Put Me in the Zoo Sensory Bin

Lesson Plan:

Activity:

Lesson plan developed by Ms. Erika Geelhoed, BA Ed

Age Group:

Preschool

* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with toddlers or school-age children.

Objectives:

Child will:

develop sensory motor skill
discuss and retell literature

CDA Competency Standard:

II.4.3a

Activities and materials encourage children to develop their senses
- a) Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch experiences are encouraged through a variety of developmentally appropriate materials and activities

Materials:

The book Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire
Plastic tub
Rainbow water beads
Scoops and bowls

Procedure:

Create the sensory bin by hydrating the water beads. You will want to let them soak overnight. Drain any excess water. Place various scoops and bowls in the sensory bin as well.
Read Put Me in the Zoo with students, discussing the story as you read.
Place the sensory bin in an appropriate place and encourage students to play.
As they are playing, talk with them about the story. Be sure to ask open-ended questions, instead of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ ones. You can talk about the different ‘spot’ colors they see in the sensory bin, making connection to the book.

Assessment:

During the activity, what parts of the story did students remember? Did they retell the story in sequential order? Did they need prompting? Write down their responses and take pictures during sensory play.

Online Early Childhood Education

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The Significance of Art in Child Development

Branching Out Collaborative Art

Children are naturally curious about the world around them. From the moment they are born, they are investigating, imitating, and trying to figure out how things work. This unrestricted exploration helps to form connections in the brain by engaging all of their senses. Art is a natural activity that supports this concept. As children experiment with different materials, they are essentially building a foundation for the brain by strengthening neural pathways. The creative arts are fundamental for helping children develop each of the learning domains.

Unfortunately, in recent years with the pressure to raise test scores, there has been a shift away from the arts in order to focus on reading and math. Educators need to be aware that the arts should not be treated as a luxury for their students. They are a critical component of child development. Teachers should designate specific times in the day for art instruction as well as attempt to integrate the arts into core subjects as much as possible.

While it may seem like art is fun and games for children (which it is), it is so much more. The arts help students become well-rounded learners. The skills and abilities that your students are learning through art exploration will continue with them the rest of their lives.