Integrating Curriculum
The activity which will be used for the sensory development during the early childhood education is Primary Colours Squishy Bag Experiment. This activity will be appropriate for the group of children from 3 to 5 years old as this experiment will be helpful for them in the process of understanding the process of colors mixing and will give them the opportunity to develop their visual, motor and logic skills. This activity should be used for the group of children in early childhood category as it can help them to develop their language skills as they will describe the process and the colors which they get. Also, children after the activity will be able to apply this experiment to the experience which they can get in real life. What is more important the main role of this activity is to help children to develop their ability to recognize colors and understand the principles of their creation (Davis, 2015). Describing the activity, it is important to note that the children will mix three colors - red, blue, and yellow - in a zip lock bags in order to see how these colors can form a new one and it will allow children to explore the world of art and science as well. According to state standards in New York state with the help of early childhood education should demonstrate the understanding of the main colors and also it is recommended to “sing songs and read books that name colors or identify shapes and objects with similarities” ("New York State EARLY LEARNING GUIDELINES," 2012) in order to give the children more clear understanding of the differences between colors. Analyzing national standards it must be noted that it states “even infants and toddlers are beginning—through play, relationships, and informal opportunities—to develop the basis of later knowledge in areas such as mathematics, visual and performing arts, social studies, science, and other areas of learning” (National Association for the Education of Young Children & National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education, 2003). It means that according to requirements on the national level children should represent the understanding of the basic things in visual art which also includes colors differentiation. This activity will be used as a catalyst for the development of an integrated curriculum unit as this activity is also designed to help children to get the basic understanding of scientific experiment.
Also, it must be noted that this activity can be used with the additional activities in order to develop the social and emotional development of children. Such activities as association game will help children not only to develop their social and emotional abilities but also will help them to develop their language skills. “As children develop social and emotional skills, they gain the confidence and competence needed to build relationships, problem-solve, and cope with emotions” (Darling-Churchill & Lippman, 2016). Also, the defined activity can help the children to be aware of the main principles of the associations in the visual arts as the game with colors will help them to apply the gained knowledge into the real life.
The format of the integrated unit will be defined by cooperative learning with the help of parents and teacher. This format will help the children to gain the necessary level of understanding of the main principles of visual art and what is more important will have a positive impact on their ability to social communication. “The process approach uses child-initiated developmental play in a prepared environment with social interaction and mediation as the media to encourage the formation of symbolic mental representations” (Lauritzen, 1992). This format also will give the opportunity to parents to learn how to cooperate with their children and how to develop their interest in science and visual art.
It must be noted that parents and families of students should be involved in the process of development, implementation, and evaluation of the unit. First of all, parents will be integrated into the unit, and in cooperation format, they should help the teacher to decide how to develop the plan for the unit for their children in the most effective way. However, before starting the development of unit in cooperation with parents, it is important to explain to them which benefits they and their children will get from such format of the work. Also, it must be noted that parents know their children from another point of view from the teacher, so they can help to define the right activities and the right format which will be interesting for their children in the class.
During the stage of implementation of the unit the teacher will need the help from parents as they should actively participate in the activities and help the teacher to involve students in this activity This experience also is very important for parents as it is a great chance for them to be involved into the process of the education of their children and what is more important it gives the opportunity to children to learn how to communicate with parents in the context of education.
For the evaluation stage, it is important to provide parents with the opportunity to leave the feedback about the understanding of their role in this project and how it influenced their ability to communicate with their children in such context. It must be noted that integration unit can be helpful also for the evaluation of the ability of students to learn the new things in the format which is not familiar to them and in the circumstances which are different from what they used to see during their education before.
Catalyst Activity of Primary Colors Squishy Bag Experiment
The primary colors and squishy experiment is a mentally stimulating activity or catalyst. The children have to identify colors, differentiate, and combine them to form new colors based on what they like (Lauritzen, 1992). Unlike other usual patterned activities, this particular exercise hinges on creativity and critical thinking capacity of a child. The more colors formed by a child signals the catalytic nature of the experiment. Even if a child forms one color that does not imply that, he or she did not revive the catalyst factor of the experiment. Therefore, the experiment is a two-way traffic, the more colors formed stimulates the brain to think of other colors not formed.
Just like in the chemical world where the reactant gains energy and form more products, Primary Colors Squishy Bag Experiment is an activity that challenges the mental ability of a child to think widely and deeply while maintaining his or her attention on the task at hand(Lauritzen, 1992). The fun factor of the experiment is that the child will not recognize the tedious work associated with the experiment until he or she completes the activity at hand. Furthermore, the utilization of hands evokes feelings, which then contribute to bringing out the catalyst nature of the experiment. In fact, it is rare to hook a five year old or a nine year old to an activity for more than thirty minutes before losing interest and diverting to another task. Therefore, the experiment is effective enough to bring out vital developmental concepts in a child and apply them to fruition. On the other hand, color mixing is messy and gives. In the end, the child becomes expressive and improves on his social and mental skills.
Primary Colors Squishy Bag Experiment and Mental or cognitive improvement domain
As stated earlier, the squishy bag experiment evokes the brain to learn, obtain, and execute the duties at hand with ease. Other learning opportunities arise from the mental capacity of the brain (Darling-Churchill, & Lippman, 2016). Hence, if the activity upgrades the cognitive talents of a kid, this only implies that the child can get better at education and in handling other real life situations, which may in turn accumulate into an all-round character and newfound independence. All in all, the activities related with the experiment help in the development of the entire brain. The resulting intellectual ability increases brainpower and improve performance of the children as they mature into next childhood stages of life.
Researchers revealed that the learning opportunity associated with squishy bag is general knowledge. Consequently, improved cognitive capabilities enhance quick reasoning laying the foundation for mathematics, scientific concepts, social integration, and readiness to engage problematic contexts within the real life sector. Cognition opens up the mind of a child to patterns and relationships in the scientific life (Darling-Churchill, & Lippman, 2016). One may prompt the question why cognitive abilities only affect social life and the science domain of a young person. However, science contains subject matters that need the critical thinking and always stimulate the cognitive part of the brain. More so, general knowledge consists of social concepts and common facts that can assist a child attract vital skills for survival and gain insight on global economic markets and the mannerism of science and other skills. In the end, the child has an authentic foundation and the ability to ensure the mentor with a sustainable future.
Primary Colors Squishy Bag Experiment Template
Topic/ Ideology driving the Activity: critical thinking through stimulation of cognitive acitivities.
Teacher’s Name: __________________
- Topic under study: Acquisition of logical reasoning through the interpretation of colors.
Activities such as touching colors under the blobs, mixing colors, and identification of the colors formed correctly. Squishing the colors and observing them mix is also a vital part of the exercise.
- Objective Questions
Yellow + blue =__________________
blue+ blue=_____________________
red +yellow=_____________________
- Materials needed to facilitate the activity: sandwich bags, removable colors, several sheets of cardboard, and a carpeted room.
- Setup of the experiment; children should work in individual sections but close to each other to enable transfer of ideas and morale of completing the tasks
- Reflection of the process: Each child should identify the colors observed and state lesson learn during the sessions.
In conclusion, it must be noted that activity which will give the opportunity to students to learn how to see the difference between the colors and what is more important to mix these colors to see the new colors is very important for their development. Also, it must be noted that in the context of an integrated unit with their parents students will get the ability to learn also how to communicate with their parents in such circumstances and the results of the activity will be different to some extent. Also, it must be noted that the process of the implementation and the evaluation of the unit is very important for the results of the activities which will be helpful for students in the development of their ability to understand the main principles of visual art and emotional and social communication.
References
Lauritzen, P. (1992). Facilitating integrated teaching and learning in the preschool setting: A process approach. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 7(4), 531-550. doi: 10.1016/0885-2006(92)90073-8
Darling-Churchill, K., & Lippman, L. (2016). Early childhood social and emotional development: Advancing the field of measurement. Journal Of Applied Developmental Psychology, 45, 1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2016.02.002
New York State EARLY LEARNING GUIDELINES. (2012). Retrieved from http://ccf.ny.gov/files/7813/8177/1285/ELG.pdf
National Association for the Education of Young Children & National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education. (2003). (Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/CAPEexpand.pdf)
Davis, J. (2015). Primary Colours Squishy Bag Experiment. Retrieved from https://www.learning4kids.net/2015/08/25/primary-colours-squishy-bag-experiment/
