Full Environment Set-Up Planning Sheet

To Be Completed In Full During Block Week

Student Name: Jill Elliott Course Code: ECS 4070

Age Group: 18-24 months Date: January 30, 2017

When planning a full room set-up, you should incorporate a minimum of four (4) centres
and/or Learning Experiences. In completing the write up of your full room set-up, you must
make a list of the areas with a general description of each. You must also plan and implement
one (1) Learning Experience in addition to the four (4) centres.
The purpose of the centres and/or Learning Experiences may derive from:
a Observations of children
b Extension of a previous experience
c Providing a new experience.
Objective:
Children will work on developing skills as outlined on the ELECT (Early Learning for Every
Child Today) through a planned set of activities.
Children will:
By the end of the week have strengthened specific skills under the different domains in the
ELECT document and broadened their interests outside what is provided in the classroom
while practicing these skills.

Centre or Learning Experience #1: Playdough and Baking Materials (Snack Table).
This activity provides opportunity for the skill maintaining connection across space under
social domain of the ELECT document since the educator and all participants around the
table. Children must use gestures, vocalizations and emerging expressive language to keep
connected to the educator; however, the main skills that are being used are under gross
motor, such as reaching and holding as well as releasing objects.
Purpose: Modifications:
One modification I would make is to give the
Children will use the baking materials to
children smaller portions of playdough, the
enhance their play experience with the
portions that they had were much more than
playdough. The playdough being that it can
they needed and more than half of it ended
take any shape allows the children to use
up on the floor while they continued to play
their creativity.
with the small piece that had remained on the
table in front of them.

Materials: Stabilize:
Playdough made by scratch I would keep the use of the baking materials
as they enhanced the activity and peeked the
rolling pins
childrens interest.
pizza cutters
and cookie cutters (various shapes,
sizes and colours)
 Simplify:
Again I brought in more materials than
necessary, yes this comes in handy should
you need more on hand, but there were more
cookie cutters then there were children and
though they were different shapes there was
some that went unused. I would simplify this
activity by bringing in small amounts of more
varied materials than multiple amounts of
one.

Enhance:
As the children really enjoyed the use of the
baking materials to use with the playdough,
in the future I would bring a more diversified
set, maybe some mixing bowls and spoons.
We could extend the pretend play and maybe
send some of the playdough to the dramatic
area where there is a pretend oven to cook.
Tweak:
Overall the activity went successfully so I
believe the only tweak I would make is to give
the children smaller amounts of playdough.
(Holland Bloorview, 2014)
Centre or Learning Experience #2: Mixing colours and water (Sensory Table).
Based on the ELECT document the skills that children will master in this activity are primarily
cognitive including, attention regulation as children are present and attending as well as
engaged (ELECT, 2007, pg. 28, 4.1). The main skill is cause and effect exploration, children
distinguishing actions from outcome and using actions that show the properties and functions
of things (ELECT, 2007, pg. 28, 4.2).
Purpose: Modifications:
A modification I would make to this activity
Children will explore the science of food
would be to add smocks so that the children
colouring being diluted in water. They will
do not get as wet, seeing as we had to
also practice learning colours as they can
change them after the activity.
repeat what colours they see in front of
them, e.g. blue. Now they have associated
Stabilize:
the name with the colour. Also children will
I would keep the mixing of colours as I feel
learn how two of certain colours can make a
the children learned from it and it kept them
different colour by watching the change in
engaged throughout the activity.
the water, e.g. yellow and blue make green.
Simplify:
The activity was basic and supported its
learning purpose, though I could have
enhanced the activity (see below) I do not
believe I would simplify it.
 Enhance:
I would have added bowls to enhance the
learning. After the colours had been mixed
the childrens interest shifted to splashing the
water. The materials would have allowed
Materials: them to explore it more.
Bins for the water
Tweak:
water
A tweak might be to use a large bowl so the
Food colouring (blue, yellow, green,
children can all sit around it. There is not a
and red).
lot of space at the water table as it is against
a wall therefore children were standing
shoulder to shoulder to participate in the
activity. Using a bowl that could be taken to
another part of the room with more space
might have made the activity more
enjoyable.

(Holland Bloorview, 2014)

Centre or Learning Experience #3: Chain Links (Carpet Area).

This activity is a cognitive one as outlined by the ELECT children are repeating actions to
produce desired outcomes (putting the links together), a form of cause and effect (ELECT,
2007, pg. 28, 4.3). They are also imitating adult actions, and sorting by grouping objects
together (ELECT, 2007, pg. 28, 4.7).
Purpose: Modifications:
To modify this activity I would use other chain
Children are allowed to explore toys freely on
links such as fish shapes, big chain links, and
the floor. Children can practice language
small chain links to keep the children
skills by repeating the names of different
engaged and expand the language being
colours and shapes. This activity is designed
learned, e.g. if fish chain links were used you
to be very adaptable depending on the
could have the children repeat the different
childrens interests e.g. the child is able to
names of fish.
sort by whichever pattern they desire.
Stabilize:
The activity itself relies on the teacher
communicating with the children to enhance
their learning, as I continued to repeat shapes
and colours and modelled sorting the
different categories the children began to
understand the goal and took it upon
themselves to do the same. I would stabilize
the communication technique used to ensure
the success of the activity.

Materials: Simplify:
Chain links. (Colours include: orange, As mentioned before there is more I could do
to enhance the activity and make it more
 green, blue and yellow. Shape
includes triangle, square, oval).
Centre or Learning Experience #4: How Fruit Grows Colouring Sheet (Craft Table).
As well as using creativity children are practicing their communication based on the ELECT
document by looking at what the adult is pointing at, recognizing named objects, using their
words to communicate their learning also by repeating the words heard (ELECT, 2007, pg. 27,
3.3).
Purpose:
The purpose of this activity is for the children
to continue exploring their interests in fruits
and vegetables as well as expand the current
curriculum. I noticed that how fruits and
vegetables grow had not yet been covered
and I will use this as an opportunity to
broaden the childrens interests. While
colouring the sheet to their own design
children will be looking at the picture of a
tree or bush with the word, e.g. tree,
underneath. The teachers role is to
communicate this new vocabulary with the
engaging. However to simplify it I could have
placed the focus on one colour or one shape
or one of each, instead of trying to
communicate all the shapes and colours laid
out.
Enhance:
As the children continued playing with the
activity they began to bring other toys from
around the room that had a similar colour or
shape as the chain links and added it to the
pile. This demonstrated to me that they
understood the objective of the activity but it
also naturally enhanced the activity as they
used familiar materials as well as the new
materials.
Tweak:
One tweak I would make to this activity would
be as mentioned above to add a variety of
chain links. This would have enhanced the
learning and kept the children even more
engaged. Perhaps the children would not
have searched out other toys in the room if
the materials were more varied.
(Holland Bloorview, 2014)
Modifications:
The YMCA does not allow the use of colouring
sheets; therefore, the modification to be
made would be to not use paper or the
spelling of the word, keep the pictures of the
tree but enlarge it and lay it out for the
children to see then the educator can
communicate the word and have the children
repeat it.
Stabilize:
Due to the fact the YMCA does not allow
colouring sheets I cannot stabilize an aspect
of the activity. However in the modified
activity I might stabilize the communication
idea that the children will begin to learn aspect as I am observing that this age group
association. learns to associate and pronounce by
listening to the educator.

Simplify:
To simplify the modified activity, instead of
trying to expand on how fruit grow I might
focus on the fruit itself.

Enhance:
To enhance the modified activity I might take
the children outside and have them look at
and explore real trees.

Materials:
Assorted colour markers and/or
crayons.
Colouring sheets How Fruit Grows.
Tweak:
To tweak the modified activity I might put the
pictures up around the room and have the
children explore the room and point at the
trees.

(Holland Bloorview, 2014)

Centre or Learning Experience #5: The Colours of Fruits and Veggies (Cognitive
Table).
As this activity is an extension of the previous activity, now modified to better suit the group,
the same domain of the ELECT document, communication, as well as skills such as repeating
words are being practiced (ELECT, 2007, pg. 27, 3.3).
Purpose: Modifications:
A modification to this activity might be to
The purpose of this activity is to continue the
have the children have their own assortment
curriculum based around the childrens
of the materials that way for example they do
interests. As this week it is fruit and
not have wait turns to put a green vegetable
vegetables. I have brought in real pictures of
on the green construction paper.
fruits and vegetables for the children to look
Stabilize:
at. They are laminated so that they can be
I would keep the sorting of fruits and
used over again. I have also taped different
vegetables into colours. I would not change
pieces of construction paper to the table so
what I had the children sort or how they
that children can match the colour of the
sorted it as it was exactly at their skill and
vegetable with the colour of the paper. This
developmental level.
activity will extend the learning of colours
that was practiced earlier in week. As well,
Simplify:
add new vocabulary by using fruits and
vegetables that the children might not have
seen before.
Materials:
Laminated pictures of different fruits
and vegetables (corn, green onions,
watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes,
cherries, yellow peppers).
Different colour pieces of construction
paper (red, orange, green, yellow).
I used some complex fruits and vegetables in
the activity to try and challenge the children,
however some did not recognize the fruit or
vegetable which made the use of those
particular materials too complex. Fortunately
there were only a few of those and the
majority were simple. However, in the future
I would wait until the children had a better
understanding of fruits and vegetables before
introducing those more difficult ones.
Enhance:
As mentioned before, one child had already
realized the concept of sorting into two main
categories: fruits and vegetables Knowing
that the other children were not at this stage
developmentally I verbalized the difference
for them. However this might have taken
away the interest in sorting for the child who
already understood the concept. To enhance
the activity for them, I might ask that child if
they can tell the group if a material item was
a fruit or a vegetable.
Tweak:
One tweak I might make is to add more
colours for the children to sort their fruits and
vegetables into. I had only laid out four but
the children seemed to pick up on this within
a reasonable time frame. Though the amount
of colours did not diminish the interest of the
activity adding more might make the activity
that much more enjoyable.
(Holland Bloorview, 2014)
Set-Up:
Playdough and Baking Materials
Playdough recipe:

2 cups plain flour (all purpose)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar (optional)
Up to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)
Food colouring (optional)
Few drops glycerine (optional- adds more shine!)
Mix!

Lay out baking materials on table

Mixing Colours and Water

Ensure that the sensory table is clean

Add a small amount of water
Lay out food colouring so children can see the different colours and choose which ones
to add

Chain Links

Lay the chain links in an open area (Carpet Area), ensure that they are not all
connected.

How Fruit Grows Colouring Sheet

Lay a cloth over the table in to prevent mess

Lay out the exact number of colouring sheets
Set out bins of markers and/or crayons ensure that there is enough for all children

The Colours of Fruits and Veggies

Tape the different colour construction paper along the table (for this activity I wrote
Fruits and Veggies! across them)
Print out a variety of fruits and vegetables
Laminate them
Lay them on the table for children to explore
Role of the Educator:
The role of the educator is to be an active participant in the activity. The educator should be
in constant communication with the children and responding appropriately to their learning
and reactions.
Teaching Strategy #1: Sensory Engagement
This primary teaching strategy is used in all of the activities. In each case, the children have
access to different tangible materials e.g. Since children learn best by using their sense,
hands-on .experience was a primary focus for the week.
Teaching Strategy #2: Paraphrase Reflection
The other primary teaching strategy used was paraphrase reflection. I was fully aware of
what the children were doing and saying and I repeated their words back to them in every
activity explored. This gave them more confidence in what they were learning or saying and
they repeated the word over. I was also sure to ask questions such as tell me about what
you are doing to allow the children the opportunity to expand on what they were saying.
This ultimately strengthened the concept of the activity.
Supportive Strategies:
Other strategies that were not as prominent but used to enhance the activities included
modelling. As I demonstrated certain behaviors the children attempted to follow. Telling,
explaining and informing, this strategy appeared most in the water table as I verbalized how
the two colours became a new colour as they mixed. Finally, the Questions strategy
complimented Paraphrase Reflection, this strategy might have been a more useful supportive
strategy as it goes hand in hand with one of my primary teaching strategies, the paraphrase
reflections, and it was able to be applied to every activity and enhanced the learning of each
one by directing the children toward the objective of the activity.