Unit Nine: Babies
Table of Contents
I. Unit Snapshot ............................................................................................ 2
II. Introduction ............................................................................................... 5
III. Unit Framework ......................................................................................... 7
IV. Ideas for Learning Centers ......................................................................... 12
V. Foundational and Supporting Texts ........................................................... 30
VI. Inquiry and Critical Thinking Questions for Foundational Texts .................. 33
VII. Sample Weekly Plan................................................................................. 36
VIII. Student Work Samples ..............................................................................41
IX. Supporting Resources ...............................................................................43
X. Foundational Learning Experiences: Lesson Plans ..................................... 44
XI. Appendices .............................................................................................. 62
Th
them.
Unit Nine:
Babies
Interdisciplinary Unit of Study
NYC DOE
The enclosed curriculum units may be used for educational, non-
profit purposes only. If you are not a Pre-K for All provider, send an
email to deceinstruction@schools.nyc.gov to request permission to
use this curriculum or any portion thereof. Please indicate the name
and location of your school or program and describe which units you
would like to use and how you intend to use them.
UNIT SNAPSHOT
2
I. Unit Snapshot
Unit Topic:
Babies
Essential Question
What are babies?
Focus Questions
What do human babies need?
What can we learn about animal babies?*
*Note that children will explore this question
for two weeks.
How do babies change?
Student Outcomes
Enduring understandings that the student should
have by the end of the unit:
Human babies need special food and care.
Animal babies need special food and care.
There are similarities and differences in the
ways babies are cared for.
All babies grow.
Connected Academic Vocabulary
This list should be adapted to best fit the needs of
individual programs and classrooms. In this unit, we
are including words related to the animal babies
provided as examples in Section XI: Appendices. As
your children choose animal babies to investigate,
please add the names for the animal adults and
babies that are relevant. See Section IX for teacher
resources that will help identify accurate vocabulary.
adopted
adult
appointment
babble
baby
bassinet
bib
big
bottle
born
calf
care
car seat
change
child
clothing
coo
cradle
crawl
crib
cry
diaper
disguise
duck
duckling
egg
elephant
frog
gentle
grow
habitat
hatch
height
hospital
infant
lizard
lullaby
newborn
nursery
nurture
outgrow
parade
parent
pediatrician
premature
rattle
roll
size
sleep
small
stroller
swaddle
tadpole
talk
tiny
toddler
veterinarian
walk
weight
zoologist
UNIT SNAPSHOT
3
Focus Standards
From the New York State
Prekindergarten Learning
Standards (NYSPLS)
Domain 1: Approaches to Learning
PK.AL.2 Actively engages in problem solving
Domain 2: Physical Development and
Health
PK.PDH.4. Combines a sequence of large motor
skills with and without the use of equipment
Domain 3: Social and Emotional
Development
PK.SEL.5. Demonstrates pro-social problem-solving
skills in social interactions
Domain 4: Communication, Language
and Literacy
Reading Foundations
PK.ELAL.3. [PKRF.3.] Demonstrates emergent
phonics and word analysis skills
Reading
PK.ELAL.10 [PKR.6] Describes the role of an author
and illustrator
Writing
PK.ELAL.17. [PKW.6] Develops questions and
participates in shared research and exploration to
answer questions and to build and share knowledge
(e.g., record and discuss an experiment of items that
float and sink)
PK.ELAL. 18. [PKW.7] Engages in a discussion using
gathered information from experiences or provided
resources (e.g., collect materials from a nature walk;
record and discuss what they are)
Speaking and Listening
PK.ELAL.20. [PKSL.2] Interacts with diverse formats
and texts (e.g., shared read aloud, video clips, oral
storytelling)
Language
PK.ELAL.26. [PKL.2] Demonstrates command of
the conventions of academic English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Domain 5: Cognition and Knowledge of
the World
Mathematics
PK.MATH.3a. [NY-PK.CC.3a] When counting
objects, says the number names in standard order,
pairing each object with one and only one number
name and each number name with one and only one
object (1:1 correspondence)
PK. MATH.3b. [NY-PK.CC.3b.] Explores and
develops the concept that the last number name
said tells the number of objects counted,
(cardinality). The number of objects is the same
regardless of their arrangement or the order in
which they were counted.
PK.MATH.10. [NY-PK.MD.1.] Identifies measurable
attributes of objects, such as length or weight, and
describes them using appropriate vocabulary (e.g.,
small, big, short, tall, empty, full, heavy, light)
Science
PK.SCI.2 [P-PS2-1] Uses tools and materials to design
and build a device that causes an object to move
faster with a push or a pull.
PK.SCI.6. [P-LS3-1.] Describes how some young
plants and animals are similar to, but not exactly
like, their parents.
PK.SCI.11 [K-2-ETS1-2] Develops a simple sketch,
drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the
shape of an object helps it function as needed to
solve a given problem.
PK.SCI.12. [K-2-ETS1-3.] Analyzes data from tests of
two objects designed to solve the same problem to
compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each
performs
Social Studies
PK.SOC.6. Develops an understanding of how
people and things change over time and how to
relate past events to their present and future
activities
The Arts
PK.ARTS.10. [MU:Re7-9.PK] Responds to Music
PK.ARTS.13. [TH:Pr4-6.PK] Performs Theatrical
Arts
PK.ARTS.15 [TH:Cn10-11.PK] Connects to Theatrical
Arts
PK.ARTS.17. [VA:Pr4-6.PK] Presents Visual Arts
INTRODUCTION
5
II. Introduction
Welcome to Unit 9: Babies, Pre-K for All’s ninth
Interdisciplinary Unit of Study. In Unit 9: Babies,
children continue to study living things by moving
from observing and learning about different kinds of
plants to the needs and characteristics of different
kinds of animal babies. Since humans are members
of the animal kingdom, this includes the opportunity
to study human babies. This unit, like all Pre-K for
All units, provides opportunities for children to
observe objects and phenomena in their
environment with increasing complexity, and apply
knowledge and skills learned in previous units.
The study of babies has high interest and relevance
for children in pre-K, as they may have younger
family members or experiences with younger
children or babies in their daily lives. Pre-K children
themselves are developing increasing independence
and awareness of who they are and what they can
do.
In the first week, children establish their
understanding of human babies by considering the
question, “What do human babies need?” Activities
in this week help children express what they already
know and extend their learning through play,
literature and discussion. Throughout this unit,
there are opportunities for children to discuss, write
about, and learn what babies need. These activities
will be particularly relevant for children who will be
experiencing a change due to a baby being born in
their own family or in the family of someone close to
them. You may choose to use some of these
activities as needed at different times of the year to
provide opportunities for children to prepare for
these changes. See Section IX: Supporting
Resources for suggested ways to help children who
may be dealing with the social and emotional issues
that can arise with the addition of a new baby to a
family. During this week, we encourage you to find
ways to incorporate your community into the unit.
Consider building partnerships with local hospitals
or pediatricians or asking children to think about
how babies in or near your program typically travel
(stroller, car seat, baby carrier, etc.).
This… will lead (children)
to a reflection on their own
growth as they move
towards the end of the
pre-K school year.
In this unit the second question, “What can we learn
about animal babies?” is designed to take about two
weeks to implement. In this time, we encourage you
to investigate animal babies that are of interest to
the children in your class. You may have classroom
pets such as turtles or snails. Children in your class
may have recently visited a zoo and have a specific
animal or animals about which they are interested in
learning. Children may want to investigate an
animal represented as a character in one of their
favorite books. Consider building partnerships with
local zoos or pet clinics. Observe the children in your
class carefully to note which animal babies they find
most interesting and work with them to narrow the
focus to a particular animal.
After you have determined which animal babies are
most interesting to your children, encourage them
to work in small groups and investigate these animal
babies further. There are opportunities throughout
the unit, particularly in Section IV: Ideas for Learning
Centers, for children to learn about what their
animal babies are called, what they eat, where they
live, their typical family structure, and their early
care.
Embedding activities related to the study
throughout your Learning Centers encourages
growth across all domains of the NYSPLS. Not only
is this an opportunity for children to learn about
animal babies but also to express and demonstrate
their learning in various ways, expand their
vocabulary, and develop curiosity and persistence.
Children can investigate one animal baby for two
weeks or multiple animals that spark their interest.
Monitor student interest in their animal baby
studies. If interest begins to decline, consider
helping children delve deeper into their
investigation by providing questions about the
animal babies for them to ponder, or guide them in
selecting a new animal to investigate. Studying
multiple animal babies in the same class will lead to
social problem solving as children determine what
to study, how to work together, and how to gather
information about each animal baby. They will also
consider how to share what they learn and develop
their ability to compare and contrast aspects of
INTRODUCTION
6
different animal babies. Note that foundational and
supplemental texts for these weeks are provided,
but you may need to add books that are specific to
the animal babies that your children are interested
in investigating.
In the final week of this unit, children consider the
question, “How do babies change?” Throughout the
unit, children consider the needs and characteristics
of different kinds of animal babies. In the fourth
week they will further this understanding by
addressing how babies change and grow. This
section will lead to a reflection on their own growth
as they move towards the end of the pre-K school
year.
In studying babies, some children may ask questions
about how babies are conceived and born. You
should assume these questions will arise and
prepare in advance about how you will respond so
that children feel safe in expressing their curiosities.
Note that some children will have more information
than others. We encourage you to talk to your
families and colleagues prior to implementing this
unit to inform how you will respond to the children
who are curious about babies. When planning to talk
with pre-K children about babies, please take into
account the values, religious beliefs, and cultural
traditions of the families in your community and
keep in mind that there may be children in your class
who are adopted or have diverse family structures.
Throughout this unit, there are opportunities to
develop children’s literacy and language skills.
Children will enjoy literature and engage in
discussions around stories as well as retell and act
out stories they have read. Children will build on
what they know about animal babies through
informational texts. They will also express what they
learn through a combination of drawing, dictating or
writing. Children will explore vocabulary words that
may be new such as “bassinet” and “veterinarian,”
begin to use these words in meaningful ways, and
continue to develop their language skills as they
engage in scientific explorations and thinking. As in
Unit 8: Plants, there are opportunities for children to
express themselves through authentic writing
experiences and various modes of storytelling to
express what they learn about animal babies.
Continue to use your authentic assessment data as
you determine how best to support each student in
your class.
Enjoy the activities in this unit on babies! Please
email deceinstruction@schools.nyc.gov with any
questions or feedback.
UNIT FRAMEWORK
7
III. Unit Framework
Essential Question
This is a child-friendly question that connects the
knowledge and skills that children should develop
throughout the unit.
Focus Questions
These represent the major inquiries of the unit. They
build over time and require children to make
connections across all content areas. Each focus
question is designed to take about one week to
explore.
These are key components of each Pre-K for All Unit
of Study.
Foundational Learning Experiences
These are experiences (e.g., whole group, small
group lessons, field trips, observations, center
activities) for each subtopic that provide ample
opportunities to deepen children’s understanding of
the Focus Questions.
Foundational Texts
PK.ELAL.9 [PKR.5] Interacts with a variety of genres
(e.g., storybooks, poems, songs)
These are a combination of literary and
informational texts that can be read throughout the
unit. See Section XI for text-based critical thinking
questions to support the read aloud experience.
Engaging, informative and literary texts provide
opportunities for exploring content, expressing
ideas using one’s imagination and critical thinking
that are enhanced through multiple readings of the
same book. Reading books multiple times helps all
children build a deeper understanding of content,
make meaningful connections between content and
other concepts or experiences and builds their
confidence as learners and as future readers.
Key Vocabulary
These are academic vocabulary words that help
children understand the unit focus questions and
access complex texts. These words can be
supplemented by vocabulary in read alouds.
Family and Community Engagement
These are ideas for inviting families to share their
experience and knowledge with the class, or for
extending learning outside of the classroom. They
are aligned to the NYC DOE Division of Early
Childhood Education Early Childhood Framework
for Quality (EFQ).
See Section IX: Supporting Resources for more
information about Family Engagement Practices
Culminating Celebration
This is an opportunity to reflect on the unit with the
children, as well as to note and celebrate the growth
and learning that has occurred.
UNIT FRAMEWORK
8
Unit Nine: Babies
Essential Question: What are babies?
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Focus Questions
What do human babies need?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
How do babies change?
Foundational Learning
Experiences
Centers
What Do You Know About
Babies? Turn dramatic play into
a place to care for babies based
on what children know about
babies and their needs.
PK.AL.2 Actively engages in
problem solving
See page 44 for lesson plan
Small Group
Animal Baby Investigations:
Invite children to investigate
animal babies. Share books and
pictures of animal babies for
children to explore and discuss.
Monitor children’s interests
carefully and use this as a
springboard for further animal
investigations.
PK.ELAL.17. [PKW.6] Develops
questions and participates in
shared research and exploration
to answer questions and to build
and share knowledge (e.g.,
record and discuss an
experiment of items that float
and sink)
See page 49 for lesson plan.
Large Group
Read the foundational text,
Lizard from the Park by Mark
Pett aloud to the class, pausing
to ask the inquiry and critical
thinking questions from Section
IX.
PK.ELAL.5. [PKR.1.] Participates
in discussions about a text (e.g.,
during whole or small group
interactive read-aloud
discussions, during peer sharing,
within play scenarios)
See page 54 for lesson plan.
Small Group
Then and Now: Invite children
to reflect on the things they did
when they were babies. Fold a
piece of paper in half, title one
side “Then” and the other
“Now.” Talk with children about
the things they did when they
were babies and the things they
can do now. Write children’s
responses on the paper or invite
them to do their own writing.
PK.SOC.6. Develops an
understanding of how people
and things change over time and
how to relate past events to their
present and future activities.
See page 58 for lesson plan.
Foundational Texts
Babies Don’t Walk, They Ride!
by Kathy Henderson
Follow Me! Animal Parents and
Babies by Shira Evans
Lizard From the Park by Mark
Pett
The Little Red Stroller by
Joshua Furst
Key Vocabulary
adopted, appointment, baby,
bassinet, bib, bottle, born,
calf*, duck*, duckling*, egg,
elephant*, frog*, habitat,
disguise, lizard, outgrow,
adult, babble, big, change,
child, coo, crawl, grow, height,
UNIT FRAMEWORK
9
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Focus Questions
What do human babies need?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
How do babies change?
buggy, care, car seat, clothing,
cradle, crib, cry, cuddle, diaper,
gentle, glide, hospital, infant,
lullaby, newborn, nursery,
nurture, parent, pediatrician,
premature, rattle, sleep, sling,
snuggle, stroller, swaddle
hatch, tadpole*, veterinarian,
zoologist
*These words relate to the
animal babies outlined in
Section XI: Appendices. Add
vocabulary related to the
specific animal babies that your
class is studying.
parade
Add words to the vocabulary
list for this week that are
related to the specific animal
babies your class is studying.
For example if your children are
studying birds you might
include bird, nestling, hatchling,
fledgling, nest, brood and
incubation.
roll, size, small, talk, tiny,
toddler, walk, weight
Family and Community
Engagement
EFQ 4: High quality
programs promote
families’ role as primary
caregivers, teachers, and
advocates
Invite an adult with a baby
(classroom parent, staff
member, etc.) to visit the
classroom. Ask the adult to
share information about the
baby. Children can observe the
baby and ask the adult
questions about the baby. In
advance of the visit, consider
helping the children create
questions to ask the adult.
Children can also write
questions with their families
and bring the questions back to
the classroom for the visit.
*Note, be mindful of the safety
of the baby who visits the
classroom. Talk with your class
in advance about how to keep a
Encourage families to ask their
child about what type of animal
baby they are investigating in
the classroom. They might
want to ask about what the
baby is called, what it looks like,
what it eats, etc.
Encourage families to help their
child with their animal baby
investigation. Families can do
online research, read books or
magazines about their child’s
animal together at home, visit
the library to look for more
information about the animal
baby, visit the zoo, pet store,
etc. Families and children can
write or draw pictures about the
information they gather and
return this information to class.
For families that may not have
access to these resources,
consider loaning a classroom
book or printing an article
about the animal baby.
Ask families to talk about
important milestones in the
child’s life and create a timeline
that reflects a few of these
experiences. Ask families to
think of two to four noteworthy
events in the child’s past such
as their birth, first steps, or an
important family event such as
a new home or sibling, etc. If
desired, families can also draw
or include pictures on the
timeline. For children who are
with different families now than
when they were babies, focus
on events that are more recent.
UNIT FRAMEWORK
10
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Focus Questions
What do human babies need?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
How do babies change?
baby safe and the expectations
for their behavior during the
visit. Additionally, a visiting
adult should never be left
unsupervised with the children.
If it is not possible to have a
baby visit the classroom,
consider inviting someone who
works with babies (e.g.,
pediatrician, nurse, baby
photographer, teacher in an
infant classroom) and can talk
about their work as well as
show pictures of babies. Follow
all site-level safety protocols for
adult visitors.
Culminating
Celebration
Animal Baby Museum: Invite children to select one or more animal babies to investigate. Based on their interests they can work
independently or in groups. Help children investigate the animal babies, focusing on information such as what the animal is called as a
baby and as an adult, what it looks like, the habitat, what it eats, what type of care the baby requires, whether the animal baby hatches
from an egg, etc. Provide books and pictures for children to reference and a variety of materials and media such as paper, writing
utensils, recycled and collage materials, paint, a variety of brushes, clay, etc., so children can create their animal babies, their habitats,
their food, etc., in the art area. Children can also opt to share the information they gather about their animal babies using words or
pictures (see Section VIII for sample work). Help the children decide what materials to use and how to create a museum. Children can
display the animal babies along with their learning and invite families, school personnel or other classrooms in to observe.
PK.ARTS.16. [VA:Cr1-3.PK] Creates Visual Arts
OR
Baby Book: Create a book for someone in the community who will be having a baby, for example a teacher or one of the families in the
class. Each child can create a page that includes a message and/or illustration about how to care for a baby, things babies like, or
UNIT FRAMEWORK
11
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Focus Questions
What do human babies need?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
What can we learn about
animal babies?
How do babies change?
something interesting they learned throughout the unit.
PK.ELAL.23. [PKSL.5] Creates a visual display (e.g., drawing, art work, building, writing)
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
12
IV. Ideas for Learning Centers
This time of year, play-based learning and Learning
Centers continue to be the optimal modes for
children’s learning in pre-K, as they build toward
continued success in Kindergarten and beyond.
Learning Centers should be used to advance the
unit’s essential and focus questions, as well as the
enduring understandings, and reflect the unit of
study and the needs and interests of your children.
As noted in the NYC Pre-K for All Scope and
Sequence, as a component of the NYC Pre-K for All
Interdisciplinary Units of Study, the Learning Center
suggestions below are aligned with NYC DOE
Kindergarten Science and Social Studies Scope and
Sequences.
The interactions between adults and children offer
an opportunity to model, encourage, and facilitate
the use of language to ask higher order thinking
questions as well as to create meaningful entry
points into new content. This time of year can be
especially important for teaching teams to help
children go deeper in their language development,
inquiry, problem-solving skills, and concept
development during centers. Be persistent and
supportive as you ask children questions and follow
up on their responses to engage in deeper
conversations. It is likely that children’s play will
have increased in complexity; they may be ready to
make more connections between previous learning
and the current unit of study and be ready for
additional challenges.
Children better understand concepts when teachers
provide opportunities to analyze and solve problems
rather than when they are asked to simply
memorize and recite facts. One way to build higher
order thinking skills is to create connections to the
real world and to the prior experiences of children
and to ask open-ended questions that provide
opportunities for them to share their thoughts and
ideas further. Examples of questions that foster the
development of children’s critical thinking skills are
included below for each center.
The following suggestions supplement standard
center materials such as blocks in the
Blocks/Construction Area, assorted dress-up
materials in Dramatic Play, paper and a variety of
writing utensils in the Writing Center, etc. As you
plan your learning centers, also consider how you
will provide multiple entry points into the materials
for all the children in your classroom. The suggested
materials and activities are intended to be relatable
and fun! This is not an exhaustive list of materials
and can be supplemented by other materials
relevant to the unit and your classroom.
In weeks two and three of this unit, consider
supplying materials that reflect or help children
delve deeper into their animal investigations. For
example, add materials that relate directly to the
animal babies the children are investigating or that
will enhance their animal baby explorations.
Materials such as nonfiction books, pictures, toy
animals or figurines, and stuffed animals could be
interesting and relevant for children as they explore
animal babies.
While the materials you select for centers are
extremely important, learning is made richer
through the interactions adults and children have
during center time. Center time provides an
opportunity for staff to engage children in
conversation and rich discussion around their
interests, strengthening the children’s positive self-
concept and self-confidence. During center time,
teaching staff should intentionally model language,
use questioning techniques to promote higher-order
thinking skills, actively encourage children’s
perspectives, increase children’s focus on the task at
hand, read informally to children, and assess
children’s learning. When teaching staff interact
with children in centers they can model language
through initiating, joining and extending
conversations, using self and parallel talk and asking
open-ended questions that deepen engagement
and inquiry while developing problem solving and
critical thinking skills.
Play is an important vehicle for developing a variety
of skills outlined in the NYSPLS and is woven into
the EFQ. Rather than detracting from academic
learning, purposeful play supports the abilities that
underlie such learning. When children have a
sufficient amount of time to play and can access
learning centers and the materials in them, they
have some of the essential supports necessary for
their play to continue developing in complexity. The
play-based learning that happens in centers
addresses NYSPLS Standard PK.AL.1 (Actively and
confidently engages in play as a means of exploration
and learning). This same play helps children develop
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
13
the background knowledge of NYSPLS Standard
PK.AC.2 (Demonstrates they are building background
knowledge) which is essential for making
connections and deepening understandings. For
these reasons, teachers should ensure that children
have access to and can choose from a variety of
learning center materials for one-third of the pre-K
day, and support children’s engagement in play
during center time, making adjustments to the daily
schedule to weave in small and whole group
activities without infringing on that time. NYSPLS
standards are included for all of the activity
suggestions here and opportunities for assessment
are embedded.
Text suggestions that complement these materials
and activities are also included.
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
14
Blocks/Construction
Critical thinking questions/statements:
Tell me about your work.
I notice that you ____.
What are some other things you could add?
I wonder what would happen if ____.
How do you know?
How could you build ____?
What is your conclusion?
Suggested Text:
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats.
Add furniture to the dollhouse or for children to use
when building a home with blocks, and invite
children to retell this story.
PK.ELAL.6. [PKR.2] Retells stories or share
information from a text
Build a Nursery:
Invite children to use blocks to create a nursery or
place to care for a baby.
PK.AL.1 Actively engages in play as a means of
exploration and learning
Build Animals:
Invite children to use blocks to create the animal
babies and habitats that they are investigating.
Supply pictures of these animals and their habitats
for the children to reference as they create. Use the
accurate baby and adult animal names frequently
with the children as you interact with them.
PK.SCI.6. [P-LS3-1.] Describes how some young
plants and animals are similar to, but not exactly like,
their parents
Dollhouse:
If available, add a dollhouse and toy people
(including babies) for children to play with. Add
blank books and writing utensils for children to write
a story about their play.
PK.ELAL.26. [PKL.2] Demonstrates command of the
conventions of academic English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing
Baby Furniture:
Invite children to consider some of the furniture
people can use to care for babies (ex. cradle) and use
blocks to build these items. Provide pictures of
some of these items for children to reference as they
work. Talk with the children about the names of
these furniture pieces as they create. Additionally,
provide paper and writing utensils for children to use
to create labels for their furniture or to write
directions for assembling the furniture they created.
PK.ELAL.25. [PKL.1] Demonstrates command of the
conventions of academic English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
√ Opportunity for Assessment: Does the child
attempt to write a letter or letters to represent a
word? What letters/words does s/he attempt to
write?
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
15
Dramatic Play
Critical thinking questions/statements:
Who are you going to be today?
I wonder what would happen if ____?
What will you do next?
What do you think about ____?
What does that remind you of?
Suggested Text:
Follow Me! Animal Parents and Babies by Shira
Evans
Invite the children to use this book to help them
think about and plan for their zoo.
PK.ELAL.20. [PKSL.2] Interacts with diverse formats
and texts (e.g., shared read aloud, video clips, oral
storytelling)
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING
EXPERIENCE - Baby Nursery:
Share with the children that you are going to create
a place to care for babies. Sometimes a place to care
for babies is called a nursery. Ask the children what
they know about babies and what you will need to
take care of babies. Chart children’s responses, then
follow up on their ideas by adding supplies as
possible and assisting children in creating other
items as necessary. If possible, ask for donations
from families, staff, and the community to collect
baby items for this activity. Inform families that a
donation is not required and that their student will
be able to participate in all classroom activities with
access to the same materials even if no donation is
made. See page 44 for lesson plan.
PK.AL.2 Actively engages in problem solving
Zoo:
Turn the Dramatic Play area into a zoo. Invite
children to pretend to be the animal babies they are
investigating or to create them. Use accurate animal
baby and adult names frequently with the children
as you interact with them. Provide paper and writing
utensils for children to use to create labels for the
animals in the zoo and/or a map of the zoo.
PK.AL.1 Actively engages in play as a means of
exploration and learning
Home:
Turn the Dramatic Play area into a home and invite
children to play with baby dolls. Help them consider
how to care for the babies and what their day-to-
day activities might entail.
PK.ARTS.13. [TH:Pr4-6.PK] Performs Theatrical Arts
Veterinarian:
Turn the Dramatic Play area into a veterinarian’s
office. Provide instruments for the children to use to
care for the animals they are investigating. Also,
supply paper and writing utensils for the children to
take notes about the care of the animals, schedule
appointments, etc. Use the word veterinarian and
related words such as appointment and accurate
animal baby names frequently as children play.
PK.ARTS.13. [TH:Pr4-6.PK] Performs Theatrical Arts
Pediatrician:
Turn the Dramatic Play area into a pediatrician’s
office. Supply baby dolls and instruments for the
children to use to take care of babies such as scales
and measuring tapes, as well as writing utensils for
children to take notes about the babies, schedule
appointments, etc. Use the term pediatrician and
other related words such as appointment, infant,
height, and weight throughout the experience to
help children learn these vocabulary words.
PK.ARTS.13. [TH:Pr4-6.PK] Performs Theatrical Arts
√ Opportunity for Assessment: What role(s) does
the child take during this Dramatic Play experience?
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
16
When I Was Little
Invite families to share a short, simple story from
when their child was younger. Ask them to write the
story on a piece of paper. If they would like, they can
add pictures. Hang the pages in the dramatic play
area. Read the stories to the children and invite
them to act out the stories together.
PK.ARTS.15 [TH:Cn10-11.PK] Connects to Theatrical
Arts
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
17
Art
Critical thinking questions/statements:
Tell me about your art.
What did you notice about ____?
I notice that you ____. How did you do that?
What will you try next? Why?
How does this picture, painting, drawing, etc. make
you feel? Why?
Suggested Text:
Assorted National Geographic Readers about
various animals (e.g., Penguins by Anne Schreiber).
Invite children to refer to these books for images of
animal babies as they create them from assorted
materials.
PK.ELAL.20. [PKSL.2] Interacts with diverse formats
and texts (e.g., shared read aloud, video clips, oral
storytelling)
Baby Powder Paint:
Add baby powder to paint. Encourage children to
notice the smell as they use the paint. Talk with
children about why people might use baby powder
with babies. Be mindful of allergies when
implementing this activity.
PK.PDH.1. Uses senses to assist and guide learning
Baby Rattles:
Provide recycled materials and beans or seeds for
children to use to create their own baby rattles. Use
the word rattle frequently throughout this activity to
help children learn this vocabulary word. Children
can think critically about the structure of the rattle
as well as how to decorate the rattle so it would be
appealing to a baby; allow them to explore this task
creatively.
PK.AL.2 Actively engages in problem solving
√ Opportunity for Assessment: How does the child
attempt to create a rattle? How do they create each
part? What do they do if/when their ideas do not
work as expected?
Animal Babies:
Invite children to use recycled materials to create
the animal babies they are studying. Supply pictures
of these animals for them to reference as they
create. Use the names of the animal babies
frequently throughout this activity. Children can
also use recycled materials to create objects related
to their animal babies such as food, homes, etc. Ask
children to tell you about their animal and add this
as dictation to their project or invite them to add
their own writing.
PK.SCI.6. [P-LS3-1.] Describes how some young
plants and animals are similar to, but not exactly like,
their parents
Clay Animals:
Supply clay for the children to use to create the
animal babies they are studying. Provide pictures of
these animals for the children to reference as they
create. Use the names of the animal babies
frequently throughout this activity. Children can
also use clay to create objects related to the animal
babies such as food, homes, etc. Ask children to tell
you about their animal and add this as dictation to
their project or invite them to add their own writing.
PK.SCI.5. [P-LS1-2.] Participates in investigations to
determine how familiar plants and/or animals use
their external parts to help them survive in the
environment
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Baby Portraits:
If possible, have children bring in a picture from
when they were babies. Invite them to look at the
pictures and draw or paint a picture of themselves as
a baby. As children observe and consider their
pictures, engage them in discussion about the
details they notice in the pictures. What has
changed about the way they look now compared to
when they were babies? Why? Ask children whose
families do not provide pictures to consider what
they think they looked like when they were babies
and create a portrait accordingly. What do they
think their hair looked like? Their eyes? Did they
have chubby cheeks? etc. Children who are ready
can add words to their portraits.
PK.SOC.6. Develops an understanding of how people
and things change over time and how to relate past
events to their present and future activities
Baby Dolls:
Provide an outline of a baby for children to trace, cut
out, and use as a paper doll. Supply materials such
as yarn, cloth samples, markers, etc., for children to
use to create clothing and supplies to care for their
dolls. Alternatively, use socks to create baby dolls.
Stuff the sock with quilt batting (stuffing) and
secure the end closed (using rubber bands, glue,
tape, etc.). Invite children to draw a face on the baby
and use squares of fabric to create blankets to
swaddle the baby.
PK.PDH.5. Demonstrates eye-hand coordination and
fine motor skills
Give the Baby a Ride
Provide open-ended materials and invite children to
create something to carry a baby. If they would like,
let them reference the book, Babies Don’t Walk,
They Ride! by Kathy Henderson before they begin
creating. They may also want to pre-plan by making
a drawing or sketch of their carrier before they
construct it. If possible, provide small dolls for the
children to use to test their carriers.
PK.SCI.11 [K-2-ETS1-2] Develops a simple sketch,
drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape
of an object helps it function as needed to solve a
given problem.
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Science/Discovery
Critical thinking questions/statements:
What did you observe here/when ____?
What did your sense of ____ tell you about ____?
What will you try next?
I wonder what would happen if ____?
How do you know? How could we find out?
Suggested Text:
Frogs by Elizabeth Carney
Invite children to read about frog babies and their
different stages of development. Invite them to
draw, use natural or open-ended materials to create
a tadpole. Invite them to think about good places to
display work in the classroom and then place their
tadpole accordingly.
PK.ARTS.17. [VA:Pr4-6.PK] Presents Visual Arts
Habitats:
Provide an assortment of natural items such as small
twigs, leaves, pebbles, bark, etc. for children to use
to replicate the habitat of the animal baby they are
investigating. Share with the children that a habitat
is a place where something lives. Use the word
habitat frequently as you explore with the children
to help them learn this vocabulary word. Be mindful
of allergies when implementing this activity.
PK.SCI.5. [P-LS1-2.] Participates in investigations to
determine how familiar plants and/or animals use
their external parts to help them survive in the
environment
Memory:
Create a memory game from pictures of animal
babies and adults. Children can match animal babies
to the adult or simply match sets of animal babies.
Children who are ready can also attempt to write or
copy the names of the animals they find.
PK.SCI.6. [P-LS3-1.] Describes how some young
plants and animals are similar to, but not exactly like,
their parents
Would You Eat That?
Provide small samples or pictures of the foods the
animal babies the children are studying eat. Ask
children if they would like to eat each of these
foods. Graph the responses. Be mindful of allergies
when implementing this activity with real food
samples.
PK.SCI.4. [P-LS1-1.] Observes familiar plants and
animals (including humans) and describes what they
need to survive
How Much Water Can a Diaper Hold?
Supply a diaper, water, and tool for children to use
to pour water onto the diaper such as a pipette or
measuring spoon. Invite children to predict how
much water the diaper can hold, pour water onto
the diaper, and keep track of how much water they
can add before the diaper leaks. Graph the results or
have children who are ready attempt to create their
own graph. Use the word diaper frequently
throughout this activity to help children learn this
vocabulary word. Additionally, guide children in
considering why babies need diapers and consider
other things babies need.
PK.SCI.12. [K-2-ETS1-3.] Analyzes data from tests of
two objects designed to solve the same problem to
compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each
performs
Hatch from an Egg:
Supply small plastic eggs that open. Put various
small plastic animal babies or pictures of animal
babies (some that hatch from eggs and some that
do not) inside and invite children to open the eggs
and determine if the animal inside hatches from an
egg or not. After children open they eggs, they can
sort the babies into two piles- those that hatch from
eggs and those that do not. Use the names of the
animal babies as well as the corresponding adult
animals frequently throughout this activity.
PK.SCI.4. [P-LS1-1.] Observes familiar plants and
animals (including humans) and describes what they
need to survive
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Life Cycle:
Provide pictures that model an animal life cycle.
Invite children to sequence the pictures. This can
also be done with pictures of humans. For example,
supply a picture of an infant, toddler, child, teen,
adult and elderly adult.
PK.SCI.6. [P-LS3-1.] Describes how some young
plants and animals are similar to, but not exactly like,
their parents
√ Opportunity for Assessment: What can the child
share about animal life cycles? Can they put the
pictures in the correct order?
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Toys and Games / Math Manipulatives
Critical thinking questions/statements:
I notice that you ____. What do you notice?
What happened when you ____?
Why do you think that happened?
If I want to ____, what should I do? Why?
Tell me about ____.
How do you know?
Tell me why ___.
Explore:
See your Building Blocks Teacher’s Edition for
Hands on Math Center activities. Have these
activities available for children during Center Time.
Suggested Text:
The New Small Person by Lauren Child.
Elmore enjoyed lining up his precious things on the
floor. Supply items the children in the class may find
interesting and invite them to line them up and
count each one.
PK.MATH.3a.[NY-PK.cc.3a] When counting objects,
says the number names in standard order, pairing
each object with one and only one number name and
each number name with one and only one object (1:1
correspondence)
Animal Baby Play:
Provide small toy animals for children to play with.
Encourage children to use them as animal babies.
Add blank books and writing utensils for children to
write a story about their play.
PK.AL.1 Actively engages in play as a means of
exploration and learning
Egg Hatch Match:
Supply paper or felt egg cutouts. Cut each egg into
two parts to resemble a cracked egg. Write a
numeral on one part of the egg and draw the
corresponding number of dots on the other part.
Scramble the parts and invite children to reassemble
the eggs by matching the numerals and dots.
PK.MATH.2. [NY-PK.CC.2.] Represents a number of
objects (0-5), with a written numeral 0-5 (with 0
representing a count of no objects)
Baby Toys:
Provide an assortment of baby toys such as rattles,
stacking cups, etc. Invite children to investigate
these toys and consider why a baby might enjoy
playing with them.
PK.AL.4: Exhibits curiosity, interest and willingness in
learning new things and having new experiences.
Animal Count
Supply an assortment of baby animals. Invite
children to count them and tell you how many there
are. As children are successful, rearrange the
animals in different arrays and try with various
numbers.
PK. MATH.3b. [NY-PK.CC.3b.] Explores and develops
the concept that the last number name said tells the
number of objects counted, (cardinality). The number
of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement
or the order in which they were counted.
Animal Models:
Invite children to use Legos or other small
connectors to create models of the animal babies
they are investigating. Provide books or pictures of
the animals for the children to reference as they
work. Encourage children to consider the specific
features of different animals. For example, they
might create long ears for a bunny or a long neck for
a giraffe calf.
PK.SCI.5. [P-LS1-2.] Participates in investigations to
determine how familiar plants and/or animals use
their external parts to help them survive in the
environment
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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How Have I Grown?
Ask families to share how long, or approximately
how long, their child was at birth. Cut a piece of
string or ribbon of this length. Measure each child
with a piece of string or ribbon of a contrasting
color. Compare the two lengths and talk about how
much bigger the child is now than when they were
born. Use words such as longer and shorter
throughout the activity. Supply a string that is the
length of an average baby for children whose
families who do not supply this information.
PK.MATH.10. [NY-PK.MD.1.] Identifies measurable
attributes of objects, such as length or weight, and
describes them using appropriate vocabulary (e.g.,
small, big, short, tall, empty, full, heavy, light)
√ Opportunity for Assessment: What measurable
attributes of objects can the child identify? What
related vocabulary do they use?
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Sand and Water / Sensory
Critical thinking questions/statements:
What happens when ___? Why?
How do you think that works? Why?
How could you change that?
What does that remind you of? Why?
What would happen if ___? Tell me more.
Suggested Text:
Sea Turtles by Laura Marsh
Invite children to refer to this book to create a
habitat for sea turtles.
PK.SCI.5. [P-LS1-2.] Participates in investigations to
determine how familiar plants and/or animals use
their external parts to help them survive in the
environment
Notes:
Children have varying levels of sensitivity to sensory
experiences. Do not force children to touch
materials. Invite children to participate and observe
their behavior carefully. Respond to the cues they
give you about their readiness to participate.
There should always be materials available in a
sensory table that allow children to dig, scoop, pour,
fill containers, and experiment with the sand/water.
Children should wash their hands before and after
using the Sand and Water/Sensory table.
Feed the Baby Birds:
Place bird nests and small pipe cleaners in the
sensory table (or on a supplemental tray). Invite the
children to pretend the pipe cleaners are worms.
Supply small tongs for children to use to pick up the
worms and place in the nests for baby birds to eat.
PK.PDH.5. Demonstrates eye-hand coordination and
fine motor skills
√ Opportunity for Assessment: How does the child
manipulate the tongs to pick up the worms?
Baby Bath:
Add child-safe soap, baby dolls, and washcloths to
water in the sensory table. Invite children to give the
babies a bath and consider why babies need help to
wash or take a bath. Model using vocabulary words
such as baby, infant, newborn, gentle, and tiny as you
interact with the children in this activity.
PK.PDH.8. Demonstrates awareness and
understanding of healthy habits.
Habitats:
Add natural materials that reflect the habitats of the
animal babies the children in your class are
investigating to the sensory table. Invite the children
to create animal habitats. If possible, add toy animal
babies, or invite children to add the animal babies
they created in the Art Center. Label (or have the
children label) the habitats the children create. Be
mindful of allergies when implementing this activity.
PK.SCI.5. [P-LS1-2.] Participates in investigations to
determine how familiar plants and/or animals use
their external parts to help them survive in the
environment
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Library
Critical thinking questions/statements:
Tell me about this book.
What do you like about this book?
What is your favorite part of this book? Why?
What do you notice?
What do you think is happening?
What will happen next?
Does that remind you of anything? What?
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why
or why not?
Add a selection of both fiction and nonfiction books
from the Supporting Text List in Section V for
children to access and independently explore.
PK.ELAL.4. [PKRF.4.] Displays emergent reading
behaviors with purpose and understanding
Notes:
Supply post-it notes and invite children to write
their names on them. Place post-it notes on pictures
or pages in books about animal babies that they
have questions about or find especially interesting
and might like to learn more about. Later, gather
these post-its and discuss them with the children.
PK.AL.4. Exhibits curiosity, interest, and willingness
to learn new things and have new experiences
√ Opportunity for Assessment: What questions did
the child have about animal babies? What did they
find interesting?
Animal Investigations:
If possible, tailor the books in your classroom library
to include books and magazines about the animal
babies the children in the class are investigating.
Nonfiction texts will be helpful for children as they
gather information about their animals and fiction
texts may generate excitement and interest.
PK.SCI.4. [P-LS1-1.] Observes familiar plants and
animals (including humans) and describes what they
need to survive
Animal Baby Shadow Puppets:
Create animal (adult and baby) puppets for children
to use with the shadow box theater from Unit 6:
Light. Model using the puppet theater to retell
familiar stories or to create and share new stories.
Invite children to draw/write a script as they are
ready.
PK.ELAL.6. [PKR.2] Retells stories or share
information from a text
Author Study:
Place several of the National Geographic Reader
books that have the same author in a basket in the
library. Share that the same person wrote the words
for all of these books so they all have the same
author. Encourage children to look at the books and
compare and contrast the animals included in them.
What type of information does the author include?
Why? What is the same about the animals? What is
different?
PK.ELAL.10 [PKR.6] Describes the role of an author
and illustrator
Baby Name Book:
Revisit the class book you created in Unit 3: All
About Us about children’s names. Reflect with
children about their names and celebrate the variety
of names in the class. Ask children to share names
they like for babies. Write down their favorite names
and add this list as an additional page in the book.
PK.AC.1. Demonstrates motivation to communicate
Baby Books:
Show children examples of baby books then invite
them to create baby books for the animal babies
they are studying. They can draw pictures of their
animal baby or cut out pictures from magazines
then dictate or write a line or two about each
picture.
PK.ELAL.25. [PKL.1] Demonstrates command of the
conventions of academic English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Cooking and Mixing
(as needed)
Critical thinking questions/statements:
Why do you think we are adding ____?
What would happen if ____?
What do you notice as we do this?
How does it smell/feel/look/sound/taste?
What does this remind you of?
Note:
Be mindful of children’s food intolerances and
allergies by connecting with families before you do
cooking activities and explicitly teaching children
how being aware of allergies keeps us safe.
Children must always wash hands before and after
cooking experiences.
PK.PDH.7. Demonstrates personal care and hygiene
skills
Snacks and meals must be of adequate nutritional
value. When providing snacks and meals,
supplement with other components of a healthy
meal/snack according to appropriate meal
guidelines in order to make sure children’s
nutritional needs are met.
Make Baby Food:
Talk with children about what types of food they
think babies eat and why. Invite them to create baby
food in the classroom. This can be done by pureeing
steamed fruits or vegetables in a blender. Consider
inviting children to help you follow an existing recipe
to create the baby food or to write their own baby
food recipes.
PK.AL.4. Exhibits curiosity, interest, and willingness
to learn new things and have new experiences
Baby Food Taste Test:
Supply an assortment of baby food. Invite children
to taste each and graph which one they like best.
PK.PDH.2. Uses sensory information to plan and carry
out movements
Baby Oil Playdough:
See Section XI: Appendices for recipe. As always,
when following a recipe with your children, have the
recipe available for them as you work and point out
each step in the directions.
PK.ELAL.1. [PKRF.1.] Demonstrates understanding of
the organization and basic features of print
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Computer/Technology
Content should be free of product placement /
advertising. Children are not to use computers or
other devices with screens more than 15 minutes per
day, with a maximum of 30 minutes per week.
Exceptions to this limit may be made for children
with disabilities who require assistive computer
technology as outlines in their Individualized
Education Program. Prescreen images and videos to
make sure they are appropriate for children and not
frightening or explicit. Do not use personal devices
and ensure that you have signed permission before
taking photographs of children.
Critical thinking questions/statements:
I notice that you ____.
How did you figure that out?
What will you do next? What if you try ____?
How could you ____
Human Baby Pictures:
Use a search engine to find pictures of babies (about
10-15 pictures). Invite children to look at the pictures
and discuss. Images must not be frightening or
explicit. Prescreen the images to make sure they are
appropriate.
PK.SCI.6. [P-LS3-1.] Describes how some young
plants and animals are similar to, but not exactly like,
their parents
Animal Baby Pictures:
Use a search engine to find pictures of animal
babies. Invite children to look at the pictures and
discuss. Images must not be frightening or explicit.
Prescreen the images to make sure they are
appropriate. If possible, allow children to print
images of the animal babies and incorporate them
in the books they write about their animals.
PK.ELAL. 18. [PKW.7] Engages in a discussion using
gathered information from experiences or provided
resources (e.g., collect materials from a nature walk;
record and discuss what they are)
Research:
Invite children to use the computer as a tool to assist
in their animal baby investigations. Support them in
using a search engine to gather information about
their animal babies or to answer specific questions
they may have about the babies.
PK.ELAL.17. [PKW.6] Develops questions and
participates in shared research and exploration to
answer questions and to build and share knowledge
(e.g., record and discuss an experiment of items that
float and sink)
Type:
Invite children to use a word processing system to
type a few short words about or the names of the
animal babies they are investigating. If possible,
allow children to print their work. Encourage
children to listen for the sounds they hear in the
words they would like to type and allow them to use
their own spellings, if they are ready.
PK.ELAL.14. [PKW.2] Uses a combination of drawing,
dictating, oral expression, and/or emergent writing to
name a familiar topic and supply information in child-
centered, authentic, play-based learning
Toddle:
Share videos of babies just learning to walk. Ask the
children to reflect on what the baby might be
thinking as they are just starting to walk.
PK.AL.4. Exhibits curiosity, interest, and willingness
to learn new things and have new experiences
Lullabies:
Use the internet to search for lullabies from around
the world. Invite children to relax as they listen to
the lullabies.
PK.ARTS.11. [MU:Cn10-11.PK] Connects to Music
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
27
Outdoors / Playground
Critical thinking questions/statements:
I saw you ____.
What will you do next?
If you try ____, what do you notice?
How did you do ____?
How does it feel outside today?
What do you see?
Suggested Text:
Babies Don’t Walk, They Ride! by Kathy Henderson
Provide toy strollers, buggies, carts, or other things
with wheels that can carry babies as well as
materials to create a small ramp. Invite the children
to create a ramp and explore how the strollers move
down the ramp.
PK.SCI.2 [P-PS2-1] Uses tools and materials to design
and build a device that causes an object to move
faster with a push or a pull.
.
Move Like Your Animal:
Invite children to move like the animal babies they
are studying.
PK.PDH.4. Combines a sequence of large motor skills
with and without the use of equipment
Crawling Obstacle Course:
Create an obstacle course for the children and
encourage them to crawl through the course as a
baby might. After crawling through the course,
invite them to walk or run through the course then
compare the experiences. Which was harder? Why?
Which did they like better? Why? Ensure that the
ground under the obstacle course is safe and clear of
objects.
PK.PDH.4. Combines a sequence of large motor skills
with and without the use of equipment
√ Opportunity for Assessment: Which large motor
movements was the child able to complete
successfully? Which large motor movements were
challenging for the child?
Animal Baby Play:
Invite children to pretend they are the animal babies
they are investigating. They can determine where
they would live, what they would eat, and do the
things their animal babies would do.
PK.ARTS.13. [TH:Pr4-6.PK] Performs Theatrical Arts
Find the Animal Baby:
Place cards with pictures of animal babies on them
on the ground. Suggest an animal and a way for
children to move as they find the animal. For
example, “crawl to the calf” or “run to the lamb.”
PK.PDH.4. Combines a sequence of large motor skills
with and without the use of equipment
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
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Writing
Critical thinking questions/statements:
I notice that you ____.
That reminds me of ____.
What if you try ____?
How could we find out _____?
Suggested Text:
B is for Baby by Atinuke.
Highlight the letter B in this book. Invite the children
to listen for the /B/ sound and then think of other
words that start with the /B/ sound.
PK.ELAL.2. [PKRF.2.] Demonstrates an emerging
understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds
(phonemes)
Animal Book:
Invite children to make a book about the animal
babies they are investigating. Create blank books
from sheets of paper and invite children to write and
draw about their animal baby. Children can
reference the animal baby name cards (see
following activity) and pages in other books to find
words that they may want to include. For example,
if a child is writing about bears, you can ask them
what sound they hear at the beginning of the word,
make connections to the written letter B, and
encourage the child to look for the letter.
PK.ELAL.14. [PKW.2] Uses a combination of drawing,
dictating, oral expression, and/or emergent writing to
name a familiar topic and supply information in child-
centered, authentic, play-based learning
Animal Baby Names:
Supply cards with pictures of animal babies as well
as their names. Place them in a basket for children
to reference as they write and draw in this center.
Encourage children to notice and make the sound of
the first letter of the animal names, as they are
ready.
PK.ELAL.1. [PKRF.1.] Demonstrates understanding of
the organization and basic features of print
√ Opportunity for Assessment: What evidence is
there to confirm the child understands that the
letters on the cards represent the animal baby
names?
Letter Blocks:
Supply small letter blocks. Assist children in
exploring the sounds of the letters and invite
children to use the blocks to create words or names
such as their own names, the names of their
classmates or the names of people in their families.
PK.ELAL.3. [PKRF.3.] Demonstrates emergent
phonics and word analysis skills
Lullabies:
After sharing some lullabies with the children,
encourage them to write their own. Allow children
to draw, dictate their lyrics to an adult, or try to
write them themselves, if they are ready. Accept all
attempts children make at hearing the sounds in
words and writing the corresponding letters.
PK.ELAL.3. [PKRF.3.] Demonstrates emergent
phonics and word analysis skills
Write a Story:
Invite children to work in pairs to write and illustrate
fictional stories about the animal babies they are
studying. One child may want to be the author and
the other the illustrator (or children can work
independently and take on both roles). Talk with
them about each role.
PK.ELAL.10 [PKR.6] Describes the role of an author
and illustrator
IDEAS FOR LEARNING CENTERS
29
Music and Movement
Critical thinking questions/statements:
I see you moving like this.
I heard you ____.
I saw you ____.
Tell me about that.
Let’s try playing the music loud (or soft, fast, slow).
Can you try this?
How does this music make you feel?
Have you heard music like this before? Where?
Suggested Text:
Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle
Games by Lulu Delacre.
Include some of the lullabies in this book when you
implement the Music and Movement lullaby activity.
PK.ARTS.11. [MU:Cn10-11.PK] Connects to Music
Move Like a Baby:
Provide pictures of babies that show the progression
in physical development from laying on their backs
with their feet in the air, to rolling over, crawling,
toddling, and finally to walking. Lead children in
imitating each stage of development, then post the
pictures in the classroom for them to use
independently during Center Time. Highlight the
sequence of the movements and encourage children
to explore sequencing with the pictures.
PK.PDH.4. Combines a sequence of large motor skills
with and without the use of equipment
Guess My Animal:
Print or have children help you draw pictures of
different animal babies on cardstock. Invite children
to look at the cards and practice moving the way the
animal babies move (fly, walk on all fours, swim,
etc.). Children may want to pair and take turns
selecting a card, moving the way the baby in the
picture moves, and have their partner try to guess
which animal they are imitating.
PK.ARTS.1. [DA:Cr1-3.PK] Creates Dance
Quiet Music:
Invite children to play instruments in a manner that
might calm a baby or encourage a baby to go to
sleep.
PK.ARTS.8. [MU:Cr1-3.PK] Creates Music
Lullabies:
Listen to and sing a variety of lullabies such as
Lavender’s Blue, Little Boy Blue, and All the Pretty
Horses or lullabies that are gathered from children’s
families, or responsive to the classroom community.
Invite the children to share which lullaby they like
best and why. Lullabies can also be played at nap or
rest time.
PK.ARTS.10. [MU:Re7-9.PK] Responds to Music
FOUNDATIONAL AND SUPPORTING TEXTS
30
V. Foundational and Supporting Texts
Books are essential to a well-planned unit and
ground the learning experiences for children.
Engage children with books throughout the day.
Read alouds can occur in large group and small
group as well as in centers. Books can be
incorporated throughout the room and enhance
children’s learning through play. Some books are
read repeatedly throughout the unit. Some books
will be read only once or twice throughout the unit;
these are supporting texts. Supporting texts
compliment focus questions and areas of interest or
may be related to the essential question or enduring
understandings of the unit. Select the books that
seem most relevant to your classroom community.
Additionally, the following list is not exhaustive and
can be supplemented by similar books. Not only can
these books be read aloud both formally and
informally, but children should also be able to access
and read these books on their own. Allowing
children access to classroom books encourages
children to display emergent reading behaviors and
address
PK.CLL.4 (Reading Standards: Foundational Skills):
Displays emergent reading behaviors with purpose
and understanding (e.g., pretend reading).
*Books with an asterisk are also available in
languages other than English
Foundational Texts
Babies Don’t Walk, They Ride! by Kathy
Henderson: Babies don’t walk; they ride! Babies
don’t run; they glide!
Follow Me! Animal Parents and Babies by Shira
Evans: Join animal moms, dads, and babies, as these
animal parents teach their young ones about the
world.
Lizard From the Park by Mark Pett: A lonely boy’s
new pet grows into a rather large dilemma.
The Little Red Stroller by Joshua Furst: One handy
little stroller is passed from family to family in this
uplifting picture book celebration of community,
diversity, and sharing
How to Use Foundational Texts
When you have a text that draws the interest of the
children in your class, consider one or more of the
following techniques for reading the book multiple
times to extend children's thinking:
Take a "picture walk" through the book the first
time you read it by just showing the pictures
and asking the children what they see and what
they think the book is about.
Consider reading the book once without
pausing so that children hear the cadence of the
words and hear the story in its entirety.
Model skills readers use to gain greater
understanding of content by thinking aloud
about the meaning of a word in context or
drawing a conclusion based on prior knowledge.
Write down and post children’s responses to
questions with more than one possible answer.
Ask children to make predictions based on what
they know so far and ask them to explain their
thinking.
Pause throughout the book and ask children to
share a new word or idea they heard and explain
it using familiar words or contexts.
Invite children to make connections between
the book and their own life experiences.
Brainstorm potential solutions to a problem a
character might be facing.
Ask children what the character could do
differently or ask them what they might do if
they were in the place of the main character.
As the book becomes familiar to the children,
ask for volunteers to "read" it to you or small
groups of children, letting them describe the
pictures and the story in their own words.
Compare and contrast books with similar
content, themes or structures.
Preview or review texts or parts of texts
(particularly vocabulary) for children who need
additional language or learning support.
As children become more familiar with the story
or information, use this as the beginning of
extension activities like acting out a story,
painting or drawing something inspired by the
text, or creating puppet shows.
FOUNDATIONAL AND SUPPORTING TEXTS
31
Supporting Texts
A Most Unusual Day by Sydra Mallery: Something
rather extraordinary is happening in Caroline’s life
today . . . her family is adopting a new baby sister!
All About Bears (National Geographic Readers
Series Pre-reader) by National Geographic Kids: All
kinds of bears and facts about how and where they
live.
Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle
Games by Lulu Delacre: It is time to go to bed and
what better way to lull your child to sleep than with
a tender song or gentle game?
B is for Baby by Atinuke: Baby’s big brother is
getting ready to take the basket of bananas all the
way to Baba’s bungalow in the next village and
doesn’t realize that his baby sibling has stowed
away on his bicycle.
Babies Don't Walk, They Ride! by Kathy Henderson:
Babies don’t walk; they ride! Babies don’t run; they
glide!
Babymoon by Hayley Barrett: The wonder and
emotion of a family's first quiet days with a
newborn.
*Bats (National Geographic Readers Series Level 2)
by Elizabeth Carney: Discover the bat’s unique place
in the wild and in the world.
*Cheetahs (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 2) by Laura Marsh
*Dolphins (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 2) by Melissa Stewart
Elephants (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 1) by Avery Hunt
*Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers
Farm Animals (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 1) by Joanne Mattern
*Follow Me! Animal Parents and Babies by Shira
Evans: Join animal moms, dads and babies as these
animal parents teach their young ones about the
world.
*Frogs (National Geographic Readers Series Level
1) by Elizabeth Carney: Dive deep into the swampy
world of our amphibian friends.
Giraffes (National Geographic Readers Series Level
1) by Laura Marsh: Explore the African savanna and
learn all about the giraffes that live here.
Hop, Bunny! (National Geographic Readers Series
Pre-reader) by Susan B. Neuman: Hop along with a
young bunny past ponds, streams and waterfalls in
this vivid depiction of life in the forest.
I Used to be Famous by Tara Luebbe and Becky
Cattie: Kiely's been famous her entire life, but when
a baby sister appears on the scene, she feels like a
has-been.
*Jump, Pup! (National Geographic Readers Series
Pre-reader) by Susan B. Neuman: Come along as
little puppy goes out exploring in the world.
*Koalas (National Geographic Readers Series Level
1) by Laura Marsh: An introduction to these furry
creatures, from cub to adult, exploring where they
live, what they eat, and even the way they say
"hello"—by touching noses!
Lions (National Geographic Readers Series Level 1)
by Laura Marsh: Roar with lions in this exciting
reader.
Lizard From the Park by Mark Pett: A lonely boy’s
new pet grows into a rather large dilemma.
*Pandas (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 2) by Anne Schreiber: Pandas play, climb,
cuddle, and chew. But careful, they can scratch
too—just look at that tree!
*Penguins! (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 2) by Anne Schreiber If you are five years old,
you are probably as tall as an Emperor Penguin!
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats: Peter is upset
when his parents paint his old baby furniture pink for
his new little sister.
Phoebe and Digger by Tricia Springstubb: With a
new baby taking up Mama's time and attention,
what will happen when Phoebe needs her?
Play, Kitty! (National Geographic Readers Series
Pre-reader) by Shira Evans: Pounce! Follow a little
kitten through its day to learn all about these young
cats.
Polar Bears (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 1) by Laura Marsh: With their beautiful white
fur and powerful presence, polar bears rule the
Arctic.
Puffins (National Geographic Readers Series Pre-
reader) by Maya Myers: Follow Atlantic puffins as
they build their nests, fish for yummy snacks, and go
about their day.
FOUNDATIONAL AND SUPPORTING TEXTS
32
*Sea Turtles (National Geographic Readers Series
Level 2) by Laura Marsh: Learn all about these
tranquil and mysterious animals.
*Slither, Snake! (National Geographic Readers
Series Pre-reader) by Shelby Alinsky: Meet different
kinds of snakes! Find out where they live and what
they do.
Spiders (National Geographic Readers Series Level
1) by Laura Marsh: You don’t have to look far to see
a spider’s web—in the corner of the window, on a
fence, or in a bush—spiders make their homes
everywhere.
*Spork by Kyo Maclear: When you're a little bit
spoon and little bit fork, where do you go when the
table is set?
*Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk: "Dream a little,
Kulu, this world now sings a most beautiful song of
you."
*Swing, Sloth! (National Geographic Readers
Series Pre-reader) by Susan B. Neuman: Come along
on an adventure through the rain forest. Along the
way, you'll meet new friends big and small, see
amazing sights, and learn all about the creatures
that make their home in the rain forest.
*The Little Red Stroller by Joshua Furst: One
handy little stroller is passed from family to family in
this uplifting picture book celebration of
community, diversity, and sharing
The New Small Person by Lauren Child: Elmore
Green starts life as an only child, as many children
do. He has a room to himself, where he can line up
his precious things and nobody will move them one
inch. But one day everything changes.
The Twins' Little Sister by Hyewon Yum: Being
twins means having two of almost everything but
these two little girls have only one mom. This is a
big problem. Soon there will be an even bigger
problem: Mom is having a baby,
*Tigers (National Geographic Readers Series Level
2) by Laura Marsh: Learn all you ever wanted to
know about tigers and so much more
*Trot, Pony! (National Geographic Readers Series
Pre-reader) by Shira Evans: Trot, prance, and jump
with ponies!
Turtles (National Geographic Readers Series Level
1) by Laura Marsh: Take a dip with turtles in this
exciting reader.
When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff:
When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a
girl. After he realized he was a trans boy, Aidan and
his parents fixed the parts of life that didn't fit
anymore. When Mom and Dad announce that
they're going to have another baby, Aidan wants to
do everything he can to make things right for his
new sibling from the beginning.
INQUIRY AND CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS FOR FOUNDATIONAL TEXTS
33
VI. Inquiry and Critical Thinking Questions for Foundational
Texts
Critical thinking skills are foundational to learning
and educational success.
These questions are based around Webb’s Depth of
Knowledge Wheel
1
, which provides a vocabulary
and critical thinking frame of reference when
thinking about our children and how they engage
with unit content.
Re-read foundational texts throughout the unit,
starting with Level 1 questions, and adding more
complex questions each time you read them.
1
http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/522E69CC-
02E3-4871-BC48-BB575AA49E27/0/WebbsDOK.pdf
Babies Don’t Walk, They Ride! by
Kathy Henderson
PK.SEL.2. Recognizes self as an individual having
unique abilities, characteristics, feelings and interests
Level 1: Recall
What are some of the ways babies ride?
Where did the babies in this book go?
Level 2: Skill/Concept
What does glide mean?
How can babies glide?
Level 3: Strategic Thinking
Why don’t babies walk or run?
How do buggies, strollers, backpacks, slings, car
seats, help grown-ups care for babies?
Level 4: Extended Thinking
The book says that sometimes babies smile. What
might make babies smile? What makes you smile?
The book says that sometimes babies scowl and
howl. What do scowls and howls look like? What do
they sound like? What are some things that make
you scowl and howl?
When you feel like scowling and howling, what are
some things you can do to help you feel better?
INQUIRY AND CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS FOR FOUNDATIONAL TEXTS
34
Follow Me! Animal Parents and Babies
by Shira Evans
PK.SEL.2. Recognizes self as an individual having
unique abilities, characteristics, feelings and interests
*Note: This book will likely resonate best with the
children if read in shorter sections rather than in
one sitting.
Level 1: Recall
What are some of the animals in this book?
What are some of the things the animal parents in
this book teach their babies?
Level 2: Skill/Concept
Animal babies learn from their parents. Who do you
learn from?
What are some of the ways the animal parents in
this book carry their babies? Why do animal babies
need to be carried?
Level 3: Strategic Thinking
What are some of the ways the animal parents in
this book keep them safe? What are some ways
grown-ups keep you safe?
What are some of the ways the animals in this book
change as they grow up? What are some of the ways
you are changing?
Level 4: Extended Thinking
How do people learn about animals?
What are some ways the animals in this book are
similar to you? What are some ways they are
different?
Lizard From the Park by Mark Pett
PK.ELAL.5. [PKR.1.] Participates in discussions about
a text (e.g., during whole or small group interactive
read-aloud discussions, during peer sharing, within
play scenarios)
Level 1: Recall
What did Leonard find in the park?
Where was Buster’s family?
Level 2: Skill/Concept
What kind of animal is Buster? How do you know?
How did Leonard feel about Buster? How do you
know?
As Buster got bigger and bigger, he seemed to enjoy
himself less and less. Why do you think that
happened?
Level 3: Strategic Thinking
How do you think Leonard felt when he found the
egg? Tell me more about that.
How do you think Leonard felt when Buster hatched
from the egg? Tell me more about that.
How do you think Leonard felt when Buster was too
big to live with him anymore? Tell me more about
that.
Level 4: Extended Thinking
What were some of the ways Leonard took care of
Buster? How would you take care of a dinosaur if
you found a dinosaur egg in the park?
INQUIRY AND CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS FOR FOUNDATIONAL TEXTS
35
Leonard took Buster everywhere with him. Where
would you take him, if he lived with you? Why?
Leonard had to say goodbye to Buster. Have you
ever had to say goodbye to someone you cared
about? How did you feel?
The Little Red Stroller by Joshua Furst
PK.SOC.6. Develops an understanding of how people
and things change over time and how to relate past
events to their present and future activities
Level 1: Recall
Where did some of the families take the little red
stroller?
What did the children do with the stroller when they
were too big for it?
Level 2: Skill/Concept
Why do people use strollers for babies?
When the children were too big for the stroller, they
shared it with someone who was younger. How does
it feel when someone shares with you?
Level 3: Strategic Thinking
How do you think the children knew when they were
too big for the stroller? How do you know when you
are too big for something?
Why did all the families in this book wish they had a
stroller? How do you think they felt when they got
the little red stroller?
Level 4: Extended Thinking
The little red stroller traveled so many places with so
many children that it became very tattered and tired
and it could not go on any further. What do you
think happened to it when everyone was done with
it? Why?
The children in this book grew too big for the stroller
and the stroller grew too old and tattered for
anyone to use. What are some ways you have grown
and changed?
SAMPLE WEEKLY PLAN
36
VII. Sample Weekly Plan
On the following pages you will find a sample
weekly lesson plan. Use the additional information
included in the unit to create detailed weekly plans
for each focus question in the unit. Plans will reflect
individual schedules, students’ and families’ needs,
school context, etc. Please note, for this unit we are
introducing the daily schedule and rules
development in Week Two. You may want to
address one or both of these activities in Week One,
depending on your children’s needs.
Quick Tips for Small Group:
1. Use exciting language and affect to
describe the small group activity.
2. Use hands-on materials that children are
encouraged to explore.
3. Preview small group activities in whole
group.
4. Link the activity to children’s previous
experiences
If children decline…
Have a private conversation with the child as s/he
plays to understand why s/he did not want to join.
Take that into consideration and adjust the small
group materials to reflect the needs of the child.
Modify the small group activity so that you can do it
with the materials that the child is using in the
center of his/her choice.
Facilitate a conversation between the child and a
friend who enjoyed the small group activity so that
the hesitant child will be more likely to join.
WEEK FOUR
Essential Question: What are babies?
Focus Question: What do human babies need?
Focus Vocabulary: adopted, appointment, baby, bassinet, bib, bottle, born, buggy, care, car seat, clothing, cradle, crib, cry, cuddle, diaper, gentle, glide, hospital,
infant, lullaby, newborn, nursery, nurture, parent, pediatrician, premature, rattle, sleep, sling, snuggle, stroller, swaddle
Week 4
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Greeting Routine
Continue to supply a table with child-sized pencils, crayons or other writing tools, half sheets of paper or large chart paper, and a basket
of name/picture cards for each child (laminated cards with each child’s picture and first name, with the first letter in red). Remind
children to sign in (if necessary) and continue to encourage any mark children make according to each child’s needs, but be ready to
help children who are ready for an additional challenge by adding their last name or encouraging them to look closely at the model
letters on their name card to improve accuracy. Observe children’s writing and refer to the stages of prewriting (in Unit 3: All About Us)
to determine what to expect next and how to best support the continued development of the child. This activity can be done as children
SAMPLE WEEKLY PLAN
37
Week 4
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
arrive, or later in the day. If children seem uninterested in signing in in this manner, consider encouraging them to write their names
throughout their play in Learning Centers. For example, children can add their own names to their artwork or create their own name
cards to save their structures in the Block/Construction Center
PK.ELAL.26. [PKL.2] Demonstrates command of the conventions of academic English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing
Large Group Meeting
Show children pictures
of several babies. Ask
children what they
notice about the babies.
Chart their responses.
Use their observations
as an opportunity to
start introductory
conversations about
babies.
PK.ELAL.19. [PKSL.1]
Participates in
collaborative
conversations with
diverse peers and adults
in small and large groups
and during play
Ask children to share
some things that babies
do. Invite them to act
out some of the
suggestions. For
example, if a child says
babies cry the class can
pretend to cry like a
baby. If a child says
babies crawl, the
children can crawl like a
baby. Also ask children
to consider why they
think babies do these
things and what this
means about what
babies need (e.g., “If
babies cry what might
that mean?”).
PK.AC.1. Demonstrates
motivation to
communicate
.
Provide an assortment
of objects or pictures
(one for each child) of
items that are typically
useful in taking care of
babies or safe for babies
(i.e. baby toys, bottles,
baby clothes) and things
that are generally not
(e.g., fishing pole,
potato peeler, snow
shovel). Tell children you
would like to know
which things would help
you take care of a baby.
Help children sort the
objects into two
categories: things that
help take care of babies
and things that do not
help take care of babies.
Allow children to share
with each other why
they think the objects
are helpful or not.
PK.ELAL.28. [PKL.5]
Explores and discusses
word relationships and
Share with children that
there are songs that can
help some babies sleep.
These songs are called
lullabies. Play some
lullabies for the class and
ask the children to share
why they think these
songs may help babies
sleep. If possible, invite
children to share
lullabies that their
families especially enjoy.
PK.ARTS.10. [MU:Re7-
9.PK] Responds to Music
Share directions or a
basic instruction manual
of any type with the
children. Point out that
one of the purposes of
writing is to help people
complete tasks. Invite
children to help write
directions, or an
instructional manual,
about how to take care
of a baby. Give them
some time to think
about what is important
to know about caring for
babies and then ask
them to share. Create a
chart titled “How to Care
for a Baby” and add their
recommendations.
PK.AC.2. Demonstrates
they are building
background knowledge
SAMPLE WEEKLY PLAN
38
Week 4
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
word meanings
BB Whole Group
See your Building Blocks Teacher’s Edition for Whole Group Activities
Foundational Text
Babies Don’t Walk, They Ride! by Kathy Henderson:
Supporting Text
Everywhere Babies by
Susan Meyers
Peter's Chair by Ezra
Jack Keats
Sweetest Kulu by Celina
Kalluk
Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino
Lullabies and Gentle
Games by Lulu Delacre
Spork by Kyo Maclear
Small Groups
Implement at least one
of the two weekly
Building Blocks small
group activities and at
least one of the other
activities listed here.
Small groups can be
implemented during
center time or at another
time during the day.
Invite 2-4 children to
participate at a time.
Although children are
typically excited about
the opportunity to work
closely with a teacher,
children may decline the
opportunity to
participate. Each small
group should not exceed
10 minutes in length.
Work with a couple of
LITERACY SMALL
GROUP
Provide pictures of
babies making a variety
of expressions. Ask
children to look at the
baby faces, make these
expressions themselves
and think about how
each baby might be
feeling and why. Ask
them to share their
responses. Record their
answers, or let children
write their own answers
if they are ready.
Encourage children to
pay specific attention to
the sounds they hear in
each word. Display the
children’s words with
the pictures of the baby
faces.
MATH SMALL GROUP
See your Building Blocks
Teacher’s Edition for the
weekly Small Group
Activity.
Write children’s initials
below:
Group 1:
Group 2:
Group 3:
SMALL GROUP #3
Provide playdough or
clay for the children to
use to create things that
babies need (e.g. rattle,
crib, bottle).
PK.AL.3. Approaches
tasks and problems with
creativity, imagination
and/or willingness to try
new experiences
Write children’s initials
below:
Group 1:
Group 2:
Between Monday and
Thursday, implement
two to three small group
activities.
Write children’s initials
below:
Group 1:
Group 2:
Group 3:
Group 4:
CATCH-UP DAY
Use this as an
opportunity to complete
small groups with
children you may have
missed throughout the
week.
Children to work with
today (initials):
SAMPLE WEEKLY PLAN
39
Week 4
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
groups per day and spend
the remainder of the time
engaging with children in
the interest areas.
PK.SEL.2. Recognizes
self as an individual
having unique abilities,
characteristics, feelings
and interests
Write children’s initials
below:
Group 1:
Group 2:
Group 3:
Group 4:
Group 5:
Group 4:
Group 5:
Group 3:
Group 4:
Group 5:
Group 5:
Outdoors
See Section IV, Ideas for Learning Centers.
Lunch
Invite children to consider what they are eating. Could babies eat this food? Why or why not?
SAMPLE WEEKLY PLAN
40
Week 4
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Centers
See Section IV, Ideas for Learning Centers.
Opportunities for
differentiation and
integration of goals for
children with IEPs
To be completed as needed by teachers.
STUDENT WORK SAMPLES
41
VIII. Student Work Samples
Below are examples of student work from
activities in this unit. Note the alignment to
standards and the relationship to the focus
question and NYSPLS standard. Some examples
may fit under more than one standard and/or
focus question.
Examples 1, 2 and 3: Animal Baby Investigations
Activity Type: Small group, Centers and Culminating Experiences
NYSPLS Standard: PK.ELAL.17. [PKW.6] Develops questions and participates in shared research and
exploration to answer questions and to build and share knowledge (e.g., record and discuss an experiment of
items that float and sink)
“We’re studying cheetah cubs. We drew pictures of them with pencils first. The
pencil pictures we drew are five-month-old cubs. When they are four months,
cheetah cubs get their black spots.”
STUDENT WORK SAMPLES
42
“We’re going to cut out a cub
from this paper when we finish
the spots.”
“Our group is studying
baby birds. We made
wings so we can pretend
we’re baby birds. We
can’t fly yet. We’re just
born. We’re hatchlings.”
“I’m making some eggs
out of clay. Next I’ll
make some hatchings
for when I want the
eggs to hatch.”
“Fledglings have to
leave the nest. I’m
drawing some fledglings
trying to fly.”
“Did you know
sometimes mama birds
lay their eggs in
different nests? We’re
making all different
eggs to put in one next!”
SUPPORTING RESOURCES
43
IX. Supporting Resources
Teacher Texts
Babies Grow a Long Time: A Preschool Project
about Babies by Andromahi Harrison
Literacy and the Youngest Learner: Best Practices
for Educators from Birth to Age 5 by V. Susan
Bennett-Armistead, Nell K. Duke and Annie M.
Moses
Teacher Websites
American Museum of Natural History
www.amnh.org
Bronx Zoo
http://bronxzoo.com/
Central Park Zoo
http://centralparkzoo.com/
Prospect Park Zoo
http://prospectparkzoo.com/
Queens Zoo
http://queenszoo.com/
Staten Island Zoo
http://www.statenislandzoo.org
ZooBorns- baby animals from the word’s zoos and
aquariums
http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/
Tips for families on talking about a new baby
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-
stages/prenatal/Pages/Preparing-Your-Family-for-a-
New-Baby.aspx
Music: Songs with Lyrics
These are common preschool songs sung by
teachers throughout New York City and the world.
Where possible, tunes and lyrics are included. If you
don’t know the tune, you can make one up that
works for you or chant the words to a beat.
Disclaimer: the lyrics provided are only for use by
classroom teachers and are provided for the specific,
non-profit educational purpose of supporting
interdisciplinary learning in your classroom.
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.
____________________________________________
Hush Little Baby
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird don't sing,
Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's going to buy you a looking glass.
And if that looking glass gets broke,
Mama's going to buy you a billy goat.
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama's going to buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama's going to buy you a dog named Rover.
And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart.
And if that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.
Additional Song Titles
Pat-a-Cake, Pat-a-Cake Baker’s Man
Baby Bumble Bee
Baby Beluga
This Little Piggy
Brahm’s Lullaby
Over in the Meadow
Bushel and a Peck
Skidamarink
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
44
X. Foundational Learning Experiences: Lesson Plan
Documentation: Based on the Focus Question, Objective, and Focus Standard as well as the Authentic Assessment items, teachers will determine what they hope to
see children do in an activity. They should take notes as children are working to record the skills and growth children demonstrate. For the lesson plans included in this
unit, a note-taking form is included. Please note the NYSPLS standards and assessment items listed in each lesson plan. Keep in mind that you may be addressing
additional assessment items and standards
Lesson: Baby Nursery
Type: Learning Centers
Unit of Study: Babies
Focus Question: What do human babies need?
Objective: Children will work together and problem solve to create a place to care for babies in the classroom.
NYSPLS Focus Standard:
PK.AL.2 Actively engages in problem solving
Additional NYSPLS Standards:
PK.SEL.5. Demonstrates pro-social problem-solving skills in social interactions
Link to Authentic Assessment Systems
WWS: I.C.2: Attends to tasks and seeks help when encountering a problem
TSG: 11.C. Solves problems
COR: B: Problem solving with materials
Materials:
Classroom space large enough for several children to engage in
dramatic play at one time (children who want to participate may have
to take turns throughout Center Time).
Various supplies for taking care of babies (e.g., crib, bottles, blankets,
toys, etc.) but not enough supplies to set up a complete nursery. Be
sure items are missing that children might consider necessary in caring
for a baby.
Materials for children to use to create supplies for taking care of babies
(e.g., large blocks, recycled materials such as boxes, fabric scraps, etc.).
Large paper and markers.
Baby dolls or stuffed animals.
Vocabulary: adopted, appointment, baby, bassinet, bib, bottle, born,
buggy, care, car seat, clothing, cradle, crib, cry, cuddle, diaper, gentle, glide,
hospital, infant, lullaby, newborn, nursery, nurture, parent, pediatrician,
premature, rattle, sleep, sling, snuggle, stroller, swaddle
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
45
Procedure:
Note: Children may want to flow in and out of this activity throughout Center Time. As new children join, walk them through the beginning section of the activity
and summarize what the other children are doing or what children have already created. New children who join the activity may want to work with others on
existing projects or begin some of their own.
Hook: Share with children that you will be in the Dramatic Play Center at the beginning of Center Time today. Invite them to come help you build a place to
care for babies in part of the space.
Beginning:
As children choose to join you in this area, ask them to share what they know about babies and the things babies need. Write down children’s responses.
Middle:
After children have shared some information about babies and the things babies need invite them to help you set up a space to care for babies. Share that a
nursery is a place to care for babies.
Refer to the list the children generated. Compare the list to the baby materials you have supplied. Ask the children to help you arrange these items in a
manner that would allow babies to be comfortable and adults to care for them easily.
End:
If there are suggestions for materials that babies need that you have not provided, ask children to help you figure out how to get these materials. Allow
children time to think about this problem and potential solutions. If children seem to be struggling to problem solve refer them to the open-ended
materials you have supplied. Invite the children to share their solutions.
Encourage children to implement their solutions as possible. Children should be free to work independently, with their peers, or with the help of an adult as
needed. If disagreements arise between children about materials or how to create items for the nursery, encourage them to problem solve independently
and provide support as needed.
After the nursery is created, invite children to play with and care for baby dolls/stuffed animals in this area.
Assessment: What solutions did the child generate when they were looking for baby supplies for the nursery that were not provided? Was the child able to
implement their solutions? What processes did they use?
Differentiation: Consider multiple entry points for all children to be successful. How do I/we plan to meet individual student needs? For example, repeat
directions, extend time, adapt materials, preview questions, and provide 1:1 support.
For children who need additional support: Ask guiding questions such as “Where will the baby sleep?” if children have a difficult time sharing information
about babies or realizing that the materials provided may be insufficient.
For children who are ready for a challenge: Be open-minded about children’s solutions to creating materials for the nursery. Allow them to try as many of
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
46
their solutions as possible. Ask children to tell you more about their ideas and how they plan to implement them.
Children with IEPs: How will I incorporate individual children’s IEP goals into this lesson? What specific accommodations or modifications will I make? How
will I collaborate with SEIT and/or related service providers?
Teacher Tip:
Children may want to flow in and out of this activity throughout Center Time. As new children join, walk them through the beginning section of the
activity and summarize what the other children are doing or what children have already created. New children who join the activity may want to work
with others on existing projects or begin some of their own.
Teaching staff can also rotate through this activity to allow opportunities to work with children in other areas.
Teacher Reflection:
What went well? Why? What will I do differently given what I have learned from observing children during this activity? Which children needed
differentiation during this activity and how will I meet their needs moving forward?
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
47
Assessment Opportunity
Centers Experience: Baby Nursery
Child’s name
What solutions did the child generate when
they were looking for baby supplies for the
nursery that were not provided?
Was the child able to implement
their solutions? What strategies did
they use?
Notes
NYSPLS Focus Standard:
PK.AL.2 Actively engages in problem solving
Authentic Assessment Alignment:
WSS: I.C.2: Attends to tasks and seeks help when encountering a problem.
TSG: 11.C. Solves problems.
COR: B. Problem solving with materials.
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
48
Child’s name
What solutions did the child generate when
they were looking for baby supplies for the
nursery that were not provided?
Was the child able to implement
their solutions? What strategies did
they use?
Notes
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
49
Lesson: Animal Investigations
Type: Small Group Activity
Unit of Study: Babies
Focus Question: What can we learn about animal babies?
Objective: Children will begin exploring animal babies.
NYSPLS Focus Standard:
PK.ELAL.17. [PKW.6] Develops questions and participates in shared research
and exploration to answer questions and to build and share knowledge (e.g.,
record and discuss an experiment of items that float and sink)
Additional NYSPLS Standards:
PK.SEL.5. Demonstrates pro-social problem-solving skills in social interactions
Link to Authentic Assessment Systems:
WSS: II.C.4: Recounts some key ideas and details from a text.
TSG: 18. A: Interacts during reading experiences, book conversations, and text
reflections.
COR: M: Listening and Comprehension
Materials: Books and pictures about a variety of animal babies. Include
books with information about many animals as well as books that focus on a
specific type of animal baby.
Vocabulary: egg, habitat, hatch, veterinarian
As your children choose animal babies to investigate, add the names for the animal
adults and babies that are relevant. See Section IX for teacher resources that will help
identify accurate vocabulary.
Procedure:
Hook: Show children one of the books about animal babies. Point out a couple of pictures in the book, highlighting those you find especially interesting. Share a
bit of information about the pictures.
Beginning:
Invite children to look at the books and pictures you have supplied.
Allow them to self-select the books and pictures they explore. They should be free to look at several resources.
Middle:
As children look through the materials, note which ones seem most interesting to them. Pay attention to what they notice and say.
For the pictures that seem interesting to them, ask children questions such as “What do you notice in this picture?” or “What do you think that _____ is doing?
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
50
Why?”
Encourage children to talk with the others in their group about the animal babies they find interesting, what they notice and what they like about animal babies.
Observe how children discuss their ideas. If disagreements arise, encourage the children to problem solve independently and provide support as needed.
End:
Share with children that the class is going to start learning about animal babies.
Share that they can work with a small group of children to investigate an animal baby.
Ask children if they saw an animal in the books and pictures they explored today that seemed especially interesting to them. Ask them to share their interests
with you.
Share with children that they will work with other children to learn more about their favorite animal babies over the next couple of weeks.
We encourage you to have children work together in small groups to investigate animal babies. However, there may be children who would benefit from working
independently.
Assessment: What did the child seem interested in as they began to research animal babies?
Differentiation: Consider multiple entry points for all children to be successful. How do I/we plan to meet individual student needs? For example, repeat
directions, extend time, adapt materials, preview questions, and provide 1:1 support.
For children who need additional support: Find out in advance which animals are most interesting to children so that you can provide materials on those
animals, to increase engagement and tap into their interests.
For children who are ready for a challenge: Encourage these children to think about what they might want to learn about an animal baby and attempt to write
their questions.
Children with IEPs: How will I incorporate individual children’s IEP goals into this lesson? What specific accommodations or modifications will I make? How will I
collaborate with SEIT and/or related service providers?
Teacher Tip:
This activity will serve as the starting point for children’s animal baby investigations. Pay careful attention to the animal babies the children are interested in
and allow them to make their own choices about what to study. Many children may be interested in the same animal. These children can work together as a
group.
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
51
Teacher Reflection: What went well? Why? What will I do differently, given what I have learned from observing children during this activity? Which children
needed differentiation during this activity and how will I meet their needs moving forward?
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
52
Assessment Opportunity
Small Group Experience: Animal Investigations
Child’s name
What did the child seem interested in as they began to research animal babies?
Notes
NYSPLS Focus Standard
PK.ELAL.17. [PKW.6] Develops questions and participates in shared research and exploration to
answer questions and to build and share knowledge (e.g., record and discuss an experiment of items
that float and sink)
Authentic Assessment Alignment
WSS: II.C.4: Recounts some key ideas and details from a text.
TSG: 18. A: Interacts during reading experiences, book conversations, and text reflections.
COR: M: Listening and Comprehension
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
53
Child’s name
What did the child seem interested in as they began to research animal babies?
Notes
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
54
Lesson: Lizard from the Park by Mark Pett
Type: Read Aloud
Unit of Study: Babies
Focus Question: What can we learn about animal babies?
Objective: Children will ask and answer questions about the text.
NYSPLS Focus Standard:
PK.ELAL.5. [PKR.1.] Participates in discussions about a text (e.g., during whole
or small group interactive read-aloud discussions, during peer sharing, within
play scenarios)
Additional NYSPLS Standard:
PK.MATH.1. [NY-PK.CC.1.] Counts to 20
Link to Authentic Assessment Systems:
WSS: II.B.2: Follows rules for conversation.
TSG: 18: Comprehends and responds to books and other texts.
COR: M: Listening and comprehension.
Materials: Over in the Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats
Vocabulary: egg, disguise, grow, lizard, outgrow, parade
Procedure:
Hook: Show children the cover of the book.
Beginning:
Share the title of the book.
Share the author’s name as well as the illustrator’s name.
Ask the children what they think this book is about.
Middle:
Read the book to the children.
Pause throughout the book to ask the questions suggested in Section IX and to answer questions children may have about the book.
End:
Briefly summarize the story for the children.
Ask any additional questions from Section VI as applicable.
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
55
Assessment: What questions does the child ask and answer about the book?
Differentiation: Consider multiple entry points for all children to be successful. How do I/we plan to meet individual student needs? For example, repeat
directions, extend time, adapt materials, preview questions, and provide 1:1 support
For children who need additional support: Read a few pages in the story rather than reading the entire book. Also consider inviting these children to sit
next to a teacher.
For children who are ready for a challenge: Invite these children to extend the book to include higher numbers and additional animals. Children can share
these ideas verbally, dictate them to a teacher or write or draw pictures to share their thoughts independently.
Children with IEPs: How will I incorporate individual children’s IEP goals into this lesson? What specific accommodations or modifications will I make? How
will I collaborate with SEIT and/or related service providers?
Teacher Tip:
Supplement the names of the animals in the book with those the children in your class are investigating.
The text in this book can also be sung. Sing the song “Over in the Meadow” with the children after reading the book with them.
Teacher Reflection: What went well? Why? What will I do differently given what I have learned from observing children during this activity? Which children
needed differentiation during this activity and how will I meet their needs moving forward?
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
56
Assessment Opportunity
Read Aloud Experience: Lizard from the Park by Mark Pett
Child’s name
What questions does the child ask and answer about the book?
Notes
NYSPLS Focus Standard
PK.ELAL.5. [PKR.1.] Participates in discussions about a text (e.g., during whole or small
group interactive read-aloud discussions, during peer sharing, within play scenarios)
Authentic Assessment Alignment
WSS: II.B.2 Follows rules for conversation.
TSG: 18. Comprehends and responds to books and other texts.
COR: M: Listening and comprehension.
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
57
Child’s name
What questions does the child ask and answer about the book?
Notes
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
58
Lesson: Now and Then
Type: Small Group Activity
Unit of Study: Babies
Focus Question: How do babies change?
Objective: Children will begin to understand how they have changed over time.
NYSPLS Focus Standard:
PK.SOC.6. Develops an understanding of how people and things change over
time and how to relate past events to their present and future activities
Additional NYSPLS Standard:
PK.SEL.2. Recognizes self as an individual having unique abilities,
characteristics, feelings and interests
Link to Authentic Assessment Systems:
WSS: N/A
TSG: 31: Explores change related to familiar people or places.
COR: HH: History.
Materials: Paper, writing utensils (crayons, markers, colored pencils)
Vocabulary: big, change, child, grow, height, size, small, talk, tiny, walk,
weight
Procedure:
Hook: Show a picture of yourself as a baby and talk about how you have changed since you were a baby.
OR
Show children pictures of a person—perhaps a child in the class—when this person was an infant, a toddler and a preschool student. Share with the children
that these are pictures of the same person. They show how the person has grown.
Beginning:
Remind children that they were once babies but have grown bigger.
Ask children if they remember when they were babies. Allow them to share their responses.
Middle:
Ask children to think about things that they can do. Could they do these same things when they were babies? Why or why not? What has changed?
Fold a piece of paper in half. Title one side “Now” and the other “Then.”
Prompt students to express their ideas with sentence starters: I used to_____, but now I ______. Model with an example: “I used to crawl, but now I can
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
59
walk and run.”
Record students’ thoughts on the chart or allow them to write their thoughts on the chart themselves if they would like. If children choose to do their own
writing, encourage them to pay attention to the sounds they hear in the words.
End:
Summarize the children’s responses and celebrate how they have grown and changed.
Assessment: Was the child able describe how they have grown by explaining what they used to do? What did they describe?
Differentiation: Consider multiple entry points for all children to be successful. How do I/we plan to meet individual student needs? For example, repeat
directions, extend time, adapt materials, preview questions, and provide 1:1 support.
For children who need additional support: Provide multiple entry points to the activity through supports such as playing an audio of an infant crying, a
video of an adult feeding an infant with a bottle or a video of an infant crawling.
For children who are ready for a challenge: Invite these children to create their own “Now and Then” charts and encourage them to add illustrations to
their writing.
Children with IEPs: How will I incorporate individual children’s IEP goals into this lesson? What specific accommodations or modifications will I make? How
will I collaborate with SEIT and/or related service providers?
Teacher Tip:
This activity can be completed with one chart for the class or a chart for each child depending on the interests and needs of your children.
Be mindful of the difference in development between children in the class and the sensitivities some children may have about their abilities.
Teacher Reflection: What went well? Why? What will I do differently, given what I have learned from observing children during this activity? Which
children needed differentiation during this activity and how will I meet their needs moving forward?
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
60
Assessment Opportunity
Small Group Experience: Then and Now
Child’s name
Was the child able describe how they have grown by explaining what they used
to do? What did they describe?
Notes
NYSPLS Focus Standard:
PK.SOC.6. Develops an understanding of how people and things change over time and
how to relate past events to their present and future activities
Authentic Assessment Alignment:
WSS: N/A
TSG: 31: Explores change related to familiar people or places.
COR: HH: History.
FOUNDATIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES: LESSON PLAN
61
Child’s name
Was the child able describe how they have grown by explaining what they used
to do? What did they describe?
Notes
XI. APPENDICES
62
XI. Appendices
Appendix A: Sample Animal Baby Information
Elephant
Name of baby
Calf
Habitat
Elephants can live in many different places such as grasslands, deserts, forests or swamps.
Elephants like to roam and play in water.
Food
Calves drink milk from their mothers.
Born
Calves are born live from mother.
Calves weigh about 220 lbs at birth.
Calves are about three feet tall at birth.
Family care
Mother elephants watch their calves very carefully and protect them from predators.
Mother elephants are very loving.
Interesting facts
At first a calf may not know what to do with its trunk. It might suck on it like a baby human sucks on its
thumb.
Most calves are born at night.
Calves are born with curly black or red hair on their foreheads.
Text suggestion
Elephants (National Geographic Readers Series Level 1) by Avery Hunt
XI. APPENDICES
63
Frog
Name of baby
Tadpole
Habitat
Tadpoles are very fragile when they are born so they stick themselves to weeds right after birth.
After about a week tadpoles start to swim and explore.
Adult frogs can live out of the water.
Food
Right after it is born, the tadpole eats the yolk in the egg it hatched from.
Born
Tadpoles are born in the water and hatch from eggs. Frogs can lay up to 4,000 eggs at once.
Family care
Some tadpoles may stay near other tadpoles or swim together in schools like fish.
Interesting facts
Tadpoles look more like fish than frogs.
Text suggestion
Frogs (National Geographic Readers Series Level 1) by Elizabeth Carney
XI. APPENDICES
64
Appendix B: Baby Oil Playdough
Ingredients:
1 cup baby oil
8 cups flour
Directions:
Place the flour in a large bowl.
Add the baby oil.
Mix well.
