Summary
In the Big Feelings book, a group of children has a shared goal of converting a trash-filled area into a playing ground. The children have different feelings such as happiness, excitement, or hopeful toward the task, hence threatening the finalization of the program. The children need to acknowledge each other’s emotional feelings and work together to be successful in the project.
The Book’s theme(s)
- Cooperation
- Friendship
- Inspiration
Emotional vocabulary
- Scary
- Exciting
- Nervous
Recall questions of the story
While reading the story, I would ask the children how they feel while staying in a clean environment with other people. How would they detect if they wanted to make good relationships with other people? What can we do to control our emotions when interacting with other people? And finally, what can we do to create a pleasant environment in our school and community?
Activities
Literacy
The use of literacy components such as rhyme and singing can help children minimize their emotional feelings. According to (Kılınçcı & Bayraktar, 2021), the utilization of technology in the production of printed materials such as books for learning activities can maximize learning outcome. The use of books can be a strategic way of increasing literacy during early childhood development.
Art
Since the story is about a clean environment, the children can use strings, a rope, and boxes to make sweepers and waste bins. They need to work together to make the brooms and dustbins and arrange them accordingly. When working together, they should share the strings and boxes among themselves.
Dramatic Play
I would encourage the children to sing and repeat the song for them to learn new rhymes. Also, I would ask the children to identify the new vocabulary from the lines and identify their meanings.
Math
The children should measure the length and width of the area using strings and a rope. I would question them how big the zone is when compared to their classroom? The frustrations arising during the measurements may influence children’s emotions, by talking about the benefits of math subject can yield positive outcome.
Small-Group Activity
The children should present the cleaning materials to the teacher and explain how they will clean the environment. Finally, the teacher will happily congratulate the children for their cooperation and determination.
Reference
Kılınçcı, E., & Bayraktar, A., (2021). Early literacy materials and teacher practices in preschool classrooms. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 11(1), 447–478. Web.