Cassandra Gale

Learning Plan (Early Childhood)

Topic:
Indoor experience: The environment
Title of experience:
Memory match
2.4 Children become socially responsible and show
respect for their environment (DEEWR, 2009, p. 29).
Links to the Early Years
4.3 Children transfer and adapt what they have learned
Learning Framework:
from one context to another (DEEWR, 2009, p. 36).

Date:

7/5/14

Age group:

3-5

Content/concepts
being explored:

Sustainability, social skills; turn taking, environmental

vocabulary.

Rationale: Why did you choose this particular experience? (Community event, child/teacher/family interest, identified as missing from curriculum etc.)
This experience builds upon the childrens interest from the previous outdoor experience Fairy garden. During this experience children showed interest in the names of the
plants and wanted to further decorate their fairy garden.
Child/childrens background knowledge: What is your starting point what does the child/children already know, what have they done before, how does this experience
connect to or build on their existing knowledge/interests?
This experience builds on existing knowledge of plants, children have shown knowledge of the names of some plants tree nuts, leaves, trees, bushes and flowers as well as
the knowledge of how to look after the plants N- they need sun to grow. This experience builds on the knowledge of plants and environment through learning about the
different types of plants within the playground at Lebons Lane.
Learning objectives: What will the child/children learn?
1- For the children to extend their knowledge of the environment as they are provided access to resources about the environment, including books, information and
sensory items (DEEWR, 2009, p. 29).
2- For the children to extend their vocabulary of the plants in their garden by engaging in a memory match game
3- For the children to use their creativity to demonstrate literacy skills through writing and drawing images of the garden making connections between their
experiences as they transfer their knowledge (DEEWR, 2009, p. 36).

Cassandra Gale
Teacher focus/intentionality: What areas will you concentrate on? e.g. teaching strategies, EYLF practice principles, interests, equity.
This experience is based on childrens interest in the environment and promotes the National quality standards area 3.3.1 suggesting children participate in planned
experiences that engage in sustainability practices (Australian Childrens Education and Care Quality Authority, 2013, p. 101).
Questioning: Using questions to assess current knowledge of the types of plants, which can allow for assessment of current knowledge in order to appropriately scaffold each
childs learning (Government of Western Australia, 2005, p. 4).
Intentional teaching: Filling in gaps of current knowledge by describing the different plants and their functions. Intentional teaching promotes learning being enhanced
through interactions with more informed and experienced learners where educators are deliberate and purposeful in their decisions and actions (Connor, 2010, p. 1).
Co-construction: Creating a group experience which encourages learning from others, children work together to solve problems and communicate promoting their
development (Government of Western Australia, 2005, p. 3). Vygotskys social learning theory suggests that social interaction has a fundamental role in learning and
cognitive development stems from interactions (McLeod, 2007).
Environment and resources: What resources and materials will you need to have collected? Where will the experience take place? Considerations for time, space and
teacher support? How will the environment be prepared?
Images of plants in the yards with names (two pictures per plant) : Laminated
Plants from the garden; leaves, tree nuts and other fallen items
Pencils, crayons, paper
Assessment strategies: How will you identify what the child/children have learnt and how will you record this?
Questioning is used to assess previous knowledge and can be narrated for observations and learning stories.
The memory match game assesses memory of the names of plants, this can assess childrens extended vocabulary of the names of the plants within their environment. This
vocabulary can be documented through narration and used as individual or group observations for portfolios.

Stage
Plan for all stages of the
experience

Approx.
time
(Full day?
Morning?
Specific
time? e.g.
12-1pm)

Pre-service teachers actions

What will you do during this time?
What prompting questions might you need to
prepare? How might you assess and record
learning?
How will you cater for individual differences?

Child actions/tasks
What will the children be doing during this time?

Cassandra Gale
Stage 1
Introduction
How will you introduce the
experience/concept(s) and engage
the interest of the child/children?

Second
group time
11am

11:10
Stage 2
Main body
Describe the experience: what will
children be doing? How will
concepts/ issues be explored? List
at least three focus questions
relating your learning objectives to
be asked of the children.
11:20
Stage 3: Conclusion
How will you conclude the
experience? Reflect on learning
with children?
How will you encourage a smooth
transition to the next experience?

Group time song to direct children to group mat.

Direct children to make a circle.
Show the images of the plants one at a time and ask
the group focus questions:
Where could I find this plant?
What is the name of this plant?
Fill in gaps of knowledge and pass around natural
resources for children to feel along with the
memory match cards.
After all the cards and resources are returned the
cards are laid face down in the center of the circle.
First child picks up two cards and turns them over.
Use questions:
What is the name of this plant?
If child is unsure ask the group
When children have matched cards they keep them
in their laps, if cards do not match they are turned
over and other children continue to take turns
The experience concludes as the cards are moved to
the drawing table where children are encouraged to
draw and write their favorite plant. These images
can be used to decorate the fairy garden

Children join the group time mat.

Children create a circle.
Children engage in discussion.
Children feel natural resource and relate them to the image on
the memory match card.

Children participate in memory match game, naming plants.

Children draw and write the names of their favorite plant.

Cassandra Gale
Evaluation and self reflection: Did your experience meet your learning objectives? Why/ why not? What aspects of the experience worked most effectively? What aspects
could be improved and how could they be improved? e.g. flow, resources, teaching strategies, environment, assessment of learning.
The introduction to the experience went as per planned as children showed interest in the texture of the natural resources and images from the cards. Children showed a
developing vocabulary as they repeated the names of plants, some children showed their ability to transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another
(DEEWR, 2009, p. 36). A- That leaf is like the one outside, L-I got tree nuts outside. The conclusion to the experience ws held after the rest period as the experience ran
longer than expected. This worked well as children had more time to show their creativity and current knowledge through their drawing. One child J- showed increasing
knowledge and literacy skills copying each of the names on the cards onto her paper, saying ill make the leaves green for this tree. An aspect of the experience which could
have been improved would be the memory match game, children showed great interest in this game and even used the cards later in the day with their peers. This experience
could have been improved using questioning to assess each childs knowledge further than just the name of the plant as most of the children did not remember any of the
names. I would use focus questions to further the knowledge of the plants :
Where could you find this plant?
What colour are the leaves?
Why does the plant lose it leaves?
Also I would relate the experience to outdoor play as children showed their interest later in the day; A- thats a d.. d.. decisos tree as he pointed at the tree, I responded to
this saying deciduous, great memory A. A walk around the outdoor environment with the memory match cards could have assisted children in naming and remembering the
names of the plants.
Overall I believe the experience reached its learning objectives and encourages children in their interest in the environment.
Follow-up: Are there any areas that you would like to follow up on? Emerging interests/concepts to explore further?
Children can use cards for a game of snap. Cards can be left at the science table with their natural resources to explore further individually.
Mentor teacher comments:
Pre-service teacher final reflection:
Cassy provided activities where children participated with enthusiasm, had turns
I feel this experience went very well and exceeded my expectations of participation and
in play and shared their understanding about nature, good job
knowledge of the environment. I continued to ask my mentor teacher of any
constructive criticism for this experience and other interactions and she responded
everything you are doing is good, the director also commented all the interactions I
have seen have been positive. I am constantly thinking about my interactions with the
children and the appropriate language and modelling for children. To improve this
experience I believe having more options for children with differing skill levels and
providing opportunities for children with learning difficulties would have improved the
experience. This would include possibly creating a smaller game of memory match
with simpler plant names for children.

Cassandra Gale

Learning Plan (Early Childhood)

Topic:
Learning during routine: healthy eating
Title of experience:
Menu plans

Links to the Early Years

Learning Framework:

3.2 Children take increasing responsibility for their

own health and physical wellbeing (DEEWR, 2009, p.
32).
5.2 Children engage with a range of texts and gain
meaning from these texts (DEEWR, 2009, p. 41).

Date:

14.5.14

Age group:

3-5

Content/concepts
being explored:

Healthy eating, nutritional literacy, multimodal

texts,

Rationale: Why did you choose this particular experience? (Community event, child/teacher/family interest, identified as missing from curriculum etc.)
This experience is based from the childrens interest in healthy eating; shown through the story the magic lunchbox. This experience will also be used as a pre experience
for Food Revolution Day, May 16th which is a day promoting healthy eating and food awareness for young children. This experience allows children to develop their literacy
skills as they see images, text and print from magazines supporting their analysis of the way in which texts are constructed to present and sell products (DEEWR, 2009, p.
41).
Child/childrens background knowledge: What is your starting point what does the child/children already know, what have they done before, how does this experience
connect to or build on their existing knowledge/interests?
The children have learnt the difference between healthy foods and sometimes foods through the use of the magic lunchbox story and food cards. This experience builds on
their existing knowledge as children choose fruits from magazines, demonstrating their current knowledge of healthy foods, and writing the names of these fruits developing
their fine motor skills and vocabulary.

Learning objectives: What will the child/children learn?

1. Children develop literacy skills through writing fruit names and viewing multimodal print, gaining an understanding of the ways texts are constructed to present
views and sell products (DEEWR, 2009, p. 41).
2. Children build upon existing knowledge of healthy food as they choose fruits from magazines developing an understanding of good nutrition through conversations
and routines (DEEWR, 2009, p.32).

Cassandra Gale
Teacher focus/intentionality: What areas will you concentrate on? e.g. teaching strategies, EYLF practice principles, interests, equity.
This experience is based on the childrens interest and concentrates on building each childs skills through the use of interactions.
Multimodal text: This experience creates a multimodal text which can be used for future morning and afternoon teas providing a visual image and the corresponding text to
develop childrens awareness of words. Multimodal texts are an essential aspect of developing literacy skills (Anstey & Bull, 2010
Modelling: The teacher sits with children for the experience demonstrating an example, modelling allows children to gain an understanding of the activity and develops
childrens ability as they learn through observation (Government of Western Australia, 2005, p. 4).
Questioning: Teacher uses questioning to gain knowledge of childrens understanding and direct children to use critical thinking as they analyze the text (Government of
Western Australia, 2005, p. 4).
Co-construction: Children participate in a small group which increases learning through the use of communication. Vygotskys theory of social development suggest that
social learning precedes cognitive development, children develop an understanding through social interactions (McLeod, 2007).
Scaffolding: Scaffolding is used to include children with a variety of learning skills, assisting children and adjusting support according to observation of skills (MacNaughton
& Williams, 2009, p. 374).
Environment and resources: What resources and materials will you need to have collected? Where will the experience take place? Considerations for time, space and
teacher support? How will the environment be prepared?

Magazines with fruit images

Scissors
Glue
Paper
Laminator with laminating sleeves
Textas and crayons

Assessment strategies: How will you identify what the child/children have learnt and how will you record this?
The childrens knowledge will be assessed using questions throughout the experience which can be documented for use as observation or daily reflections. Documentation
will include photos of the experience, narration of childrens conversations and answers to questions and the work sample. The fruit menu can be used as a work sample for
children by taking a photo for their individual portfolio demonstrating their current knowledge of fruit and their developing literacy skills.

Cassandra Gale
Stage
Plan for all stages of
the experience

Approx.
time
(Full day?
Morning?
Specific
time? e.g. 121pm)
10am

Stage 1
Introduction
How will you
introduce the
experience/concept(s)
and engage the
interest of the
child/children?
10:10am
Stage 2
Main body
Describe the
experience: what will
children be doing?
How will concepts/
issues be explored?
List at least three
focus questions
relating your
learning objectives to
be asked of the
children.

Pre-service teachers actions

What will you do during this time?
What prompting questions might you need to prepare?
How might you assess and record learning?
How will you cater for individual differences?
Set up activity at outdoor table; magazines, scissors, glue,
textas; and invite children to sit. Discuss healthy foods
and encourage children to look through magazine and
name different foods within; determining the difference
between healthy foods and sometimes foods.

Explain to children the experience: Cutting out fruits to

create a menu.

Child actions/tasks
What will the children be doing during this time?

Children respond look through magazine and demonstrate their

understanding of healthy foods by naming the different foods.

Children cut out fruit from the magazines and are assisted in writing
the names of the fruit dependent on skills

Modell experience by choosing one fruit, cutting it out,

gluing on the menu and writing its name beside it.
Draw a small tick box next to each piece of fruit
Alternate activity for children with learning difficulties
Children can draw fruit, looking at images from the magazines.
Children can trace the name of the fruit with teachers
assistance

Cassandra Gale
Stage 3: Conclusion
How will you
conclude the
experience? Reflect
on learning with
children?
How will you
encourage a smooth
transition to the next
experience?

2:30pm
Afternoon tea
(continued
throughout
morning tea
and afternoon
tea routine)

Children use new laminated menus for morning tea and

afternoon tea, using questions to assess childrens
understanding and knowledge of the different fruits.

Children look at the different fruits on offer for their meal and tick with
a whiteboard marker which fruits they are offered.

Evaluation and self reflection: Did your experience meet your learning objectives? Why/ why not? What aspects of the experience worked most effectively? What aspects
could be improved and how could they be improved? e.g. flow, resources, teaching strategies, environment, assessment of learning.
The children who joined in with the experience demonstrated their developing literacy skills as they copied the names of the fruits and vegetables. Children showed the most
interest in the chocolates and cakes in the magazines; this interest gave an opportunity to alter the experience to create a sometimes food menu. L-I love chocolate cake its so
yummy, N- thats a sometimes food. This demonstrates their social learning and existing knowledge of healthy foods. N demonstrates her ability as the More
Knowledgeable Other teaching L about nutrition (McLeod, 2007). The experience was no one which flowed as children moved around freely within the experience, when
one child left the table another child joined until it was time to move inside for lunch. Scaffolding was an important part of this experience and I used observation to
understand which children needed help and which could work autonomously.
Follow-up: Are there any areas that you would like to follow up on? Emerging interests/concepts to explore further?
For a follow up children will continue with cutting out fruits, vegetables and sometimes foods, using a food pie children can place the foods into the correct section.

Cassandra Gale
Mentor teacher comments:
Cassy is providing activities well where children participate with enthusiasm. She
understands how to engage them in conversation and help them develop their
understanding in learning.

Pre-service teacher final reflection:

This experience demonstrated each childs understanding of nutrition and healthy
foods. In future I would set up the activity earlier to allow more children time to
participate. We also ran out of fruits and vegetables to cut from the magazines. Parents
could become involved in the experience by bringing in magazines from home.

Reference List
Australian Childrens Education and Care Quality Authority. (2013). Guide to the National Quality Standards. Retrieved from
http://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/the-national-quality-standard
Anstey, M., & Bull, G. (2010). Helping teachers to explore multimodal texts. Curriculum and Leadership Journal. Retrieved from
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/helping_teachers_to_explore_multimodal_texts,31522.html?issueID=12141
Connor, J. (2010). Intentional teaching: EYLFPLP e-newsletter, 2. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EYLFPLP_E-Newsletter_No2.pdf
DEEWR. (2009). Belonging being and becoming; the early years learning framework for Australia. Retrieved from
http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf
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Cassandra Gale
Government of Western Australia. (2005). Teaching and learning strategies. East Perth: Government of Western Australia.
MacNaughton, G., Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children; Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
McLeod, S. A. (2007). Lev Vygotsky. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

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