BYU-Idaho Preschool Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan #15

Lab One
ConstructionBuilding
Date:
Supervisor:
Lead Teacher:

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Emilee Bagley
Jessica Howard

Children and Learning/Development Goals:

1. Samira and Claire have a goal to interact more frequently with their peers. Team building opportunities will be
provided during self-selected and small group to help them to interact more with the other children.
2. Sam and Brynn have the goal of being able to hold a pencil/scissors correctly. During creative art, the children
will use scissors to cut construction paper and then apply the cut strips to paper using glue, the strips will be
twisted and turned to create a 3D art experience.
3. Ellie has a goal to learn to her pencil correctly. As part of math, the children will use rulers to draw structures or
plans for their buildings. I will help Ellie focus on holding her pencil correctly as she performs this exercise.
4. Lelia has a goal of learning numbers and shapes. During the building activities, like in blocks or manipulatives, I
will incorporate blocks of different shapes and will discuss the shapes with her. Also, together, we will count the
number of blocks that she uses in her structure.
5. Alli has a goal to try new things. She will be encouraged to participate in the group building experiences or to
play in the block area with her peers.
Preassessment and Findings:
The children in our preschool lab play often in the block area and are more engaged with blocks or building tools are
provided throughout the preschool day.
Alivia pulled out all of the blocks from the shelves and begins to build the walls of her house. She repeated
this activity everyday during the preschool week (3 consecutive days). Also, while playing with the waffle blocks in the
classroom his built a chair and during outdoor play she built a fort out of the waffle blocks. When asked what she knew
about building she said, You just have to put the right pieces together. And she responded that it was the same for all
types of building.
Krew built roads and runways for his tractors and cars. He said that he cars travel on roads, but when asked his
he knew how roads were made he said, I dont know, theyre just there. Sam also built a runway off the block selves,
using different sized blocks and different angles to make the biggest and smallest cars and planes roll down his runway.
When asked if he thought he could make it bigger Sam responded that he could and make the track have a steeper
angle coming off of the block shelf.
During an activity with water works, Levi, Alli, and Twylie worked together to build up the water works tower
and do see how big they could make it. The understood the difference between foundational pieces, connecting pieces,
and the marble track and how the three connected together. When asked how things were built all Levi and Twylie
responded that you have to have the right pieces and they have to fit together.
One of Elis interests is Construction Workers. While doing a construction worker puzzle, Eli told the teacher
that construction workers build things using big tools. He understood that materials and tools are needed in building.
Also, one of Michaels interests is building and he spends the majority of his time in blocks and dramatic play. He built
and connected legos and asked why there were no legos one day.
Krew, Samira, Michael, Kassidy, and Swede discussed things that should be built as they hammered plastic
nails in foam blocks. They said that nails, hammers, screw drivers and wood are used in building houses or other
building. They didnt know of any other materials that could be used or about piping, plumbing, or electric wiring.
From other conversations with the children and observations within the classroom, we have seen that building
and construction is something that the children have expressed interest in and that we have determined to be one of
our themes this semester. We found that children understood the building requires different pieces that connect
together and that pieces or part have to connect in patterns or some other way. Also that construction is done by a
specific type of worker. Also that construction can build things from buildings to roads. We also learned that the children
didnt have much of idea of the planning (architecture) that happens before building or that strong foundations were
necessary. Also the children werent as familiar with the different tools that are used (besides a hammer, screwdriver,
nail, etc.)they didnt express much knowledge of power tools. Also, the children didnt express much knowledge of the
variety of materials that are used in construction (wood, metals, cement, asphalt, brick, glass, etc.).
Ideas to be Emphasized:
1. Many materials (such as wood, cement, metal, etc.) are used in the building process and are combined to make
a whole.
2. Buildings are drawn before they are built. Architects draw the plans and construction workers then build what is
drawnthese drawings are called blue prints.
3. Buildings , bridges, and roads need strong foundations so that they dont fall.
Preschool Concepts or Skills:
1. Spatial Concepts (in, on, front, back, over, under, above, below, top, bottom, inside, outside, together, apart,
around, through, beside, between, etc.)
2. Math Skills (measuring, shapes, classifying, etc.)
3. Motor Development (fine & gross motor in building, coordination, stacking, etc.)

BYU-Idaho Preschool Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan #15
Lab One
ConstructionBuilding
Date:
Supervisor:
Lead Teacher:

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Emilee Bagley
Jessica Howard

Ideas to be Emphasized:
1. Many materials (such as wood, cement, metal, etc.) are used in the building process and are combined to make
a whole.
2. Buildings are drawn before they are built. Architects draw the plans and construction workers then build what is
drawnthese drawings are called blue prints.
3. Buildings, bridges, and roads need strong foundations so that they dont fall.
Preschool Concepts or Skills:
1. Spatial Concepts (in, on, front, back, over, under, above, below, top, bottom, inside, outside, together, apart,
around, through, beside, between, etc.)
2. Math Skills (measuring, shapes, classifying, etc.)
3. Motor Development (fine & gross motor in building, coordination, stacking, etc.)
Assignments:
___________________ Self-Selected

_______________ Floater/Runner/Snack

___________________ Small/Focus Groups _________ /_________ Booth/ Photographer

___________________ Outdoor play
_________ /_________ Snack

_______________ Greeter/Walkie (Lead Teacher)

_______________ Data Collector

Special instructions for the day: Math table will be combined with the wood working table.
*see small focus groups for other blocks that need to be pulled

SELF-SELECTED ACTIVITIES 8:20 - 9:50 a.m.

Literacy Activities/Books: Machines at Work by Byron Barton (B10); Bridges are to Cross by Philemon Sturges (P S11);
Tonka; Big Book of Trucks by Patricia Relf (R3); Trucks, Trucks, Trucks by Peter Sis (S24); Houses and Homes by Anna Morris
Activity Name

Description/Activity Objective

Materials, Special Set-up

Creative Art: 3D
Construction Paper Art
(5)

Activity Description: Colored construction paper will be

provided, along with scissors, glue, and glue applicators.
Using the provided materials, children will cut the paper
into strips and glue them in unique ways, with bends and
curve to create a 3D effect in their artwork. Children will
write their names on their artwork (or ask for help).
Child Objective: Children will use fine motor skills to cut
construction paper using scissors. Opens and closes
scissors with one hand (IELG D2G18)
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will discuss with the
children how to properly hold and use the scissors to help
them meet developmental goals. Teachers will also help
children to recognize how the strips of paper can be bent
and curved to make them come off of the page.
Activity Description: Using the bamboo blocks, children
will build original structures by combining the materials
and stacking the together. Block mats will also be used on
the table for the children to use in continuing the
measuring process (connection to math activity)
Child Objective: Children will learn and apply sequencing
steps as they build, starting at the base of the structure
and building up.
Develops ideas for how things work and attempts tasks
that have unknown outcomes. (IELG D1G5)
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will ask children about
what they need to do first in the building process. Teachers
will discuss with children the sequencing steps for building
using correct language (first, second, third, then, next,
finally, etc.)
Activity Description: Scales, levels, and a variety of
materials such as tire chunks, rubber shapes, pomp balls,
shaped blocks, etc. Materials can be combined or
compared as children determine which objects are heavier

Construction Paper (Lab or RR1

Cabinet 6)
Glue (RR1)
Glue Applicators/popsicle sticks
(RR1)

*Manipulatives: Block
Structures (4)

Math: Balancing (3)

bamboo blocks (RR2, B174)

block mats (RR2, B184)

Scales (RR2, R151)

tire chunks (RR2, G125)
rubber shapes (RR2, G147)
colored shape blocks (RR2, G170)

Science: Jell-o &

Vinegar (3)

*trash bag on the table

for easy clean up

*Sensory Table: Tires

& Trucks (4)

*Blocks: Famous
Structures (6)

*Dramatic Play:
Construction Site (6)

Alternatives:

and which are lighter and how they can be balance.

Child Objective: Children will discover balancing
relationships as they experiment and seek to find an
equilibrium using various materials.
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will discuss with children
how things must be balanced in building.
Activity Description: In medium size bowls, jell-o will be
mixed with baking soda. There will also be bowls of vinegar
and eye droppers for the children to use. The children will
use the eye droppers to add vinegar to the baking soda
and jell-o mixture (which will be placed in a wider bin for
the overflow). When the vinegar is combined with the jell-o
it will make colorful eruptions for the children to see.
Child Objective: Children will explore cause and effect
relationships and make predictions about the type of
reactions that will take place as vinegar is added to the
jell-o.
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will encourage children
to make predictions about what will take place in the
reactions before adding the vinegar.
Activity Description: The sensory table will be filled with
tire chunks and tracks/tractors. Along with road signs to
include some environmental print.
Child Objective: Children will engage in exploratory play
as they determine the function of the trucks and tractors
provided and use them for their intended purpose (i.e.
pushing, dumping, lifting, etc.).
Explore materials and actions with an intended purpose.
(IELG D1G14)
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will discuss with children
the roles that trucks and tractors play in a construction
projectmoving materials, lifting, carrying, rolling,
smashing, etc. Teachers will discuss with children the
specific functions of each tractor/truck.
Activity Description: Laminated pictures of
famous/common structures (i.e. the Great Wall of China,
Skyscrapers, Barn/Mills, Arches, Leaning Tower, etc.) will be
taped to the block shelves. The cardboard blocks will also
be provided in additional to the lab block set for the
children to use as they attempt to build the structures that
are seen in the pictures shown.
Child Objective: Children will use problem solving
techniques to determine how structures can be built using
the materials provided.
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will offer suggestions
about how structures can be created and will ask openended questions to help the children problem-solve and
find solutions (i.e. how can we make stairs?) Teachers
will discuss with the children the structures that they see
and where in the world they are located.
Activity Description: Dramatic play will be set up as a
construction site. A bucket and pulley will be off of the loft
for the children to share materials. There will be wood
pieces for the children to lift. Hard hats and traffic vests
will be hung on the clothes racks for the children to take on
roles as construction workers. Caution tape will be
wrapped around the loft area. Some of the blocks will be
moved into the dramatic play area and plastic tools will be
provided.
Child Objective: Children will use cooperative skills to
create a construction site story line and take on individual
roles as construction workers.
Uses play to explore, practice, and understand social roles.
(IELG D3G31)
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will aid in the childrens
interactions with one another, encouraging them to work
as a team working towards a common goal as construction
workers would. Teachers will also explain how a
construction team has to work together in order to
complete a given project/assignment.
Optional activities Housekeeping supplies and dolls will
also be included as an additional dramatic play activity.

Jell-o packs (IWP)

Baking soda (kitchen)
Vinegar
Bowls (RR1)
Bins (RR1)
eye droppers

Tire Chunks (RR2, G125)

John Deere Toys (RR2, B179)
Cars & Trucks (RR2, 178)
Wooden Community Signs (RR2,
B182)

Printed/Laminated pictures of
famous structures (IWP)
Cardboard Blocks (RR2, B189)

Bucket & Pulley (RR1, S87)

Caution Tape
Plastic Tools (RR2, Y224)
Traffic Vests & Cones (RR2, Y224)
Hard Hats (RR2, Y225)
Wood (RR2, Y256)
Pencil & paper, rulers (art cart)
PVC pipes (Large Shed)

Creative Art: Sponge

Paint

2nd: Water Works

Manipulatives

Description: White paper, sponges, and paint will be

provided for the children to use. Smocks will also be set
out to keep the paint from getting on the childrens
clothes. Using the sponges children will stamp paint by
putting the sponge into the paint and then onto the paper
and repeating the process to create original works of art.
Children will write their names on their artwork.
Description: Blocks can be replaced with water works if
the children dont express much interest in the small block
building. Water works will be used as an alternative
manipulative activity for the children to build additional
structures (structures dont have to be drawn before being
built)

paper (lab)
paint (RR1)
sponges (RR1)
smocks (Kitchen)

ROTATING SNACK
9:00-9:50 a.m.
Self-Selected Snack (leftovers); juice
OUTDOOR PLAY

9:10-9:50 a.m.

Location: South Playground

*Gross Motor:
Building Blocks

Description: On the grass area just outside of the lab,

Large Wooden Blocks (GG)
large wooden blocks will be set out for the children to build
with in a more open environment. Given that the ground is
not flat, children will problem solve while build to
determine what kind of foundation their structure needs to
make it stand.
Objective: Children will use motor develop to lift and
stack large blocks while creating structures.
Coordinate whole body to move in complex ways with
strength, agility, and balance. (IEGL D2G17)
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will discuss with children
the importance of foundations in building structure to
make them strong enough that they wont fall.
2nd: Stepping Stones
Description: Stepping stones will be set out on the grass
Stepping Stones (GG)
area. The will be set out with sufficient spaces that the
children will be required to jump for stone to stone.
Objective: Children will use gross motor skills to jump or
hop from one stepping stone to the next.
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will encourage children
to jump or hop between stones and adjust the placement
of the stones with time to try and jump further.
3rd: Dump Trucks
Description: Dump trucks will be placed in the sand box
Dump Trucks (Small Shed)
for the children to use as they dig and move sand and
other objects.
Objective: Children will express understanding of the
purposes of dump trucks and their function by using them
properly to accomplish tasks.
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will help children to
understand the purpose and function of dump trucks.
CLEAN UP
9:50-9:55 a.m.
Preschool Clean-Up Song sung twice
GATHERING TIME
9:55-10:10 a.m. or 2:55-3:10 p.m.
Transition: Music will be played and the children will come over and begin dancing. Once all of the children are present,
the music will be turned off. Children and teachers will hold hands in a circle and sit down together.
Materials: wiggles CD , CD player (workroom)
Description
Materials
Activity Name
1. Topple the Tube
Buildings (or bridges)
need strong
foundations so that
they dont fall.

2. Building Story
Many materials are
used in the building
process and are
combined to make a

One piece of cardstock will be rolled into a tube and

another tube will be created using two pieces of cardstock.
The children will be asked, Which tube to do you think will
be a better? Children will respond by pointing to the tube
that they think (most likely the thicker one). Books will
then be placed one by one onto the top of the tube;
children will make predictions about how many books can
be placed on top of the tube. Once the tube falls, we will
count the books/objects and learn why it is important for
buildings/structures to have strong foundations.
Investigates unfamiliar phenomena using both trial and
error and systematic trials, with assistance. (IELG D4G43)
Oral Storytelling. Using the felt board, a story will be told
and the children will be able to offer input and help the
main character accomplish a task.
One day Tommy decided that he wanted to build a dog
house for his new little puppy. But he didnt know what he

Cardstock
Books/Heavy Objects

Felt Board (Lab)

Felt Pieces/Shapes (IWP)

whole.

needed. He thought to himself, I think I need some help

from his friends about. The teacher will ask the children
what they think that Tommy will need to make the dog
house (wood, hammer, nails, screwdriver, screws, etc. will
be shown to the children). Tommys friends gave him lots
of good ideas, THANKS FRIENDS! Tommy was happy, now
I have all the tools and materials to build the dog house,
but then, oh-no, thought Tommy, now I dont know what
to do to build the dog house. But then he remembered
that his friends could help. Teacher will ask the students
what Timmy needs to do first. (the floor, then the walls and
door, then the roof, etc. pieces will be place on the felt
board.) Tommy was so happy. He had built the dog house
with his friends help, THANKS FRIENDS! Tommy and his
puppy played for the rest of the day and them his little
puppy went to sleep in his nice little house. THANKS
FRIENDS!
Pictures will be shown of blue prints and it will be
explained to the children that architects use them to draw
the plans before buildings or structures are built. It will be
explained to the children that they will draw their own
plans and then build something based off of what they
drew, but they have to be very careful in their planning.

3. Blue Prints
Buildings are drawn
before they are built.
Architects draw the
plans and construction
workers then build
what is drawnthese
drawings are called
blue prints.
Transition to Small
Focus Groups

Music will be played and the children will dance. The music
will be paused and the childrens names will be called. The
first group will go with their small group leader, the music
will continue, for the second, third, and fourth groups, etc.

SMALL FOCUS GROUP

10:10-10:25 a.m.
Your Activity
Blue Prints & Buildings
(art table)

Blue Prints & Bridges

(block area)
*modification of the first
activity

CLOSING CIRCLE

wiggles CD
CD player (workroom)

Description & Objective

Activity Description: On blue or white paper, the children will
draw pictures of buildings or other structures that can then be
built. Sample blue prints will also be taped to the table, giving
the children a firsthand experience with what blue prints look
like. After finishing their pictures, the children will decide what
they want to build and as a group they will build the structure
that they have chosen/drawn.
Child Objective: Children will use fine motor strength to hold a
pencil correctly and draw lines and shapes as they draw blue
prints like architects.
Tries multiple ways to solve problems and create play. (IELG
D1G11)
Intentional Teaching: Teachers will discuss with the children
how architects draw the plans for buildings before they are
built. Teachers will also facilitate cooperative efforts, as they
children build their structures together, and reemphasize the
sequencing steps discussed during self-selected and gathering
time.
Activity Description: On blue or white paper, the children will
draw pictures of bridges or other structures that can then be
built. Sample blue prints will also be taped to the table, giving
the children a firsthand experience with what blue prints look
like. After finishing their pictures, the children will collaborate to
build a bridge together
Child Objective: See above.
Intentional Teaching: See above.

Materials
paper & colored pencils
(lab)
G1: colored blocks (RR2,
B169)
G2: bamboo blocks (RR2,
B174)
G3: colored shape blocks
(RR2, B170)
G4: slat blocks (RR2,
B175
Book: Tonka; Big Book
of Trucks by Patricia Relf
(R3)

Lab block set

Book: Bridges are to
Cross by Philemon
Sturges (RR2 P S11)

10:25-10:40 a.m.

Transition Again, music will be played. As the children join closing circle, rhythm sticks (workroom) will be handed to each
child. When the music stop, teachers and children will again sit down in a circle.
Description
Materials
Activity Name
Counting/Patterns:
Rhythm sticks

Finger Play: 5 Green

and Speckled Frogs

As a whole group, rhythm sticks will be hit and scraped (slide) together to
create patterns. Children will count aloud the number of taps and slides; they
will also participate in creating new patterns by suggesting the number of
hits and slides that should be done. After then rhythm stick activity, the
children will place them behind their backs and another teacher will pick
them up.
Children will follow (and sing) along with the teacher through the Five Green
and Speckled Frogs finger play (which the children have done before).
Children will determine how many frogs are left after each one leaves.

rhythm sticks
(workroom)

Phonemic
Awareness: Chicka
Chicka Boom Boom
Game
Music/Movement:
Johnnys Hammers

Book: Brown Bear,

Brown Bear
Game: Red light, Green
light
Bubbles

The Teacher will read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John
Archambault. Using the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom file folder game and
pictures of object, the children will identify the object that begin with the r
and t sounds (or one of the other sound included in the game: g n b
p t r are all provided. Recognizes phonemes as both initial and ending
sounds. (IEGL D5G56)
The children will stand and we will sing Johnnys Hammers with the
movements, children will sing along and follow teachers actions. When the
song gets to the part that Johnny goes to sleep all of the children will sit on
the floor.
Coordinate whole body to move in complex ways with strength, agility, and
balance. (IEGL D2G17)
The book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin will be
read and the children will make predictions about what will take place next in
the story. (big book)
The children will move in place when the green light is shown and will freeze
when the red light is shown.
The teacher will blow bubble and the children will try to pop the bubbles that
they see.

WORDS TO SONGS & FINGERPLAYS:

Johnnys Hammers:
Johnny pounds with one hammer, one hammer, one hammer
Johnny pounds with one hammer all day long (fist into hand
(2 hammers, two fists together)
(3 hammers, two fists together and stomp one foot)
(4 hammers, two fists together and stomp both feet)
(5 hammers, two fists together, stomp both feet, nod head)
Johnny is so tired, so tired, so tired
Johnny is so tired all day long
So Johnny goes to sleep now, sleep now, sleep now,
Johnny goes to sleep now all night long
(KCLSwww.youtube.com)
Five Green & Speckled Frogs:
Five green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs -- YUM YUM!
One jumped into the pool where it was nice and cool
Then there were four green and speckled frogs.
(continue with four, three, two, and one)
RESOURCES:
http://fun-a-day.com/
http://preschoolpowolpackets.blogspot.com/

Chicka Chicka
Boom Boom Big
Book (RR2 B
C2)
File Folder
Game (IWP)

Brown Bear
big book (BB4)

Bubbles &
wands