Marshall University Early Education Center

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Map Project

Fall 2003

 

Cognitive   There must be cognitive progress in every area of development for development in any form to take place.  Every area of development goes hand in hand with the other developmental domains, in that thinking and learning takes place within every aspect of advancement and growth. Although “cognitive assessment” deals with every facet of the assessment plan, this part of the assessment will specifically address a more general and almost obvious range of learning.  In addition to the complete depth of learning and progress in every area of development, another very important aspect of the learning process throughout the course of the project is what the children learn about the project topic itself.  Careful examination of children’s creations, play situations and words, allows us to “see” what they know. At the beginning of the project the teachers list everything the children say about maps, depicting to us what they know about them.  Throughout the project, including the end, we will again ask the children questions about maps, engage in discussions about them and add to our lists and webs accordingly.  We will also make another list(s) that states the prompt, “What we know about maps,” and compare it to the lists that were made at the beginning of the project.  By comparing the documentation taken from the children  at the beginning, middle and end of the project, what the children actually learned about the topic throughout the semester will be evident.   Every new addition to the lists and webs will be color-coded with the date and name to ensure clear and accurate documentation.  Having the children’s names on specific quotes and ideas and date of documentation on every list and web, will allow the teachers and parents keep track of children’s learning as a group and as individuals. Another way the children’s learning is assessed is through their drawings and artwork.  Throughout the semester the children will participate in map-making and other types of art activities using various medias.  By comparing this type and other types of artwork related to the project topic, an opportunity to assess the children’s knowledge will be available.  Throughout Phase I, the children’s artwork depicts the ground knowledge and understanding to which they possess about maps.  During the course of the project, the children will be prompted to draw and paint various maps, many times a map of something they previously painted, for example.  Additions and other changes the children make to their maps and other artwork will help portray knowledge that has been gained during the investigation process of the project.  During the project the questions that will be examined include:  ·       What does the child include in his/her piece of artwork?   ·       How detailed is the map? Does he/ she include signs, landmarks, colors, etc?   ·       What kinds of changes does the child make each time he/she creates a new piece?   ·       What colors and shapes does the child use to portray various things on the map?   ·       How does the child depict direction and perspective in their artwork?   Dramatic play is another important area where significant knowledge and learning is demonstrated.  At the beginning of a project, for example, the children may seem interested in a topic but vaguely act it out, frequently using false interpretations and otherwise making up much of the aspects of the imaginative scenario.  Learning and knowledge gain is demonstrated through complex and detailed dramatic play situations in comparison to earlier dramatic episodes.  Language Language is an important area of development in early childhood and a way for teachers to communicate and assess a child’s learning.  The teachers in this project often use language to offer descriptions of activities for the day.  For instance, “This is a new map in our map area and we will use it today to find our way across campus.”  Teachers also use parallel talk as a language stimulation technique to assess the learning of the children.  For example, “You’re pointing at a place on the map. Can you tell me about the place that you are pointing to on the map?”  Through parallel talk, teachers can listen for important vocabulary and newly acquired knowledge on the subject of maps to use to compare the types of words that the children used from the beginning of the project.  For instance, at the beginning of the project the children referred to the map’s key as the “box” and at the end the children began to actually call it a map key.  Teachers in this project often use self-talk to encourage conversations with the children geared towards maps.  For instance, “I see that you have built a road. I wonder what kind of map we could use to get us there?”  Teachers use the information gained from these conversations and responses to assess the current direction the project has taken with this group of children or an individual child.  This assessment allows teachers to make decisions with room preparation, materials, and activities that will foster further development with the project.                The teachers ask open-ended questions concerning maps to assess the level of the children’s vocabularies concerning maps.  For instance, “What kinds of places are found on this map,” the teacher asks.  One child responded, “That is Texas.  These are different roads.  The blue stuff is water,” as he pointed to the places on the map.  Teachers use the children’s oral and written language to assess their current status in the project. The children often draw pictures of their maps and either write themselves or dictate to a teacher about their maps.  The teacher uses this form of language to assess the vocabulary, writing development, literacy development, fine motor skills, and the current direction the project has taken.              The children often use pictures and symbols found on the maps to tell stories about different places, travel situations, and about maps in general.  Teachers use this to assess the child’s ability to read pictures rather than actual text.  Children who point to actual letters and words may be assessed on their development of reading using the stages of reading.  “P is for Parking,” one boy stated as he pointed to the letter ‘P.’ This shows that this child is at the pre-reading level of development since he recognized letters in the alphabet. During dramatic play situations, children often use pretend play to communicate ideas to their playmates.  Teachers may use dramatic play to listen for vocabulary concerning maps, note a child’s level of creativity, and their oral abilities to effectively communicate ideas to others through conversations.  Following are guiding language assessment questions for the map project: ·       How does the child use vocabulary and language when talking about maps as      compared to the beginning of the project?   ·       How does the child's words now compare to the words he or she used in the        beginning of the project?   ·       How has the child's language abilities improved his or her creativity and social       skills?   ·       How does the child use self-talk to think of ideas related to the project?   ·       How does the child use language to extend his or her problem solving and        critical thinking as related to maps?              ·       How has the child's language helped him or her with literacy development?    ·       How has the child’s language developed over the course of the project to show understanding and thorough articulation as they communicate with other children and adults?           Literacy   Literacy is an important skill for children to acquire.  Many of the children in the early years have signs of emergent literacy.  The topic of maps emphasizes the importance of learning as well.  In order to fully understand how to use a map, one must know how to read one.  Reading a map is a life skill that children can apply later in their lives.   Children have the ability to do so much, and by giving them the power to read gives them more options.  The following questions are what the teachers of the map project will be assessing for literacy.   ·       Does the child recognize, understand, and define vocabulary orally?  Such as,      what is a map? What is an atlas?  What is a map key used for?   ·       Are students able to recognize the symbols on a map? Are students able to recognize the symbols on a map key?   ·       Does the child use descriptive language in describing maps?   ·       Does the student use illustrations to express him or herself?           ·       Do students realize that print has meaning?   ·       How and do students label their pictures with assistance from an adult?   ·       Does the student have sound symbol recognition?   ·       Does the child realize what a map is used for?  Do they hold the map correctly?   ·       Do the students ask questions to gain a deeper meaning?   ·       Can the students identify colors on the map?   ·       Can the student retell stories or experiences?   Mathematical and Spatial Assessment   Before children can learn to use maps, they must understand that maps are tools to help us find where we are located and where we want to go. They need to know that maps and globes use symbols which are representations of an actual place from a bird's eye view. Since maps are representations of the real world, children will not fully understand them until they are older. This assessment gives children the opportunity to build map-reading skills from their own experiences, which help children understand the abstract concept of maps and makes them more concrete. Children will also be introduced to how symbols are used to represent places and things on a map. We will assess the knowledge gained in this abstract concept from documentation in the project based upon the documentations of the child’s previous knowledge taken during Phase I of the project. The areas of development that we will consider when assessing gains of representational skills will be based upon things such as: ·       How does the child recognize that maps have keys, which are used to represent      specific identifications in the real world? How does a younger child understand that these symbols have meaning on a map? (For instance, colors, lines, and markings on a map stand for something.) ·       What does the child do or say in order to show recognition that a place represents a location in the real world on a much smaller scale? Geometric and spatial awareness sense develops at an early age with the recognition of shapes, such as the differences in squares and rectangles, the concept of space and the way objects in space are connected. The areas we plan to examine for individual children’s gains in geometric and spatial awareness is to be described by considering items such as: ·       In what ways does the child use language or physical movements to represent  directions to a location (such as to home or Wal-mart)? For example, does the child use positional words such as over, into, and below, left or right when talking about a map direction?   ·       How does an older child give explain or indicate how to get somewhere on a map?   ·       How does the child understand the concept of ideas like north, south, east, or west?   ·       How does the child demonstrate or express that maps are tools used for orienting themselves in the environment to places where they want to go?   Seriating objects is a very important aspect of the mathematical domain in which we will also consider in the assessment of the child. Seriating objects require children to compare and contrast two different objects and distinguish their differences. The areas that we plan to look for in assessing the child’s seriating abilities are such things as: ·       What symbols on a map are recognizable by the child? For example, how does a    child recognize a symbol for a restroom, first aid, or an eating facility?   ·       How does the child seriate, distinguish, or classify maps? For example, do they group them according to different types of maps, such as maps of campus, from a map of the world?   ·       How do older (4-5) children locate an object on a map? (Such as a map of campus or the zoo?) Units of measurement and numeric development are another area of the mathematical assessment plan where we will look for increases in knowledge. This assessment will include number recognition, counting, and numerical expression. The items we intend to examine are things such as: ·    How does the child recognize the form of a number on a map without necessarily having to understand what it means? ·       How do older or younger children express long or short distances in numbers? ·       How does the child use terms of measurements such as inches, feet, miles, kilometers, or any other terms of measuring when speaking of distances?                                        Social and Emotional Social and emotional development is attained throughout many processes.  These processes are in abundance throughout the map project.  Students will be interacting with one another in play situations that revolve around maps.  These situations take place in the block area, dramatic play area, art area, and areas outside of the classroom and around campus.  While participating in play situations, students will develop such skills as empathy for others, problem solving, emotional regulation, and role playing.             Children in the center will also be given the opportunity to interact with teachers and members of the community during the map project.  Students will engage in active listening and conversations with other classmates, teachers, and visitors to the center.  Taking part in conversation requires active listening, turn taking, posing questions, and answering questions.  Some of the social and emotional aspects of development that we will examine are: How do children associate in play situations that revolve around maps and roads?   How well do they attempt problem solving with teachers and other students when a problem arises?   How does the child experiment with roles during pretend play and take on behavior that is appropriate to those roles?   How well does the child work in group situations?   Do the children have an emerging sense of empathy?   How do the children utilize emotion regulation?   How well does the child implement the question asking process in the classroom?   How does the child understand the elements of effective listening?   How do the children understand how to respond to questions that are posed to them?   Physical   Throughout a project, children take part in many activities that demonstrate their physical development and ability.  Both, children’s gross and fine motor abilities are evident through various aspects of their time spent investigating project topics at the Early Education Center.  Actions such as holding a crayon or pencil to write a letter, holding a paintbrush to create a map, and using fingers to point and trace a road or direction on a map are just a few ways children are able to demonstrate their fine motor abilities to teachers throughout the map project.  Questions that will be examined to assess children’s fine motor development throughout the course of the project include: How do the children hold crayons and pencils with their fingers?   In what ways do the children imitate and trace simple lines (roads, sidewalks) on a given map?   How is the child’s hand control when holding objects?   What kind of skills does the child exhibit when using scissors to cut?   How well do the children perform simple map puzzles?   How do the students draw, paint, or color maps?   Are the students able to place certain objects on the map where they belong?   While using various maps to guide them, children will go on numerous walks around campus.  Through these kinds of activities, teachers will be able to assess the children’s gross motor abilities.  Another way children demonstrate this kind of development is through the way in which they move and play in the classroom.  Questions that will be examined to assess children’s gross motor development include: Does the child take small or large steps when walking with the group around campus? Does the child seem to enjoy hopping, skipping, and running by demonstrating it often? Does the child seem to be stronger and more coordinated when a certain foot and leg is leading? Which foot does the child predominately use when taking part in these activities? How well does he or she do when partaking in them?   Does the child demonstrate a level of risk taking, such as climbing on the blocks or jumping off of the climber on the playground?   Does the child attempt to balance him or herself on one foot or are both feet regularly used?  How well does the child balance?   Does the child demonstrate a need for active, large movement play?   Does the child part take in rough and tumble play?