Section 5: Learning Center Activities
Art and Creative Development for Young Children 5th Edition is a text designed
for pre-service teachers studying the value and implementation of the arts,
particularly visual art, in early childhood classrooms. The author, Dr. Robert
Schirrmacher, recommends that instructors of pre-service teachers include
laboratory experiences for pre-service teachers studying the role of the arts in
early childhood education. The following is a list of suggested activities
instructors could include in a laboratory component of a course on the arts for
young children. The activities are formatted as learning centers and related
activities, including objectives, directions for pre-service teachers, and suggested
materials. Instructors using these activities in a laboratory experience could
require pre-service teachers to submit a notebook or portfolio to document their
learning at the end of the course.
Learning Center 1 – Easel Painting
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. analyze decision making during the artistic process.
b. consider the experiences of young children during easel
painting.
Directions: Use the paints at the easel to create your own masterpiece. For
your notebook, describe how you decided on the subject you painted.
Materials: tempera paint in a variety of colors
paint cups with sealable lids
brushes of assorted sizes
sheets of newsprint, at least 18” by 24” in size
adult-sized paint smocks
two easels
drying rack
bulletin board for displaying pre-service teacher work
Learning Center 2 – Sculpture
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. engage in the artistic process using modeling clay.
b. consider the social interactions that play a role in the artistic
process.
c. use a digital camera to record his or her work.
Directions: Use the materials provided to sculpt your own masterpiece. Take a
photo of your masterpiece with the digital camera. Include the photo in your
notebook, along with a description of the social interactions that occurred in this
center while you were working.
Materials: modeling clay in assorted colors
work table
tools for sculpting (plastic forks and knives, rolling pins, etc.)
digital camera
computer and color printer for digital photos
Learning Center 3 – Biographical Timeline
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. acquire basic biographical information on a masterpiece
artist or major composer from a variety of sources.
b. organize that information in chronological order.
Directions: Select a visual artist or a musical composer and use the materials
provided, as well as resources outside the classroom, to construct a timeline of
major events in that person’s life.
Materials: A collection of biographical materials, those designed for children’s
and adult reading, should be provided.
Learning Center 4 – Visual Art Trade Books
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. become familiar with an array of children’s trade books that
can be used to support art appreciation and production in an
early childhood classroom.
b. use art appreciation and production activities to support
content learning in an early childhood classroom.
Directions: Relax and enjoy some good books about visual art. Think about
how you could use these books in your classroom. Develop a lesson plan to
teach age- or grade-level content using one of these trade books. Base your
lesson plan on state standards in mathematics, science, social science, and/or
language arts.
Materials: a recommended lesson plan format by which pre-service teachers
will develop their own lesson plans
book shelf for storing trade books
comfortable seating for perusing books
see the annotated bibliography of visual art and music trade books
in Section 1 of this Online Companion
Learning Center 5 – Music and Movement Trade Books
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. become familiar with an array of children’s trade books that can
be used to support music appreciation and production and
movement activities in an early childhood classroom.
b. use music and movement activities to support content learning
in an early childhood classroom.
Directions: Relax and enjoy some good books about music and movement.
Think about how you could use these books in your classroom. Develop a lesson
plan to teach age- or grade-level content using one of these trade books. Base
your lesson plan on state standards in mathematics, science, social science,
and/or language arts.
Materials: a recommended lesson plan format by which pre-service teachers
will develop their own lesson plans
bookshelf for storing trade books
comfortable seating for perusing books
see the annotated bibliography of visual art and music trade books
in Section 1 of this Online Companion
Learning Center 6 – Teacher Resources
Objective: The pre-service teacher will identify resources for developing and
implementing arts-related activities in the early childhood classroom.
Directions: Spend some time examining the resources in this center. In your
notebook, record a few of your favorite ideas.
Materials: bookshelves
comfortable seating for perusing materials
teacher resource materials such as the following:
Chambers, J., Hood, M., & Peake, M. (1995). A work of art. Twickenham,
UK: Belair Publications.
Clarkin, M. A. (1994). National Gallery of Art activity book. New York:
Harry N. Abrams.
Kohl, M. F., & Solga, K. (1996). Discovering great artists. Bellingham, WA:
Bright Ring.
Lasky, L., & Mukerji, R. (1980). Art: Basic for young children. Washington,
DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Levy, V. K. (1988). Let’s go to the art museum. New York: Harry N.
Abrams.
Libby, W. M. L. (2000). Using art to make art. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar
Learning.
Longley, L. (1996). Gaining the arts advantage: Lessons from school
districts that value arts education. Washington, DC: Arts Education Partnership.
Press.
Sabbeth, C. (1998). Crayons and computers. Chicago: Chicago Review
Van Gorp, L. (2001). Digital photography in the classroom. Westminster,
CA: Teacher created materials.
Learning Center 7 – Rhythm Band
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. experiment with rhythm band instruments.
b. develop a lesson plan using rhythm band activities to
teach concepts from one or more of the academic
content areas.
Directions: Play with the instruments in this center. Think of some concepts
related to age- or grade-level standards in the major content areas that you
could teach effectively with rhythm band instruments. Develop a lesson plan that
incorporates rhythm band activities.
Materials: a recommended lesson plan format by which pre-service teachers
will develop their own lesson plans
rhythm band instruments (cymbals, tambourines, triangles,
maracas, rhythm sticks, drums, etc.)
Learning Center 8 – Collage
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. participate in the creative process by creating a collage
from varied materials.
b. analyze decision making in the creative process.
Directions: Use the materials provided to create a collage. Include the collage
in your notebook, along with a description of the decision you made during the
creative process.
Materials: sheets of construction paper, 18” by 24” in size
fabric scraps
ribbon and trim scraps
wallpaper scraps
scissors
glue
Learning Center 9 – Computer
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. explore arts-related software for use in an early
childhood classroom.
b. consider how that software could be used effectively in
an early childhood classroom.
Directions: Explore the arts-related software in this center. Develop ideas
around how you could use several pieces in your classroom. Record your ideas
for your notebook.
Materials: computer compatible with the software provided
Arts-related software such as the following:
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Crayola Make a Masterpiece® available from IBM®
Create & Draw in Elmo’s World® available from Mattel®
Magic Artist Studio® available from Disney®
Kid Pix Studio® available from Broderbund®
Orly’s Draw-A-Story® available from Broderbund®
Sesame Street Create & Draw in Elmo’s World® available from Mattel®
Sketchboard Studio® available from KB Gear InteractivE
Great Museums of the World published by Countertop
Art for the Ages published by Topics
Virtual Art Museum published by Fogware
Learning Center 10 – Games
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. analyze arts-related games for use in an early childhood
classroom.
b. describe additional arts-related games that could be used in an
early childhood classroom.
Directions: Play the games in this center with a partner. Have fun! What other
games could you design for your classroom? Record your ideas in your notebook.
Materials: Go Fish for Art published by Birdcage Books
Kid O’Cat published by Games of Art
Gothic Scream published by Fliptomania!
Fractiles–7 published by Fractiles
Masterpiece published by Parker Brothers®
Other instructor-made games such as memory or dominoes (made
with art postcards)
Learning Center 11 – Videos
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. analyze arts-related videos for use in an early childhood
classroom.
b. consider how selected videos could be tied to curriculum in an
early childhood classroom.
Directions: Watch at least two of the videos in this center. What curriculum
connections do you find? How would you introduce each to your students?
Materials: television
VCR or DVD player
arts-related videos or DVDs for young children such as the
following:
Baby Van Gogh by Family Home Entertainment
Baby Mozart by Family Home Entertainment
Please Don’t Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan
Museum of Art by Children’s Television Workshop
 Beethoven Lives Upstairs by The Children’s Group
 Fantasia by Walt Disney
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Learning Center 12 – Teacher Comments
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. identify the elements of art in children’s artwork.
b. use the guidelines in Chapter 15 to develop appropriate
teacher comments for each piece of artwork.
Directions: Look at the children’s artwork in Section 4 of the On-line
Companion. Write an appropriate teacher comment for each. Include the teacher
comments in your notebook.
Materials: children’s artwork in Section 4 of the On-line Companion
Learning Center 13 – Fingerpainting
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. participate in the creative process by fingerpainting.
b. explain the value of fingerpainting to children’s
development and learning.
Directions: Get messy! Have fun! Include your masterpiece in your notebook.
Also, think about the value of fingerpainting for young children. Write a brief
explanation for your notebook.
Materials: fingerpaints of various colors
fingerpaint paper
table to use as a work surface
Learning Center 14 – Drawing
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. participate in the creative process by drawing.
b. explain how young children’s drawings may be used to
assess their learning.
Directions: Use the materials provided to draw a picture of a subject of your
choice. Reflect on the ways you could have children draw to share with you what
they have learned in a particular lesson. Record your reflections in your
notebook.
Materials: manila or newsprint drawing paper (18” by 24”)
crayons
colored chalk
colored pencils
markers
pastels
table to use as work surface
Learning Center 15 – Watercolors
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. participate in the creative process by painting with
watercolor paints.
b. develop instructions for use with young children engaged
in watercolor painting.
Directions: Use the watercolor paints to create a masterpiece. What directions
or training would you give children before you provide opportunities to paint with
water colors? Record you ideas in your notebook.
Materials: individual sets of watercolor paints
cups of water
assorted paintbrushes
manila or newsprint paper (18” by 24”)
table to use as work surface
Learning Center 16 – Learning Center Design
Objective: The pre-service teacher will use information from the text and from
class discussions to develop a floor plan for an art and/or a music center in an
early childhood classroom.
Directions: On the graph paper provided, draw a floor plan for the art center
and/or the music center you visualize in your classroom. Include your floor plans
in your notebook.
Materials: graph paper
rulers
pencils
colored pencils
Learning Center 17 – Classroom Music
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. analyze various types and sources of music for use in an
early childhood classroom.
b. prepare a list of music sources for use in his or her own
classroom.
Directions: Review the language arts, math, science, and social standards for
the age or grade level you would most like to teach. Make a list of music CDs or
tapes that you plan to use to support lessons and activities related to these
standards. Would you use this music during lessons, work time, or transitions?
Consider CDs and tapes in your lab, those you have at home, or those from any
other source. Include your list in your notebook.
Materials: age- or grade-level content standards
sample CDs or tapes of various types of music, including folk,
classical, jazz, ethnic, and rock music
Learning Center 18 – Blocks
Objectives: The pre-service teacher will
a. participate in the creative process by building with
blocks.
b. identify social skills used in cooperative block play.
Directions: Choose a partner. Together design and build a structure with the
blocks in this center. Discuss the social skills that you used in this activity. Make
a list of those skills to include in your notebook. Use the digital camera to take a
photo of your block structure for your notebook.
Materials: one set of unit blocks
floor space in which to build
digital camera
computer and color printer for printing photographs