Embedding Assessment into Daily Activ ities and Routines

EXAMPLES OF EMBEDDING SKILLS ASSESSMENT IN

LEARNING CENTER AREAS

THIS SECTION CONTAINS: o Discrimination/Classification Skills o Dramatic Play o Block Area o Art o Gross Motor Area o Fine Motor o The Book Corner o Application Activity

Cindy Kongs M.S., Misty D. Goosen, Ed.S., Phoebe Rinkel, M.S. and David P. Lindeman, Ph.D.

December 2011 Kansas Inservice Training System

Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities 2601 Gabriel, Parsons, KS 67357

620-421-6550 ext. 1618 or 1-800-362-0390 ext. 1618 http://kskits.org/

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Discrimination/Classification Skills              Mrs.  Smith  wants  to  increase  her  students’  opportunities  to  practice  the  discrimination/  classification  skills  of  color/shape  recognition  and  pre-­‐writing  skills.    She  finds  that  many  of  her  students  spend  a   large  amount  of   time  building  with   large  wooden  blocks   in   the  block  area.    Blocks  provide  many  opportunities  for  shape  recognition,  but  all  of  the  blocks  are  the  shade  of  natural  wood.    Mrs.  Smith  decides  to  add  additional  toys  to  the  block  area  to  expand  discrimination/classification  and  fine  motor  opportunities.    She  adds  a  tub  of  small,  colored  wooden  blocks  of  various  shapes,  zoo  animals  and  a  sign  making  kit.    The  sign  making  kit  contains  pre-­‐cut  colored  shapes,  assorted  sizes  of  colored  markers,  tape,  “Tinker   Toys”   for   the   bases   of   the   signs   and   picture/word   cards  with   frequently   used  signs  and  zoo  animal  names  for  the  children  to  refer  to.                                        The  following  photos  and  descriptions  are  examples  of  free  choice  activities  and  skills  that  can   be   measured   during   classroom   experiences.   It   is   important   to   note   that   all   of   the  activities   are   open-­‐ended   and   the   skills   measured   are   dependent   on   the   developmental  level  of  the  group  of  children  who  are  participating  in  the  activity.    Examples  of  target  skills  to  be  assessed  are  from  the  AEPS  (Bricker,  et  al.,  2002).      

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Dramatic Play              

   Skills  to  be  measured  might  include:    • Cognitive  F  1.2   Plans  and  acts  out  recognizable  event,  theme  or  storyline  • Cognitive  F  1.1   Enacts  roles  or  identities  • Social  A  2.2   Maintains  cooperative  participation  with  others  • Social  A  1.2   Establishes  and  maintains  participation  with  others  

Block Area

   Skills  to  be  measured  might  include:    • Fine  Motor  A  2.1   Cuts  out  shapes  with  straight  lines  • Fine  Motor  A  2   Cuts  out  shapes  with  curved  lines  • Fine  Motor  B  1.1   Writes  using  three-­‐finger  grasp  • Fine  Motor  B  3.3   Copies  three  letters  • Cognitive  C  2     Places  objects  in  order  according  to  length  or  size.  

McDonalds™  This  dramatic  play  area  is  a  preschool  favorite!  Dramatic  play  provides  natural  opportunities  for  social  interaction.  

Non-­‐traditional  materials  can  be  added  to  the  block  area  to  encourage  pre-­‐writing  skills  for  students.  Cognitive  and  fine  motor  skills  are  targeted  in  the  skills  to  be  measured  for  these  students.  However,  the  activity  could  be  set  up  to  encourage  other  skills.  What  other  skills  could  you  measure  within  this  same  activity?  

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Art                Skills  to  be  measured  might  include:  • Fine  Motor  B  1.1   Uses  three-­‐finger  grasp  to  hold  writing  implement  • Cognitive  A  1.1     Demonstrates  understanding  of  eight  different  colors  • Cognitive  G  1.2   Counts  3  objects  • Social  A  1.3   Takes  turns  with  others  

Gross Motor Area        

In  this  example,  students  are  using  a  purchased  “Spin  Art”  activity  to  make  their  own  creations.    Routines  can  be  added  to  this  favorite  activity  to  encourage  children  to  write  their  names  on  the  back  of  their  paper  and  choose  a  specific  number  of  different  colored  markers  to  use  as  they  take  turns  spinning  the  wheel.      

Writing  materials  can  be  added  to  the  bowling  activity  in  the  gross  motor  area.    Dry  erase  markers  and  dry  erase  boards  with  number  strips  give  children  a  way  to  keep  score  as  they  bowl.    

Practice  

What  goals  and  objectives  could  be  measured  while  these  students  play?    

To  make  the  activity  rich  in  opportunities,  remember  to  select  skills  from  across  domains.    

Kongs,  C.,  &  Goosen,  M.  (2011).  Embedding  Assessment  into  Daily  Activities  and  Routines.  Parsons,  KS:  Kansas  Inservice  Training  System/University  of  Kansas  Center  on  Developmental  Disabilities,  kskits.org  

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 Fine Motor                                                    The Book Corner

 

     

Collage  materials  make  a  wonderful  activity  in  a  fine  motor  area.  Materials  might  include:  scissors,  magazine  pictures,  and  pre-­‐printed  colored  shapes.      

Practice  

What  skills  could  be  measured  with  the  existing  materials?    What  additional  materials  could  be  added  to  measure  different  skills?    What  skills  could  be  measured  with  the  addition  of  materials?  

The  book  area  should  contain  books  that  are  related  to  the  current  theme  and  other  books  that  are  familiar  and  favorites  of  the  students.        

Practice  Think  of  at  least  four  skills  from  at  least  two  different  domains  that  could  be  measured  in  this  area.  

Kongs,  C.,  &  Goosen,  M.  (2011).  Embedding  Assessment  into  Daily  Activities  and  Routines.  Parsons,  KS:  Kansas  Inservice  Training  System/University  of  Kansas  Center  on  Developmental  Disabilities,  kskits.org  

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Application Activity: The Vet’s Office     The  following  photographs  depict  a    dramatic  play  center  in  a  three  to  five  year  old  preschool  classroom.  The  “Vet’s  Office”  contains  an  area  for  the  animals,  (with  each  animal  having  its  own  box,  labeled  with  a  picture  and  print  title),  a  book  with  the  animal’s  photograph  on  the  front  and  blank  pages  of  paper  inside  for  documenting  pet  care,  doctor’s  kits  for  medical  care,  grooming  tools,  food  and  bowls  for  feeding,  a  cot  for  animal  care  and  a  reception  desk  with  a  variety  of  writing  tools,  clipboard,  paper,  appointment  cards  and  telephone.            

                                                     

Practice  

Using  your  curriculum-­‐based  assessment  as  your  guide,  make  a  list  of  all  of  the  skills  that  could  be  measured  within  this  activity.    Look  across  the  developmental  domains.  Think  about  the  range  of  student  abilities  that  could  be  met  within  this  same  activity.