Children's Books

Description: I would use this book to teach a 4K lesson titled "Brainstorm Building." Students will learn about Science, Math, and Literacy while working on collaborative problem solving, fine motor development, and text comprehension.

Introduction: The lesson will begin with an Interactive Read-Aloud of "The Most Magnificent Thing." The teacher will pause occasionally to discuss ideas with the class such as: what is the girl using to build her magnificent thing, what do you think she is feeling/do you ever feel the same way, what do her neighbors do, and what makes the girl try again? Additional questions will be about the setting of the story: what does the girl's house look like, and how are the neighbors on the sidewalk similar and different from each other? Students will raise their hands and take turns to join the discussion.

Main activity: After reading the book, the teacher will split the class into groups of 3. Learners will be given a variety of materials to use in building a structure/object, creating their very own "magnificent thing." Just like the girl in the book, students will discover that there are many different ways to create something. Before starting, the teacher will share exceptions of how to work as a team including having each learner share their ideas, letting one student create at a time, and talking about making changes before moving items. To demonstrate various opportunities, each group will receive slightly different building materials. For example, groups may receive wood building blocks, cardboard blocks, or large Lego's. Other materials may include cups, Popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, hardcover books, a plastic bag, and newspaper. The learning goal of the activity is to work as a group to brainstorm ideas and build something out of the materials they are given. Each group must build two different structures and think of a name for each object they create.

Conclusion: When 20 minutes have passed, groups will be asked to finish creating their "magnificent thing." The teacher will ask each of the groups to stand up, one at a time, and share with the class what they made. When all of the groups are finished, the teacher will ask if anyone can think of connections to the book, why the groups made different creations, and what 1 other object they wish they could have used. To close the lesson, the teacher will talk about how each group had different opportunities for building since they had different materials, the importance of working as a team to solve a problem. Last, the teacher will take pictures of the students' "magnificent things" to put up in the classroom and share with their families.

• Edu325 Science (Inventing/Engineering/Brainstorming/Problem-solving)
• Edu324 Social Studies (Neighborhood/Diversity)

• Type of neighborhood
  • Students can compare and contrast the neighborhood in the book with where they live
• People in the neighborhood
  • Students can discuss the characters in the book, describing the girl and her neighbors in various ways (ethnicity, age, etc.)
• Different perspectives on objects and their usefulness (creativity)
  • In the lesson students will create different "magnificent things" from the same or similar materials
  • Students will learn that everyone has a unique perspective to share

Description: Many children in early childhood have a difficult time recognizing and regulating their emotions. For this reason, I would use the book "What Do You Do With a Problem?" in a 4K classroom in a lesson titled "Choices."

Introduction: To start, the teacher will gather learners on the meeting carpet. They will write the word "choices" on the easel, say it out loud, and ask students to raise their hand if anyone can share with the class what they think it means. The teacher will call on 3 students to share. Next, he/she will write the word "feelings" on the easel and repeat the same process. After each word is described by students, the teacher will give examples of how the words can be used. For example, Choices: things that we can pick from (choices of fruit to eat or toys to play with); Feelings: words that help us to express ourselves (sad, tired, excited). The teacher will tell the class that we can make choices about how to express our feelings when we have a problem, and next introduce the book "What Do You Do With a Problem" because it can teach us how to do just that.

Main activity: During the Interactive Read-Aloud, the teacher will pause throughout the story and ask students to show with their face how the character feels. After the book is finished, the teacher will re-read the first page of the book which reads:

"What are problems for? They challenge us, shape us, push us, and help us to discover just how strong and brave and capable we really are. Even though we don't always want them, problems have a way of changing us in unexpected ways.

So, what will you do with your problem? Now that's up to you."

Conclusion: After the first page is read, the teacher will ask students to respond: thumbs up if they liked the book, thumbs to the side if they are confused or have a question, thumbs down if they did not like the book. After the class gives feedback, the teacher will tell them that even if we experience the same problem we may choose to act in different ways. The boy in the story chose to face his problem even though he was afraid. He found that he liked his problem after all, he said it was beautiful and he could learn from it. Next, the teacher will say that we have the opportunity to make choices about how we express our feelings. We will work on making choices that are safe, kind, and helpful in our classroom.

Extension: Students will be given pictures of different problems in the classroom that are labeled at the bottom of each picture. The teacher will describe the problems out loud. In groups of 2, learners will talk about their feelings about the problem and how they can make a choice that is safe, kind, and helpful. The class will be able to appreciate their ability to identify emotions, discuss them with their peers, and decide on choices they can make in the classroom.

• Edu325 Science (Problem solving, brainstorming)
• ECE372 Literature (Type of book: fiction, new vocabulary--"choices" and "feelings," use of pictures to tell a story)
• ECE362 Assessment and Intervention Strategies (Gradual Release of Responsibility approach, learning about various perspectives, helping students with special needs overcome classroom challenges, strategies to recognize and regulate emotions)

• We have different ways of thinking about and solving problems
• We can work in groups to solve problems, including in an Early Childhood classroom
• We might all look happy but we could have different feelings inside
• We may choose to express our emotions in different ways