Benchmark Videos

Please Pass the Water

• Video & Background
• Transcript
• Benchmarks Met

Video & Background

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The children in this clip attend a mixed-age early childhood center sponsored by a public university. Open snack at the center lasts for about 45 minutes. The children prepare their snack at one table and then carry it to a designated snack table to eat it. Sometimes, as on the day that this clip was taken, several children want to have snack at the same time, so a second table is set up. The pitchers of drink are always on the table that is designated for eating. The teachers make sure that all the children have been offered a snack through a card system. When a child wants a snack, he takes the card with his name on it off of a peg and drops it into the snack basket. The teacher knows that the cards still hanging on the peg represent children who haven’t yet had a snack. The children are responsible for washing their own hands prior to eating. 

This type of snack system prevents the stress and time taken by whole group trips to wash hands, waiting while everyone gets ready to eat, and cleaning up several tables and the surrounding floor. It provides a cozier, more intimate snack environment, and it gives children the opportunity to eat when they feel hungry. Teachers have more opportunities to sit and visit with the children as they eat snack, because they are not serving and supervising the whole group at one time. As demonstrated in this clip, open snack does not mean that there are fewer manners or poorer behavior. Maddie (3 years, 9 months) uses good manners as she asks Hassan to “please pass the water.” She waits until Hassan (3 years, 10 months) passes it. Sandra (3 years, 3 months) was feeling shy because of the camera, so she did not participate. Maddie demonstrates that the children at this center are comfortable with pouring their own drinks at snack. 

Transcript

Maddie: Please pass the water (multiple times).

Hassan: Here (He passes the water).

Benchmarks

Benchmark	Benchmark Description	How Benchmark Was Met
Social/Emotional Development 31.A.ECd	Show some initiative and independence in actions.	Maddie prepared her own snack and poured her own water.
Social/Emotional Development 31.A.ECe	Use appropriate communication skills when expressing needs, wants and feelings.	Maddie said “please” when asking for the water pitcher.
Social/Emotional Development 32.A.ECa	Begin to understand and follow rules.	Maddie followed the rules for preparing and serving snacks.
Social/Emotional Development 32.A.ECd	Use the classroom environment purposefully and respectfully.	Maddie and Hassan both used the pitcher to pour water.
Social/Emotional Development 32.B.ECb	Begin to share materials and experiences and take turns.	Hassan and Maddie took turns pouring the water.
Social/Emotional Development 32.B.ECc	Respect the rights of self and others.	Hassan respected Maddie’s right to have the pitcher and passed it to her.
Physical Development and Health 19.B.EC	Coordinate movements to perform complex tasks.	Maddie and Hassan showed coordination by pouring the water from the pitcher into their cups.
Physical Development and Health 22.A.EC	Participate in simple practices that promote healthy living and prevent illness.	The children prepared and ate their snack.
Physical Development and Health 24.A.ECa	Use appropriate communication skills when expressing needs, wants and feelings.	Maddie said, “Please pass the water.”
Language Arts 4.A.EC	Listen with understanding and respond to directions and conversations.	Hassan listened and responded to Maddie’s request.
Language Arts 4.B.EC	Communicate needs, ideas and thoughts.	Maddie verbally requested the water.

This video clip was made possible by STARnet Regions I & III with funding from the Illinois State Board of Education.

This section of the Illinois Early Learning Web site links to activities related to the Benchmarks in the Illinois Early Learning Standards. We expect that early childhood professionals and parents will use these ideas in ways appropriate to their children and their setting. We are sure that you will find many ways to adapt these activities into themes, projects, and units in your program or at home.

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Spanish: Dame agua, por favor

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