DAP Analysis

Preschool Winter Activity Theme   

 This is an activity that I got from http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-winter.htm

I would let the kids make the snowflakes.  For a younger class I would draw the numbers and let the kids match them.  For Pre-K, I would have the kids write the numbers on the snowflakes. 

                    

Winter Numberland
Katy P. creates this file folder activity to help young children use number skills as they match numbers 1 - 10 during a winter theme.

Materials: White paper, contact paper for laminating, file folder, scissors, and tape.

Description: You will need to make 20 snowflakes, but only 10 different patterns, out of the white paper.
To do this you will cut 20 squares of paper to what ever size you want. Then take two pieces of paper at a time and fold them. Next, cut to make the snowflakes.

Once you have 10 patterns and 20 snowflakes take two snowflakes of like patterns and write the number 1 on one and draw one circle on the other. Take the second like pattern and write the number 2 on one snowflake and draw two circles on the other and so on, until you have done that for all 10 snowflake patterns.I did each number in a different color. Then laminate all 20 snowflakes.

Tape the 10 numbered snowflakes on the file folder and keep the snowflakes with the circles loose. The child can then take a snowflake with the circles, count the circles, and match the number of circles to the number on the snowflakes on the file folder.

The theme Games That Teach: Number, Counting and Early Math Games is in the Rainbow Resource Room

Identifying DAP

Practice	Example
Whole child approach (age, individual, cultural)	This activity can be adapted to different ages by letting older children write the numbers and/or draw the circles.  There are additional number games that can be played with them when they are beyond simple matching circles to numbers.
Goals and outcomes are clear (the why is evident)	The goal is to teach children the relevance between the written number and the number of circles.
Challenging, but achievable	In order to be challenging and achievable it will be adapted to different children’s abilities.  Ideally, the children will be able to make the snowflakes themselves, and the snowflakes can be all different instead of matching pairs (unless the children are younger and would be confused by the difference in shapes when matching items and numbers).   Color coding would be OK if the goal is to teach the younger children to match colors.
Child-guided, teacher-guided, or both	This is a teacher guided activity.
Flexible, considers each child’s rate and pattern of learning	Yes, see what I wrote under Challenging.
Integrated—incorporates multiple domains (social, emotional, cognitive, physical), content areas (literacy, math, art, science, etc.)	This isn’t necessarily a social activity, but it could be used for social games, if you use it for more than just matching.  Yes, it is cognitive and uses art and math.
Attention to learning progressions	I don’t know what this means.
Includes opportunities for play and investigation, active engagement	It doesn’t lend itself to free play or investigation.  Children making the snowflakes is an active engagement.  If the teacher makes the snowflakes as suggested above, engagement is limited.
Choices for children	There are no choices involved.
Opportunities for positive teacher/child relationship and interactions	This would involve teacher and child in one-on-one relationships
Research (evidence)-based	I have no evidence that the activity is effective in any manner.
Opportunities for family involvement	I suppose you could send the folders and numbers home to have family members interact with the children in matching

How does this activity benefit children? à

Hopefully, it helps children learn the relationship between a number of items and the written symbol representing that number.