Teaching
Preschoolers
FCS Majors
Build a Portfolio:
Step 1:
Before you do anything…
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Know Your Audience!
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Children of different ages require different
needs.
Physical Development
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Run
Jump
Hop
Throws ball overhead
Catches a bounced ball
Walks on a balance beam
Balances when standing on
one foot
• Uses their fingers to pinch
an object to pick it up
• Makes pictures and shapes
• Uses scissors and glue
• Stacks small objects in a
tower
• Can button and unbutton
Intellectual
Development
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Intellectual = Cognitive
Recognizes and
matches colors
Stacks blocks according
to size
Groups objects
Counts to 10
Recalls 3 hidden
objects from memory
Emotional
Development
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Emotional
Development
Knows body parts
• Knows name, age
etc.
• Gives emotions to
inanimate objects
• Has imaginary
friends
• Has basic fears
• Expresses anger
with words rather
than acting out
physically.
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Social
Development
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Engages with peers and
adults for an extended
amount of time
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Is starting to notice
other people’s moods
and feelings.
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Understands that
family’s culture may be
different from others
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Shares with others
What is the best way
children learn?
work
An adult’s job is to ___________________
study
A teenager’s job is to _________________
play
A child’s job is to _____________________
Play enhances development:
With your neighbor, spend 5 minutes and list as
many reasons why you believe PLAY is
important to the development of a young child.
Be specific! Think:
What
What
What
What
does play allow a child to do?
can play DO to a child?
can play help a child overcome?
can playing TEACH a child?
Play enhances development because
it:
Improves dexterity (fine motor abilities)
Teaches kids how to work in groups, to share, negotiate, solve
conflicts and to stand up for themselves
Types of Play:

Solitary Play: Plays alone.
(ex: playing with a
rattle)
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Parallel Play: Plays alongside, not with, another
child.
(ex. One child plays with a car sitting
next to a child playing with blocks)
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Cooperative Play: Interacts while playing with other
children.
(ex. Playing tag)
Constructive Play: play with materials that can
create.
(ex. Playing with building blocks)
Dramatic Play: imaginative play that usually
involves more than one child, for
instance, playing house or doctor
Planning for Preschool
Step 2:
Plan, Research, and Describe.
Theme
•Come up with a unit theme to
hold all of your lesson ideas
together.
•Make sure your ideas teach the
children physical, intellectual,
emotional and social skills as
well as can be safe.
Examples of
themes?
Examples of Activities
Literacy
 Math
 Science
 Multi-cultural
 Fine motor
 Gross Motor
 Art
 Music and Movement
 Computers
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Research:
The internet as well as
preschool teacher books have
many activity ideas, how to
prepare for and how to perform
the activities.
Describe:
Write the
directions as if
someone who
has never heard
of the activity
has to do it.
Lesson Plan Outline
Over all theme or big idea:
Title of your book:
Provide 3 questions you will ask while reading the book:
a.
b.
c.
Objective for activity: The students will…
Materials:
Step by Step Directions:
What curriculum area does your lesson fall under?
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Bonding:
Oral Language:
Opens New Worlds:
Kindergarten Readiness:
Smart:
Reading to children is an essential skill to build a love of learning and books.
In class and at home we will be working on writing our very own children’s book.
Plan a book that supports your thematic unit.
What is your favorite preschool
book?
GO!
TEACH!