative person? Let’s test that
theory!

I will ask each student to pull out a piece of scrap paper. We will go

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around the room and see how many noises we can make using just the
piece of paper.

Lesson Activities:

Handouts on tables

- lesson on the what, why, and how of loose parts

- before we start, how many of you think you are creative, out of the
box thinkers? Test theory by having each student pull out a sheet of
scrap paper, see how many different noises we can make with the
paper

- creativity important for children to nourish Why? – reference NASA

who encourages play-based curriculum to prepare children to be
divergent and critical thinkers as adults. (uses for bubble wrap vs.
rote facts)

- How many ways can you think of to use the item on your table
(poker chips, paint sticks, yarn, perm rods, clips)

- right brain develops first, left brain around age 7, therefore

important to nourish right-brained learning. The rest will follow.

- what are loose parts? What did you play with as a child that wasn’t
a toy? Open-ended, authentic materials, not toys, found/recycled
items

- why loose parts? types, show on PowerPoint as well as samples on

table.

- which would be appropriate for what ages and why?

- open-ended, process-based, no right or wrong

** Introducing to children:
- small amounts, interesting containers, talk with children re:
expectations for care and clean up, use – do not define their purpose.

Dump a tray or basket to spark discussion of clean up techniques.

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On your own or with a partner or group, choose a loose part prop and
some loose parts that interest you, take back to your space, and
explore the possibilities.

Instructor circulates, points out schemas, takes video on time lapse to

show a way of documentation.

Time’s up! Was it enough time to explore? How much time is

enough? What skills did you learn? Talk a bit about schemas (in
handout but will be part of a future lesson)

Children need large blocks of time to fully engage and create with
materials.

What skills would you as a child develop during this play experience?

List on flipchart or whiteboard

- Talk about pairing items together, connectors

- Documenting, “saving” creations,
- Storage tips
- Where to find them
- Cleaning
- Stages – sorting, positioning, transporting, constructing

How could you incorporate loose parts within an early learning

setting?

What questions do you still have about loose parts?

What’s one way you will incorporate loose parts into your curriculum
this week?

For the next class, we’ll be using our knowledge of loose parts and
authentic materials to create “invitations for learning”. Please read
the article “Creating Invitations for Learning” by Deb Curtis and bring
in an example of a loose part that you could use with the children in
your centre.

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Guided Practice:
The students will have an opportunity to choose a loose parts prop as
well as a variety of loose parts to manipulate and investigate. Learners
will do this on independently or with a partner/group.
Instructor will circulate to take pictures/video and discuss processes
including schemas.

Lesson Closure:
What questions do you still have about loose parts?
Open-ended, process-based, child-led play.
What’s one way you will incorporate loose parts with your children this
week?

Differentiation:

I provided differentiated instruction by presenting information in a

variety of ways:
- Handouts as a source of information for those who prefer to
read
- I gave the option of letting the learners participate
independently or with a partner/group
- Props and PowerPoint pictures for visual learners
- Opportunity for hands-on manipulation of objects to encourage
problem-solving and exploration of concepts
- On-going, formative assessment (discussion – loose parts are
open-ended, process-based items with no real right/wrong uses)
- Flipped learning technique for next lesson

Evaluation:
Their learning will be assessed formatively as we discuss types of loose
parts and how they can be incorporated into our curriculum (brainstorm
ideas). The students will also experience the use of loose parts in an
authentic, hands-on manner which can then be tested in an
environment with children of any age.

Next Class
In our next class, we’ll put this information into practice as we explore
the assignment “Creating Invitations for Learning”. Please read the
article “Creating Invitations for Learning” by Deb Curtis and bring in
an example of a loose part that you could use with the children in
your centre.

Please delete the red text with the prompts