Observation: Lily’s Flowers, 21 April
Lily, Sue and Annabelle — Indoor play
Lily has been experimenting with paint combinations over several days. In discussion with Sue (assistant), we decided to introduce small pots of paints and a mixing palette (off screen) so that Lily could create her own colour combinations.
Sue introduced a postcard of flowers as Lily has been talking about the flowers in her own garden at home.
As Lily painted she looked at the postcard very carefully, used the same colours on her paper and attempted to represent the flowers in the same way as the postcard. As she painted she said to Annabelle “I’m using gold first ’cause that’s my favourite, then the green.” Annabelle then passed the red paint and laughed “red’s last!” Lily laughed and took the pot, stirring vigorously.

Interpretation/analysis
Working at the table appeared to invite more possibilities for Lily to share conversation with others than at the easels.
Lily’s attention to detail (through action and conversation), signal her interest in the experience.
Lily was particularly interested in this experience and represented the colours of the postcard flowers in the same relative location on her paper. She is attempting to represent the flowers through close observation and attention to placement of colours.
Link to QKLG: Active learning — ways to represent ideas creatively through art, showing confidence and involvement in learning.

Learning possibilities & intentional teaching
Learning opportunities for Lily
Encourage Lily to bring in some of her flowers to share.
Introduce more postcards of artworks.
Model observational drawing and talk through the steps as we draw/paint.
Opportunities for other children
Introduce small pump bottles of paint and mixing palettes so Lily can experiment independently at any time.
Share this paint pump idea with all the children and move materials to a larger table space so that children can work alongside one another.
Create a painting space next to shelving. Use the shelves to store a range of art materials to provide opportunities for all the children to engage creatively (promoting independence and choice).
Encourage children to suggest materials they would like to access.

Gross Motor Observation
Date: November 6th 2008
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 P.M.
Childs Name: Girl
Birthday: 12-29-2003
Age: Almost 5

The girl I choose to observe is turning 5 next month so I decided to observe both the 4 and 5 year old gross motor skills. The observation takes place at a childcare center first half hour is outside second hour and a half is inside. Its cold outside and it's snowing a little all the children are excited to be out playing in the snow.

I wanted to see the children perform the list of gross motor activity's naturally so I gave a copy to the teacher and talked to her about incorporating the ones i didn't see into the children's normal activity's, while i observed my one child.

While outside I observed the girl play on the jungle gym, she climbs the rope ladder very easily she could also run, start, stop and move around everything very easily. She has very good agility skills. After getting down from the jungle gym she begins to play tag with a group of children ,as she is running away from her friends I see her jump over a sandbox pail land on both feet and then keep running. The teacher asks if their is any children that would like to play catch with her. The girl I'm observing is one of the children to play catch she can easily throw overhand and out of the five throws from the teacher shes able to catch three of them. The ball is about the size of a softball and its soft plastic. The teacher goes to attend a hurt child and the group