Observation in setting
Ryan (aged four years and three months) was delighted to find a camera case in the cupboard and presented it with excitement to his keyworker Sheila saying, 'This can be for your camera.'
Sheila then gave Ryan the camera so that he could try to put it in the case. After several attempts to try to fit it in, he realised that the case was not nearly deep enough to accommodate the camera and declared, 'This case is so flat - we need to find a much higher one.'
Later in the session, Ryan was observed playing with construction equipment, trying to make a car like the one his friend, Majid, had built.
Majid showed him the component that he needed to make the body and Ryan said, 'I can find a long one like that... then I want a corner one for the driver chair... that goes on top... my dad's the driver. Now I need wheels... round and round and round... Have you got some round ones?' As he asked this question, he made circular movements with his index finger.
Relevant information from home
Ryan's mum reports that he often comments on shapes as they walk home from nursery. He refers to a house w.ith a flat roof as the 'flat house' and a domed greenhouse as having a 'curvy roof'. Ryan loves to play with the plastic storage containers at home and considers the size and shape of equipment and packets of food as he puts items in the boxes.
Practitioners' response
Assessment of learning
Looking at the aspect of 'shape, space and measure' within the area of mathematical development, Ryan's keyworker uses observations in his profile to assess his learning against the stepping stones. Making a 'best-fit'
judgement, she concludes that Ryan is, in the majority of situations, operating at the blue stepping-stone stage.
Next steps
The team decides to plan an activity that will enable Ryan to use and apply his previous learning in a problem-solving activity. They hope that he will be challenged by the activity, perhaps 'dipping in' to concepts and skills identified in the green band of stepping stones.
Short-term planning for a focus
Making a camera case
Aspect: Shape, space and measure
Key early learning goals
Use language such as 'circle' or 'bigger' to describe the shape and size of solids and flat shapes
Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems
(Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, p80)
Key objective
To select materials and, if necessary, cut them to an appropriate size and shape to produce storage cases for the role-play cameras.
Area of provision
Technology workshop
Resources
A range of small cardboard boxes and packets, pieces of card, paper, fabric, string, ribbon, fabric webbing or tape, scissors, Sellotape, masking tape, glue stick, play cameras, camera case.
Content
* With Ryan, explain his 'problem' with the camera case to interested children and demonstrate how the camera is too big for the case.
* Look at the camera case and test to see if any of the play cameras will fit in.
* Suggest that the children try to make cases for the cameras and discuss what features will need to be included.
* Encourage the children to select boxes to use as cases or to cut, fold and join paper or card.
Meeting all children's needs
* Allow time for the children to explore materials and support them in using the tools appropriately.
* Provide both left- and right-handed scissors.
* Use bi-lingual support to make the activity accessible to those children with English as an additional language.
* Extension: Encourage the children to describe and compare properties of shapes and to explain their reasons for choice of shapes and sizes.
Adult role
* Collect appropriate materials and equipment in advance asking for contributions of 'junk' materials from parents.
* Share the aims of the activity and key vocabulary with the bi-lingual support assistant.
* Work alongside the children, demonstrating modelling ideas.
* Use key mathematical language such as 'big', 'bigger', 'small', 'smaller', 'long', 'longer', 'short', 'shorter', 'too long', 'too short'
and introduce solid and flat shape names.
* Ask challenging questions such as, 'What shape does the case need to be?', 'How long does the strap need to be so that you can carry the case over your shoulder?', 'Does the case need to be slightly bigger or smaller than the camera?'
Evaluation
How did children respond?
This was a popular activity with an equal balance of boys and girls choosing to engage in it. Ryan was highly motivated and became very involved in the task. With adult support he produced a case for the nursery camera which is now in use.
What links to other areas of the curriculum were identified?
This activity offered children a purpose for designing and making. They explored a range of joining and fixing techniques and made modifications in response to 'testing' their camera cases. Children's physical skills were also developed as they used tools and equipment such as scissors and the Sellotape dispenser.
What follow-up will be planned?
Additional resources will be left in the technology workshop to enable children to explore further their ideas. Children will be encouraged to use the camera cases in their imaginative and role play. Other challenges will be offered to create more opportunities for mathematical problem solving.
For example, 'Can you make a box to keep the dough modelling tools or a holder for the pens in the office?'
Are there any implications for the long-term planning of provision?
Key mathematical word cards will be displayed in the technology workshop to encourage all the staff to use the same vocabulary and language.
Series guide
* To deliver the Foundation Stage Curriculum effectively, practitioners need to consider three levels of planning:
* long-term plans, which chart the learning opportunities that will be offered through continuous and permanent provision
* medium-term plans, which cover the enhancements that will be made to the permanent provision over the next two to six weeks, and
* short-term plans, which cover how to respond to an individual child's interests or needs over the next few days.
Settings have tended to focus on medium-term plans (often based around topics) at the expense of short-term planning. This series aims to illustrate the importance of short-term planning in furthering children's learning by taking practitioners through the key steps involved in identifying and responding to a child's current interest or need.
Good practice points
* Value the role of observation in the assessment and planning process and make ample time within the framework of your day to observe and plan.
* Recognise that children's learning takes place not only within the setting. Share information with parents and carers to help identify and address a child's needs.
* Be prepared to abandon or postpone plans in order to respond immediately to an observed interest or need.
* Be aware that while a focus may be planned in response to an individual child's needs or interests, the activity will probably motivate several children in the setting. Consider, therefore, how all children can access learning at their own stage of development and build on what they already know and understand.
* Be aware that planning a child's 'next steps' may mean 'moving forward', but often children need to be offered experiences at a similar level, with a similar objective in different contexts for their understanding to become firmly embedded.
* Ensure all learning experiences are rooted in a meaningful context.
* Always evaluate plans so that you can analyse children's responses and highlight any implications for future planning.
* Although formats for short-term focus planning may vary in appearance and organisation, they should include key elements as demonstrated in the series.