Two more chapters completed

Hi Suzanne!
Here are two more chapters completed. I'm working on the forum a bit a day - I am feeling like we need to get it up and running, so I have been working away at it. Check out these two chapter activities and let me know what you think. Chapter 8 will need to be done outside of their work - they will have to go into a classroom to complete it.......

Chapter 8 Using Technology to Promote Creativity

The goal of this chapter is to have you become familiar with the technology available for use in the early childhood program.

1. The Internet tool Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM) is a site designed so that teachers can type a topic, grade level, and other information into a search screen. GEM then searches more than 14o web sites and retrieves lessons, instructional units, and other free educational materials on that topic for that grade level. Visit any of the following websites then complete the rating questions that follow:
www.ed.gov/free , www.thegateway.org, or a web site of your choice.
a) Ease of access to activities
b) Activities available at site
c) How activities are organized on the web site
d) Age/grade level of activities/information available on site
e) Specific topic(s) on Web site
f) Portals to related areas
g) Your plans to use the Web site in the future
h) Best feature on this Web site
i) Least attractive feature on this web site

2. Using the information in Figure 8-1 in the text on page 144-45, “Technology and Multiple Intelligences,” groups will be assigned learning styles. Each pair or group will prepare a lesson plan including specific software for each of the assigned learning styles. Share your lessons in the forum. A separate folder will be created for all of the lessons so that you can keep them for future use.

3. Age means everything when introducing young children to active television
viewing in comparison to mere passive television viewing.
• Use the following age specific checklist for discussing television with young children
• View at least one hour of television with the child.
• Address each of the items in the checklist below with the child
• Write a short description of the child’s reactions to each of the checklist items in the space provided.
• Report out in the forum.
Ages 3 to 5
1. Point out that the television world is pretend and that the people and animals do not live inside the box.
- child’s reaction:
2. Distinguish between program material and commercials.
_ child’s reaction
3. If watching broadcast network cartoons, explain to the child that the antics and violence are not how real life works.
- child’s reaction
Ages 6 to 8
1. Ask about what the child just viewed and what the child thinks of it.
- child’s reaction
2. Point out when a television character exhibits behavior that is not tolerated in your classroom.
- child’s reaction
3.Talk about whether characters are like or unlike people the child knows.
- child’s reaction
4. Explain stereotyping, and explain how television uses it to keep things simple to reach a mass audience.
- child’s reaction

Ages 9 to 12
1. Talk about good versus evil. How is this conflict portrayed?
- child’s reaction
2. Who are the target of jokes?
- child’s reaction
3. Talk about how television violence differs from the real thing. See if the child understands the fact that there are consequences to violence.
- child’s reactions
4. When watching sitcoms, point out the similar formulas and stock
characters. Make it a game by pointing out the wacky neighbor, for
instance.
- child’s reactions
5. Ask the child to figure out why certain commercials are aired during certain programs.
- child’s reactions


Chapter 11 Developmental Levels and Art

The objectives of this chapter are for you to be able to describe the scribble stage and appropriate materials for use in it; to explain the basic forms stage and appropriate materials for use in it; to discuss the pictorial statge, including appropriate materials for use in it; and, to give examples of appropriate art activities and materials for toddlers, young preschoolers, older preschoolers, kindergartners, and children in grades 1-5. After reading this chapter complete the following:

1. Let’s look at theories of children’s art using cognitive theory, cognitive developmental theory, psychoanalytic theory, perceptual theory, and perceptual delineation theory as described in the chapter. Choose one of the levels below, do the assignment and share your feedback in the forum.
Preschool Level
Collect samples of artwork from a nursery school or preschool group of children. Observe the variety of expression. Try to classify the scribbles according to disordered, controlled, or naming of scribbling stage. Compare the drawings for use of space, control of line, boldness or timidity of motion.

Observe a child who is making his first representational symbols. Keep a verbatim record of his comments for several different fifteen-minute periods. What relationship is there between his verbal and his graphic expression?

Kindergarten Level
Collect drawings from a kindergarten class and list the various methods of portrayal of sensory experiences. Check especially for symbols, sounds and movements.

Observe the activity of a group of kindergarten children during their free play and during organized games. Relate the amount of parallel play to the discussion of the use of space in drawings. What are the differences or similarities between these two activities?

From a collection of paintings by five-year-olds list the objects that are painted with a visually established color-object relationship. List those objects that are painted with no visually established color-object relationship. What might cause some of these color choices of color?

Elementary level
Collect drawings of a man done by a second grade class. Find how many different symbols are use for nose, mouth, body, arms, and so forth. What percentage of these children are using geometric shapes for their expression? Compare these with drawings done by a third grade class, to see if the percentages change.

How many children in a first grade class use the base line in their presentations? Compare the percentage with a second grade class.


For whichever level you observe, keep a list of the different reasons for exaggerations, omissions, or neglect of parts as shown in drawings. Illustrate each from examples of children’s work.

2. Observe a classroom and observe those children who look around, ask questions, and are easily distracted. Compare their art products with those children who are personally involved in portraying their experiences, noting stereotypes, simple objective reports, some inclusion of the self, and complete self-identification with the product. Were there differences? What were they? Do you think this is the same in all classes or specific to the class you observed? Were there similarities? What were they? Do you think this is the same in all classes or specific to the class you observed? Why or why not? What does this observation tell you? What new information do you now have that will help you conduct your own art lessons?

3. Plan an art lesson which includes drawing people; carry it out with kindergarten, second grade, and fourth grade children. Use the same art materials and paper size for all classes. Compare the finished products and note the difference in developmental levels. Discuss your findings in class. How do your findings compare with others?