Dramatic Learners

• by Debbie
• March 9, 2017
• 0 comment

Dramatic Learners

It’s no secret that we have had a rough few days .  Let’s blame it on all the crazy weather changes !  I won’t say it has been unbearable but I will say ” Conscious Discipline teaches us when children are having struggles that they are asking for love or needing skills taught ” and well… your littles have needed MUCH love and MUCH guidance in the skills department.  🙂   It’s all good. This is why we are here.   I will let you know that I left my house at 7 am and drove to get donuts and then sonic for a diet coke with vanilla to self medicate before my day got started.  I was determined to intentionally do all I could do to be successful in making it a great day.  And of course… a coke and a donut are always critical tools.  🙂

One of the ” tools ” we have in our  teachers apron is the ability to adapt our schedule to the needs of  our littles.  When we are outside we listen to the ” hum” of the children and let that tell us when we have wound down enough to safely  go inside .  Inside play is a little more restrictive when it comes to voice levels and speed and it requires the children to have a little more control.  Why bring them inside when we see it will be a struggle ?  So, there is a lesson plan. The ” meat ” of that lesson plan usually takes place during center time inside.   There are ” things” that we hope to introduce the children to – perhaps even some kindergarten readiness skills.  Today, our plan included taking the story of the three bears (which we have heard a lot the past two weeks ) and use pictures to put them in sequence. I put on my thinking cap and said….”  I can do this outside. How can I make this work ?”

 

It did work and it was so much more beautiful than a few pictures lined up on the table.  First we talked about the story and I explained that I wanted to act out the story in sequence ( or order ) but I needed stuff.   I asked what props we had outside that could work for our story.  What are props? Great question kids !  Props are objects used to tell a story.  So.. I need …..  YES!  I need bowls.  What sizes of bowls do I need ?  We need chairs and we need beds to tell our story.    I put three different groups in charge of finding our props.

Smart Smart Smart Littles !

The bowls were pretty easy since we have the mud kitchen .  (  Ok, Stop.  Do you see in addition to acting out the story the problem solving and the math skills that are involved here ? )

The chairs were a little more of a challenge.  I mean, kids sized chairs are kid sized.  Finally , I suggested that I take one off the porch.  Which role would the large chair off the porch play ?  The LARGEST DADDY chair !   There was still a problem to be solved.  Two of the chairs were still pretty much the same size.  BRILLIANT! Look what they decided to do  !

Then we had to decide what could be used as  beds.  As I helped the kids get the blocks box lid thinking it would be the largest piece for the daddy bear bed I see Simon all alone pulling and tugging the huge long board from the other side of the play yard. He had the board that usually is used for balancing on the log.  FOLKS! This board is heavy and it is 7 or more feet long. ”  Yes, it… is the largest board so it will be the daddy bear bed.  ” And precious… look at the little board pillows they added.

We had four families of bears that acted out the story. The friends not on ” stage ” watched and laughed and cheered ( and sometimes corrected ) the other players. This … this was SO much better than those stupid pictures we were going to look at and put in order on a table.

 

Enjoy.

 

 

 

If you need a recap of the early learning standards this activity hit : ( If I had followed the original plan we would have hit 2 . )