School-Age Program

Lead Teacher Activity Plan

Activity Date 2-26-24 Lead Teacher Katherine
What pre-assessment knowledge or data are you considering as you create the plan
for today?
Consider the following:
● Enzo and Beckett have expressed an interest in animals.

● Many of the children including, Camden, Addie, Gavin D, and Jackie like to
feed the Gecko.
● Beckett & Felipe enjoyed looking at and reading books about animals
Pre - ● Oliver has shown an interest in animals as he sorted the yoga cards by which
Assessment
ones have animals on them.
● Drew has been observed playing with the polar bears and seals at the sensory
table and said he wanted to learn about sharks and dolphins.
● Many of the children have shown that they know how to write their names.

● many of the children including Sierra, Jackie, Drew, and Olivia have shown an
interest in arts and creating crafts.
● Enzo knows that trees are alive.
What are the primary learning goals or developmental purposes for today’s
Learning Goals activities?
or 1. Children will be learning about animals.
Developmental 2. Children will learn about animal homes and habitats
Purpose 3. Children will learn and work on their phonemic awareness skills as they build
words using the alphabet house.
Include a few child-specific goals that you and your staff will focus on today.
1. Jackie has a hard time in the lab when it comes to transitioning to gathering
time. We need to find solutions to this and give her personal warnings. A
five, two, and a one-minute warning. Have her create pictures we can use to
Child-Specific encourage her to come to gathering time or try setting a timer.
Goals 2. Oliver is more reserved and he sometimes has a hard time finding activities
to do. Encourage him to play with the other children.
3. Colton has a hard time with his emotions and when it comes to gathering
time he needs scaffolding. Since he’s one of the older children try to
encourage leadership roles with him.
Vocabulary / What concepts or new words are you asking staff to introduce and scaffold with the
Concepts children?
- Habitats: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other
organisms.
- Terrestrial habitat: Terrestrial habitats are found on land, like forests,
grasslands, and deserts....
- Aquatic habitat: An aquatic habitat is a habitat with water and includes areas
that are permanently covered by water, such as ponds, rivers, and oceans.
 - Population vs. Community. In biological terms, the word population refers to
all of the organisms from the same species that live together in the same
general geographic area. Community refers to multiple populations. It
describes the various populations that share a habitat at the same time.
There are multiple species and gene pools within a community.
- Ecosystems: a community or group of living organisms that live in and
interact with each other in a specific environment.
2:00-2:30: Pre-Lab and set-up Location

2:40-3:10: Child arrival

3:00-3:10: Snack Room 203 and
Transition Playground
3:15-3:25: Opening Gathering time
General 3:30-4:00: Outside
Schedule 4:00-4:30: Activity Centers
4:30-4:40: Clean Up
Transition
4:40-4:50: Closing Gathering Time
4:50-5:10: child pickup
5:15-6:00: staff debriefing and planning
What general goals do you have for preparing the environment? Are there particular
changes or adjustments you plan to make?
1. In the block area, for opening and closing gathering time, it will be empty
Environment
but will be set up with the farm animals and tractors after outside time.
2. For dramatic play we will be setting up a tent we’ll need to move things
around so it can fit in the area.
Materials by List all materials or resources that you’ll need for your activities outlined by the
Center or center or activity.
Activity Transition
- White Board (Closet)
- Expo markers (Closet)
- Spaceman (hangman) game
Opening Gathering Time
1.1 Name sticks
1.2 Matching game (animals and their habitat)
1.3 Whiteboard
Blocks
2.1 Medium Farm Animals (RR, 177)
2.2 Wooden Farm (RR2, 181)
2.3 Wooden Barns (RR2, 187)
2.4 Tractors (RR2, 182)
Sensory
3.1 Forest Animals Collection (RR2, 172)
3.2 Sensory Beans (RR2, 139)
3.3 Sensory Bowls (RR2, 121)
3.4 Tweezers (RR1, 81)
3.5 Nature Pebbles (RR1, 87)
3.6 Small Wood Pieces (RR1, 87)
3.7 Moss (RR1, 82)
Small Manipulatives
4.1 Magnetic Letters (RR1, 45)
4.2 Alphabet House (I will be bringing)
4.3 White Board or pan.
4.4 Tinker Toys (RR1, 42)
Game
- Count Your Chickens
- Keys to the Castle
Outside
5.1 Stepping Stone (Shelf 7 Gross Garage)
5.2 Bowling Set (Gross Garage shelf 13)
5.3 Bean bag toss board (Gross shelf 13)
5.4 Bean bags (RR2, Cabinet 1)
5.5 Hula Hoops (Gross)
5.6 Frisbees (Gross shelf 16)

Art/Easal
6.1 Paper
6.2 Art cart items (Classroom)
6.3 Stamp Pads (Cabinet 23)
6.4 Assorted Stamps (Cabinet 23)
6.5 Dot Art Paint (Cabinet 20)
6.6 Feathers (RR,1, 13)
6.7 Stickers (14)
6.8 Pinecones (I will bring)
6.9 Rocks (I will bring)
6.10 Glue (Cabinet 22)

Dramatic play
7.1 2 Sleeping bags ( RR2 241)
7.2 Camping (RR2 246)
7.3 Camping Chairs (RR2 250)
7.4. Stuffed animals (RR2 Cabinet 2)

Reading/Books
8.1. SA B14 8.8 L28
8.2. SA D4 8.9 N4
8.3. SA G3 SC J2
8.4. SA O12 SC G3
8.5. B39 Y3
8.6 C25 C15
8.7 C26 S38

Closing Transition
- Popsicle Bugs
Closing Gathering Time
- Where Do The Animals Live? (RR2, B B19)
 - Talk about what we learned. Ask the children questions.
List materials that are NOT available in the labs, but will be Responsible Person
brought by you or an arranged person. Me
Arranged 1. Matching Game
Materials 2. Alphabet House
3. Pinecones
4. Rocks
List materials not available in the lab or arranged that will Cost Estimate

Purchase need to be purchased. Note: Arrange purchases with Sister Pond. Items
Requests purchased by YOU will not be reimbursed.
1. N/A
Activities: Describe each activity and include major steps and enough detail that another staff
Detailed Steps member could facilitate the activity without assistance.
or Description Transition
by Activity or - As soon as the first child gets up from snack I'll get up with them and bring
Center them to Opening Gathering time to play Spaceman game. As the children
gather each child will guess a letter as their name is drawn until the word is
solved. I will also be using transition time to introduce what we are learning
about and what I’m teaching.
1. Opening Gathering Time
a. After the transition is over the children will be playing a matching game
where they will match the animals to their homes/ Habitats. We’ll then talk
about how animals need to live in proper habitats since their bodies are
made for certain climates, weather, and their food is in this climate.
b. We’ll go over the different types of climates/habitats. Like Rainforests,
deserts, jungles, caves, trees, etc…
c. I’ll go over what aquatic and terrestrial means and what it is.
d. Questions I’ll be asking each child. “What is your favorite animal?” “Can you
name where that animal lives?” “What animals live in a terrestrial habitat?”
“What animals live in an Aquatic habitat?”
2. Blocks
a. Blocks will be set up during outside time. Children can play with the blocks
after they wash their hands from being outside. The Farm animals, the barn,
wooden Farm objects, and trackers will be set up.
3. Sensory
b. The sensory table will be filled with Sensory Beans, Nature Pebbles,
Small Wood Pieces, Moss, and Forest Animals. We’ll place
scoops/measuring cups into the table along with tweezers so the
children can use their fine motor skills.
4. Small Manipulatives
a. The green table will have Magnetic Letters and a pan with the Alphabet
House taped on. Children will form words using the magnet letters.
b. If the children seem bored by these activities we will bring out the tinker toys
and set them up during outside time.
c. The blue table will be set up with games the children can play.
5. Outside
a. The outside items will be gathered in the gross garage and will be brought
out when we go outside. Keep the children out of the garage.
 6. Art/Easel
a. The art supplies will be out and put on the middle table before snack. During
snack, they will be put away and will be brought back out after the children
are outside. For the easel, we will place the stamps and stamp pads along
with markers.
b. the children will be asked and encouraged to write their names on their
papers. For the younger children, they may need help with their names.
7. Dramatic Play
a. For dramatic play place stuffed animals and camping stuff on the loft and
around the area.
8. Books
a. The children have the opportunity to read a variety of books in the reading
area.
b. Make the shelf look organized.
Closing Transition
- We will bring out the popsicle bugs and have the children talk about the
insects they are holding.
10. Closing Gathering Time
a. We will be reading the big book Where Do The Animals Live and afterwards
we will talk about what we learned today and what we liked about today.
b. After Closing gathering time children will have the choice to feed the Gecko,
read a book with a teacher in the reading area, or play a whiteboard game
with a teacher.

What domains or content areas do your planned activities address? Note: A single
activity might address multiple areas. Indicate by replacing the empty box with this
checked box icon. 🗹
Science Art Nature/Outdoor Play
Domains /
Content Areas
Technology Music Books/Literacy

Engineering Dramatic Play Life Skills

Math Sensory/Manipulative Social Skills

What adaptation or scaffolding might you provide to keep the activities and center
Adaptation or both challenging and doable for children of different ages (ZPD)?
Scaffolding 1. The younger children might need help forming words using the Alphabet
House.
How will you debrief the activities, and help children draw connections to their life
skills and personal interests (relevancy)? What questions will you ask? How might
you connect activities to the Life Skills wheel?
Debriefing &
1. The older children can help the younger children understand the lesson being
Life Skills
taught and activities
Connection
2. The Alphabet House will help children with their spelling, language, and reading
skills as they form words.

Name Role & Responsibility

 Katherine Lead Teacher, Check in/Check out, Outside, Floater

Hannah Outside, snack, Dramatic play, and art.

Staff Roles & Reilly Outside, handwashing, Dramatic play, and blocks.
Responsibilitie
s Miyuu Outside, Snack & Put Away, blocks, and sensory

Jessica Outside, cubbies, art, and sensory

Other Include here any other considerations that should be noted such as:
Considerations
● methods to foster curiosity, novelty, or a WOW factor
- Encourage the children to talk about their favorite animals and pets they
have at home.
- Bringing out the farm toys for blocks will foster them to want to know more
about farm animals.
- Bring out camping stuff for dramatic play along with the stuffed animals will
foster curiosity about what animals live in the forests.
● anticipated challenges and preventative solutions
- Teachers must place themselves strategically around gathering time to help
maintain the children. If there are some children who aren’t coming to the
opening or closing gathering time a support teacher will help those children
come over.
- The loft could be blocked off if it remains a problem with children wanting to
go up there during opening and closing gathering time.
- If a child is upset and not willing to go to gathering time or the next activity
we will continue to encourage the rest of the children to join the activity
while ONE support teacher will sit with the child, get to the root of the
problem, validate their feelings, allow them to collect themselves.
transition plans
- There will be a five-minute warning and then a one-minute warning. When it
is time to transition, the teachers will help transition the children into the
next activity while the lead teacher starts the next activity when the majority
of the children are there.
- There will be a spaceman game going while the children wait for their friends
to finish their snacks.
● parent communication strategies
- Anything that happened that was out of the ordinary will be communicated
to parents at pick-up or through “Bright Wheel”.
- When the children get dropped off ask who is picking up the child.
- Ask the parents about their day. Get to know the parents. Parents who are
seen and acknowledged will have a better experience with our lab.
● special setup or cleanup directions
- While outside, the block area will need to be set up.
- Have the cleaning bins and rags already prepared for cleaning.
 - If children don’t seem interested in the small manipulatives on the table
replace them with the tinker toys.
● Safety considerations
- The children and teachers will wash their hands throughout the day. The
children will be reminded of some safety rules like not throwing items off the
loft, walking, and staying in the room unless with two teachers.
- Teachers must be ready to act and are actively observing the environment
and the children around them. This is to ensure the children are using the
toys and items correctly and carefully and that the children are being safe
and considerate of others.
- Look at children’s emotions. If you see any child about to have a breaking
point direct them. Children are more likely to get hurt if they are upset.

Roles Child Leader Adult Shadow Leader

1. Snack Helpers: Beckett & Kairo

2. Photographer: Colton
3. Special helper: Gavin L.

Child Clean Up Roles:

Leadership
Roles
Toy Washing Free to Choose Hannah

Tables & Sensory Free to Choose Miyuu & Reilly

Dramatic Play Free to Choose Jessica

What internet or print resources did you draw upon in developing your activity
plan? Please acknowledge your sources by referencing them here in APA style.
55 Sensory Table Ideas for the Year - Pocket of Preschool
Main Difference Between a Population and a Community | YourDictionary
Bird= tree/ rainforest - Google Docs
References
Fitzpatrick, J. (1997). Phonemic awareness: Playing with sounds to strengthen
beginning reading skills. Creative Teaching Press.

Revised 01/08/23