Directions: The final Assignment is your chance to demonstrate how you will use data to drive your instruction.
- First, find a video on YouTube or another platform that allows you to observe a child. You may observe cognitive, socioemotional, or physical development. This is your choice: choose one area.
- Next, use anecdotal records for your observation. Write a synopsis with information from your observation.
- Finally, based on your observation notes, create a classroom-type activity that addresses the unique needs of the student you observed. Think about an introduction activity, an individual and/or small group experience, and a closing/wrap-up. Use research, readings, and theories to back up your ideas.
Submission Instructions:
You may write a traditional paper in Word or create a PowerPoint (PPT) presentation (or use a similar format)—it is your choice.
- Title Page/Slide- Follow APA style for "Student Papers" for the title page/title slide
- Anecdotal Records - Scan or take a picture of your written anecdotal records of your observation. Your written paper should show the date/time/length of observation/child's age/and the setting, along with your handwritten notes.
- Synopsis-Include a link to the video you used for this project. Give details about what you observed and be specific about your selected development area (e.g., cognitive, socioemotional, or physical). In other words, write up your analysis of the child based on your notes, connect those notes to the theories, and cite them. Explain, based on theories and established developmental milestones/benchmarks, what growth you think the child needs. (This will guide your activity plan to help with that growth.)
- Activity Plan-Include the objective or goal of your activity. Give step-by-step details for each aspect (1. opening activity 2. group experiences/activities 3. closure/wrap up). Think about using children's books, videos, games, songs, poems, art, toys, puppets, or everyday materials/objects for your activities to help the target student you observed progress with development. You will NOT actually teach these activities. Just plan as you would.
- Conclusion- Include a conclusion section that allows you to reflect on the entire project. What did you learn? What do you think about using anecdotal records for observation instead of a checklist? How did observing a child and knowing about development help you plan for specific activities to help the child grow? What skills have you learned and will you apply now or in the future, at home, in daycare, in preschool, etc.?
- References-Include a reference page following APA style.
Note: This Assignment should be personalized to your context. If you use artificial intelligence (AI) to help create this originally composed piece, give proper attribution, or else it is considered plagiarism. Follow APA style to cite and reference anything from AI and keep it to a minimum. See How to Cite Chat GPT [webpage]. This site shows the following examples for citing and referencing:
When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).