Domain:
Social-Emotional Growth
Competency:
Show kindness, compassion, and respect
🎂
2-3 year olds
⏰
25 to 30 minutes min
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Learning Objective
Students will practice helping others by sharing toys during playtime.
Learning Resource Synopsis
In 'Blue Boat' by Kersten Hamilton, a family finds themselves caught in a sudden storm during a sailing trip. As the waves grow fierce and the wind picks up, there is only one boat capable of navigating through the tumultuous sea to rescue them: Blue Boat. This story is part of a series focusing on heroic vehicles, and it highlights Blue Boat's bravery and resilience in facing challenging conditions. With rhyming text, the book engages young readers and emphasizes teamwork and determination in overcoming obstacles.
Extended Learning Resources
| Resource & Author | Publication Info | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Little Engine That Could | Published by Penguin Random House, written by Watty Piper | This classic story about a determined little engine teaches children about perseverance and helping others in need. |
| Llama Llama Time to Share | Published by Viking Books for Young Readers, written by Anna Dewdney | This engaging book helps children learn the importance of sharing and cooperation through relatable and gentle storytelling. |
| The Rainbow Fish | Published by North-South Books, written by Marcus Pfister | With stunning illustrations, this book conveys a meaningful message about the joy of sharing and the value of friendship. |
Vocabulary List
| Word | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Boat | A thing that goes on water. | Look, a toy boat. It goes splash, splash. |
| Wave | Water that goes up and down. | The wave goes whoosh, up and down. |
| Help | To do something nice for someone. | Help your friend by sharing the toy. |
Prompt
Essential Question: "How can we share our toys?"
Today, we're going to explore how we can share our toys with our friends. Sharing is a wonderful way to show kindness and work together, just like a brave team facing a big adventure.
Anticipatory Set
- Let's gather in a circle and hold our favorite toy in our hands.
- Take turns showing your toy to a friend next to you. Can you touch and feel the toy together?
- Now, let's practice sharing by gently passing the toy to your friend. Say 'your turn' as you share.
Teacher Tips
- Encourage children to speak softly and use kind words as they share their toys.
- Use a calm and gentle voice to guide the activity, ensuring each child feels comfortable and included.
- Model sharing by participating in the activity with a toy, demonstrating how to pass and take turns.
Learn
Let's set sail on an exciting adventure with 'Blue Boat' by Kersten Hamilton. We'll see how Blue Boat bravely helps a family in a stormy sea. Are we ready to find out how teamwork can save the day?
Interactive Engagement
- Point to the big waves.
- Can you say 'splash splash'?
- Show a brave face like Blue Boat.
- Move your arms like the waving sea.
- Point to Blue Boat helping.
Teacher Tips
- Use big gestures to mimic the stormy sea.
- Make wave sounds like 'swoosh' and 'splash'.
- Encourage children to imitate Blue Boat's actions.
Ask
Now that we've heard Blue Boat's story, let's think about how sharing can make us happy.
Discussion Questions
- How does sharing make you feel?
- What toy would you like to share?
- Can you show a face like Blue Boat's brave smile?
Teacher Tips
- Encourage toddlers to express feelings by showing happy or brave faces.
- Invite sharing by asking children to point to or hold up a toy they like.
- Celebrate all responses, whether verbal or through gestures, to build confidence.
Navigate
Rescue Mission: Sharing and Helping Adventure
Inspired by the heroic teamwork and resilience of Blue Boat, this hands-on water play activity encourages children to explore the themes of bravery and teamwork by sharing toys and helping each other during a playful 'rescue mission'. Children will engage in a sequence of play that mirrors the story's journey, fostering empathy and cooperation.
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Teacher Tips
- Model sharing and helping behaviors by playing alongside the children and demonstrating how to offer a toy to someone else.
- Encourage verbal communication by prompting children to ask, 'Would you like to use this toy?' or 'Can I help you with that?'.
- Ensure all children have equal opportunities to participate and remind them that sharing is a brave and kind action.
Share
Let's think about how we helped each other, just like Blue Boat helped in the story. We learned about sharing and being brave together.
Reflection Questions
- Wave your hands if you liked helping like Blue Boat.
- Show a big smile if you shared a toy today.
- Can you clap your hands to celebrate being a good helper?
Teacher Tips
- Model each prompt with enthusiasm to encourage participation.
- Acknowledge all responses warmly, whether verbal or physical.
- Encourage toddlers to join in together to reinforce the joy of shared experiences.
UDL Strategies
Representation
- Use visual aids such as picture cards depicting scenarios of sharing and not sharing, tailored to water play and rescue missions, to illustrate the concept before starting the activity.
- Incorporate storytelling by narrating a short, engaging story about Blue Boat and its friends helping each other during a storm, highlighting the positive outcomes of sharing and teamwork.
- Provide tactile experiences by allowing children to physically handle the boats and other water toys, practicing taking turns by exchanging toys during the 'rescue mission', reinforcing the concept kinesthetically.
- Offer a video demonstration of children engaging in a 'rescue mission' with water toys, showcasing how they help each other and share toys, catering to auditory and visual learners.
- Use simple language and gestures to explain the idea of sharing and helping, ensuring comprehension for varying language levels, and incorporating key phrases from the story (e.g., 'Help Blue Boat.').
Action & Expression
- Encourage verbal expression by asking children to describe how they feel when they share and help during the rescue mission, and when others share and help them.
- Allow children to draw or paint a picture of their favorite rescue moment during the activity, offering a creative outlet for expression.
- Facilitate physical expression by having children act out rescue scenarios, using role-play with water toys to demonstrate their understanding of sharing and teamwork.
- Provide opportunities for children to work in pairs or small groups to create a short, simple play about a rescue mission, promoting collaborative expression and reinforcing the lesson's themes.
Engagement
- Start with a fun, attention-grabbing song or rhyme about Blue Boat and the 'rescue mission', setting a positive and adventurous tone for the activity.
- Create a game where children earn 'rescue stars' for each act of sharing or helping they perform during the mission, turning the activity into a playful, rewarding experience.
- Provide choices by allowing children to select which water toys to play with and decide how they will help their peers, fostering autonomy and interest.
- Introduce a puppet friend who 'needs help learning to share and rescue,' engaging children by encouraging them to teach the puppet how to share and help others during the mission.
Assessment Criteria
Formative Assessment
- During the water play activity, observe and note instances where children offer toys to others or assist peers with their toys. Look for behaviors such as initiating sharing, responding to sharing requests, and helping peers navigate the play area. Use these observations to guide gentle prompts and encouragement.
- Engage in short, one-on-one conversations with children during play to discuss their actions. Ask them to describe a moment when they shared a toy and how it made them feel. Listen for understanding of sharing and empathy towards peers.
Summative Assessment
- Invite children to draw a picture of a moment they shared a toy during the activity. Ask them to explain their drawing, focusing on who they shared with, what toy it was, and how it made them feel. This will provide insight into their understanding of sharing and the emotions involved.
- Facilitate a group discussion where children can share their favorite part of helping each other during the activity. Encourage them to describe what they did and how it made the play more enjoyable. Listen for expressions of teamwork and positive feelings associated with helping peers.
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