Layers of Soil Lesson.

By Kylie Reeves.

Learning Plan (Early Childhood)Topic: Science and nature. Date:23/05/2014 Age group: 4-5 years

Title of experience: Under the ground- Outdoor experience

Links to the Early Years Learning Framework:

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world.

Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners.

Content/concepts being explored:

Science-layers of soil in the ground, the environment, counting and memory recall (Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority, 2014), animals that live in the soil, interdependence between plants, soil, water and animals(DEEWR, 2014).

Rationale:

During the first week of placement, the children planted seeds in pots and have been watering them daily. From an emerging interest, their teacher had provided exploration of seeds and planting. Talking about and extending on plants and the environment will expand on prior knowledge and scaffold further learning on the topic (DEEWR, 2009).

Child/children’s background knowledge:

The children understand the concept of planting a seed and watering it to promote growth. The starting point will be asking them about the plants they are growing and where the soil in their pot plant comes from. When introducing rock, clay, sand and soil, pointing out where the everyday places they encounter them will be the foundation for learning. For example, the sand from the sandpit, clay they used at table-top and so forth.

Learning objectives:

The children learn about the layers of soil under the ground (soil, sand and silt, clay, broken and unbroken rock).

They will learn about the order of layers of each element.

The children's knowledge of science will be extended on through each element connecting to prior experiences.

The children will think about animals that live in the soil. .

They will count how many layers are in the ground.

Links to EYLF documentation-

"Children demonstrate an increasing knowledge of, and respect for natural and constructed environments" (DEEWR, p. 29).

"Children explore, infer, predict and hypothesise in order to develop an increased understanding of the interdependence between land, people, plants and animals"( DEEWR, p.29, 2009).

"Model, respect, care and appreciate the natural environment" (DEEWR, p.29, 2009).

" Participate in a variety of rich and meaningful inquiry based experiences" (DEEWR, p.34, 2009).

"Provide opportunities for children to revisit their ideas and extend on their thinking" (DEEWR, p.34, 2009).

Teacher focus/intentionality:

Extending their learning through using their current emerging interest on seeds. Scaffolding their understanding of nature and science through explanations of the layers of earth under the ground. Group shared-sustained thinking when discussing the layers of soil and open-ended questions about what we used these elements for in daily life (DEEWR, 2009). Social responsiveness and appreciation for the natural world (Early Childhood Australia, 2014).Discussion about what sort of animals live in soil. Group collaboration when calling out each layer of soil as a group. Facilitating independent inquiry-based exploration through building own layers of earth in a cup (DEEWR, 2009).

Environment and resources: A big foam board and paint to draw and paint a chart with a tree, its roots and, the layers of soil under the ground (Enchanted Learning, 2001).

Plastic cups, serving spoons, containers filled with soil, sand, clay and rock. Paddle pop sticks and green card for children to put their name on their cup.

Assessment strategies: I will record the answers children give to the open-ended questions after the demonstration of the chart and shared-sustained thinking. I will observe if the children remember the order of the layers of soil and earth while putting them into their cup.

Stage

Plan for all stages of the experience

Approx.

time (Full day? Morning? Specific time? e.g. 12-1pm)

Pre-service teacher’s actions

What will you do during this time? What prompting questions might you need to prepare? How might you assess and record learning? How will you cater for individual differences?

Child actions/tasks

What will the children be doing during this time?

Stage 1

Introduction

How will you introduce the experience/concept(s) and engage the interest of the child/children?

9.30-9.40

Sitting the children in group circle outside and asking about where soil comes from and leading to discussion in soil coming from the ground.

A chart will be used to show the layers of rock, clay, sand and soil and I will speak about each one. I will explain which animals live in each layer.

The children can ask questions and answer questions such as 'Where does soil come from?'.

The children will attempt to name each layer as I point and guide them.

Stage 2

Main body

Describe the experience: what will children be doing? How will concepts/ issues be explored? List at least three focus questions relating your learning objectives to be asked of the children.

9.40-10.35 I will lead the children over to a work station outside. The table will have four containers with soil, sand, clay and rock for the children to scoop into their cup in the correct order. The chart will guide the children.

The children will sit at the table and scoop rock, clay, sand and soil into their cup and top it with a tree that they write their name on. This activity transfers their learning from group circle into hands-on learning (DEEWR, p.36 2009).

Stage 3: Conclusion

How will you conclude the experience? Reflect on learning with children? How will you encourage a smooth transition to the next experience?

I will let the children choose a toy bug for the soil on top and tell them to write their name on a tree name tag. I will tell the children they can take it home and tell their families about the layers.

When the children have finished layering their cup they choose a bug to put on the top and place a paddle pop stick tree with their name on it.

Evaluation and self reflection: This was the most successful and enjoyable lesson for the children. It was not too complicated like the previous two and the children were able to relate to and remember the names of each layer of soil and earth. The only downfall was that it rained and had to be done inside. The chart was effective to use during circle and also up at the work station, as a guide, while the children made their layers of soil. The children had been learning about seeds and plants, so the lesson drew on prior knowledge and enabled children to construct their own learning through hands-on experience (Mcleod, 2008). The children were interested in discussion about the animals that lived in each layer of soil and they were further excited to choose a toy bug to put in their cup.

(Figure 1. The Layers of Soil, May 23 ,2014). (Figure 2. The End Result, May 23, 2014).

Follow-up: The children enjoyed the activity so much, so it was arranged with the teacher that the children could play with the tubs of sand, soil, rocks and clay during free time and the left over bugs were put into the tubs for exploration and imaginative play (DEEWR, 2009).