HighScope Curriculum Sample for Texas Proclamation 2021

THE HIGHSCOPE

preschool curriculum TEXAS PROCLAMATION 2021 PREVIEW KIT

Ready for school

since 1970

For 50 years we have helped children achieve school readiness in all areas of academic and social learning using the renowned HighScope approach and curriculum. We help early educators take the learning process beyond traditional academic subjects to foster child creativity, confidence, and independence to prepare children for success in school and in life. This approach to early education has been proven to achieve powerful, positive results.

Play based, child centered, and grounded in research: Take a closer look at how HighScope can help you make sure that every child enters school ready and eager to learn.

WHAT’S INSIDE? THE ESSENTIALS..........................................................................4  Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool...................................5  Key Developmental Indicator (KDI) Charts.................................18  Lesson Plans for the First 30 Days.............................................21 THE LEARNING ENVRIONMENT.................................................27  Daily Routine Cards...............................................................28  Classroom Area Signs............................................................29 INTENTIONAL PLANNING..........................................................30  150+ Activities for Active Learners...........................................31  Let's Read It Again! Interactive Read-Alouds.............................46  Launching Literacy Tool Kit.....................................................58  Letter Links: Alphabet Learning With Children's Names..............81  Big Beats.............................................................................94 CONTACT US............................................................................101

HighScope.org/Texas

Three steps to successful implementation We realize that choosing the right curriculum for your program is an important decision. This is why we’ve made it easier than ever to get started using the HighScope Curriculum.

With a simplified step-by-step approach, this collection of curriculum resources has been thoughtfully created to support early childhood educators in Texas and ensure that the transition to the HighScope Curriculum is successful and effective.

The HighScope Curriculum is filled with everything teachers love.

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THE ESSENTIALS

THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

INTENTIONAL PLANNING

Research-based curriculum resources

Engaging classroom materials and supports

Detailed activities with practical guidance

Now, your program can immediately begin creating a childcentered learning environment with a high level of engagement, exploration, and enthusiasm.

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PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

THE ESSENTIALS

Together, these curriculum resources provide the basis for understanding HighScope’s foundational principles, including active participatory learning, Plan-Do-Review®, positive adultchild interactions, and intentional teaching to guide and extend children’s individual learning throughout HighScope’s eight curriculum content areas. n

Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool

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Key Developmental Indicator (KDI) Scaffolding Charts

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Lesson Plans for the First 30 Days

Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool

Product code: P1464 Essentials is a must-have guide to everything offered by the HighScope Preschool Curriculum. It brings together the wide-ranging scope of research, teaching practices, curriculum content, and professional development that makes up the HighScope approach and presents it in a user-friendly, thought-provoking way. Whether you already use HighScope, plan to adopt the curriculum or just want information on creating successful active learning environments, turn to this book. This revised second edition presents the latest research, practices, and curriculum content. It also includes new information on how to scaffold children's learning throughout the program day.

HighScope.org

C h a p t e r

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What Is the HighScope Preschool Curriculum?

Think About It “It’s easy. Let me show you!”

You have just installed the Draw-A-Lot program on your computer. A coworker, who has used the program for a year, is eager to show you what it can do. Pulling up a chair beside you, she takes the mouse. “The templates to get you started are in this pull-down menu. I like the second and fifth ones,” she explains. She opens and closes them so quickly you barely get a look. Then she continues, “But it’s easy to design your own.

Click this command, then scoot over to this column to pick a color and a line. Jigger the texture icon into place like this, then you can also rotate or flip the image and…” Your chair has gradually been shoved to the side as your colleague sits front and center at the monitor. When she’s finished creating her “Still Life With Draw-A-Lot,” you don’t remember a thing she said. You thank her for the help, close the program, and click open Solitaire.

Early the next day, before anyone else gets to the office, you open Draw-A-Lot, click the “Get Started” tutorial, and go through it step by step.

Then you play with the program on your own. At first, your designs and colors are limited. At one point you accidentally delete the entire image, and, another time, you flip it upside down. You laugh at yourself and start over. By the time your coworkers arrive, you’ve finished a simple but colorful poster advertising the agency’s upcoming fundraiser. The colleague from yesterday stops by to admire your work. “I’m glad I was able to help you,” she says.

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We’ve all had an experience where someone has told or shown us how to do something. Usually their intent is to be helpful. Often, they know more about the subject than we do. Sometimes, in their eagerness to share, they overload us with information. But while they are active teachers, we are passive learners. As a result, we learn little or nothing. By contrast, when we have the time and materials to experiment independently, we can learn a great deal. As shown above, the best situation is when we have enough guidance to get started — whether it comes from a person or a manual — and then continue to explore on our own. Once we master the basics, we may turn back to the “expert” for advanced pointers or even share some of our own discoveries.

In the latter relationship, both the teacher and learner play an active role. And because the learner participates in the process, the lessons learned are meaningful and lasting. This shared approach to education is what HighScope is all about. In this chapter we will explore the active learning approach HighScope uses in its curriculum.

Components of the HighScope Curriculum The HighScope Preschool Curriculum is a complete system of early childhood education, based on child development theory, research, and proven instructional practices. The curriculum has a set of teaching practices for adults, curriculum content in all areas with key developmental indicators

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Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool

8 Chapter Learning Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to v Define the ingredients of active participatory learning and use them to analyze children’s educational experiences. v Explain why active learning is effective for all age groups. v Discuss how the content of the HighScope Preschool Curriculum addresses all areas of school readiness. v Explain the important and diverse roles teachers play in early learning. v Describe how assessment and professional development fit within the HighScope Curriculum.

(KDIs) for children, assessment tools to measure teaching behaviors and children’s progress, and professional development (also called training) to help adults use the curriculum. We will discuss each of these items further in this chapter.

The HighScope Philosophy In the HighScope Preschool Curriculum, fully described in The HighScope Preschool Curriculum (Epstein & Hohmann, 2012) and the eight accompanying KDI volumes (Epstein, 2012a–h), young children build or construct their knowledge of the world. Learning is not a matter of adults giving information to children, but rather a process of shared control in which children make discoveries through direct experience with people, objects, events, and ideas. Using this curriculum, preschoolers also make plans and follow through on their interests and intentions as they build their knowledge and skills.

HighScope teachers are as active and involved as the children. They thoughtfully provide materials, plan activities, and talk with (not at) children in ways that both support and challenge what children are observing and thinking. Activities are

The HighScope approach emphasizes active participatory learning, where teachers and students are partners in shaping the learning experience.

both child initiated — built on children’s natural curiosity — and developmentally appropriate (i.e., matched to children’s current and emerging abilities). HighScope calls this approach active participatory learning, a process in which teachers and students are partners in shaping the learning experience.

This educational approach, in which children and adults share responsibility for learning, builds essential school-readiness skills. In addition to addressing traditional academic subjects, the HighScope Curriculum promotes independence, curiosity, decision making, cooperation, persistence, creativity, and problem solving in young children.

The principles that guide the HighScope Curriculum are illustrated in the “Wheel of Learning” on page 9. Active learning is at the center to highlight the importance of children’s initiative and HighScope’s comprehensive attention to educational content in its KDIs. The four quadrants represent teachers’ responsibilities as they work with children: engaging in supportive adult-child interactions, creating a challenging learning environment, establishing a consistent daily routine, and doing ongoing assessment to make plans and meet children’s educational needs. After reading

Terms Used in This Chapter • active participatory learning • materials • manipulation • choice • child language and thought • adult scaffolding • curriculum content • key developmental indicators (KDIs) • plan-do-review process • comprehensive assessment tools • professional development

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What Is the HighScope Preschool Curriculum?

9 HighScope Preschool Wheel of Learning

4. Child language and thought — Children describe what they are doing and understanding.

They communicate verbally and nonverbally as they think about their actions and modify their thinking to take new learning into account.

5. Adult scaffolding — Scaffolding means adults support and gently extend children’s current level of thinking and understanding. In this way, adults help children gain knowledge and develop creative problem-solving skills.

See “Applying the Five Ingredients of Active Participatory Learning” on page 10 for an example of how these ingredients helped a child learn how to write.

HighScope Curriculum Content

this book, you will have a complete picture of how these parts of the HighScope Curriculum fit together in a unified whole.

Active Participatory Learning The National Education Goals Panel (NEGP; Kagan, Moore, & Bredekamp, 1995) says school readiness is enhanced when children are provided with play-oriented, exploratory activities that allow them to interact, make choices, and participate at their own developmental level. This vision is central to HighScope’s ideal of active participatory learning, which has five ingredients: 1. Materials — Programs offer abundant supplies of diverse, age-appropriate materials. Materials appeal to all the senses and are open ended, that is, they lend themselves to being used in a variety of ways and help expand children’s experiences and stimulate their thought.

2. Manipulation — Children handle, examine, combine, and transform materials and ideas.

They make discoveries through direct hands-on and “minds-on” contact with these resources.

3. Choice — Children choose materials and play partners, change and build on their play ideas, and plan activities according to their interests and needs.

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A comprehensive curriculum model, the HighScope Curriculum addresses all the content areas of children’s learning and development. The curriculum content is organized into eight major divisions that are easily aligned and consistent with national and state early learning standards (Gronlund, 2006; National Association for the Education of Young Children & National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education, 2002), the Common Core Standards (2012), and the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework (Office of Head Start, 2012). HighScope’s content areas are Approaches to Learning; Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development and Health; Language, Literacy, and Communication; Mathematics; Creative Arts; Science and Technology; and Social Studies.

The NEGP (Kagan et al., 1995) emphasizes the interdependence of these areas and the need to address them all at every age and grade level.

HighScope teachers provide experiences that nurture all of these areas of learning in every child.

They recognize that development varies widely across children — and within children — across areas. Therefore, adults scaffold early learning by supporting children at their current level and gently extending their knowledge and thinking as they progress along a developmental trajectory.

▲ Key Developmental Indicators Within the eight preschool content areas, HighScope identifies 58 key developmental indicators (KDIs). (See “HighScope Preschool Cur-

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Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool

10 Applying the Five Ingredients of Active Participatory Learning Below is an example of how the ingredients of active participatory learning helped Erin learn to write. Her teacher recorded the following anecdote (in italics), which happened at work time.

Materials. The classroom has a wide range of writing materials.

At work time in the art area, Erin brought a box of markers, a stack of plain white paper, and several sheets of yellow construction paper to the table.

Manipulation. Children use writing materials in many ways, including making real letters and letterlike forms. They use, or pretend to use, writing in the same ways as adults.

Erin used a black marker to make lines, circles, and Xs on plain white paper. She wrote them in rows, like lines of print. Then she said, “I want to make invitations for my birthday party.”

Choice. Children are free to use materials however they want during child-initiated parts of the day (such as plan-do-review) and also during adultinitiated activities (such as small- and large-group time). The teacher asked how Erin was going to carry out her plan to make invitations.

I asked Erin, “How will you make the invitations?” Erin replied, “I’m going to use the yellow paper and a red marker.” She selected these materials from the array she had set in front of her.

teachers talk naturally to them about what they are doing. Adults expand children’s vocabulary without dominating the conversation.

Erin folded the paper in half and drew a pink flower with blue and green leaves on top.

She said, “I have to decorate the cards first.”

I commented, “You’re making a decoration on the outside before you write the invitation on the inside.” Erin replied, “It’s like the card my grandma gave me for Halloween. It has pictures and words.”

Adult scaffolding. Preschoolers learn to write letters and words in many different ways, for example, by tracing, copying, or writing letters as an adult spells out a word. Erin’s teacher allowed her to use a combination of strategies, based on what Erin was ready for.

Erin said she needed help to write the words birthday party. I asked, “Do you want me to tell you the letters or write them for you to copy?” She asked me to write them. I wrote the word birthday, and Erin copied the letters on her invitation. Then she said, “Just tell me the letters for party because I can write them.” I said them one at a time, and Erin wrote them down. Then she said, “I can spell my name all by myself” and wrote ERIN.

Child language and thought. As children work,

riculum Content” on p. 12. For infant and toddler KDIs, see Post, Hohmann, & Epstein, 2011.) The KDIs are the building blocks of thinking and reasoning at each stage of a child’s development and pave the way for school and adult success. They include both knowledge and the application of this knowledge in thinking (Marzano & Kendall, 2007). For example, preschoolers need to know color names (knowledge) to sort objects (thinking) by color.

HighScope chose the term key developmental indicators for several reasons. The word key refers to the fact that these are the most important and meaningful concepts and abilities in early education. Young learners need to master such a wide

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range of knowledge and skills that the list can seem endless in scope and detail. To avoid losing sight of the forest for the trees, the KDIs capture the major components that lay the foundation for further learning.

The second part of the term, developmental, emphasizes that learning is gradual and cumulative. Learning follows a sequence, generally moving from simple to more complex knowledge and skills. Moreover, developmental stresses that it is inappropriate, not to mention futile, to expect preschoolers to behave and learn like kindergarten or first-grade students. At each level, the curriculum must be consistent with what we know about human development at that age.

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What Is the HighScope Preschool Curriculum?

11 Finally, we chose indicators to emphasize that educators need evidence that children are developing the knowledge, skills, and understanding considered important for school and life readiness.

To plan appropriately for students and to evaluate program effectiveness, we need observable indicators of our impact on children. Further, by defining these child outcomes in measurable terms, we can develop assessment tools that are consistent with the curriculum. In other words, the assessment system indicates whether the program is meeting its goals.

The continuity across content areas and KDIs allows for the fact that development occurs along a continuum and children of different ages and abilities cannot be pigeonholed into a single agebased category. This book focuses on the 58 KDIs that make up the HighScope Curriculum content for preschoolers (children aged three to five).

However, children in this age-range may exhibit behaviors characteristic of older toddlers or early elementary students. Hence, the KDIs were developed with the entire early childhood spectrum, ages 0–8, in mind. Furthermore, children with special needs can fall at different points along the continuum, without regard to age, so a flexible system helps practitioners understand and plan for their development.

For children to learn the content contained in the KDIs, it is not enough for adults to simply pass along information. Children must experience the world firsthand. Adults can then scaffold (support and gently extend) children’s thinking and understanding as they progress to each new level of insight and knowledge. Adults do this by being intentional in their teaching, that is, by understanding how young children develop and being knowledgeable about the content areas that are important in early learning (Epstein, 2007). Moreover, teachers understand that true learning takes time and repeated exposure. It is not a one-shot affair.

The HighScope KDIs are based on current child development research and decades of classroom practice. The KDIs are also written to be universal. Teachers and caregivers from different cultures in the United States and countries all over the world report that they see children engaging in these developmentally important experiences.

Research confirms these commonalities among children of all backgrounds. For example, children

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Children engage with the KDIs — the building blocks of thinking and reasoning at each stage of development — as they interact with people, materials, events, and ideas.

everywhere sort objects into containers and take things apart and put them together. The exact materials used may vary from culture to culture, but the activity and the resulting learning about the nature of things is essentially the same.

Teachers use the KDIs to guide all aspects of their program. They set up the classroom, plan the day, observe children and extend their thinking, and measure children’s progress based on the general principles of active learning and the specific content in the indicators. These HighScope teaching practices are described in the next section of this chapter. Part 3 of this book presents an in-depth look at the KDIs in all areas of children’s learning and explains the thoughtful and practical strategies HighScope teachers use to promote them.

HighScope Teaching Practices HighScope teachers arrange and label classroom interest areas and stock diverse materials to give children a broad range of experience and help them begin to understand how the world can be organized. To promote initiative and independence, teachers make sure the materials are easy for children to get and put away on their own.

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Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool

12 HighScope Preschool Curriculum Content Key Developmental Indicators

A. Approaches to Learning 1. Initiative: Children demonstrate initiative as they explore their world.

2. Planning: Children make plans and follow through on their intentions.

3. Engagement: Children focus on activities that interest them.

4. Problem solving: Children solve problems encountered in play.

5. Use of resources: Children gather information and formulate ideas about their world.

6. Reflection: Children reflect on their experiences.

B. Social and Emotional Development 7. Self-identity: Children have a positive self-identity.

8. Sense of competence: Children feel they are competent.

9. Emotions: Children recognize, label, and regulate their feelings.

10. Empathy: Children demonstrate empathy toward others.

11. Community: Children participate in the community of the classroom.

12. Building relationships: Children build relationships with other children and adults.

13. Cooperative play: Children engage in cooperative play.

14. Moral development: Children develop an internal sense of right and wrong.

15. Conflict resolution: Children resolve social conflicts.

C. Physical Development and Health 16. Gross-motor skills: Children demonstrate strength, flexibility, balance, and timing in using their large muscles.

17. Fine-motor skills: Children demonstrate dexterity and hand-eye coordination in using their small muscles.

18. Body awareness: Children know about their bodies and how to navigate them in space.

19. Personal care: Children carry out personal care routines on their own.

20. Healthy behavior: Children engage in healthy practices.

D. Language, Literacy, and Communication1 21. Comprehension: Children understand language.

22. Speaking: Children express themselves using language.

23. Vocabulary: Children understand and use a variety of words and phrases.

24. Phonological awareness: Children identify distinct sounds in spoken language.

25. Alphabetic knowledge: Children identify letter names and their sounds.

26. Reading: Children read for pleasure and information.

27. Concepts about print: Children demonstrate knowledge about environmental print.

28. Book knowledge: Children demonstrate knowledge about books.

29. Writing: Children write for many different purposes.

30. English language learning: (If applicable) Children use English and their home language(s) (including sign language).

E. Mathematics 31. Number words and symbols: Children recognize and use number words and symbols.

32. Counting: Children count things.

33. Part-whole relationships: Children combine and separate quantities of objects.

34. Shapes: Children identify, name, and describe shapes.

35. Spatial awareness: Children recognize spatial relationships among people and objects.

36. Measuring: Children measure to describe, compare, and order things.

37. Unit: Children understand and use the concept of unit.

38. Patterns: Children identify, describe, copy, complete, and create patterns.

39. Data analysis: Children use information about quantity to draw conclusions, make decisions, and solve problems.

F. Creative Arts 40. Art: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through two- and threedimensional art.

41. Music: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through music.

42. Movement: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through movement.

43. Pretend play: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through pretend play.

44. Appreciating the arts: Children appreciate the creative arts.

G. Science and Technology 45. Observing: Children observe the materials and processes in their environment.

46. Classifying: Children classify materials, actions, people, and events.

47. Experimenting: Children experiment to test their ideas.

48. Predicting: Children predict what they expect will happen.

49. Drawing conclusions: Children draw conclusions based on their experiences and observations.

50. Communicating ideas: Children communicate their ideas about the characteristics of things and how they work.

51. Natural and physical world: Children gather knowledge about the natural and physical world.

52. Tools and technology: Children explore and use tools and technology.

H. Social Studies 53. Diversity: Children understand that people have diverse characteristics, interests, and abilities.

54. Community roles: Children recognize that people have different roles and functions in the community.

55. Decision making: Children participate in making classroom decisions.

56. Geography: Children recognize and interpret features and locations in their environment.

57. History: Children understand past, present, and future.

58. Ecology: Children understand the importance of taking care of their environment.

1Language, Literacy, and Communication KDIs 21–29 may be used for the child’s home language(s) as well as English. KDI 30 refers specifically to English language learning.

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What Is the HighScope Preschool Curriculum?

13 Teachers also make sure materials reflect children’s interests and their home culture so the children are both comfortable and excited about learning.

The daily routine provides a balanced variety of experiences. Children engage in both individual and social play, participate in small and large groups, assist with cleanup, socialize during meals, develop self-care skills, and exercise their small and large muscles. Some parts of the routine revolve around children’s plans and choices: children are free to choose where to go in the classroom (or outdoor space) and what toys or materials to work with. Other parts of the routine are planned and set in motion by adults. Even in these adult-led activities, however, children contribute their own ideas and choose how to use the materials supplied by the teacher.

The heart of the HighScope daily routine is the plan-do-review process in which children make choices about what they will do, carry out their ideas, and reflect on their activities with adults and peers. We call these parts of the day planning time, work time, and recall (or review) time. By participating in the plan-do-review process, children gain confidence as thinkers, problem solvers, and decision makers. They act with intention and reflect on the consequences of their actions. These are abilities that will serve them well in school and throughout their lives.

HighScope Assessment Tools Effective programs monitor how well teachers teach and how much children learn on an ongoing basis (Gilliam & Leiter, 2003). They use the results to continue what is working and improve what is not (e.g., to provide more teacher training or fill gaps in children’s experiences).

HighScope has two comprehensive assessment tools — one for programs and one for children — to carry out this review and enhancement process. The Program Quality Assessment (PQA) evaluates whether teachers and agencies implement effective program practices. Observers rate classroom teaching and program operations to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

The PQA is available in both preschool and infanttoddler versions. COR Advantage, the latest version of HighScope’s Child Observation Record (COR), assesses children’s learning in every content area from infancy through kindergarten. Each

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day, teachers and caregivers write brief anecdotes that objectively describe children’s behavior. They use these notes to evaluate children’s development and then plan activities to help individual children and the classroom as a whole progress.

Because both instruments reflect best practices in the classroom and basic child development principles and research, they are suitable for use in all developmentally based programs, not just those using the HighScope Curriculum.

HighScope Professional Development A curriculum works only if it is used consistently and properly. We know from more than 50 years of research that HighScope offers significant benefits to young children. However, to get those benefits, children must receive the same program that was proven in the research. To guarantee these optimal conditions, HighScope has an extensive training program of professional development courses for supervisors, teachers, and caregivers.

To train adults, HighScope employs the same principles of active participatory learning that it uses with children. People in training do not just read theory and research; they practice using HighScope teaching strategies in the classroom.

They reflect on what is and is not working and discuss their experiences with colleagues. HighScope Certified Trainers provide feedback and support as training participants learn about the curriculum and how to use it with children.

By using the suggestions at the end of each chapter in this book (“Try These Ideas Yourself”), you too can actively learn as you read about the HighScope Curriculum. Depending on your situation, practice the curriculum with children in your program, share your thoughts with other students and colleagues, mentor those you supervise, and even try some exercises with family and friends.

Most important, apply the information to your personal and professional life and reflect on what you learn in the process. By exploring these ideas, and using them to build your own insights and practices, you will experience the HighScope way of teaching and learning.

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What Is the Theory Behind the HighScope Curriculum?

19 The Theory Behind Plan-Do-Review In addition to active participatory learning, the other hallmark of the HighScope Curriculum is the plan-do-review process. Young children in HighScope programs express their intentions (make plans involving choices about materials, actions, and people), carry out their ideas (do things to achieve their goals), and reflect on the experience (review what they did and what they learned). The plan-do-review sequence is rooted in the work of several theorists and its importance in early development is supported by research conducted by HighScope and others.

▲ Making plans Planning has both cognitive and social-emotional components. Cognitively, to make a plan, a child must have in mind a mental picture of what he or she wants to do. This ability to imagine or form mental images of something that has not yet happened develops along with a child’s use of language. Developmental psychologists describe the mental tools children use to plan as executive control structures (Case, 1985) or executive function (Zelazo & Mueller, 2002), by which they mean the inner blueprints for framing a problem and using existing knowledge and skills to plan, try out, and evaluate a solution.

There is evidence that, over time, as children converse with adults and participate in everyday routines, their ability to talk about a plan develops along the following lines: at first they focus on the here and now (“Want block”); next they begin to focus on now and not now, with reference to past or future (“At work time, I’m going to play with Max”); then they relate two points in time (“I’m painting. It’s wet now, but it’s going to dry in a little bit”); and finally, they can coordinate several points in time and the sequence of events across time intervals (“I’ll get scissors to cut the string.

Then I’m going to tie the strings on the fence for the birds”) (Benson, 1997; Weist, 1989).

From the perspective of social-emotional development, children’s capacity to plan appears as they struggle with what psychoanalyst Erik Erikson (1950) called initiative versus guilt. Preschoolers have many ideas they want to try out. When they are successful in carrying out their intentions, they develop a sense of initiative. If they consistently

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meet with failure, or are made to feel bad in their attempts, they may feel guilty about taking the initiative. By encouraging children’s initiative, exploration, and independent problem-solving, HighScope teachers give children the social-emotional support they need to become competent and confident planners.

▲ Carrying out plans When children carry out their plans (the do part of plan-do-review), they are being purposeful as well as playful. In fact, what differentiates HighScope work time from the free-choice time found in other preschool programs is the sense of purpose that children bring to their play. Because they carry out plans they make for themselves, preschoolers approach play as a way to accomplish something important to them. Moreover, as adults play and converse with children based on the children’s interests, the children’s language learning increases (Tomasello & Farrar, 1986).

Many educators and psychologists recognize the value of purposeful play in young children’s learning. Dewey (1938/1963), whose theories influenced decades of American education, saw playfulness and seriousness as the ideal combination for learning. Dietze and Kashin (2011) say that play is as vital in the early years as nutrition and human nurturing, enhancing a child’s sense of wonderment and curiosity, which has lifelong implications for every aspect of social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development.

▲ Reviewing activities Recall time is when children make sense of their purposeful play. It involves more than simply remembering what they planned or did. Recall is an opportunity for children to reflect on their actions and the lessons they learned while interacting with materials and people. During recall, children actually build, or construct, memory, forming a mental representation of their experience and interpreting it based on their current way of thinking. This process is similar to when adults tell a story about something that happened to them. The narrator selects which parts of the event to build the story around, chooses words to show how he or she reacted to what happened, and often gives a punch line to sum up what he or she gained from the experience.

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Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool

20 When children talk with others about their actions, they are also engaging in the storytelling process: “Creating the story also creates the memory structure that will contain the gist of the story for the rest of our lives. Talking is remembering” (Schank, 1990, p. 115). Thus, the memories created when children review their activities helps to bring about permanent changes in their growing understanding of the world.

Further, memory itself involves several different thinking processes. Psychologists give each type of memory a distinct name. Recall of facts (What did you do?) engages the semantic memory; recall of procedures (How did you do that?) engages the procedural memory; recall of events (What did you do first?) engages the episodic memory; and recall of path or route (How did you get there?) engages spatial memory. Each type of memory is associated with a different brain structure (Bourtchouladze, 2004; Kagan & Kagan, 2003).

Dewey (1938/1963) and psychologist Sara Smilansky (1971) also commented on the importance of planning and reflection in learning and development. Dewey said education should be based on goal-directed activity and that children should actively participate in directing their own learning activities. Smilansky spent a great deal of time observing children’s play and was a consultant to HighScope in the early 1960s. She urged the curriculum developers to add recall to planning and work time so children could reflect on their plans and actions and thereby gain more understanding of what they had learned in the process.

Try These Ideas Yourself 1. Observe an infant, a toddler, and a preschooler each encountering something for the first time. How do they approach the object or experience? What does this tell you about differences in their development?

2. Share a new experience with a young child.

Compare what you notice and how you react with what the child notices and how the child reacts.

What does this tell you about differences in how adults and children think about and understand the world?

3. Remember when you moved into a new place. What essentials did you need first? What details did you add later? Are you someone who leaves things in place once they are set or do you like to rearrange them? Do you see any parallels between how you furnish your living space and how you take in new information? How might your reflections influence your work in the classroom?

4. Observe preschoolers at play in several different settings (e.g., a preschool classroom, an unsupervised playground or park, a family gathering, or a children’s party). In each instance, decide whether or not the children’s play is purposeful, that is, if it is (or is not) carried out with a goal in mind. Describe the differences between purposeful and nonpurposeful play. List the advantages and disadvantages of each type of play.

v The insights and application of developmental theory in the HighScope Curriculum have been borne out by decades of research showing that active learning develops initiative. Planning and reflection are the curriculum components most positively and significantly associated with child development. The key studies behind these conclusions are described in the next chapter.

Essentials-2R Ed.indb 20

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C h a p t e r

4

What Is the Research-Based Evidence in Support of the HighScope Curriculum?

Think About It Many doctors today warn patients that their weight and cholesterol levels are too high, putting them at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems. Some doctors recommend a program of diet and exercise. Others also prescribe medication. Because opinions differ on what works best for patients — and because not every patient is the same — medical researchers continue to study the effects of various treatments. New drugs regularly appear on the market.

If you are being treated for these problems, you want to know if what you are doing is working. For example, if you are taking medications that cost a lot of money and have side effects, you may be especially eager to know whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Stepping on the scale answers the question of whether you are losing weight. However, since cholesterol levels can’t be seen, your doctor will order a blood test. If the results are good, you and your doctor know the treatment is worthwhile. If the results are not good, or not good enough, the doctor may suggest changes in the medication or how you are taking it, as well as changes in diet or exercise.

Just like doctors and scientists, early childhood educators wonder whether their practices are effective. The push for accountability is an example of people asking whether the investment in preschool makes a difference in the outcomes for children and their families. HighScope has

Essentials-2R Ed.indb 21

asked itself this question right from the start, beginning with its first preschool program in 1962.

HighScope accepts the need to prove the curriculum works — and that it works with different populations under different program conditions.

Moreover, since tests tell only part of the story, HighScope measures outcomes in different ways, including what happens in the “real world” as children engage with people and materials in their daily lives. Finally, since, like diets, effects can show up and then disappear, HighScope wants to make sure the improvements are lasting.

A Commitment to Research Since its beginnings in the early 1960s, HighScope has conducted research and evaluation on the educational programs it develops. The first objective was to see if the programs were generally effective in achieving their goals. Overwhelmingly, they were. The second was to find out which specific components were — or were not — working, so improvements could be made. This commitment to research has allowed HighScope to maintain its basic, proven curriculum while continually adding features that address the changing educational policies and the needs of today’s children.

Evidence for the effectiveness of HighScope’s curriculum and training model comes from three major studies carried out by HighScope, which have been confirmed by independent investigations in the United States and abroad. These studies are discussed in the remainder of this chapter.

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Essentials of Active Learning in Preschool

22 Chapter Learning Objectives By the end of this chapter, you will be able to v Describe the major research studies conducted by HighScope on its curriculum and training model. v Describe research conducted by independent investigators that confirms the findings of the HighScope research. v Explain how the components of highquality preschool programs are derived from research.

▲ Research conducted by HighScope The HighScope Perry Preschool Study. This study, reported in Lifetime Effects (Schweinhart et al., 2005), examines the long-lasting influences of the HighScope Preschool Curriculum on children born into poverty. The study is based on random assignment (arrangement of participants under different conditions, based on chance) of 123 children to either a program group (participating in a high-quality preschool program) or a no-program group (not participating in a high-quality preschool program). To date, the research has found that the curriculum had positive effects through age 40 on school achievement and literacy, high school graduation, adult earnings, home ownership, and lifetime arrest rates. A cost-benefit analysis (comparison of the costs of a particular investment with the advantages it is likely to offer) shows society saves more than 16 dollars1 for every dollar invested in a high-quality early childhood program. In his invited comments on these results, Nobel Prize–winning University of Chicago economist James J. Heckman said, “This report substantially bolsters the case for early interventions in disadvantaged populations. More than 35 years after they received an enriched preschool program, the Perry Preschool participants achieve

Research has shown that the more teachers provided opportunities for young children to plan and review activities of their own choice, the higher they scored on measures of the skills needed for later school success.

much greater success in social and economic life than their counterparts who are randomly denied treatment.” (Schweinhart et al., 2005, p. 229).

The HighScope Preschool Curriculum Comparison Study. This study, reported in Lasting Differences (Schweinhart & Weikart, 1997), also examines the long-term effects of preschool on children from low-income families. It compares 68 preschoolers randomly assigned to one of three different curriculum models. Some attended HighScope, a comprehensive program in which children and teachers share responsibility for the learning experience (Epstein & Hohmann, 2012).

A second group went to a program with a traditional nursery school curriculum, where the major focus is on social development and children determine the nature and content of their own learning (Sears & Dowley, 1963). The third group attended a program that used a direct instruction model, in which learning is confined to academic subjects and is directed by adults (Bereiter & Engelmann, 1966). The data, analyzed through age 23, finds

Based on constant 2000 dollars, discounted at 3 percent.

1

Terms Used in This Chapter • HighScope Perry Preschool Study • random assignment • cost-benefit analysis • HighScope Preschool Curriculum Comparison Study • HighScope National Training of Trainers Evaluation • inservice training • Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) • child-initiated learning activity • developmentally appropriate • open ended

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What Is the Research-Based Evidence in Support of the HighScope Curriculum?

23 no significant and lasting group differences on language, literacy, or school achievement. However, adults who attended the direct instruction program as children have had consistently higher rates of criminal activity compared to the other two groups.

The HighScope National Training of Trainers Evaluation. This study, reported in Training for Quality (Epstein, 1993), surveyed 203 HighScope trainers, interviewed and observed 366 teachers in HighScope and non-HighScope early childhood settings, and assessed 200 preschool children in HighScope and comparison classrooms. It found positive results demonstrating the effectiveness of systematic inservice training at all levels — for supervisors, teachers, and children. HighScope training resulted in significantly better supervisory and teaching practices than other training programs.

Children in HighScope programs, compared to those in non-HighScope programs, were rated significantly higher on measures of development.

Most notably, the findings showcased the importance of the plan-do-review process. The more teachers provided opportunities for children to plan and review activities of their own choice — a hallmark of the HighScope Curriculum — the higher children scored on measures of the academic and social skills needed for school success.

Lessons Learned From Research

•

“The best early childhood learning activities are child initiated, developmentally appropriate, and open ended” (p. 19). This means activities build on children’s natural curiosity, are matched to children’s current and emerging abilities, and allow for exploration and variation rather than having to be performed a single “right way.”

▲ Research performed by

•

Independent studies confirm that preschool children attending well-run HighScope programs do better than those in other program settings. Studies in the United Kingdom (Sylva, 1992) and the Netherlands (Veen, Roeleveld, & Leseman, 2000) found that when children plan, carry out, and review their own learning activities, they play with more purpose and perform better on measures of language and intellectual development.

The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) (Zill, Resnick, Kim, O’Donnell, & Sorongon, 2003), conducted with 2,800 Head Start children around the country, found those in HighScope programs improved significantly more from fall to spring on measures of literacy and social development than did children attending classrooms using the Creative Curriculum® or other curriculum models.

“Open communication between teacher and child and among children broadens children’s perspectives as they learn to share ideas” (p. 19). Research on teaching and childrearing shows the benefits of shared control over either authoritarian or permissive extremes. A democratic style allows children to see things from different perspectives, which is an important social as well as cognitive skill.

Low enrollment limits. Studies have found that the fewer children per adult, the better the adult-child interaction. In addition to favorable staff-child ratios, the total group size should be limited based on standards recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children for the ages of the children served (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009).

Staff trained in early childhood development. Adults who provide care and education

independent investigators

Essentials-2R Ed.indb 23

The sidebar on page 5 lists the seven elements of high-quality preschool programs. Based on research conducted by HighScope and other investigators, we can elaborate these components as follows (Schweinhart, 2004): Child development curriculum. Of all the ingredients in a high-quality program, an educational model that recognizes the value of childinitiated active learning is the most important.

Research that has tested child development theory, and verified it in practice, identifies these principles: • “Child-initiated learning activity acknowledges both the developmental limits of young children and their potential for learning” (Schweinhart, 2004, p. 18). In a balanced approach, young children are neither pushed to do things more suitable for older children, nor seen as uninterested in or incapable of engaging with meaningful content.

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Key Developmental Indicator (KDI) Scaffolding Charts

Product code: P1422 These charts provide practical examples to help adults scaffold early learning as they implement the HighScope Preschool Curriculum. The 58 charts in this set, one for each key developmental indicator (KDI), are organized by content area. Each chart contains examples of what young children at three developmental levels might do and say as they engage with each KDI. There are also corresponding examples of how adults can support and gently extend learning.

HighScope.org

KDI

17

Fine-motor skills: Children demonstrate dexterity and hand-eye coordination in using their small muscles.

Description: Children use the fine-motor movements (e.g., molding, squeezing, poking, smoothing, positioning, writing, cutting) needed to manipulate materials and tools. They have hand-eye coordination (e.g., stacking blocks, assembling puzzles, stringing beads, pouring juice, pounding nails).

Scaffolding Ideas Always support children at their current level and occasionally offer a gentle extension.

Earlier

Middle

Later

Children may • Use their small muscles with some control to manipulate objects (e.g., tear paper, poke and squeeze play dough).

• Do activities that require simple hand-eye coordination (e.g., put large pegs in a pegboard, stack wooden blocks, put on a hat).

Children may Children may • Use their small muscles with • Use their small muscles with moderate control (e.g., cut with strength, flexibility, and coordiscissors, make lines and shapes nation (e.g., use scissors to cut with crayons). around a heart they drew, write letterlike forms).

• Do activities that require moderate hand-eye coordination (e.g., string • Use hand-eye coordination to large beads, stack Duplo blocks, carry out intricate activities (e.g., pour juice). string small beads, build with Legos, zip a coat).

To support children’s current level, adults can • Provide materials that exercise children’s small muscles (e.g., play dough, blocks in different sizes, sponges, squeeze bottles).

• Imitate children’s actions (e.g., put big pegs in the pegboard; put a hat on your head).

To support children’s current level, adults can • Copy how children use their small muscles and describe the actions (e.g., while using the scissors, say, “I’m opening and closing my scissors just like you”).

• Provide materials that require the use of hand-eye coordination (e.g., large wooden beads, plastic knives, small animal and people figures).

To support children’s current level, adults can • Acknowledge children’s abilities (e.g., “You wrote the first letter in your name”).

• Ask children to demonstrate how they carried out intricate activities (e.g., “Show me how you got this part of your Lego spaceship to stick out”).

To offer a gentle extension, adults can To offer a gentle extension, adults can To offer a gentle extension, adults can • Label what children do with • Provide materials to extend • Pose a challenge (e.g., “I wonder their small muscles (e.g., “You’re children’s control of their small what other shapes you can draw”). squeezing the play dough”). muscles (e.g., clay, tongs, colored • Provide materials to extend pencils).

• Call children’s attention to what children’s skills (e.g., beads others are doing with the same • Encourage children to try one with smaller holes and narrower materials (e.g., “Tommy put some hand and then the other when string). pegs in the pegboard. He also they use materials. stacked some pegs on top of each other”).

Copyright © 2013 HighScope® Educational Research Foundation

KDI

24

Phonological awareness: Children identify distinct sounds in spoken language.

Description: Children recognize the beginning and ending sounds of words, including rhymes (same ending sounds) and alliteration (same initial sounds). They recognize separate syllables in words (segmentation).

Scaffolding Ideas Always support children at their current level and occasionally offer a gentle extension.

Earlier

Middle

Later

Children may • Say nonrhyming words when asked to rhyme (e.g., orange and red rhyme).

• Say nonalliterative words when asked for a word starting with the same sound (e.g., say dog when asked what else begins with the /m/ sound); repeat alliterative words in a familiar rhyme without being aware that the initial sounds are the same.

• Recognize a “yoo-hooed” name or a word when it is “yoo-hooed” (e.g., Jim-my; bas-ket-ball sung in syllables).

Children may • Recognize or say real or nonsense rhyming words that are close together (adjoining words such as red bed).

• Identify the initial sound in alliterative phrases (“Fee, fie, foe — they all have /f/”).

• Yoo-hoo a name; sing a twosyllable word in a familiar song (e.g., “Rain, rain, go, a-way”).

Children may • Identify rhyming words that are farther apart (e.g., after saying “Hey diddle” rhyme, say “Moon and spoon rhyme”).

• Identify initial sounds (“Silly.

That’s like Sam, my name!”); generate a word (real or nonsense) that starts with the same sound as another (e.g., ball and bug).

• Identify three or more syllables in a name or a word in a song (e.g., “My name goes like Jon-a-than”).

To support children’s current level, adults can • Read books that rhyme (e.g., nursery rhymes, poetry, story books); emphasize rhyming words.

• Read books that feature alliteration; emphasize initial sounds.

• Sing children’s names and other familiar words in yoo-hoo syllables (e.g., “Man-dy, re-call”).

To support children’s current level, adults can • Use rhymes during different parts of the daily routine (e.g., at transition, say “Megan stegan get your coat”).

• Use alliteration throughout the day (e.g., “Ready, Robby? Recall!” or “Ready, ready, recall!”).

• Repeat when children yoo-hoo their name or a familiar word.

To support children’s current level, adults can • Acknowledge when children identify far-apart rhymes (e.g., “You said ‘My name is Sue. I like the zoo.’ Sue and zoo rhymed”).

• Ask children to come up with different alliterations in familiar phrases (e.g., “Fee, fie, ___”) and to make up their own alliterations (e.g., for their names).

• Draw children’s attention to multisyllable words (e.g., “All-i-ga-tor has lots of parts”).

To offer a gentle extension, adults can • Point out when words rhyme (e.g., “You put a rock on the block. Hey! Rock and block rhyme”).

• Point out when words are alliterative (e.g., “Tina and toast both start with the same /t/ sound”).

• Encourage children to say or yoo-hoo the syllables in their own names or simple familiar words.

To offer a gentle extension, adults can • Substitute a nonrhyming word to see if children spot the error; use and define the word rhyme.

• Substitute nonalliterative words to see if children spot the error; use and define the word alliteration.

• Emphasize the syllables in new or longer words (e.g., el-e-va-tor).

To offer a gentle extension, adults can • Ask children for different rhymes in familiar songs and chants (e.g., “Hey, diddle, diddle. The cat and the ___”).

• Ask children to change initial consonants in familiar alliterations (e.g., “Bee, Billie, Binkie”).

• Encourage children to yoo-hoo syllables in longer words (e.g., El-e-phant. “How could we sing dinosaur like that?”).

Copyright © 2013 HighScope® Educational Research Foundation

Lesson Plans for the First 30 Days: Getting Started With HighScope (Third Edition)

Product code: P1455 This book provides teachers with 30 days of ready-to-use HighScope lesson plans right at their fingertips!

Even teachers experienced with HighScope will find this book a reliable source of new ideas for the classroom. Lesson Plans for the First 30 Days contains six weeks of user-friendly plans that build on children’s developing skills and model the HighScope active learning approach. Each lesson plan includes activities for greeting time, small- and large-group times, as well as Plan-Do-ReviewŽ. A majority of these plans offer additional follow-up ideas, outside time suggestions, meal conversation tips, and ways to promote family engagement. Also included with this book is a specific selection of HighScope music complete with guidelines for using the music at large-group times, cleanup times, and other parts of the daily routine.

HighScope.org

Chapter 2

The Second Week Getting Ready: Week 2 Overview Goals for the Second Week

• • •

Continue to form relationships with your children.

Continue to help the children feel comfortable in the classroom, with the routine, and with you.

Begin implementing HighScope small-group times.

•

Things to Keep in Mind This Week Be sure to read each activity plan ahead of time so you will know what materials you need to prepare.

Materials to Add to the Classroom

Daily Routine

•

• • • •

pant. Your modeling will help the children understand more about what’s expected of them and how to participate. You can also provide support to children who may need help participating.

On Friday, draw on the message board: two simply drawn images of the school with a red circle and diagonal slash over them — the universal “no” symbol. Write 2 no-school days and help the children interpret the drawings. Remind them that they will stay home for two days and then come back to school.

•

Continue to ask a child to move the daily routine marker to the next part of the routine. Children may volunteer or spontaneously move the marker without your bringing attention to it. This is fine!

It means they are starting to take ownership of the routine and are understanding what comes next.

At greeting time, continue to have the clipboards available with a fresh sign-in sheet and books for browsing. You will do this for the rest of the year.

This week, you will start singing a transition song during greeting time to signal the end of looking at books and the beginning of reading the message board. This will be a part of every greeting time.

This week at planning and recall times, you will use the cards you made in Week 1, with each child’s name and letter link symbol on a card.

Be sure to alternate adults when leading largegroup time — Adult 1 can lead one day and Adult 2 the next day. When you aren’t leading largegroup time, you will still be an active partici-

Monday (Day 6)

Tuesday (Day 7)

Group 1: Name and letter link symbols on sticky notes for planning time

Group 2: Name and letter link symbols on sticky notes for planning time

• •

Locate Good Night, Gorilla, by Peggy Rathmann, and an edition of Mother Goose and have them as book choices during the morning greeting time.

(Note: you will also be using these books for smallgroup time in Week 3.)

Continue to add song cards to the classroom song book (see Days 8 and 10).

Create an Our Class book: Use a three-ring binder and plastic sleeves. As children bring in their photo pages (see “Home-School Connections” in Day 5), help the children add them to the book. Be sure to also include a page for the teachers. Always have this book available as a greeting-time choice.

After Children Leave for the Day

• •

Wednesday (Day 8)

41

Record your observations of children and jot down any ideas you want to follow up on.

Read tomorrow’s lesson plans to see preparations you will need to make before the children arrive.

Thursday (Day 9)

Friday (Day 10)

Family note home: Encourage children to help with laundry

Family note home: Read books with children; borrow from the classroom lending library

DAY 6

Curriculum Content — Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs) 1. Initiative

16. Gross-motor skills

36. Measuring

2. Planning

23. Vocabulary

40. Art

6. Reflection

24. Phonological awareness

42. Movement

9. Emotions

25. Alphabetic knowledge

43. Pretend play

11. Community

26. Reading

57. History

12. Building relationships

29. Writing

13. Cooperative play

34. Shapes

Greeting Time

KDIs 12, 24, 25, 26, 29 Message Board

Adult 2: Greet children as they enter. Remind them where to put their things and to sign in on their group’s clipboard. Join Adult 1 and children reading books when everyone has arrived.

Tape the message board clip to the message board and write the words Daily Routine on the board. Help children figure out where the clip came from and what we use it for. (Use this message to remind children about moving the clip for the daily routine.)

Adult 1: Have about 10 books spread out on the floor, including the daily routine book.

Read books with children. (Note: This should last no more than 15 minutes.)

On the message board, draw two tables with a question mark (?) on each. Ask children if they remember which group they are in. Ask them to choose a way to move to their planning groups.

To the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” sing made-up words, such as the following: It’s time to put the books away, the books away, the books away.

It’s time to put the books away and read the message board.

Planning Time

Group 1 — KDIs 2, 24/Group 2 — KDI 2

Group 1: Name and Letter Link Symbol on a Sticky Note

Group 2: Camera

One at a time, show the sticky notes with children’s names and letter link symbols written on them. For each, ask the children whose name is on the note. When the children respond, give the sticky note to that child and ask the child to put it on something they would like to play with at work time. When the child returns to the table, ask them what they will do with that item. After the child responds, they are free to begin their plan.

Repeat for all the children in your group.

Work Time

Using an old camera (or even a small box made to look like a camera), children can take a pretend “picture” of something they would like to use in their plan for work time. Once they’ve shared their idea about what they’d like to do, they can get started on their plan.

KDIs 1, 9, 12, 13, 40, 43

Work Time

extra support getting started. Be sure to physically get down on children’s level and listen to what they say. Repeat and restate children’s comments and acknowledge their feelings.

Use this time to reconnect with children after the weekend. Try to make sure at least one of the adults spends some time with each child.

Begin by looking for children who may need

42

Day 6

Cleanup Time

KDI 11

Give children a verbal warning 10 minutes and then 5 minutes before the end of work time. Signal that cleanup is starting by shaking some jingle

Recall Time

bells or playing some instrumental music. Help the children clean up, keeping a light and playful attitude throughout this transition.

Group 1 — KDIs 6, 24, 26/Group 2 — KDIs 6, 36

Group 1: Name and Letter Link Symbol Cards

Group 2: Large and Small Bags

Pull a child’s name and letter link symbol out of a bag. Tell the children that when you hold up their name and symbol they can tell you what they did at work time. After each child shares, everyone can use the child’s name and letter link symbol to chant; for example, “Hannah Heart, Hannah Heart played with the .”

Or “Connie Coat, Connie Coat, Connie Coat played with the .”

43

Have both a large and a small bag at your group’s table. Addressing the children one at a time, tell them they can go to get something they used at work time and bring it back in one of the bags. Ask children if they think they’ll need the big bag or the small bag to put their item in. While you are waiting for the recalling child to return, engage the other children in conversation about what they saw that child doing. You might say something like, “Did anyone see what Davie was doing today? What do you think he’ll bring back?” Or you might say, “Did anyone work with Davie today? You did, Anna? What did you do together?” You can use this strategy for other recall times if there is any waiting involved. When a child comes back, they can show the object selected and share what they did (and you can send the next child to get a recall item).

Day 6

Small-Group Time

Group 1 — KDIs 23, 34/Group 2 — KDI 40

Group 1: Where’s My Lid?

Group 2: Play Dough and Cookie Cutters

Materials:

Materials: For each child, provide

• •

Clean and empty plastic containers and bottles of various shapes and sizes with matching lids/ tops Two large baskets or bins — one to hold the containers and one to hold the lids

Beginning: Tell the children you have a bunch of containers that got separated from their lids — that they’re all jumbled up. Show the children the two baskets (one with containers and one with lids) and ask them to help you figure out which top/lid goes on which container. Pick out a container and start searching through the lids, asking the children if they think the one you chose will fit. Some will guess based on appearance; others will want or need to try the lid to see if it will fit. Encourage the children to pick out one or more containers themselves and begin searching for a match.

Middle: As children try matching containers and lids, listen to the children’s comments and extend their observations and vocabulary. For example, you might say, “I see your bottle has a small hole at the top. Which lid do you think will fit on that little round opening?” Or you might comment, “Your container is blue so you’re looking for a top with the same color.” Use words like top, lid, round, square, big, little, open, closed, screw, twist, squeeze, narrow, and wide. If the containers have words on them, point out the letters and read the words together with the children.

End: Ask children to help you separate the containers and lids back into the two baskets/bins.

44

• •

A hunk of play dough Three cookie cutters

Beginning: Give each child a hunk of play dough and tell the children that today everyone in the group is going to play with the play dough. Be sure to have a hunk for yourself.

Middle: Move around the table from child to child, observing what they are doing with the play dough. Try using your play dough in the same ways as the children. Halfway through the smallgroup time, place the cookie cutters in the middle of the table. Observe how children may add these into their work. Use the same interaction strategies you’ve been using at work time. For a list of these, see page 61 at the end of this week’s plans.

End: After 10 minutes, give children a 3-minute warning and ask them to put all their cookie cutters back in the cookie cutter container and the play dough in the play dough tub.

Day 6

Large-Group Time

KDIs 16, 42

Scarves or Streamers Materials: A basket (or tub or box) containing a scarf or streamer for each child and adult, plus a few extra Step 1: Sing the “We’re gonna shake, shake, shake” song from last week (see “Large-Group Time” in Day 1). When all children have joined the group, sing one more verse and end by having everyone sit down on the floor. Pass out scarves to the children and allow for some exploration time.

Explain to the children that they will be keeping their scarves in their hands and finding ways to move with them. As children continue exploring, they will probably be more comfortable standing up.

Child (Ella): “I am doing it this way!” (Ella shows that she is holding the scarf with one hand and tapping it repeatedly on the floor.)

Teacher: “Now, let’s try it Ella’s way.” (The teacher models what Ella has just shown.) “Let’s try to remember Liam’s way.” (The group moves Liam’s way.) “Now, let’s do Ella’s way.” (The group tries it Ella’s way again.)

Continue exploring the scarves, trying out different children’s ideas.

Step 2: As children discover ways to move with the scarves, comment on what you see them doing, as in the following example.

Other Ideas

Teacher: “Oh, I see that Liam is moving his scarf by holding one corner with one hand, one corner with the other hand, and raising it up and down. Let’s try it Liam’s way.”

Step 3: Tell the children that everyone will try one last way of moving their scarf — by floating them into the basket (demonstrate first). Then ask children if they can “float” themselves to the next part of your classroom’s daily routine.

Outside Time — KDIs 12, 16/Meal Conversations — KDIs 12, 57

Outside Time

Be sure to play and interact with the children outdoors. Look for children who may need extra support getting started with their outdoor play.

Be sure to get down on children’s physical level, listen to what they say, repeat and restate children’s comments, and acknowledge their feelings, if appropriate. Jot down observations of what you see children doing.

Meal Conversations

something like “What did you do when you were at home for the two no-school days?” Listen to what children say, and repeat and restate their words to acknowledge their comments (e.g., “You went to the laundromat and then saw your new baby cousin”).

Home-School Connections

Remind children and parents to bring in their photo page of their family (see “Home-School Connections” in Day 5 for the original request).

Talk with the children about what they did over the weekend. Help them remember by saying

Observations Remember to record what you saw individual children say and do today.

Follow-Up Ideas •

•

Choose several classroom materials to take outdoors for outside time (balls, dolls, chalk, etc.).

45

Add the container of scarves or streamers to the house area.

2

PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Create an engaging, rich, developmentally appropriate learning environment. Visual supports throughout the classroom give children the tools they need to take initiative and exercise independence.

n n

8

Daily Routine Cards Classroom Area Signs (also includes small area signs for children’s planning)

Double-sided: English on one side, English/Spanish on the other

Daily Routine Cards

Product code: PC1011 Each daily routine card clearly identifies parts of a typical preschool classroom day, allowing children to easily anticipate and plan for what happens next. Each of the cards has easy-to-read pictures with timeof-day names. They are sized in proportion to the amount of time devoted to that segment of the day and are double-sided so they can be displayed vertically or horizontally.

HighScope.org

Classroom Area Signs English-Spanish, Large- and Small-Size Set

Product Code: PC1012 & PC1013 Area signs are a simple yet effective way to help your preschoolers develop essential organizational and social-emotional skills. These signs, double-sided with English on one side and English/Spanish on the other, can be used to identify specific areas of the classroom, helping children find materials they need and return them after use. It also gives them an easy reference to help identify which areas of the classroom they want to work in or already did. Each sign includes easy-to-understand pictorial symbols and written names.

HighScope.org

3

PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM

INTENTIONAL PLANNING

Easily apply the HighScope Curriculum to everyday teaching practice with resources designed to support daily learning. Includes strategies to individualize learning throughout the preschool daily routine and detailed activities for curriculum content areas including science, math, literacy, and more! n n

Includes 20 children's books

150+ Preschool Activities for Active Learners Let's Read It Again! Interactive Read-Alouds (includes 20 children's books)

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Launching Literacy Tool Kit

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Letter Links: Alphabet Learning With Children's Names

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Big Beats for Young Peeps (CD)

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150+ Preschool Activities for Active Learners

Product code: P1465 This book provides early childhood educators with more than 150 activities for the preschool classroom, organizing HighScope Curriculum content and teaching strategies into the 10 domains of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. Within each of these domains, teachers will find engaging activities for the following segments of the HighScope preschool daily routine: Planning and Recall times; Small- and Largegroup times; Message Board time; and Outside time. Each activity includes complete step-by-step teacher instructions, suggested scaffolding strategies, and a list of materials (if applicable) for that particular time of the program day. HighScope’s key developmental indicators (KDIs) and Child Observation Record (COR) assessment items are also identified to assist teachers in supporting each of the areas of development aligned with the Texas content domains.

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Social and Emotional Development

1. Solving Problems With Stories Children solve problems by creating a story in a construction paper booklet.

Time of Day: Message Board Content Areas: Social and Emotional Development Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 4. Problem solving, 6. Reflection, 10. Empathy COR Advantage Items: C. Reflection, D. Emotions, F. Building relationships with other children Materials: Construction paper, markers Intentional Vocabulary: Problem, problem-solve, solution, idea, emotion words

Activity Steps 1. Share your observation of behaviors in the classroom that have resulted in children having their feelings hurt. Write the title “Left Out” on the front cover of the construction paper book.

Ask the children what it means to be “left out.”

2. Draw three characters on the first page of the booklet. Above two of the characters, write “You can’t play with us.” The third character should have a sad face and say “I feel left out.”

Ask the children to describe the feelings of each of these characters.

3. Ask the children what each character might say to solve the problem. Draw the characters’ faces on the next page of the booklet with the children’s comments next to them.

4. Help the children rehearse some responses to the situation in the booklet. Remind them that their first idea might not always solve the problem. Challenge them to think of alternative solutions.

5. Place the completed story in the book area for children to access, add additional words, and use as a resource when a similar problem arises.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning • Prompt discussion by objectively stating problems that occurred in the classroom (e.g., “Yesterday I noticed some children were upset because they really wanted to play, but they felt left out”).

• Acknowledge children’s feelings and reframe children’s words so as not to place blame (e.g., “It made you angry. What can we do to solve the problem so you won’t feel that way today?”).

• Avoid including words that are absolute, such as “always” or “never.” Instead, offer multiple solutions the child can choose between in the moment.

• Refer back to the book as appropriate throughout the day.

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Social and Emotional Development

7. Mirror, Mirror Children make faces representing different emotions into a hand mirror.

Time of Day: Small-Group Time Content Areas: Social and Emotional Development Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 9. Emotions COR Advantage Items: D. Emotions, FF. Knowledge of self and others Materials: Handheld mirrors, paper, crayons Intentional Vocabulary: Emotions, feelings, angry, frustrated, upset, excited, anxious

Activity Steps 1. Give each child a hand mirror and ask them to make funny faces into the mirror.

2. Ask the children to make faces representing different emotions.

3. Describe a situation, and make a face to represent the corresponding emotion. For example, you might say, “I wonder what your face would look like if you got a new puppy.”

4. Make a sad face in the mirror, and say “Look how I feel now.”

5. Ask the children to help you think of happy things as you put the mirrors away.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning

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Early Development

Middle Development

Later Development

• Imitate children’s actions and name the emotions for children as they are making faces (e.g., “You are smiling — that looks like a happy face”).

• Ask children to describe the connection between the face they are making and the emotion (e.g., “Tell me what it means when you make that face”).

• Introduce more complex vocabulary, such as “frustrated,” “anxious,” “excited,” etc.

• Have children consider reasons why they might feel a specific emotion (e.g., “I wonder what would cause you to feel so angry that you would need to make that face?”).

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Language and Communication

13. Telephone Planning Children take turns talking to the teacher on an old phone while the rest of the group listens to the child’s plan for work time.

Time of Day: Planning Time Content Areas: Language, Literacy, and Communication Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 2 Planning, 52. Tools and technology COR Advantage Items: A. Initiative and planning, EE. Tools and technology Materials: Cameras

Activity Steps 1. Provide a telephone for yourself and the child who is planning (and, if possible, for any other children in the group).

2. Take turns “calling” the children to hear their plan for work time.

3. After a child has shared their plan, they may go to the interest area of their choice for work time.

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Emergent Literacy — Reading

28. Area Card Recall Children use classroom area signs to recall what they did during work time.

Time of Day: Recall Time Content Areas: Language, Literacy, and Communication Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 3. Engagement, 6. Reflection COR Advantage Items: C. Reflection Materials: Area cards

Activity Steps 1. Prepare the classroom area card(s) in advance of recall time.

2. Allow each child to take a turn selecting the area cards that represent where they played during work time.

3. If children played in more than one area, allow them to select multiple cards and place them in the order in which they visited those areas.

4. Give each child the opportunity to hold the cards as they talk about what they did during work time.

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Emergent Literacy — Reading

41. Looking for Letters Children find letters on newspaper pages and circle them with markers.

Time of Day: Small-Group Time Content Areas: Language, Literacy, and Communication Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 25. Alphabetic knowledge, 40. Art COR Advantage Items: O. Alphabetic knowledge, X. Art Materials: Newsprint, scissors, glue sticks, markers Intentional Vocabulary: Letters, letter-sound association

Activity Steps 1. Hold up a newspaper page and have children point to and/or name three or four of the letters. Circle each of the named letters with a marker.

2. Give children newspaper pages and markers and suggest that they find and circle letters on the pages.

3. Give children scissors, paper, and tape to cut out and arrange their letters on a page.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning

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Early Development

Middle Development

Later Development

• Acknowledge when children match letters or recognize letters that look familiar (e.g., “You did find the letter in Michelle’s name. That’s an M”).

• Search for letters in children’s first names and assist children in naming them (e.g., “Look, A.J., I found the letters in your name. An A and a J”).

• Support children in making letter-sound connections (e.g., “You found the letter F. It says /f/, like fish”).

• Challenge children to look for certain letters by name or sound association (e.g., “Can you find the letter X?” or “Let’s look for the letter that says /b/”).

• Challenge children to find all of the letters in their name or other familiar words and glue them sequentially on their paper.

• Encourage children to use inventive spelling to create words with the letters they have found.

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Emergent Literacy — Writing

53. Where’s the Rest?

Children listen to the middle of a familiar story, then draw, write, and talk about what they think happens before and after the part they’ve heard.

Time of Day: Small-Group Time Content Areas: Language, Literacy, and Communication Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 11. Community, 21. Comprehension, 22. Speaking, 28. Book knowledge, 29. Writing COR Advantage Items: G. Community, L. Speaking, M. Listening and comprehension, Q. Book enjoyment and knowledge, R. Writing Materials: Paper, drawing materials, writing implements Intentional Vocabulary: Beginning/middle/end, plot, details, characters

Activity Steps 1. Tell a brief introductory story about two children who went to a book store, picked up a book the children in your small group are familiar with, and realized that the beginning and ending of the book were missing.

2. Distribute the materials and say “I wonder if you can make up a beginning and ending for this book.”

3. As children work, ask what they think happened before and after the parts you read.

Encourage them to illustrate their thoughts and write what the beginning and ending pages will say. If children are interested, help them spell out words to complete their stories.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning Early Development

• Ask children what they think might happen after the parts you read. (Note: They may retell ideas from the familiar story or make up their own.)

• Take dictation from children based on their drawings.

Middle Development

Later Development

• Encourage children to describe.

• Ask children what they think happened before and after the parts you told.

• Encourage children to make a cover for the story.

• Ask children to describe their drawings and take dictation.

• Support children in writing words and sentences to accompany their drawings.

• Encourage children to think about the plot of the story and challenge them to add a twist or alternate ending.

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Mathematics

59. Two Places to Tap Children learn to feel and express a steady beat by performing simple, repetitive movements.

Time of Day: Large-Group Time Content Areas: Mathematics Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 16. Gross-motor skills, 18. Body awareness, 21. Comprehension, 38. Patterns, 42. Movement COR Advantage Items: I. Gross-motor skills, M. Listening and comprehension, V. Patterns, Z. Movement Materials: None Intentional Vocabulary: Pattern, steady beat, parts of the body

Activity Steps 1. Assemble with children in a circle and begin by putting your hands on your head.

2. Say that you have found one place to tap the beat (e.g., on your head) but that you need to tap another place, and ask for a suggestion from the children.

3. Tell the children to follow your two movements (e.g., patting your head and shoulders).

4. Chant the following words as you continue the movements in sequence for children to follow: Two places to tap, Two places to tap, Head and shoulders, Two places to tap.

5. Continue asking for additional ideas from children while facilitating patterning.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning • Challenge children to make more complex patterns (e.g., AABAAB, or AABBAABB) or change the words to Three Places to Tap for an ABCABC pattern.

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Science

89. Guess Who Recall Children take turns feeling objects in a bag, trying to guess what the object is and who used it at work time.

Time of Day: Recall Time Content Areas: Science Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 3. Engagement, 6. Reflection COR Advantage Items: C. Reflection Materials: Bag

Activity Steps 1. Ask children to bring you one item that they played with during work time.

2. Collect all of the items and place them in a bag.

3. Give each child a turn to feel for items in the bag.

4. Have each child try to identify an item, using only their hands, and guess which child played with it.

5. When the children guess correctly who used the item, ask that child to share a few details about what they did with the item.

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Science

107. Planting Bulbs Children plant bulbs in the fall to anticipate future events and recall past events.

Time of Day: Small-Group Time Content Areas: Science and Technology Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 51. Natural and physical world, 57. History COR Advantage Items: DD. Natural and physical world, HH. History Materials: Variety of bulbs (tulips, crocuses, snowdrops, daffodils, etc.), hand shovels Intentional Vocabulary: Plant, bulb, observe, sprout, bloom

Activity Steps 1. Find an out-of-the-way spot in your outdoor area to plant bulbs with the children. The bulb garden should be free of foot traffic and have soil with good drainage. (Add organic material to the soil when planting to provide nutrients and proper drainage.)

2. Allow the children to dig small holes for their bulb. A good rule of thumb is 2–3 times as deep as the bulb is tall.

3. Have children plant the bulb “pointy end” up (roots down) and cover with soil (and any organic material).

4. Take plenty of photos of the children hard at work.

5. Periodically check on your bulbs as spring approaches. As buds break the surface and flowers begin to bloom, be sure to show children the pictures you took from the previous fall and discuss the time that has passed and major events that happened while the bulbs were still “sleeping” underground.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning

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Early Development

Middle Development

Later Development

• Talk with children about their predictions for spring (e.g., type/color of flower, how tall the plant may grow).

• Have children draw what they observe at different times throughout the year.

• Talk with children about their predictions for spring (e.g., type/color of flower, how tall the plant may grow).

• Have children draw what they observe at different times throughout the year.

• Discuss with children what happens to the bulb between fall and spring (e.g., roots grow and cool temperatures spark the biochemical process that produces flowers).

• Encourage children to keep a scientific observation journal to regularly chart the transformation from bulb to flower.

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Social Studies

113. Planning With a Classroom Map Children use a classroom map to place a car or other small figure in the area in which they want to play.

Time of Day: Planning Time Content Areas: Social Studies Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 2. Planning, 56. Geography COR Advantage Items: A. Initiative and planning, GG. Geography Materials: Classroom map, toy cars

Activity Steps 1. Create a classroom map that includes all of the interest areas.

2. Allow each child in turn to maneuver a car or other figure to the area on the map where they plan to play.

3. Converse with children in detail about their plans.

4. Repeat this process for each child, then let them get started with their plans.

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Social Studies

120. Architecture All Around Children build three-dimensional structures based on photographs of their neighborhood’s architectural features, taken during the previous day’s field trip.

Time of Day: Small-Group Time Content Areas: Social Studies; Creative Arts Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 40. Art, 56. Geography COR Advantage Items: X. Art, GG. Geography Materials: Three-dimensional building materials (e.g., unit blocks, Legos, play dough); photographs from the previous day’s field trip around the local neighborhood to look at architectural features (e.g., doors, railings, awnings, trim, brickwork, etc.)

Intentional Vocabulary: Architecture, three-dimensional, features, structure, build

Activity Steps 1. Spread out the photographs and talk with children about the previous day’s field trip, helping them to remember and describe the different architectural features they saw. Encourage children to hold, pass around, point to, and engage with the photographs.

2. Choose one of the photographs and a building material and say “I wonder if we can make a house that looks like the apartment building we saw on the corner.” Distribute the materials and say “I wonder what sorts of structures you can make.”

3. Encourage children to look at the photographs as they explore the building materials. Talk with them about the features and shapes they see and might want to incorporate into their own building projects. Encourage children who are interested to work together and collaborate on projects.

4. Take photographs of the structures children make to use at recall time, share with families, etc.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning Early Development

Middle Development

Later Development

• Talk with children about what they are doing and making with the materials (e.g., “You’re lining up the blocks; you made a big blue shape”).

• Comment on non-architectural representations, using descriptive and spatial language (e.g., “Your dog is tiny next to you”).

• Comment on and encourage children to say more about the content or process of making their model.

• Use and encourage children to use descriptive language related to color, shape, size, pattern, position, etc.

• Comment on the details in the child’s model; repeat and add to the child’s use of descriptive words (e.g., “The black-and-white stripes make a pattern just like a zebra!”).

• Show your representation to children and ask them to suggest ideas that are not in the photograph (e.g., make the house bigger).

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Fine Arts

132. Painting to Music Children paint to express the feelings evoked by different types of music.

Time of Day: Small-Group Time Content Areas: Creative Arts Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 9. Emotions, 17. Fine-motor skills, 40. Art, 41. Music COR Advantage Items: D. Emotions, J. Fine-motor skills, X. Art, Y. Music Materials: Paper, paint, paint brushes, smocks, instrumental music Intentional Vocabulary: Speed, tempo, effect, design

Activity Steps 1. Let children know that they will be painting to different types of music. They should paint how the music makes them feel.

2. First, play a slow, quiet piece and ask children what they notice about the music. Next, play a fast, loud piece, or one that contrasts with the first, and ask children what they notice about this piece.

3. Play the first piece of music again. Distribute painting supplies and ask children to paint how the music makes them feel.

4. After about three minutes, do the same for the other piece of music, asking children to paint how the music makes them feel.

5. Introduce more music, as appropriate. As you circulate, describe and encourage children to describe the qualities of the music, children’s motions with their brush, and the effects they create on paper.

6. Let children know that you are about to play the last music selection. Together with the children, clean up the painting supplies.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning Early Development

Middle Development

• Describe and encourage children to describe what they are doing (e.g., “You are making the brush go around and around on the page”).

• Gently extend learning by listening to and talking about the music’s qualities. (Note: If children are painting and do not choose to attend to the music, respect their choice.)

• Repeat children’s descriptions and comment on how they capture those qualities in their brushwork (e.g., “You are moving the brush fast because the music is fast”).

• Extend learning by using other descriptive terms and wondering aloud how children could paint them.

Later Development

• Comment on the variety of painting techniques children are using.

• Extend learning by introducing new vocabulary words (e.g., flowing, staccato) and by encouraging children to represent those musical qualities by using their brush in different ways.

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Physical Development

146. Kicking Balloons Children are given the opportunity to kick balloons in a large, open space.

Time of Day: Large-Group Time Content Areas: Physical Development and Health Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 16. Gross-motor skills, 18. Body awareness COR Advantage Items: I. Gross-motor skills Materials: Music player, balloons, instrumental music Intentional Vocabulary: Aim, drift, float, target, trajectory

Activity Steps 1. Give each child a balloon to kick around the large-group area.

2. Balloons are soft enough that they won’t hurt the children or materials, but be sure to prepare enough space so children can freely kick their balloons without interfering with one another.

3. Play instrumental music as the children are practicing their kicking, and be sure to acknowledge and comment on what the children are doing (e.g., “Clare, when you kicked your balloon, it went right over Aaron’s head!”).

4. Give the children a warning that they will have one more chance to kick balloons while listening to the last song; then collect the balloons and transition to the next activity.

Strategies for Supporting Individualized Learning • Use self- and parallel talk to demonstrate the skills and their effect on the balloon (e.g., “When I kicked the bottom of the balloon, it flew up into the air”; “You were facing the shelf and when you kicked your balloon, it went in the same direction”).

• Provide a large target for children at which they can aim their balloons.

• Encourage children to kick with both feet.

• Engage children in cooperative play, encouraging them to kick balloons back and forth to one another.

• Provide targets of varying sizes and/or targets placed at different levels on the wall.

• Challenge children to keep their balloon afloat using only their lower body (e.g., feet, legs, and knees).

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Technology Applications

159. Using Video at Recall Time Children use a tablet (or another video recording device) to record one another saying their plans. Then at recall time, they revisit the videos and compare their plan(s) to what they did at work time.

Time of Day: Recall Time Content Areas: Science and Technology Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs): 6. Reflection, 52. Tools and technology COR Advantage Items: C. Reflection, EE. Tools and technology Materials: Tablet (or another video recording device) with planning videos from earlier in the day Intentional Vocabulary: Watch, replay, play button

Activity Steps 1. Remind children of the videos they recorded at planning time. “At planning time, your partner recorded you saying your plans. Now we are going to replay those videos and see if what we did at work time is the same or different than our plans.”

2. Let the child whose video is next press the play button. As a group, watch the child’s video.

3. Have the child reflect on and compare and contrast their planning video with what they did at work time. For example, a child might say, “No. I didn’t go to block area like I planned. I stayed in the sand and water table all of work time.”

4. Repeat for each child. Encourage each child to swipe to the next video to practice that skill.

5. As children reflect, support them by helping to make connections between their plans and what they actually did at work time. For example, you might say, “In your planning video, you said you wanted to build a bus with the blocks and you did that. You followed through with your plan.”

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Let’s Read It Again! Interactive Read-Alouds and Set of 20 Children’s Books

Product code: P1449SET Let’s Read It Again! includes lesson plans for multiple readings of 20 high-quality children’s books — a carefully curated selection of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry texts — and a teacher’s guide to support class-room practice. As part of a comprehensive language and literacy curriculum, these thoughtfully planned read-aloud experiences will increase young children’s critical literacy skills and put your preschoolers on the path to become lifelong readers!

Each booklet in Let’s Read It Again! comprises multiple read-aloud activities, with a specific literacy focus, for repeated readings of each book. In addition, each activity includes vocabulary words from the text with child-friendly definitions, suggested stopping points for teachers, and ideas for what they might say to engage children in the reading process to support children’s comprehension skills.

Includes set of 20 children’s books.

HighScope.org

TEACHER’S GUIDE

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LET’S READ IT AGAIN! INTERACTIVE READ-ALOUDS

Charlie Parker Played Be Bop Chris Raschka

Elmer

Fish Eyes

David McKee

Lois Ehlert

Here’s a Little Poem Jane Yolen & Andrew Fusek Peters

How to Make Bubbles Erika Shores

The Important Book Margaret Wise Brown

I Read Signs Tana Hoban

Magnets: Pulling Together, Pushing Apart Natalie M. Rosinsky

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten Joseph Slate

Pecan Pie Baby Jacqueline Woodson

Roller Coaster Marla Frazee

Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie Laura Rankin

Ten Black Dots Donald Crews

The Three Little Pigs Paul Galdone

The Three Little Pigs James Marshall

Up, Down, and Around Katherine Ayres

What Can You Do With a Rebozo?

Carmen Tafolla

Z Is for Moose Kelly Bingham

The Twins’ Blanket Hyewon Yum

Freight Train Donald Crews

Using HighScope’s Let’s Read It Again! Interactive Read-Alouds Interactive read-alouds offer teachers effective ways to support the development of children’s comprehension skills through interactive reading, sustained conversation, and deliberate teaching (Bennett-Armistead et al., 2005).

The interactive read-aloud booklets for the 20 children’s books in the Let’s Read It Again! set are based on a selection of high-quality fiction and nonfiction texts that will engage children in rich language and compelling narratives as they develop key literacy concepts and skills.

Interactive and engaging experiences with fictional texts provide children with opportunities to hear and appreciate literary language, discuss social issues introduced in the text, and develop a keen interest in

books and reading. Experiences with storybooks are also an effective way to support the development of the “two pillars” of learning to read: oral language and print knowledge (Mol, Bus, & Sikkema-de Jong, 2009, p. 1001). Similarly, nonfiction and informational texts help to broaden children’s knowledge base and strengthen their vocabulary about various topics.

Each read-aloud booklet in Let’s Read It Again! includes the following introductory information: the title of the book, the names of the author (or authors) and illustrator, and the genre of the book (e.g., fiction, nonfiction, poetry). The literacy focus identifies key literacy components and specific focus points (see pp. 16–21) that are emphasized during each reading.

The booklets also include multiple readaloud activities, each with a specific literacy focus, for repeated readings of each book throughout the week. These multiple

LET’S READ IT AGAIN! TEACHER’S GUIDE | 9

opportunities support the development of children’s comprehension strategies and vocabulary. During read-alouds, teachers have explicit opportunities to relate specific words to their meanings. Repeated readings of texts, with “direct explanations of word meanings” by teachers, result in children’s acquisition of more word meanings than if they were to simply hear the words read without explanation (Biemiller & Boote, 2006, p. 45). In other words, multiple readings of a story, in which adults explicitly define novel words, support children’s vocabulary development and help to lay the foundation for later reading skills (Biemiller & Boote, 2006, p. 45).

Suggested Vocabulary Each read-aloud includes a list of vocabulary words with child-friendly definitions.

These are words that appear in the text of the book or relate to the illustrations, concepts, or themes explored in the readings. You might choose additional words based on the needs and interests of the children.

This section also includes suggestions for how teachers might introduce new and unfamiliar words to children to most effectively support their understanding.

Teacher Planning Careful planning and preparation are keys to a successful interactive reading experience.

Before introducing a book to children, read it thoroughly for your own understanding.

As you read through the book, identify and flag vocabulary words you plan to introduce to children using small sticky notes or highlighter tape for easy identification during the read-aloud activity.

Literacy experts Shedd and Duke (2008) suggest that before reading with children, teachers choose stopping points in the text where they can pause to ask children open-ended questions and prompt them to make predictions about the text and/or connections to their own lives and experiences. Each interactive read-aloud in this set includes suggested stopping points, which teachers can identify and flag in advance of reading the book with children. Some teachers find it helpful to flag stopping places with sticky notes on which they have written reminders about what to say or do at these points.

Before opening the book, you might invite children to predict what it might be about by looking at the front and back covers or a few illustrations throughout the book to build children’s anticipation.

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Thinking Aloud One way that teachers can model effective reading practices is by thinking aloud as they read. Thinking aloud is a long-standing strategy used in reading instruction. Using this approach, the teacher expresses her thoughts, questions, and predictions out loud for children to hear as they engage in the reading experience.

For example, a teacher modeling this strategy during a read-aloud might pause at the word wilted, which is used to describe a character in the story, and say Ah, it looks like Koala Lou is going through some tough times here. I think she might be missing her mother’s attention. Teachers might also use thinking aloud to make a prediction about a story based on an illustration in the book. For example, when reading an informational book about sharks, the teacher might say, I see a shark with its mouth wide open and a little fish swimming in front of it. I predict that the shark is going to eat the little fish, because I know that sharks eat fish. When teachers think aloud, they demystify the reading process and make explicit how readers think about text.

Getting Ready to Read

Reading the Book

Before reading the book, introduce the title, author, and illustrator (often the author is also the illustrator, and you can bring that to the children’s attention). Talk about why you chose the book. This models for children that they can be thoughtful about choosing books for different reasons and purposes (e.g., it features a favorite character, a topic of interest, or an intriguing cover illustration).

Prepare children for listening to a new book by building on their background knowledge (e.g., make appropriate connections to children’s work in the classroom, their interests, and what you know about their personal experiences) and providing additional context if necessary (introduce an unfamiliar setting or briefly discuss a concept that will be explored in the book).

The Reading the Book section includes the page numbers of suggested stopping points in the text and ideas for ways to engage children at these points. Also included are suggestions for what you might say to support children’s thinking about the text.

After Reading the Book The After Reading the Book section provides ideas for encouraging children to reflect upon and discuss the book. These include helping children make connections between the text and their own experiences, summarizing story events, and uncovering themes or messages presented in the book. This section also provides suggestions for ways to review literacy concepts (e.g., rhyming, print features, vocabulary) explored during specific readings.

LET’S READ IT AGAIN! TEACHER’S GUIDE | 11

F

FICTION

INTE RAC T IV E RE AD - ALOUD S

Elmer

BY DAVID McKEE

1

First Reading SUGGESTED VOCABULARY herd: a group of animals that stays together

LITERACY FOCUS

patchwork: something that’s made up of different things (e.g., different colors)

COMPREHENSION

bunches: groups of the same things

Predicting

ordinary: usual; not special

Synthesizing

VOCABULARY

As you encounter these words and other unfamiliar words in Elmer, you might use some of the following strategies to support children’s understanding:

Understanding what a word means

• Use picture clues and words embedded in the story (e.g., point to the group of elephants on p. 2 to illustrate a herd).

Inferring

CRAFT AND STRUCTURE “Reading” illustrations and making connections between pictures and text

• Show objects or visuals to support the use of new words (e.g., show a photo or an example of a patchwork quilt, show a bunch of grapes).

• Revisit new vocabulary words at other times of the day when appropriate (e.g., at snacktime, show children a bunch of bananas or grapes; at work time, ask a child to hand you a bunch of a particular item such as beads, crayons, or connecting blocks).

TEACHER PLANNING 1. Read the book thoroughly for your own understanding and familiarity.

2. With a pencil, number the pages of the book starting with the numeral 1 on the first page of text in the book (the page that starts with “There was once a herd of elephants”).

3. Select stopping points in the text. (Suggested stopping points are identified in the Reading the Book section of this read-aloud, but you may want to add your own.)

You may also want to flag these stopping points with sticky notes or removable highlighter tape as reminders.

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1

Getting Ready to Read Introduce the book, its author, and your reason for choosing it. Here is an example of how you might introduce a book because its cover got your attention.

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YOU MIGHT SAY:

This book’s colorful cover got my attention. When I looked at the cover more closely, I noticed something interesting.

Look closely. What do you see? (Encourage children to look closely at the front cover to identify the elephant.)

Think aloud about the title and main character.

Invite children to make predictions about the story.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

The title of this book is Elmer by David McKee. I wonder if the elephant’s name is Elmer. I know authors often put important characters on the book’s cover.

What do you think this book might be about?

Reading the Book Position the book so children can easily see the text and illustrations and you can comfortably read the text.

As you read, gather information from the pictures by asking children what they notice.

SUGGESTED STOPPING POINTS Page 1 Introduce the vocabulary word herd.

Pages 3–4 Turn back to the front cover to confirm that Elmer is the elephant on the book’s cover.

Introduce the vocabulary word patchwork.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

We were right. The elephant on the front cover is Elmer. What do you think patchwork means? (Pause to allow children to answer.) Elmer is made up of many different colors put together.

Page 6 Think aloud about the relationship between Elmer and the other elephants.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

It looks like the other elephants really like playing with Elmer.

Pages 11–12 Invite children to predict what Elmer might be planning to do with the berries.

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4 | ELMER

YOU MIGHT SAY:

What do you think Elmer is going to do with the berries?

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Page 13 Introduce the vocabulary word bunches.

Page 16 Point to Elmer and note that the other animals don’t seem to recognize him.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

Hmm, this must be Elmer. I guess the other animals don’t recognize him because they call him elephant, not Elmer.

Pages 19–20 Ask children what is different about the interactions between Elmer and the other elephants now, in comparison to Elmer’s interactions with the other elephants at the beginning of the story. Turn back to page 6 to compare the interactions.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

Something is different between Elmer and the other elephants. What could it be? (Acknowledge children’s inferences, and point out the differences to children if necessary.)

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

The elephants are laughing because they think Elmer played a joke on them.

How do you think the elephants feel about Elmer?

Page 29 Introduce the vocabulary word ordinary.

After Reading the Book Talk with children and recall the story events, pointing out how Elmer’s feelings about being different change from the beginning of the story to the end.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

Let’s remember how Elmer felt at the beginning of the story. (Accept all answers but supply the following statement if the children don’t address it in their discussion.) Yes! Elmer was unhappy because he wanted to look like the other elephants. How do you think he was feeling at the end of the story? Why?

Page 26 Think aloud that the elephants don’t recognize Elmer.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

The other elephants don’t know that Elmer is gray. They think he isn’t there.

Page 27 Think aloud to clarify the elephants’ responses to Elmer.

ELMER | 5

2

Second Reading SUGGESTED VOCABULARY

LITERACY FOCUS

Revisit the vocabulary from the first reading of Elmer and incorporate the use of those words in the second reading.

COMPREHENSION Inferring

TEACHER PLANNING 1. Reread the book thoroughly for your own understanding and familiarity.

2. Select stopping points in the text. (Suggested stopping points are identified in the Reading the Book section of this read-aloud, but you may want to add your own.) You may also want to flag these stopping points with sticky notes or removable highlighter tape as reminders.

6 | ELMER

2

Getting Ready to Read Reintroduce the book to the children and explain the focus of today’s reading.

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YOU MIGHT SAY:

We have read the book Elmer before.

Sometimes authors write books to send their readers a message — something the author wants us to think about.

As we read Elmer today, let’s think about what the author might be trying to tell us.

Reading the Book Position the book so children can easily see the text and illustrations and you can comfortably read the text.

...

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

So Elmer thinks the other elephants are laughing at him because he’s a patchwork elephant.

Pages 13–14 Ask children to think about why Elmer might want to change his color.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

Why do you think Elmer wants to be gray like the other elephants?

Page 20 Discuss how Elmer might feel now that he is the same color as the other elephants.

I wonder how Elmer feels now that he looks like the other elephants.

Page 27 Think aloud to infer the reason for Elmer’s actions.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

The elephants thought Elmer was playing a joke on them by changing his color. Do you think Elmer was playing a joke? I wonder if he really wanted to be the same color as the other elephants.

Page 29 Ask children to infer what the other elephants think about being made up of different colors.

...

SUGGESTED STOPPING POINTS Pages 7–8 Think aloud to clarify why Elmer is unhappy.

YOU MIGHT SAY:

YOU MIGHT SAY:

I wonder what the other elephants think about having a patchwork of colors.

What do you think?

After Reading the Book Have a brief discussion about the author’s message. Then ask children to point out a few similarities and differences among themselves.

...

YOU MIGHT SAY:

We all have things that are the same about us and things that are different.

What do you think the writer is trying to tell us about being different? Think about some things that are the same about you and your classmates.

Give children a chance to respond. Then ask them how they are different from one another.

ELMER | 7

Launching Literacy Tool Kit

Product code: P1458 Boost young children’s language and literacy learning with engaging activities you can use throughout the preschool day. The Launching Literacy Toolkit gives teachers the tools they need to support children’s emergent literacy skills — from alphabetic knowledge and letter-recognition to reading and writing. With this easy-to-use classroom toolbox, even transition times and mealtime table talk become playful language- and literacy-rich learning opportunities.

This toolkit includes: • Large Alphabet Chart (22” x 34”) • Small Alphabet Chart (8 ½” x 11” reproducible sheet) • Alphabet Cards (1 set) • 20 Mealtime Conversation Cards • 40 Small Moments Cards • 20 Message Board Activities HighScope.org

USING A

MESSAGE BOARD

Ready for School Since 1970

Using the Message Board Reading a daily message board at greeting time (or circle time) is an interactive way to share information with preschool children about the upcoming day, while introducing them to the function of pictures, symbols, and words. Messages help children begin to acquire concepts about print while simultaneously developing their reading, writing, and communication skills.

Early childhood educators can use these cards to communicate with children about a range of topics — from changes in the day’s usual routine to the addition of new materials to the classroom. Teachers can also use the message board to initiate discussions or problem solving related to classroom situations (e.g., a new classroom pet, missing toys).

The 20 message board activities in this booklet offer specific examples of messages teachers might replicate in their classrooms.

Each message board activity includes the following elements: • A Message — a hand-drawn example for teachers to replicate or adapt for their children’s needs • Purpose — a brief explanation of how the message is used • Literacy Focus — the relevant content areas addressed in the message • Preparation — suggestions for how to set up the message clearly • Reading the message board with children — strategies for conversing with children about the message

©2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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MESSAGE BOARD IDEAS

PURPOSE

COMMON MESSAGES

Every classroom has typical activities and consistent expectations that children learn and anticipate each day. Sometimes there are special events, new toys, and changes in the routine that affect what children typically anticipate and do. When children know about these changes, they can respond to and act on that new information. Reading a daily message board with children at greeting time (circle time) is an interactive way to share this information with them. The message board also gives children an opportunity to practice reading and writing drawings, symbols, and words with a teacher’s guidance.

• Who’s not here? When children know a classmate or teacher is absent, they talk about that person’s well-being and learn that others will miss them when they’re absent. This information also helps children plan whom they will play with and think about who will care for them when a familiar adult is absent.

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• New materials. Messages that let children know there are new materials available help them make informed plans. Teachers can share information about the materials or ask children for ideas about how to use them.

MESSAGE BOARD

Who’s Not Here Today?

Introducing the “No” Symbol PREPARATION PURPOSE Use this message to inform children that someone will be absent.

1. Write the name and draw the personal symbol of the child or adult who will be absent. (Use photos if you do not use symbols.)

2. Number the message and cover it with a piece of paper. Reveal the message in the appropriate sequence at message board time.

LITERACY FOCUS

3. Have a marker available. [Note: Later in the year, include the symbol on the prepared message or invite a child to add the “no” symbol when you read the message.]

Reading symbols and words

READING THE MESSAGE BOARD WITH CHILDREN • Point to the picture. Say something like I see somebody’s symbol on the message board. I’m thinking this message is about somebody in our classroom. Do you know?

Acknowledge children’s responses and confirm their answer.

• Draw the “no” symbol over the symbol of the person who is absent. Say I drew another symbol over Mary’s symbol. What do you think the message means now?

• Introduce the “no” symbol. You might say, A circle with a diagonal line through it is called the “no” symbol. What do you think it means when the “no” symbol is over Mary’s symbol?

• Acknowledge children’s responses and restate what the “no” symbol means.

MESSAGE BOARD EXAMPLE

©2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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MESSAGE BOARD

Introducing New Materials: Fill in the Area Name PREPARATION PURPOSE Use this message to introduce a new material to the classroom so children know where to find it.

1. Put a representation of the new material on the message board (a drawing, picture, or actual item taped to the board) and write its name under the image/item.

2. Draw an arrow pointing to the blank lines that represent the missing letters of the interest area name.

3. Number the message and cover it with a sheet of paper so you are ready to reveal it at the appropriate time.

READING THE MESSAGE BOARD WITH CHILDREN LITERACY FOCUS Alphabetic knowledge; Reading symbols and words

• Draw children’s attention to the message. Ask what they think it might be about.

• Call attention to the word(s) that describes the new material (e.g., This word starts with the /m/ sound. What might it say?).

• Call attention to the blank lines that represent the missing letters of the interest area name.

• Help children figure out the letters that complete the name. If they don’t guess correctly, provide clues (e.g., write or make the sound of the initial letter).

• Ask a child to write in the letters and/or add the area symbol.

• Remind children that they can make a plan to use the new material at work/ choice time.

MESSAGE BOARD EXAMPLE

©2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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SMALL MOMENTS

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Small Moments Cards Small moments are exactly that — brief periods between activities (e.g., moving from snacktime to large-group time) or short waiting times between parts of the day (e.g., lining up to go outside).

These 40 Small Moments cards provide teachers with short activities to build children’s language and literacy skills during those in-between times as they transition from one part of the day to the next.

For these times of day, here are some ideas to make those minutes translate into literacy learning opportunities!

The cards are divided into two categories: Transitions

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Wait Times

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Move Like a Storybook Character Give clues to the identity of a familiar storybook character (e.g., the colorful fish in The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister) to help children move to the next activity. For example: Teacher: I’m thinking about a character in a book we’ve read who has shiny scales.

Who is it?

Children: It’s Rainbow Fish!

Teacher: Yes! Let’s move to small-group time like Rainbow Fish.

©2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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What Rhymes With‌?

Give a common word ending, such as -ock.

Ask children to think of as many words as they can that have that ending (e.g., clock, block, sock, dock, trock); accept made-up words.

Other common word endings for this rhyming game include -ick, -at, -ide, -ake, and -ill.

Š2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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MEALTIME CONVERSATIONS

Mealtime Conversation Cards Mealtimes are an important part of the daily routine in early childhood programs. In full-time programs, children and adults share several mealtimes, including breakfast, lunch, and snacktimes; most part-time programs have one 15- to 20-minute snacktime.

The emphasis during mealtimes is on social interaction. It is important for adults to sit down and eat family style, creating a familiar situation as well as an opportunity to share relaxed conversation with children and support their ideas.

Š2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation MT00

Using the Mealtime Conversation Cards Each of the 20 Mealtime Conversation cards provides you with a different idea for conversing with children during mealtimes.

Many of the cards also list vocabulary words related to the conversation idea; you might want to incorporate these words and their childfriendly definitions* into your conversations.

Once you’ve tried out these mealtime conversation starters, you may want to create your own variations.

*Sources consulted for these definitions include Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary (learnersdictionary.com) and Wordsmyth (kids.wordsmyth.net/we).

MT00

My Family During mealtime, converse with the children about who is in their family. Start with a photo or a statement about your own family or offer an open-ended prompt as illustrated in the following examples: • Tell me about the people in your family.

• Here is my family (show photo). I have two siblings; siblings is another word for brothers and sisters. I have a sister and a brother who are older than me.

• I have lots of relatives — aunts and cousins and grandparents. I call my grandmother Oma.

©2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation MT03

Vocabulary Words adult: a grown-up relative: a family member sibling: a brother or a sister

Š2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation MT03

ALPHABET CARDS ABC CardsJune2019v3.indd 1

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HighScope Alphabet Cards Young children develop alphabetic knowledge by building two important skills: letter recognition and an awareness of letter-sound connections. In preschool classrooms, this is best accomplished in the context of children’s play and meaningful and authentic reading and writing activities.

The 26 images of the HighScope Alphabet Cards are designed to spark children’s imagination and sense of play as children engage in learning letters and letter sounds — skills that lay the foundation for later literacy and speaking skills.

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Suggestions on How to Use the Alphabet Cards • Hang a set of Alphabet Cards near each small-group table so children can refer to them during writing activities.

• Model how to use the Alphabet Cards as a reference (e.g., look for a specific letter during a shared reading or writing activity).

• Place a couple sets of the Alphabet Cards in the toy or writing area for children to manipulate and match.

• Use two sets of the Alphabet Cards to play “concentration” or another memory/matching game. ©2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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Adult-Initiated Activities Using the Alphabet Cards • Ask children to transition when you hold up the first letter of their name.

• Play guessing games. You might say, for example, This letter makes the /b/ sound or This is the first letter in Melodie’s name.

• Give each child several Alphabet Cards and go on a letter hunt around the classroom or neighborhood.

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Aa ©2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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Aa

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Using the HighScope Alphabet Chart Young children develop alphabetic knowledge by building two important skills: letter recognition and an awareness of letter-sound connections. In preschool classrooms, this is best accomplished in the context of children’s play and meaningful and authentic reading and writing activities. The 26 images of the new HighScope Alphabet Chart evoke a sense of imagination and play as they engage children in learning letters and letter sounds, laying the foundation for later literacy and speaking skills.

How to support children’s alphabet learning: • Place the 24” × 32” high-quality HighScope Alphabet Chart at children’s eye level as a useful visual tool they can reference as they expand their alphabetic knowledge. The black-and-white print helps to focus children’s attention on the chart as a tool rather than as a decorative poster.

• Post the HighScope Alphabet Chart in an area where conversations and literacy activities often occur. Refer to the chart yourself to model how to use it as a tool to aid reading and writing. For example, you may refer to the alphabet chart as you and the children read or compose messages at greeting time.

• Photocopy the smaller alphabet charts (8 ½” × 11” version), and make them available to children for literacy-related activities. For example, you might provide children with copies of the chart to use at their tables during a literacyfocused small-group time or to carry on a neighborhood letter hunt.

• Give children a copy of the 8 ½” × 11” HighScope Alphabet Chart so they can bring one home to share with their families.

• Use opportunities to explicitly name letters and connect letters to their sounds within the context of children’s play and through adult-initiated activities.

• Since it is typically easier for children to recognize the beginning sounds in words, make connections between the illustrations and the initial sounds of the words they represent.

© 2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation ISBN 978-1-57379-784-9 | P1442

Aa

Bb

Cc

Dd

Ee

Ff

Gg

Hh

Ii

Jj

Kk

Ll

Mm

Nn

Oo

Pp

Qq

Rr

Ss

Tt

Uu

Vv

Ww

Xx

Yy

Zz

P1453 © 2019 HighScope Educational Research Foundation

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Letter Links: Alphabet Learning With Children's Names

Product code: P1204 What's in a child's name? A lot of literacy learning! A child’s own name is an important personal entryway to early literacy development. That’s why we have devised a letter links name learning system that pairs a child’s printed nametag with a letter-linked picture of an object that starts with the same letter and sound.

Building on children’s natural attachment to their own names, the letter links name learning system enables you to introduce children to alphabet letter names and sounds in personally meaningful and effective ways.

HighScope.org

“Systematic teaching of the alphabet, one letter per week, is not as successful as teaching children letters that are meaningful to them” (Morrow, 1988, p. 131).

Since children learn the alphabetic principle best when it relates to them personally, they need to work and play in environments rich with print and text, supported by knowledgeable teachers who engage them in reading and writing experiences closely related to their own lives, interests, and abilities. Clearly, learning to write and name letters is an interactive process involving both children and supportive adults.

Why Use Letter Links?

Young children learn alphabet letter names and sounds by talking about and attempting to write their own name and other printed words they encounter on a regular basis such as Stop, Art Area, and I love you. Pretty soon, they can identify themselves by the first letter of their own name, and soon after they can identify others the same way. They are able to differentiate between themselves and others using the written letter, for example, A stands for Andee, D stands for David, and F stands for Flora.

Children seem to move in a natural learning progression from name writing into letter knowledge. They begin by being unable to name a single letter and progress to learning that letters are unique and each has its own sound or sounds.

While children use a variety of strategies to come to this conclusion, it is clear that learning to identify, read, and write their own name has a major influence on this progression. When such an obvious and accessible learning tool is readily available to teachers, it is imperative that they make use of it. Letter Links provides a means for doing so. We provide a child’s nametag in two pieces: The first piece displays the child’s name with the first letter highlighted—Flora; the second piece displays a letter-linked picture of an object that begins with the same letter and sound as the child’s name, in Flora’s case, a flower— ❀. (See sample at right.) Children need to understand that letters have both names and sounds.

The letter links learning system assists with this task by connecting the alphabetic principle with phonological awareness, two important skills young children need to develop as early literacy learners.

Most early childhood teachers provide their children with nametags or with symbols in distinctive shapes that bear the child’s name—for example, Dan printed on the shape of a truck, Shantel printed on the shape of bell, and so forth. So, why should they change from using nametags or symbols to using letter links?

Nametags alone enable adults to identify children’s work and belongings and help children learn to recognize their printed name. With daily exposure, most young children will learn to recognize their own name. It will take them much longer, however, to learn to recognize the names of all their classmates and to use nametags to locate the work and belongings of others. Symbols with names written on them enable both adults and children to identify children’s work and

Rob

R

R

R

R

Children’s Name Writing and Recognition

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belongings quickly and easily. Even the youngest child soon learns that her symbol is the moon, Dan’s is the truck, Shantel’s is the bell, and so on. Children can also learn to write their own name from looking at and attempting to copy the name written on their symbol. Symbols also help children negotiate the classroom with ease because children can tell at a glance whose things belong to whom.

Because the distinctively shaped symbols are so easy to read, however, they may in some cases overshadow the printed version of the name they bear.

Letter links, on the other hand, come in two distinct parts—the nametag and the letter-linked image. Separate but used together, these two pieces combine the distinctive print features of nametags with the easy identity of symbols and have the added literacy value of linking the two through common initial letters and sounds. Further, letter links support the child’s developmental progression from symbols to print and from ideographs to letters and names. The letter links learning system provides two ways for a young child to recognize her own name and the names of classmates: a written nametag, which will gradually take on greater significance as she learns to distinguish its parts and write her own name conventionally; and her letter-linked picture, which she and other children can easily recognize and which will gradually fall into disuse because she will no longer need it. Initially, a young child appears to see her written name, Flora, as environmental print that stands for her in much the same way she sees the letters and pictures on the Cheerios box as standing for Cheerios, Nike and the Nike swoosh standing for Nike, the yellow and green John Deere logo standing for John Deere, and so forth. When we provide her with a written nametag— Flora— and a drawing of a flower—❀—she basically has two symbols or ideographs that stand for her. Over time, as she begins to distinguish the letters in her name, she will become more attached to Flora and less reliant on ❀, which will eventually become obsolete as she learns to read her own and her classmate’s names. In the meantime, every child can read every other child’s letter-linked picture before they have any understanding of printed names and letters.

The way the young child begins to write her name may be the best window we currently have on how she understands and begins to decode her written nametag. Her first “signatures” are scrawls and scribbles, generally one continuous form with no distinct parts or letters, indicating, for example, that she sees her written nametag as one continuous whole. Next, she begins to write her name as a series of patterns that include repeated elements such as lines, balls, squiggles, and even letter-like forms indicating that now she sees her written name as a series of parts or elements. After this stage, she begins to distinguish and reproduce actual letters in her name, beginning with the first letter and generally followed by the last letter, and these letters appear in her signature. Finally, she is able to write her entire first name, Flora, using conventional letters (though some may be reversed or upside down), indicating that now she sees her name as a particular sequence of distinct parts or letters. She may or may not know the names of the letters and likely does not associate the letters with the sounds they make in her name. This sound-letter connection will come later with more writing and reading experience.

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Letter Links

Since the letter-linked picture also starts with and includes the first letter of her name, it may actually help the child to begin to see the initial letter in her written name. Moreover, since her name and her letter link also begin with the same sound, she may also connect the first sound in her name to the first letter or letter combination in her name.

Understanding the Letter-Sound Correspondences in Letter Links The idea behind the letter links learning system is to have each child in your class select a picture that starts with the same letter and sound as the child’s name.

Therefore, the letter links in this book are organized alphabetically by their beginning letters and sounds.

A look at the contents or a flip through the book quickly reveals that there are more than 26 types of letter links. Why are there more sets of letter links than there are letters in the alphabet? Because many letters represent more than one sound. Let’s start with the vowels A, E, I, O, and U. Each vowel can be pronounced as a short vowel as at the beginning of Andy, Evan, Iggy, Oscar, and Umberto; or as a long vowel as at the beginning of Ada, Eva, Irene, Okalani, and Ukiah. Further, some initial vowels change their sound when they are followed by the letter r as in Arthur, Ernest, Orrin, and Ursula. Finally, some initial vowels, when followed by a second vowel, change sound yet again as in Audrey, Eileen, and Eugene. So, for example, depending on the influence of other letters immediately following it, the letter E can represent five different sounds at the beginning of five different names. Listen to the way the sound of the initial E changes as you say Evan, Eva, Eileen, Ernest, and Eugene!

When we listen to initial consonants, we find that two letters, C and G, have both hard and soft sounds as in Caitlin and Cindy, Gabby and Georgia. Then there are the digraphs Ch, Ph, Sh, Th, and Wh that represent a different set of sounds as in Chelsea, Philip, Shemeka, Theo, and Whitney as well as the ch that sounds like /sh/ as in Cher. The blends—Bl, Br, Chr, Cl, Cr, Dr, Fl, Fr, Kr, Pl, Pr, Sc, Sk, Sl, Sn, Sp, St, Sw, and Tr—are not new sounds. For example, the F at the beginning of Fergus, Flora, and Frieda, always sounds like /f/, but the F and the l at the beginning of Flora are blended so closely together in speech, that it made sense to us to provide letter-linked pictures that begin with blends for children whose names begin with blends. Hence, Flora and ❀.

Between long and short vowels, vowels influenced by r and by other vowels (au, ei, eu), hard and soft consonants, digraphs, and blends, we offer 67 initial sounds in children’s names represented by 26 letters and letter combinations! Now you can see why the alphabetic code is difficult for young children to decipher!

While we have tried to provide letter-linked pictures that match the beginning letters and sounds of most children’s names, some children in your class may have names that begin with sounds that do not correspond to the sound the initial letter represents in English. For example, in Spanish, the letter J is close in sound to /h/, so to English speakers, the name José sounds as if it were written Hosé. In

Children’s Name Writing and Recognition

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2 Getting Started With Letter Links ow that you are familiar with the research behind letter links, the reasons for using them, and the letter-sound correspondences they entail, you are ready to begin using them! Here are the steps we suggest for introducing them to the children in your classroom or center.

N

Step 1: Learn Names Learn the preferred name of each child in your class. For example, you may read the name DeLawan Jamal Jordan on a child’s enrollment form and assume that this particular child is called DeLawan. His family, however, may call him DeLawan, Dela, Lawan, Wan, Jamal, Mal, DJ, Boomer, or Leon. If you prepare a nametag for him that says DeLawan and he refers to himself as Lawan, the whole notion of starting letter learning with the child’s personal name is already lost. Asking a child who considers his name to be Lawan to choose a letter link that starts with D for DeLawan is totally confusing to the child. We know, because we’ve made this mistake ourselves!

Step 2: Learn Pronunciations Learn how to pronounce each child’s name in the way the child is used to hearing it spoken. Find out from family members how they pronounce the child’s name and pronounce it that way yourself. Cheri, for example, might be pronounced to sound like Sherry or Cherry. You may pronounce Eva with a long E, while the child in your class and her family may pronounce it with a short E as in Evan. It is important not to change a child’s name to suit the way you may be used to hearing it. If you see a child’s written name and don’t know how to pronounce it, ask a family member to say it for you. If you have trouble hearing or remembering how it is pronounced, write it out phonetically for yourself and practice saying it until you can pronounce it fluently.

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Step 3: Make Multiple Nametags Make several nametags for each teacher and child using the names children go by (that is, the names you gathered in step one). Print each child’s name clearly.

Capitalize the first letter and make it darker than the rest. If you need a guide, look at the sample nametags that appear in Chapter 4 in this book. (All the names and pictures may be duplicated.) If you decide to print nametags on the computer, choose a font or style of print similar to the one used in Chapter 4, that is, one that uses a sans serif typeface, such as Century Gothic. Print the first letter of the name in boldface type. You may wish to print some nametags on self-sticking labels.

Step 4: Child Selects a Letter-Linked Picture Have each child select a picture that starts with the same letter and sound as the first letter (or letter combination) in the child’s name. To do this, find a time to sit for a few minutes with each child during the enrollment process, on a home visit, at arrival time, or during snack time. As you sit with Flora, for example, turn to the Fl page and ask her which picture she would like to choose to go with her nametag. She may select the flag, flamingo, flower, or flute. If another child in her class has already selected one of these images, tell her so. You may then wish to cover it up, replace it with your own drawing of one of the other choices at the bottom of the page, or simply read the additional choices to her. Once Flora has chosen her letter-linked image, pencil her name lightly next to it to help you keep track of the pictures children select.

Step 5: Teachers Select Letter Links Repeat step 4 with the teachers and other adults (including parents) who regularly interact with the children in your classroom. Have each adult select an image that starts with the same letter and sound as the initial letter in the adult’s first name. You or another adult in your classroom may have asked children to address you by title: Miss Sue, Mrs. Jones, Mr. Dan. In such cases, it is important to include only one word on your nametag so children can easily understand the letter link between the name on your nametag and your picture. Miss Sue, for example, may print Sue on her nametag and a select an S link (saw, scissors, seal, sun), or she may print Miss on her nametag and select an M link (maraca, mitten, moon, motorcycle). Alternatively, she may print Miss on one nametag followed by an M picture, and print Sue on a second nametag followed by an S picture: “I have two nametags and pictures because I have M two words in my name,” she might say to children. “ ‘Miss’ and ‘Sue’.”

Step 6: Make Multiple Letter Links for Each Child Either make your own letter-linked pictures or use this book to photocopy multiple copies of each child’s letter link and then cut them out. To ensure durability, you may wish to

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Letter Links

Miss Sue

M

M

M

S

S

S

S

copy them on labels or on heavy paper or card stock, laminate them, or cover them with clear contact paper. You may wish to do this step with parents on a home visit or at a parent meeting to acquaint families with the letter-linked pictures and nametags so they can use them at home in the activities described in Chapter 3.

Step 7: Identify Each Child’s Belongings With Nametags and Letter-Linked Pictures Hang children’s nametags and letter links around the room to designate things and places that belong to the child: a coat hook, cubby, personal storage tub, toothbrush (small version on adhesive tape); on the snack jobs chart, the jobs chart, and so on. Keep the nametags and letter links posted throughout the year so children will always know where to find their written name, and so that even young children and those new to the program can find their own and other’s belongings by using the letter links learning system.

Step 8: Write the Child’s Name and Draw the Letter-Linked Image on the Child’s Work Write the child’s name and draw the appropriate letter link on the child’s work as needed. Share this task with the child. When you draw a child’s letter link, use the pictures in this book as a guide. Include telling details and do not worry when you simplify or modify the image based on your own drawing ability. A child named Cathy, for example, will recognize her “cat” drawing and yours just as she recognizes her own signature and your print version of her name.

Getting Started With Letter Links

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Letter-Linked Learning Activities

O

nce each child has selected a letter-linked image that starts with the same letter and sound as the child’s name, you can begin to use the nametags and letter links as teaching and learning tools! The following 25 learning activities will help you support and extend children’s emerging understanding of the alphabetic principle, phonological awareness, sense of word, and vocabulary. The activities are numbered for easy reference and are meant to be used, revisited, and adapted to your particular children as needed over the course of a year. The activities can also be supplemented by the letter recognition, letter-sound, and phonological awareness activities described in Fee, Fie, Phonemic Awareness—130 Prereading Activities for Preschoolers by Mary Hohmann.1

Activities Related to the Alphabetic Principle Activities 1–16 actively engage children in recognizing their printed name, writing their name, identifying the letters in their name, and associating letter sounds with the letters in their name. By drawing their attention in a meaningful way to the letters and sounds in their own name, these activities will help children establish a firm foundation for deciphering the alphabetic code. Note that activities 2, 5–7, and 1–12 can be used by parents and family members at home either as is or with some modification.

Name recognition 1. Identify names and letter links. Make a set of nametags and letter links in two or three sizes for each child and adult in your class. At a transition time, spread all the nametags and letter links face up on a table or the floor

To order this HighScope Press publication, go to www.highscope.org.

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where children can easily see and reach them. Ask the children to choose their own name and letter link and take them to their small-group meeting place (or whatever event comes next in the daily routine).

At a transition time, provide a set of nametags and letter links in a box, bag, or spread out on a tray. Hold up a child’s nametag and letter link and say “It’s this person’s turn to hop to the table for snack [or whatever is next].” Wait for one of the children to recognize and say the name of the child whose nametag and letter link you are holding.

At large-group times, use nametags and letter links from time to time to designate turns—to choose the next song to sing, to decide which game to play next, to add on to the story you are telling, and so forth. For example, hold up a child’s nametag and letter link and say “It’s this person’s turn to decide the place in the room we should march to next.”

2.

Include names and letter-linked pictures on the message board. Each day on the message board write a message that refers to one or more children by their name and letter link. Give children a chance to read the names and messages. Here, for example, are messages like the ones you might write:

“Flora ❀ ➯ grandma’s “Stella ✩’s birthday

.” ”

(Flora’s at her grandma’s house today.)

(It’s Stella’s birthday.)

“Aaron ✈ and Seth ✄ Big box ❑ ➯ house

”

(Aaron and Seth: There’s a big box to use for your house.)

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3.

Match nametags. Make a set of nametag cards that will allow children to play a nametag memory transition game. Make sure that all the nametag cards are the same size. Include in the set two nametags for each child. Cover the nametag cards with clear contact paper for durability. At the end of small-group, planning, recall, or morning greeting time, spread all the nametag cards face down on the floor. Have each children take turns turning over a card, identifying the name, and leaving the card face up. When two cards turn up with the same name, have the named child hop (jump, skip, or crawl) to the next activity. Let the children know where the nametag cards will be stored (for example, in the toy area) in case they want to play with them during work or choice time.

4.

Identify names. At a transition time, place a set of nametags only (without the letter-linked pictures) in a basket or bag. Draw and hold up a child’s nametag and say “It’s this person’s turn to jump to the planning table [or whatever event is next in your daily routine].” Wait for one of the children to recognize and say the name of the child whose nametag you are displaying. If no one can identify the name, hold up the letter-linked image that goes with it.

Letter Links

Sample nametag

B Br

Brianna

Letter links for names that begin with Br

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

Bread, Bridge, Broccoli, Brontosaurus. Other choices: Bracelet, Braid, Bride, Bridle, Briefcase, Bronco, Broom.

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Letter Links

Sample nametag

P

Pedro

Letter links for names that begin with P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

P

Paintbrush, Palm tree, Parachute, Penguin. Other choices: Pagoda, Pan, Panda, Pants, Parrot, Peacock, Peanut, Pea pod, Pelican, Pie, Pig, Pineapple, Pocket, Pogo stick.

Nametags and Letter Links

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Sample nametag

S Sp

Spencer

Letter links for names that begin with Sp

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Spaceship, Spatula, Spider, Spoon. Other choices: Spindle, Spinning wheel, Sponge, Spool.

Nametags and Letter Links

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Sample nametag

T Tr

Travis

Letter links for names that begin with Tr

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

T

Tractor, Tree, Triangle, Trumpet. Other choices: Train, Trampoline, Trapezoid, Travois, Triceratops, Tricycle, Truck, Trunk.

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Letter Links

Big Beats for Young Peeps CD

Product code: M2410 Looking for fresh and fun music to share with young children? Big Beats for Young Peeps offers teachers and parents of children from ages 0–8 high-quality, age-appropriate instrumental selections that provide rich musical beats and rhythms for movement activities. Produced by Chip Dixson, an accomplished music producer who’s worked with P. Diddy (Sean Combs), Beyoncé, and Jay-Z, the 20 songs on Big Beats for Young Peeps reflect a variety of musical genres, including hip-hop, jazz, reggae, Latin pop, and techno.

The CD comes with a user guide with details on how to use these songs to support children’s movement, executive function, and self-regulation skills during group times. Listen to samples of the songs here: https://music.highscope.org/album/big-beats-for-young-peeps

HighScope.org

BIG BEATS FOR YOUNG PEEPS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Krump Battle Celebratin’ in the Streets Play Those Keys Double Agent Island Shuffle Granddaddy’s Jam Dance Party African Hype Cruisin’ Robot Re-charge

11. The Güiro Scratch 12. DJ Mixer 13. Zip N’ Freeze 14. Fiesta Beat 15. Smooth Flute 16. My Own Rap 17. Turntable Stop 18. Remembering Rio 19. Speed of Light 20. Head Bobbin’

Produced, mixed, and mastered by Chip Dixson of Chipper Kreations, Inc., 4Runners Music Group (SESAC).

HighScope Early Childhood Consultant: Erica Hill HighScope Early Childhood Applied Practice Manager: Shannon Lockhart CD/pamphlet artwork and design: Invisible Engines Big Beats for Young Peeps is also available as a digital download at the HighScope store. For more information about the HighScope Curriculum, visit HighScope.org.

© 2018 HighScope® Educational Research Foundation M2410

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What You’ll Find in This Guide to Big Beats for Young Peeps

How to Support Children’s Movement Skills During Group Times (For ages 0–8)

Big Beats for Young Peeps offers teachers and parents of children from ages 0–8 high-quality, age-appropriate instrumental selections that provide rich musical beats and rhythms for movement activities. Young children, in particular, benefit from listening to instrumental music because it allows them to concentrate on the musical characteristics of a piece without being distracted by the words (Epstein, 2012).

The 20 tracks on Big Beats for Young Peeps reflect a variety of musical genres, including hip-hop, jazz, reggae, Latin pop, and techno.

How to use the musical selections on this CD This pamphlet describes three different ways you can use these musical selections, including • How to support children’s movement skills during group times for ages 0–8 (p. 1) • How to support children’s executive function and self-regulation skills during largegroup times for ages 3–8 (pp. 2–7) • How to use the music selections during other parts of the day for ages 3–8 (p. 8) You can also use the music to support additional skills that are typically found in states’ early learning standards, including the following: • Listening • Speaking • Keeping a steady beat • Gross-motor skills • Comparing and contrasting • Creative thinking and expression • Appreciating the arts

During group times, encourage children to listen to a musical selection and move their bodies to the way it makes them feel. By listening to the music, thinking of and describing how they want to move, and then following through, children are developing their self-regulation skills and their ability to stop, think, and act.

Support children’s movement skills by using the following strategies: Copy and imitate children’s movements For example, if a child is jumping up and down, jump up and down. Then copy another child’s movements. Copy and imitate the movements of several children.

Acknowledge and label children’s movements Describe a child’s movements by saying something like “Jayden, you are swaying your body from side to side.”

Ask for children’s ideas and clarify their actions You might ask, “Ada, how do you want to move?” If Ada responds by twirling and then jumping, say “Tell me what you call that movement.” If Ada responds, “Circle jump!” acknowledge her response by saying “Ada is calling her movement circle jump!”

Connect children’s movements to aspects of the music You might say, for example, “This part of the music has violins playing softly; I noticed that you are slowly swaying your bodies.”

Choose a material for children to use and move to the music Suggested ideas for materials include instruments, fabric (for scarves), stretchy bands, rhythm sticks, shakers, a parachute (or a flat sheet), and Slinkys.

You can use these strategies for all of the musical selections; however, tracks 1, 2, 9, 14, and 16 specifically support children’s movement skills.

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How to Support Children’s Executive Function and Self-Regulation Skills During Large-Group Times (For ages 3–8) Executive function refers to a group of skills that helps us manage multiple streams of information, focus on the information that’s important to us at that time, make decisions in light of that information, and revise plans as needed (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2011; Epstein, 2012).

The components of executive function include working memory, inhibitory control, and mental flexibility: 1. Working memory: This is the ability to hold specific pieces of information in our minds and use them over short periods of time.

2. Inhibitory control: This is the skill we use to filter our thoughts and impulses so we can resist distractions. It enables us to pause and think before we respond or act.

3. Mental flexibility: This is the ability to switch gears and adjust to changed demands, priorities, or perspectives.

Self-regulation comprises these three components of executive function. Selfregulation is the “conscious control of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions”; it is the ability to stop, think, and then act (McClelland & Tominey, 2016, p. 4). As children self-regulate their behaviors, they are more intentional in their thinking, reactions, and interactions.

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Through thoughtfully planned large-group-time activities, children can develop their executive function and self-regulation skills by learning to stop, think, and then act on their ideas and their peers’ ideas. As children are given choices of what to sing, how to move, and ways to respond during large-group time, they need to regulate their behaviors to participate in the activities, thereby practicing and developing executive function skills.

Let’s take, for example, a child at large-group time who is listening to instructions on how to listen to the music and move her body to fast and slow music. She then participates in this activity by sharing her ideas and following others. This child is listening and paying attention instead of interacting with other children or disengaging (self-regulation), interpreting and following instructions in light of past experiences (working memory), and stopping her actions and following another child’s actions (inhibitory control and mental flexibility). By developing these skills at large-group time, she’ll be able to carry these skills to other parts of the daily routine.

Large-group-time activities are particularly suitable in helping children develop their mental flexibility. For example, after children have had lots of experiences moving their bodies fast to fast music and slow to slow music, you can ask them to do the opposite: move slow to fast music and fast to slow music. To do the opposite of what they’ve been doing, children first need to stop their bodies, think through the music and their reactions, and then act accordingly. These skills are vital to children’s socialemotional learning and their capacity to resolve conflicts, helping them learn how to stop hurtful actions, think through a problem, and then act on a solution.

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Support children’s executive function and self-regulation skills by using the following strategies: Moving fast and slow (use with tracks 10 and 12) Tell the children that they’re going to listen and move to a song. Say “In this song, sometimes the music is fast and sometimes it’s slow.” Ask “What would it look like if you move your body fast?” Acknowledge children’s answers, imitate their movements, and ask the children how they would move their bodies slowly. Again, acknowledge their answers and imitate their movements.

Then tell the children that they’ll now try it with the music. When the music is fast, they can move their body fast; when it’s slow, they can move slowly. Turn on the music, imitate children’s movements, and connect children’s movements to the music. You might say, for example, “This part is fast so you’re jumping up and down really fast.”

After children have completed this activity several times, give them chances to be the leader and ask everyone to follow the leader’s actions. For example, you might say, “Max, you’re the leader of the fast part. What movement should we do if the music is fast?” Then pick another child (Duyen) to show a movement for the slow section of the song, and say “When we listen to the song this time, we will do Max’s movement for the fast part and Duyen’s movement for the slow part.”

Supporting children’s mental flexibility: After children have had lots of experiences matching their movements to fast and slow music, ask them to move their bodies slowly to the fast music and fast to the slow music.

Remember that children must have lots of experiences with the activity (it must be routine to them) before the activity can be done in the opposite way.

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Moving and then stopping (use with tracks 6, 13, 17, and 18) Tell the children that they’ll be listening to a song that starts and stops and then starts and stops again. Ask “What would it look like if we stopped or froze our bodies when the music stopped?” Acknowledge the children’s ideas.

Ask the children to choose how to move their body and then to select another position when the music stops. Have the children move for about 15 seconds and then say “Freeze.” Repeat this a few times and then try it with the music. Once the music plays again, they can move again. Play the music, imitate children’s movements, and describe how children’s movements reflect the music. After children have repeated this activity several times, give them chances to be the leader. Ask everyone to follow how the leader freezes their body.

Supporting children’s mental flexibility: After children have had lots of experiences with this activity, have them freeze their bodies when they hear the music and move their bodies when the music stops.

Moving to loud and soft music (use with tracks 5, 7, and 19) Tell the children that they’ll be listening to a song where the music is loud and then soft throughout the song. Ask them how they’d move their bodies to loud music, comment on their ideas, and copy their movements. Then ask them how they’d move their bodies to soft music. Comment on their ideas and copy their movements.

Recall with the children their movements for loud and soft music. Play the song, and encourage children to make their movements to the loud and then soft music.

Describe how children’s movements reflect the music. After children have repeated this activity several times, give them chances to be the leader. Ask everyone to follow how the leader moves when the music is soft and then loud.

Supporting children’s mental flexibility: After children have had lots of experiences with this activity, have them move their bodies to the loud music the way they would to soft music and vice versa.

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Moving to different musical refrains (use with tracks 4 and 20) Tell the children that they’re going to listen and move to a song where there are different musical refrains. Explain what a “refrain” is (e.g., when lines of music repeat), and ask them to listen to the song to see if they can hear the different refrains.

Tell the children to touch their ears when they’ve heard a change in the refrain and to put their hands back down when the refrain changes again.

Moving to a specific instrument (use with tracks 3 [piano], 11 [güiro], 15 [flute], and 8 [drum, shakers, and flute; focus on only one instrument at a time with this track]) Tell the children that they’re going to listen to a song that has an instrument called a _____ (add the applicable instrument), and ask them what they know about that instrument. Acknowledge children’s responses. Show them the instrument (if possible) or a picture of the instrument. Briefly describe its characteristics.

Play the music, comment on when children hear the different refrains, and/or model for them hearing the different refrains by touching your ears. Once children are comfortable with distinguishing the refrains, say “Now let’s think about how we’ll move to the different refrains. Let’s listen to one of the refrains.” Play one refrain, stop the song, and ask “How does this refrain make you want to move?” Comment on children’s ideas and imitate their movements. Repeat for the second refrain.

Ask the children to listen for the instrument in the song. Then tell the children to touch their ears when they’ve heard the instrument and to put their hands back down when the instrument stops.

Say “Let’s try it for the whole song. Remember the movements you chose for each refrain and do your movements along with the refrains.” Make comments that connect children’s movements to the music.

After children have had experience with this activity, give children chances to be the leader and have everyone follow the leader.

Supporting children’s working memory and mental flexibility: After children have had lots of experiences with this activity, ask two children to choose a movement for each of the refrains. Write down their ideas on chart paper/ whiteboard. Then play the music and follow the sequence of movements that children have given for the refrains. Say each child’s name and movement so children can remember who and what movement comes first and second.

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Play the song and acknowledge when children touch their ears (or model for them as needed). After you stop the song, ask them to think of a movement to do when they hear that instrument. Describe and imitate their movements. Say “Let’s try it with the music. Remember you’re going to do your movement when you hear the _____.”

After children have had experience with moving their bodies when they hear the instrument, give children chances to be the leader. Ask everyone to follow the leader’s movements.

Supporting children’s working memory and mental flexibility: After children have had lots of experience with this activity, ask several children to each choose a movement for everyone to follow once they hear the instrument. Write down their ideas on chart paper/whiteboard. Play the music and encourage the children to follow the first child’s movement when they hear the instrument and then change to the second child’s movement for the next time they hear the instrument, and so forth.

For some songs, you’ll hear the instrument three or four times or more, so you may have the children doing three or four movements to the song. Say each child’s name and movement so children can remember who and what movement comes first, second, and so forth.

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Using the Music Selections During Other Parts of the Day (For ages 3–8) Cleanup time Ask children to clean up while the music is playing and then to freeze when the music stops. Repeat cleaning/stopping for the whole song (e.g., play track 10, and ask children to clean up as the music plays and then stop as the “power down” music stops; they can “power up” [i.e., continue cleaning] once the music begins again).

See how many times it takes to clean/stop before cleanup is finished.

Small-group times Have children use art materials while listening to the music (e.g., children paint while listening to fast and slow songs and compare how they may paint differently).

Ask children to think about and then say how the music makes them feel or what it makes them think about. Then have them draw how they feel or think.

Work time (choice time or free time) Children may choose to create a series of movements and/or dance to a particular track on their own.

Children may choose to create words to a particular track on their own (see, e.g., track 16). [Note: Music should not be used as background music. However, the teacher can play music during work time if a child has chosen to listen to music.]

References Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2011). Building the brain’s “air traffic control” system: How early experiences shape the development of executive function (Working Paper No. 11). Retrieved from http://www.developingchild.harvard.edu Epstein, A. S. (2012). Creative arts. Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope Press.

McClelland, M. M., & Tominey, S. (2016). Stop, think, act: Integrating self-regulation in the early childhood classroom. New York: Routledge.

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Creative Team Chip Dixson, Music Producer Chip Dixson is an accomplished music producer, songwriter, and recording engineer. After joining P. Diddy (Sean Combs) to work with popular secular artists such as Carl Thomas, New Edition, Dream, and Chris Brown, Chip signed with the world-renowned production team DarkChild and worked with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Brandy, and Joe, among other artists, and is now an independent gospel music producer/writer who has won several music awards. He currently teaches music to students in grades 7–10 at the Lighthouse South Charter School in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Erica Hill, Early Childhood Consultant Erica Hill is an Early Childhood Consultant at HighScope. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Ball State University and is a HighScope certified trainer. With more than 15 years of experience working with children of all ages and their families, Erica has owned and operated her own licensed home child care business and has provided training, mentoring, and coaching to other licensed home- and centerbased providers. Before joining HighScope, Erica’s passion for making a difference led her to spend four years as a Head Start teacher and Education Specialist in Detroit.

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CONTACT US Lisa Reales lreales@highscope.org 816.274.2278 EXPLORE MORE AT

HIGHSCOPE.ORG/TEXAS

HighScope 600 North River Street Ypsilanti, MI 48198-2898