Curriculum Overview
At Thinkerland Preschool, we use the Nurturing Early Learners Framework (NEL) to plan for our curriculum. The 6 learning areas hold utmost importance to us as we feel that it is necessary for children to learn and develop holistically. The NEL framework allows us to provide opportunities to children to grow holistically.
Nursery 1
Hello! I am Teacher
Jia Hui and currently
the Form Teacher
for the N1 class
this year!
Timetable
Term Overview
Term 1: Emotions
In Term 1, the Nursery 1 children learnt about their emotions and how to express them. They started with identifying and labelling emotions to help them express their emotions. As teachers, we ask children how they feel throughout their day and let them talk about their feelings. The introduction to emotions has also helped children better understand their emotions and express their emotions through their artwork.
Term 2: Farm Animals (Current)
Teacher Jia Hui is setting rules for the children to follow during the lesson.
Children are seen singing along and following the movements.
Teacher is recapping the concept of counting with the children as an closure.
Teacher Jia Hui is setting rules for the children to follow during the lesson.
In Term 2, the Nursery 1 children learn about the different farm animals. Children get to explore the sounds they made and what do these animals do. Example, the pigs love to play in the mud and make the sounds “Oink Oink”. We have also incorporated different learning areas into their learning. We touched on the numeracy learning areas as we teach children counting using Farm Animals. Children also moved around like farm animals during their Music & Movement lesson.
Term 3: Healthy Food
In Term 3, the Nursery 1 children learnt about Healthy Food. The children explored the differences between healthy and unhealthy food. They will be learning how to recognise healthy food and classify healthy & unhealthy food into their respective groups. The N1 children have also expressed which healthy food should go on their plate through their artworks.
Term 4: Neighbourhood
Children step out of their usual classroom to explore their neighbourhood.
Children step out of their usual classroom to explore their neighbourhood.
In term 4, the Nursery 1 children learnt about their neighbourhood. The children explored their neighbourhood and had a closer understanding on what is there in their neighbourhood – the different shops, trees and plants around. The children will step out of their usual classroom environment to learn more about their neighbourhood and it gives them the opportunity to experience a different environment to learn.
Term 2
Lesson Overview
Farm Animals
Lesson on: Counting
In this lesson, children will be learning about Numeracy, on the topic of counting. Children will get to learn about the different farm animals and the sounds they make through the “Old Macdonald had a farm” song. After identifying the different farm animals from the song, the teacher will move on to the main activity where children will identify the number on the number card and use the spoon to scoop the “animal feed” for the farm animal based on its corresponding number.
Objectives:
Teacher Jia Hui is setting rules for the children to follow during the lesson.
Children are seen singing along and following the movements.
Teacher is recapping the concept of counting with the children as an closure.
Teacher Jia Hui is setting rules for the children to follow during the lesson.
Teaching Techniques
Teaching Technique 1: Guidance
Guidance is positive discipline. Simply put, guidance teaches. Guidance involves setting clear, consistent limits that have reasons and striving to foster self-esteem and independence. (National Childcare Association (800), p.424-7161) Teachers will ensure that children behave in a way that is safe and acceptable by being firm and consistent. Teacher will also watch and listen about their temperament during lesson time. (NAEYC, 2013). The children’s social and emotional development will be enhanced. (Klein, 2008)
Facilitating is the process whereby children’s learning are made easier. It also refers to what teachers do to enhance children’s learning such as providing them with materials, organizing and even interacting with them. Not only that, it also involves careful observation and ensuring that learning is appropriate to children’s needs and interests.(MacNaughton & Williams, 2009)
Teaching Technique 2: Facilitation
Teaching Technique 1: Guidance
Before the start of the lesson, Teacher Jia Hui has set rules with the children. This is to ensure that children behave in a safe and acceptable manner. Children will have to keep their eyes on teacher Jia Hui and have listening ears at all times. If the children want to speak, they should raise their hands before speaking. The children also has to keep quiet at all times.
00:23 - 00:50
00:51 - 01:20
As the class gets noisy due to a sound heard from the laptop, teacher Jia Hui started reinforcing the rules on what is expected of the children. Teacher Jia Hui started using a firm and consistent tone to to reinforce the rules and their expected behaviour in the classroom. They should not be making so much noise in class and they should raise their hands if they want to talk.
03:28 - 03:34
As teacher Jia Hui takes out her lesson materials, the children started getting excited and went on to touch her items. Teacher Jia Hui uses the guidance strategy by using the firm voice to explain that they should not be touching teacher Jia Hui's things.
08:19 - 08:25
During the closure of the lesson where teacher Jia Hui is recapping on the concept of counting, Celest started getting fidgety. Teacher Jia Hui started to reinforce the rules that has been mentioned at the start of the lesson. Celest then puts her hands on her lap and stops fidgeting around during the lesson.
Teaching Technique 2: Facilitation
During the tune-in activity, Teacher Jia Hui uses "Old MacDonald had a farm" song to enhance their learning on farm animals. Children follows the movement of teacher Jia Hui during the song. When asked which farm animals appeared in the song, they were able to link back to the movements made and identify the farm animals.
01:21 - 03:17
03:40 - 04:00
Teacher Jia Hui facilitated the class by asking questions about the number cards. When asked about what they see on the card, child Xiang Ping showed the number 1 using her fingers instead of saying out loud. To better facilitate the class, teacher Jia Hui has explained to the class that Xiang Ping is expressing the number 1 using her fingers.
04:00 - 04:30
To stimulate their learning, teacher Jia Hui gives the opportunity for children to think critically to her question "What do you think it means when you see the number 1 and a spoon on the card?". Even though the children were unable to answer and make a connection, teacher Jia Hui has explained to them the meaning of the numbers and the spoon. (Refers to the number of spoons to feed the animal.)
07:40 - 08:05
When the children gets to try and scoop on their own, teacher Jia Hui has provided sensory and engaging materials for a better facilitation of the class. Teacher Jia Hui has also instructed the class to count along with their friends to ensure that the children are engaged at all times despite it being their friend's turn.