Resources on Early Learning
Illinois Early Learning Standards
Video & Background
Several families of children in Judy Cagle’s mixed-age prekindergarten class were expecting babies. In response to the children’s interest in babies, Mrs. Cagle took her class to visit the maternity ward of a hospital, where they had a tour of the nursery and learned how to give a baby a bath and how to dress a baby.
Mrs. Ray visited the classroom with her baby to give the children more direct experience with babies and to answer their questions. In this clip, Mrs. Cagle has asked to children to reflect on these experiences and dictate a web that represents what the children know about babies. The Baby Project took place in late spring, so Julian, Braxton, and Alberto were finishing the end of their 4-year-old year in prekindergarten, while Jacorey was finishing her 3-year-old year in kindergarten.
Transcript
Mrs. Cagle: Jacorey had an idea. Let’s listen.Jacorey: Alberto’s baby looks just like him, too. He look just like Alberto when he grows up.
Alberto: No, my brother looks like pop.
Mrs. Cagle: Maybe we should put that here under babies look like their family members, because Alberto and his brother look exactly alike (writes on web)—Alberto and Christian.
Jacorey: Write, “That looks alike.”
Mrs. Cagle: Braxton has an idea. Let’s listen.
Braxton: Uhhhhhhhh….. ‘Cause babies cry, ‘cause they always want their bottle every day.
Mrs. Cagle: Okay. We’ve got a part up here (pointing to the web) where babies cry, because people are too rough or because they’re hungry. (Responds to Jacorey’s raised hand.) Jacorey, why else would a baby cry?
Jacorey: ‘Cause, ‘cause babies need their diapers changed sometimes, and they may cry.
Mrs. Cagle: (Writing on web.) So,“need a diaper change.”
Julian: That’s a good idea, Jacorey.
Mrs. Cagle: And I’ll tell you what, if a baby has a wet diaper, they’ll cry until you change it, won’t they? (Responding to Braxton’s raised hand.) Braxton, what would be another reason a baby would cry?
Braxton: A baby would cry, because they don’t want to change their diapers, ‘cause they need more water for them.
Mrs. Cagle: Oh, because they’re thirsty? (Responding to another child.) Okay, just a minute. Now, here under “Why babies cry” we had hungry, but we didn’t have thirsty, so let me write that (referring to the web).
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Benchmark Description | How Benchmark Was Met |
|---|---|---|
Language Arts |
Understand that pictures and symbols have meaning and that print carries a message. |
Using a web to record concepts about babies. |
Language Arts |
Dictate stories and experiences. |
Dictating stories about how babies act under various circumstances. |
Language Arts |
Listen with understanding and respond to directions and conversations. |
Responding to Mrs. Cagle’s requests for their thoughts. Responding to other children’s suggestions. |
Language Arts |
Communicate needs, ideas and thoughts. |
Dictating ideas and thoughts to Mrs. Cagle. |
Language Arts |
Communicate information with others. |
Sharing ideas with others through a dictated web. |
Social Science |
Recognize similarities and differences in people. |
Discussion about Alberto and his brother looking alike. |
Social Science |
Understand that each of us belongs to a family and recognize that families vary. |
Discussion about Alberto and his brother looking alike. |
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.
An Illinois Early Learning link to a Web site does not imply an endorsement by the Illinois Early Learning Project or the Illinois State Board of Education of any product, resource, or service on that Web site.
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Esta sección del sitio Web de Illinois Early Learning tiene enlaces a actividades relacionadas con los Parámetros en las Pautas de aprendizaje infantil de Illinois. Esperamos que profesionales de la niñez temprana y padres utilicen estas ideas de maneras apropiadas a sus niños y sus situaciones. Estamos seguros de que usted hallará muchas maneras de adaptar estas actividades a los temas, proyectos o unidades de su programa o en casa.
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