WITC Activity Plan

Your Name: Danielle Anderson

Learning Experience Title: Boxes are fun Ages of Children: 3+
Type of Learning Experience: (check all that apply)
 Creative Art  Social Studies  Social
 Sensory Play
 Literacy & Language  Gross Motor  Emotional
 Health/Safety
 Dramatic Play  Fine Motor  Community Building
 Cooking/Nutrition
 Music & Movement  STEM  Other:
 Nature/Outdoor

Learning Experience Presentation Type: (check one)

 Large Group—all children  Small Group—a portion of  Activity choice during free play
participating at the same the children participating
time at the same time
Number of children participating at the same time: 1 to 10
Skills:
Begins to understand positional language and special awareness (in, on, under, beside…)
Uses motor skills
Cuts with scissors
Demonstrates creative thinking skills
Draws and constructs to convey ideas

Concepts:
Boxes are fun
I can put many things inside/ on top of, under, beside boxes
Books have words that can be read to tell a story
My body moves in many ways
I am creative
This learning experience has been planned to feature the following WMELS performance standards:
Health and physical Development
B. EL. 1 Moves with strength, control, balance, Coordination, Locomotion and endurance.
Social and Emotional Development
B. EL 1 Develops positive self-esteem.
B. EL. 2 Demonstrates self-awareness.
C. EL. 2 Engages in interaction and plays with others.
Language Development and communication
B. EL. 2abc. Uses vocalizations and spoken language to communicate.
C. EL. 3 Shows appreciation of books and understands how print works.
C. EL. 4 Uses writing to represent thoughts or ideas.
Approaches to learning
A. EL. 1 Displays curiosity, risk taking, and willingness to engage in new experiences.
B. EL. 1 Engages in imaginative play and inventive thinking through interactions with people, materials, and the
environment.
B. EL. 2 Expresses self creatively through music, movement, and art.
C. EL. 3 Uses various styles of learning including verbal/linguistic, Bodily/kinesthetic, visual/spatial, interpersonal, and
intrapersonal.
Cognition and General Knowledge and Scientific Thinking
A. EL. 1 Uses multi-sensory abilities to process information.
A. EL. 2 Understands new meanings as memory increases.
A. EL. 3 Applies problem solving skills.
C. EL. 2 Uses tools to gather information and seek answers to questions through active investigation.
C. EL. 3 Hypothesizes and makes predictions.

Why have you chosen to do this experience? What observations have you made about the development, interests,
needs of individuals or groups of children in your care?
I chose this activity because I noticed that, often times, I bring toys to a child and they are more interested in the
box, bag, or container that the toy comes in. Boxes can be used for every single developmental domain. They are
versatile and a great tool for all age groups. I chose to highlight only a couple activities to do with boxes but intend
to promote all types of learning and fun the children wish to explore with these boxes.

Specific list of space and/or materials needed including colors, amounts, sizes, etc.
Boxes - the more the better!
Paint - one pallet for each child
Socks - 5 pair
1-3 glue sticks
1 pair scissors for each child using
Full set of Markers
I reem of colored paper
Blankets and sheets - 2 per child minimum
1 book
Any materials the children need as they go
Source of materials:
 Available at the center/in the classroom: Art materials, some boxes, blankets from children.
 Provided, in part, by cooperating teacher
 I am providing the following: boxes, socks, sheets, book

Teacher preparation needed before activity presentation, i.e. mixing paint, cutting paper, construction of flannel
board characters, etc.
Set out boxes, paint, paper, markers, crayons, glue, and scissors at station 1
Roll up socks and set out boxes and socks at station 2
Set out boxes, tables and chairs, blankets, and sheets at station 3

Teaching Sequence of the Learning Experience

Set-up and arrangement of materials and equipment
Set out activities before class, during outside time, or have a co-teacher assist during story time.
Set up the stations to be separate from each other and use the entire room. But allow mixing of the boxs and
stations.

Transition Planning: Describe how the children will transition into the learning experience. Transition in to the
activity (preschool) OR Incorporation of individual child routines (infant/toddler).
As the children enter the room for the day, or after outside time, invite them to sit for a story by singing a song that
involves the body like, ”My eyes are looking forward” or “skinamarinky doo”
 Procedure: What is the teacher’s role (what will you do) during this learning experience? What will the children do
during the learning experience? (Remember children are active, hands-on learners!) List all the steps in your activity
using numbers or bullet points.
1. Sing intro song with children inviting them to the rug.
2. Read book “A Box Story” by Kenneth Kit Lamug. (or any story about creativity like “It looked like spilt milk”)
3. invite children to think of other ways a box can be used.
4. Offer children 3 stations with boxes to be used during planned activity or choice play.
 First station: Just boxes, scissors, and art mediums. Let the children be as creative as they want! It is ok to
inspire them if they are having a hard time thinking of a unique idea. As them what a plane or car might
look like made out of a box? If they were a pirate, where would they hide their treasure?
 Second station: box toss. Set out open boxes and lots of rolled up socks. Encourage the children to use large
motor skill to toss sock balls in the box. Maybe they want to jump in and out of the box? This is a great time
to learn positional language (inside, outside, under, on top, beside…)
 Third Station: box forts. Bring boxes, tables, blankets and sheets to a part of the room dedicated to making
forts and castles. Encourage cognitive development and language by asking them to describe what they are
building, what it looks like through their eyes, and have them describe the story during play.
5. Allow this play to last all day! If done correctly, the teacher can foster, math, science, social skills, language,
dramatic play, large motor, and so much more through the use of boxes. So let go of time restraints, and
have fun.
Questions to support inquiry and discussion and vocabulary words to introduce.
Words and concepts: Positional language (inside, on top, outside, beside, under, around)
What does that look like? (use this question to foster creativity if a child has a hard time envisioning something
then elaborate). Ex: Child- “I want to make a car but I don’t know how” Teacher- “what does a car look like?, how
many wheels does your car have?, what color is it?”
How far can you toss the sock ball? Where does your castle live? How do you work your invention?
How will you use this box?
How will the learning experience area be cleaned up? (How will the children help in this process? Where will the
leftover materials be put? Where will the children’s art work be placed?)
This type of child led activity can take hours if not days, clean up is best done by observing the children’s interest in
the activity and encouraging putting materials back where they go when the child is ready to move on. Leave items
out all day (tidied if no one is using them), put away when children leave, and you are closing up the room. (or leave
out for tomorrow if they are still interested in the experience.

Transition Planning: Describe how the children will transition out of the learning experience.
As stated above, this type of child led activity can take hours if not days. Transition out of this activity when you feel
the children loose interest or when it is time to leave. Tell them they can keep their projects and even add to them
later.

Notes on Differentiation, Guidance, Family Culture, and other group-specific considerations.

Allow children to take the box play in different directions of interest. All areas of development can be learned
through these activities and children should be given creative freedom with the boxes.

This completed plan must be submitted to your instructor for grading prior to implementing.
/2 Activity plan is developmentally appropriate
/2 Activity plan is comprehensive
/1 Professional presentation/spelling & grammar is correct
Self-Evaluation of Learning Experience: The following questions should be answered as soon as possible after
presenting the activity in the classroom.
Reflect on your success. Describe what went well.

Did the learning experience support the developmental skills, concepts, and standards that you planned to support?
How do you know?

What changes would you make in the space and/or materials used in this learning experience? All recommended
changes should be supported with examples of the children’s participation. If you said, “no change,” support your
response.

What changes would you make in your teaching of this learning experience? Support each change you list. If you said,
“no change,” support your response.

Would you do this learning experience again? Why or why not?

TOTAL SCORE FOR THIS ACTIVITY: /5 points

Cooperating Teacher Evaluation of Learning Experience: The following questions should be answered during or as soon
as possible after student presented the activity in the classroom.
Reflect on the successes. Describe what went well.

Did the learning experience support the developmental skills, concepts, and standards that the student planned to
support? How were you able to tell that the learning goals were met?

What changes would you suggest for the space and/or materials used in this learning experience? Please support all
recommended changes with examples. If you said, “no change,” please explain why not.

What changes would you suggest for the teaching of this learning experience? Please explain each change you list or if
you said, “no change,” support your response.

Do you think this learning experience should be repeated? Why or why not? Any other suggestions or tips or
comments?

TOTAL SCORE FOR THIS ACTIVITY: /5 points

Adapted from The Registry (2018)