1

Lesson Plan: Post Office

Prop Box: Post Office
Cayla SandlinECED 103
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana

2
Lesson Plan: Post Office
Prop Box: Post Office

ACTIVITY NAME: Prop Box: Post Office

TARGET AGE: Preschool # OF CH.: 3-5 DURATION: 30 minutes

ACTIVITY TYPE: Sociodramatic Play

DEVELOPMENTAL AREAS:

__X___ Social _ X __Emotional __ X _ Cognitive

__X___ Physical _X__ Language __ X _Creative

GOAL:
The child will be able to develop social skills by interacting with peers through
sociodramatic play.
The child will be able to develop physical skills by using fine motor skills with small
objects and writing and by using gross motor skills for large movements.
The child will be able to develop emotional skills as he or she expresses feelings
and thoughts during play.
The child will be able to develop language skills as they are communicating with
peers. They are also learning the terms of objects that are used in a post office.
The child will develop cognitive skills as they are developing cells in his or her
brain. He or she is learning terms used in a post office and he or she is
developing social skills to help brain development.
The child will be able to develop creative skills as he or she is interacting with
peers in sociodramatic play. He or she will use their imagination to conduct
what it would be like in a post office. Students are also using stickers, stamps,
tape, writing utensils, and paper to develop creativity.

FOUNDATIONS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN:

Social Emotional Developmental Foundations: SE.1.43 Identify other people and
their roles, page 101; SE.1.5 Pretend to do something or be someone, page 98;
SE.1.17 Initiate turn taking in play, page 98; SE.1.73 Learn social skills; SE.3.30
Initiate turn taking in play, page 114; SE.3.86 Demonstrate early pretending with
Objects, page 118; SE.3.93 Use interpersonal skills of sharing and taking turns in
interactions with others; SE.4.37 Identify and follow different rules in different
places (e.g., school rules may be different from home), page 123; SE.4.44 Value
the importance of caring for others, page 124; SE.4.45 Work and play
cooperatively with others, page 124; SE.4.46 Use words to express feelings, page
124; SE.4.47 Use thinking skills to resolve conflicts, page 124. English/Language
3
Lesson Plan: Post Office
Foundations: ELA.2.62 Read own writing (e.g., give meaning to own writing by
reading what it says), page 43; ELA.2.67 Give writing to someone as a means
of communication, page 44; ELA.2.68 Scribble a message on a card or picture,
page 44; ELA.3.63 Recognize print in media other than a book, page 49;
ELA.3.79 Combine strokes and shapes to represent letters, page 49.

BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE:

The child will be able to interact with children properly by sharing and problem
solving.
The child will be able to participate in sociodramatic play with 3-5 other
students.
The child will pretend they are working in a post office or as a mailman/woman.

MATERIALS:
1. Mail person uniform shirt (2)
2. Mailbox (2)
3. Writing utensil cup
4. Pens
5. Crayons
6. Markers
7. Envelopes
8. Tape
9. Mail organizing bin
10. Stickers
11. Stamp pad
12. Ink stamps
13. Role of U.S. Post Office stickers (2)
14. Paint dotter
15. Construction paper
16. Lined paper
17. Business Mail
18. Packaging popcorn
19. Money drawer (for purchasing mailing items)
20. Newspaper
21. Memo Pad
22. Mailbag

4
Lesson Plan: Post Office
Part B Lesson Plan, Prop Box: Post Office

PROCEDURES:

Consider reading a book about a post office so children have a good
understanding as to what goes on in a veterinarians office.
Sit children in a group on the floor.
Introduce children to the contents in the prop box, how the tools are
used, and rules of play associated with the prop box.
Instruct child to share items in the prop box and to take turns.
Remind children that only 3-5 students are permitted for this prop box.
Students need to know that the tools in the box are used for the prop box
onlynot areas outside of the center.
Remind children to keep their play area neat and organized.
Place prop box in the sociodramatic play area as a play option.
The teacher may interact with children if he or she wants to or if students
want the teacher to.
During clean-up, remind children that everything that was in the prop box
must return into the prop box.
Place prop box back on shelf.

HINT:

As the teacher, be on guard for arguing about not sharing. It is important that
students work out issues on their own, but you may need to be a bystander.
Students might also need your assistance with spelling/writing, placing paper in
envelopes, etcetera. You can help students with these things in a hand-ver-
hand approach, but try to help children become independent.

OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
o How does your mail get to your mailbox?
o How does the mailman/woman get to your mailbox?
o How can you share things in the prop box with your peers?
o What things are sent through the mail?
o What things are needed on every envelope or package?
o What can we put in envelopes or packages to keep fragile mail
safe?

VARIATIONS:

Conduct a whole post office lesson with stories, creative artwork,
snacks, and videos.