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 2
Hello! I am Teacher
Xiang Ping and currently the Form Teacher for the N2 class this year!
Timetable
Term Overview
Term 1: 5 Senses
In Term 1, the Nursery 2 children learnt about their five senses – sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste. The introduction of senses helped children observe and understand the world around them as they used their eyes to see, skins to feel, nose to smell, ears to hear, and tongue to taste.
Children did a lesson on senses – sight.
Children drew the objects they heard during their listening walk in their neighbourhood.
Children did a lesson on senses – sight.
Term 2: Zoo animals (Current)
Teacher Xiang Ping noting down the children's responses.
Teacher Xiang Ping took a snapshot the children in act during the main activity.
Teacher Xiang Ping getting the children to recap the names of zoo animals and extended their learning by getting them to think of the animals' characteristics.
Teacher Xiang Ping noting down the children's responses.
In Term 2, the Nursery 2 children learnt about the animals available in the zoo. They were taught the characteristics of these animals and also where they are located in Singapore. Teaching the children about animals helps them develop a sense of empathy and care for animals as they understand that they share this world with other beings. Thinkerland Preschool has also planned a Zoo Excursion Trip, inviting parents, in light of the extension of children’s learning.
Term 3: 5 Food groups
In Term 3, the Nursery 2 children learnt about the five major food groups – fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates (starchy food), dairy products, protein and fat. They get to understand the essential nutrients provided by these major food groups which are necessary for them to attain a nutritional and balanced diet in order for a sustainable healthy living.
Term 4: Seasons
In Term 4, the Nursery 2 children learnt about the four different seasons available. Learning about these knowledge helps children to understand the yearly journey the world goes through. It offers them an opportunity to learn about the changing seasons in each period of time. As a country near the equator, Singapore does not experience the four seasons. Therefore, the Nursery class will get the chance to recreate season’s crafts in their classroom using daily materials.
Term 2
Lesson Overview
Zoo Animals
Lesson on: Matching
In this lesson, children will learn about Numeracy, specifically on the concept of matching. A video on Singapore Zoo has been introduced to the children during tuning in to show them the different types of animals available in the zoo. Upon watching the video, the teacher had checked on the children's understanding of zoo animals and documented their responses onto a piece of paper. Moving on, the children had matched the zoo animals to their respective shadows under the facilitation of the teacher.
Objectives:
Teacher Xiang Ping noting down the children's responses.
Teacher Xiang Ping took a snapshot the children in act during the main activity.
Teacher Xiang Ping getting the children to recap the names of zoo animals and extended their learning by getting them to think of the animals' characteristics.
Teacher Xiang Ping noting down the children's responses.
Teaching Techniques
Teaching Technique 1: Documentation
Documentation refers to the process of gathering and organising of information to provide a written or pictorial record of children's learning. As children are exposed to a new topic, documentation can help engage the children's interests and revisit their understanding.
(MacNaughton & Williams, 2009)
Facilitating refers to the process of making a child's learning easier by providing explicit directions, materials and encouraging independence through self-discovery. Careful observation and thoughtful timing are also key to ensuring that learning is appropriate to children's needs and interests.
(MacNaughton & Williams, 2009)
Teaching Technique 2: Facilitating
Teaching Technique 1: Documentation
During the tuning in activity, the children watched a video on Singapore Zoo. As children got to identify the different zoo animals during the video, Teacher Xiang Ping got the children to recall what they saw. The children's responses were then documented on a piece of paper as a written record to display their knowledge.
01:00 - 02:00
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During the main activity, Teacher Xiang Ping observed the children while they were matching the animals. Later, Teacher Xiang Ping had set the camera to digitally documented the children in act in the form of a photograph so that it can be displayed after the lesson. This helps children to be able to visually see what they have done.
04:07 - 04:11
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As for closure, Teacher Xiang Ping got the children to lay out their activity sheets on the floor and had set a camera to take a snapshot of them. Their work were documented in front of the first written record so as to revisit the lesson from the beginning to check on the children's understanding.
05:00 - 05:06
Teaching Technique 2: Facilitating
Before getting the children to start on their activity sheet, Teacher Xiang Ping had provided explicit directions by mentioning, "We have to match the animals according to their shadow.", and this helped to give the children an idea of what needs to be done upon receiving the paper.
02:03 - 02:17
02:46 - 02:54
As the children receive their individual activity sheets, Teacher Xiang Ping facilitated their learning by prompting them with hints on where and how to start. She mentioned, "the first animal" which gave children a sequence to start – from left to right, and also asked, "Can we find the animal with a long trunk?" to encourage children critically observe the animals present on the activity sheet.
03:48 - 04:13
At this part, Teacher Xiang Ping led the children to move on to the next animal, but this time, she did not directly give children the answers. She encouraged the children to identify and name the animal independently. When one of the children, Jasmine, was hesitant in choosing her answer, Teacher Xiang Ping helped by guiding her to look for the "tail that is pointing up" instead.
05:10 - 6:34
To conclude the lesson, Teacher Xiang Ping recap on the names of the animals and even introduced their characteristics. This process of facilitating helped to stimulate the children's thinking and also, extend their learning as they critically think of the answers to the questions. For example, using gestures and actions to portray the traits of the animals instead of providing the answers directly.