Session 12
Session at a Glance
| Topic | Description | Estimated Time (In Minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival Activity | Students follow directions on the “Germinating Seeds with Children” handout in their Course Reader to set up their own seed germination experiment in a plastic bag to observe the growth of a seedling over the coming weeks. | 15 |
| Welcome, Announcements, and Agenda | Give a general overview of the session and any relevant announcements, and provide time for sharing. | 5 |
| Discussion: Sharing responses from previous session’s homework assignment | Students discuss the scenario from the homework assignment about a father who wants his child to do math worksheets in preschool. They share ideas for strategies to support families in understanding their children’s learning and development. | 15 |
| Math Focus: Patterns | Students explore the big ideas about pattern and are introduced to the different types of patterns (visual, auditory, movement, temporal, and numerical). They differentiate between repeating and growing patterns and linear and non-linear patterns. They watch and discuss an Erikson video about a classroom activity based on the book The Napping House. | 60 |
| Science Focus: Discovering Seeds | Students participate in the exemplar activity: Discovering Seeds. They cut open different fruits and compare the seeds inside. They make observations about the size, shapes, colors, and numbers of the different seeds. They watch a PBS Learning Media video showing children engaged in various activities with seeds and planting. | 45 |
| Looking Ahead to Next Session | Assign and introduce the Reflective Essay. Discuss the homework and reading assignment to be completed before next session, and address the materials that the students will be responsible for bringing. | 10 |
Instructor Guide
- Session 12_Instructor Guide (PPF, 8.8MB)
- Session 12_PowerPoint (PPTX, 146MB)
- Session 12_Exemplar_Discovering Seeds (PDF, 505KB)
- Session 12_Reflective Essay Assignment (DOCX, 125KB)
- Reader_Session 12_Germinating Seeds with Children (PDF, 9.0MB)
- Reader_Session 12_Science Education through Gardening (PDF, 928KB)
Student Learning Goals
- Understand the importance of pattern concepts as foundational for all mathematical understanding.
- Recognize types of patterns most accessible to young children.
- Use science process skills to investigate seeds.
- Generate ideas for children to explore and learn about seeds and plant growth in ongoing ways.
