Kindergarten Planning
an experience that prioritizes student diversity and positive connections
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Why is it important to plan lessons, activities, and the environment's design?
Children are at the centre of their learning journey; as their teacher I work to guide and facilitate student learning. By thoughtfully planning lessons, activities, and a curiosity provoking environment I will create opportunities for children to explore their interests and acquire new knowledge. This approach aligns with professional competency 3: to plan teaching and learning situations.
Unit, Lesson & Activity Planning
I have designed a unit based on the theme of Ancient Egypt and the Pyramids. The purpose of this unit is for students to explore early civilizations and understand their contributions to the development of our contemporary world (e.g., writing systems, transportation, agriculture). In addition, the unit/lesson/activity integrates family participation/feedback and students' diverse cultural experiences through various activities/lessons across all subject areas and play spaces, aligning with professional competency 1: to act as a cultural facilitator when carrying out duties. When the children are represented in the curriculum, they feel valued and respected. As a result, they develop a deep connection/sense of belonging to the learning environment, which supports the children's love of learning (professional competency 8). In planning, I value and prioritize differentiated instruction, material, and space to meet each child's needs. This approach supports my development of professional competency 7: take into account student diversity.
Click here to access my planning documents
In the lesson, the children will observe a science experiment and draw connections to the importance of the Nile River. I will prompt the students to draw on their personal connections to water and transportation ways.
In the activity, students will practice word segmentation as it is crucial to building early literacy skills (specifically spelling).
Learning Center Planning
role play, construction, creation
Welcome to the four seasons dramatic play center!
I, along with my colleagues have created a dramatic play based on the theme The Four Seasons (fall, winter, spring, summer). The theme was inspired by our values of designing an environment where students can freely interpret materials, and bring in prior knowledge/culture (aligning with professional competency 7). I have chosen to demonstrate the dramatic play centre because it provides children with opportunities to work through their emotions and internal conflicts, thereby building self-regulation and social skills. Make-believe, pretend play scenarios help children build tools of the mind, fostering empathy and understanding that their needs differ from those of others.
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Click here to access the planning document
The children will build their language skills through note taking/documenting ideas, letter recognition challenge cards, and role-play discussion. The environment will invite students, and allow them to make connections to prior knowledge.
The children have access to pattern challenge cards, play money, and price tags to provoke play, and build their numeracy skills.
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The children will have access to tablets, cameras, and notepads to document their learning experience. These documents will provide insight into the children's strengths and curiosities, which will be used to push pedagogy forward! This aligns with my development of professional competency 5: evaluate learning.
The children will develop their social-emotional skills by role-playing (a day at the beach, news report, florist, baker). The children can use different provocations to extend and revise their play plans.
Lead class discussions about medicinal properties of plants according to Indigenous ways of knowledge and then integrate these posters into the dramatic play centre!