Group Learning Experience Planning Sheet:
Student Name: Jessica Edwards Course Code: ECS3060
Age Group: 14 months to 3 years Date:
Learning Experience: Cognitive and Fine Motor Activity- Pom Pom Colour Sorting
Programming Purpose:
The purpose of this activity is to help the children in the class practice fine motor and sorting
skills using simple materials, focusing on sorting objects based on their colour. According to
E.L.E.C.T., toddlers will begin to learn to distinguish and sort items based on their characteristics
such as colour and texture. In the classroom, the children have shown an interest in wooden
puzzles and in sorting puzzles. One puzzle includes a pencil shaped tool with a magnet that is
used to pull coloured magnetic balls, so they can be dragged down a path into a paint can that
matches the balls colour. I noticed that the two children I was sitting with had some knowledge
about the colours and were very interested in the toy itself, but they were having trouble moving
the metal balls with the tool. E.L.E.C.T. also states that toddlers are still learning the fine motor
skills that will allow them to use tools such as crayons, forks, spoons and pencils with a pincer
grasp. To add a fine motor element to the sorting activity, I will include toy tweezers, spoons and
other tools that the children can use to pick up the pompoms and place them in their colour-
matched cups.
Objective:
The children will:
1) Expand cognitive skills related to classifying coloured items and sorting them.
2) Practice social language and listening skills when discussing colours and answering
questions from educators.
3) Practice fine motor skills when using tools such as tweezers and spoons to pick up
objects, or when using a pincer grasp to hold materials.
Materials:
Pompoms in assorted colours
Coloured cups in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, white, black and pick
(nine)
Plastic play tweezers (three)
Plastic spoons (three)
Table
Chairs (three)
Cleaning Spray
Paper towel
Set Up:
Implementation:
1. I will lay out the pompoms, coloured cups, spoons and tweezers at the table.
2. I will ask the children to wash their hands before taking a seat at the table.
3. I will begin the activity with a very brief discussion about colours,
a) I will ask the children simple questions such as Which colour is this pompom?
depending on the skill level of the group I am working with I may also use choice
based questions such as Is this pompom red or blue?
b) After the children seem to understand that the task involves identifying colours I can
show them that we are sorting pompoms into the cups that match their colour.
4. I will model picking up the pompoms with both the spoon and tweezer tools before
allowing the children to begin sorting their pompoms.
5. The children will use their tools or their hands to pick up pompoms and pace them in the
correct cups. Throughout the task I will ask the children questions about what they are
doing, and use positive reinforcement to encourage them when they are able to sort a
pompom and support them if they are having difficulties.
6. After the pompoms are all sorted or the group feels they are finished, I will remove the
materials from the table, clean the tools used and clean the table used as a work surface
with bleach spray and paper towels.
Learning Strategy #1
Do-It Signals:
Throughout the activity and when explaining the activity I will use do it signals to encourage the
children to sort their pompoms. These do-it signals can help keep children interested in the
activity, but also guide them if they are unsure of what they should do next. These signals can
also add new elements that make the activity more or less complex and encourage interaction
between the children. Examples include:
________, what colour is your pompom? Is it red? Can you put it into the red cup?
Oh look, _____ has a yellow pompom! _____ can you show them where it goes?
Learning Strategy #2
Behaviour Modelling:
Throughout the I can assist the children who may not understand my verbal cues fully by
modelling the action first. This includes finding a pompom, determining its colour and the
placing it in the correct cup. After this action has been established I can then model the use of the
spoon, which most of the children should be familiar with. Lastly, I can model the use of
tweezers to help guide children who have more developed fine motor skills. Modelling can help
me to reach children at different levels of skill and help them find a way they can participate
which is challenging, but still achievable. Modelling the actions first can also prevent confusion
and may encourage children with more developed social skills to help others.
Supportive Strategies:
This activity is focuses on sorting but also ties in vocabulary building and fine motor skills. In
order to hit all three domains extra support needs to be given.
Encouraging Discussion using Adjectives or characteristics:
While the children are doing the activity I can encourage them using questions and do-it
signals to guide children towards simple discussion of colours, the main focus of the task,
but also other features of the pompoms such as their texture.
Hand-over-hand Guiding:
When the children are using the spoons and tweezers, I can help them to hold the tools
correctly and assist them in pickup and gripping objects.
Encouraging General Opinion-Related Discussion:
While the children are participating in the activity I can encourage discussion by asking
questions to the children such as Which tool is your favourite? and What colour is
your favourite? to encourage the children to speak during the activity and practice
related vocabulary.
Overall Evaluation
What worked during this experience? Why?
What did not work during this experience? Why?
What might you have done differently?
What theory might you use to support these changes?
Supervisor Feedback
Supervisor Signature ___________________________
