Assignment 4 - NEEDS IN THE CHILDREN’S LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

COUNTRY: KENYACLASS: 2AGE: 6 - 9

MATERIALS: Loose parts like water, sand/soil, tins, bottles, colours, flowers, tools and pictures.

OBJECTIVES: By the end the learners should be able to -Name things they like to play with -Identify importance and use of the things above -REFERENCE: -Lets Learn English pupils book 2 -Science in action book 2 by Oxford -Social Studies book 2 by Oxford -Designing Out door Spaces for children by Suransky (history making Power)

LESSON PRESENTATIONA learning environment which involves the child’s senses and social skills has a lot to do with integrating of both indoor and outdoor activities. This allows the child to go freely back and forth between inside as s/he experiment physically and symbolically with autonomy from adults. Through children’s handlings and interactions with materials and natural environment their interest is seen in the following;

1. Manipulative things like toys, ropes 2. Tools like tins, bottles etc.3. Loose parts like water, air and soil/sand for making imaginative desires.4. Naturally found objects like flowers for enjoying, trees for climbing on, stones

and vegetation like grass for playing in.5. Colours 6. Animals (small/big, domestic/wild, tame/wild or for pet).7. Places and features to sit on/in/under, shade and shelter.8. Structures and equipments like swings, castles.9. Open places to play around10. Opportunities to control and manipulate environment like taking them out for

visit places like museums, orphanages sports centers and nature walks.

(PROCESS)INTERGRATING THESE NEEDS WITH SCHOOL SUBJECTSThe children outdoor plays require a lot of gear from what they have learned in the indoor activities to make a go of it. Therefore the following are steps which I took with pupils in the class.COLOURS

The teacher (I) explain and show different colours to the pupils as I ask “what colour am I holding?”Pupils mention the colours, green, red, yellow, orange, blue, black etc.I ask pupils to look outside and tell any colour of things they see.Pupils mention the nature colour of things they see around. E.g. the sky as blue in colour, grass for green, Rain clouds for dark /black.As they have developed a sense of things in match with these colours, I lead the m to make drawings of different colours.

ANIMALSIn the lesson we discussed classification of animals according to their group as: -Big or small -Domestic or wild animals -Harmful or useful -Their movement and insects.

I took them to view different pictures of animals as I ask them to identify these animals in their above groups.As they view pictures of these animals in the books they are able to identify them and tell the importance to human. One pupil discovered the useful of wild animals as for attracting foreigners. Pupils were able to make drawings of these animals in their books then we stickled the

drawings on the walls.

VEGETATIONI asked pupils to look at the trees outside then I asked then to tell what they see and get from it.Pupils mentioned the parts of the tree they see, and things they get from it like fruits.I ask pupils to tell importance of these things.Pupils explain flowers attract insects and trees provide us with shade.I lead them into drawing a plant and naming its parts.Pupils used colours identified to colour the plant they draw. TOOLSI asked pupils to mention different things they use to work with.

Pupils mentioned cuttings like sharpener, knife, wheels bottles etc.I asked them to tell where we get and how each work.Pupils explained that we get wheels from round things I explained that we might make wheels by cutting from bottles etc.I lead them into making toys by manipulating the materials they have.Pupils learnt that wheels could be made from any shape and objects.

Pupils discovered the degree of inventions and creativity on rules and principles that make the world operate.

They were able to make toys of vehicles like car, bicycles etc as seen.

WHAT I LEARNTFrom all the activities and learning with children, I discovered that children interests are developed from the prevailing materials.Parents’ say that they learn the desire of the child from what s/he is interested in E g a child looking at pictures of cars needs such toys.

DEVELOPING THESE NEEDS IN LEARNINGIn conjunction with other teachers, parents and involving pupils we were able to organize and design for the following.

Create interclass interactions like athletes; dammar dances songs and ball games.

( (A mixed classes competing in athletics and performing a dance during parents day)

Designing creative corners in the classrooms. Organize with parents and teachers for a visit to animal orphanage for them to

have views on the animals they learn about.

( pupils watching a rhino and an ostrich at the Nairobi animal orphanage) Providing schematic drawings and conceptual layouts of different colors thus painting their walls with beautiful colors to capture their attraction.

Provide playing materials like swings, ropes, balls, tires, etc.

Involving pupils in planting flowers and Constructing relaxing equipments like shades with seats.

Establishing focal points for parents to sensitization on children’s rights.

I visited a local church committee in the area and agreed to start sensitizing to parents about practicing these rights. Network with Community Organizer representatives to help enhance this more.

WHAT I LEARNTFrom all the activities and learning with children, I discovered that children interests are developed from the prevailing materials.Parents’ say that they learn the desire of the child from what s/he is interested in E g a child looking at pictures of cars needs such toys.

Text and pictures: Teacher Caroline