General Directions
For this observation, you need to observe a child in a group setting (a preschool,
church nursery, child care center, etc.). One of the objectives of this observation is to
watch social interaction. Many preschools and child care centers will be glad to have
you visit if you call ahead and explain that it is a class assignment.
Be prepared to show them your syllabus for this class or the specific assignment
questions if they request these of you. You will NOT be testing the child and you will
NOT be using a last name when you turn in the observation. Explain that you simply
want to spend an hour or two watching a child who is between the ages of 3 and 5.
If you do not know of a group setting, contact your instructor for some suggestions.
We do have a Child Development Center at our Sylvania campus, so you will need to
call ahead to schedule an observation.
If you do not have access to a child in your home, you can use any ofthe videos listed
in the link below.
HEC 226 Video playlist:
http://streaming.videatives.com/playlists/share/62a83a25d734b85e5b6f9e1243ad
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The Observation
Observe the following behaviors/characteristics and take detailed notes:
- The child’s physical build and how the child moves.
- The child’s small motor dexterity, i.e. in handling scissors, a paint brush, crayon,
spoon, etc. - The child’s language. Note specifically what s/he says. Listen for "interesting"
expressions or grammatical constructions. - The child’s reaction to other children and to adults.
- The child’s use of materials; blocks, paints, puzzles, etc.
- The child’s attention; length of time spent at something.
Writing Your Report
Your Report should be between 4-6 typed pages, not including the cover page or
reference page.
Organize your paper by including the cover page first and then the results of your
observation written in the order listed below. Each section should have a heading
name.
For full credit, make sure to connect your responses to following questions with
information presented in the text and class videos. Use multiple sources to back up
your thoughts and observations. Be as specific as possible and cite your resources
within each section of your report using APA format.
Cover Page:
Please add a cover page to your paper using APA format.
Section 1: Summary Description
Write a summary description of the child, including the child’s name (first only) or first
initial (e.g., Child A), age, physical appearance (include size and stature), your general
impressions of the child (does the child seem happy, sad, attentive, lethargic, perky,
etc.), and compare the child’s appearance with information on appearance from the
text or class (i.e. is the child big or small for his/her age, more talkative than you might
expect, etc.). Compare your description to specific information from the text and video.
Also include a description of the setting in which the observation took place and the
persons present. State your relationship with the child.
If you are using the videos for this assignment, pick one child from the list of 13
videos to write a description on. Please include the title ofthe video and the child's
name (if available) or a description of whatthey look like.
Section 2: Cognitive Development
Did you see any actions or hear any language that would indicate to you that the child
is in the stage of preoperational thought? Be specific in describing this. Support your
response with information from the text and video, using in-text citations. What other
types of cognitive thinking did you notice that aligns with the concepts noted in the
textbook or videos from the learning tools?If you did not see something specific,
describe what you might be able to do (or say) to elicit a reaction that would indicate a
preschool child’s thinking process. Because you are an observer, you will not be doing
anything, only noting what you see.
If you are using the videos for this assignment, pick one child from the list of 13
videos to write a description on. Please include the title ofthe video and the name of
the child (if available) or a description of whatthey look like. You can use more than
one video if needed.
Section 3: Social and Emotional Development
How did the child interact with the physical and social environment? What kinds of
play did you see (functional, constructive, pretend, socio-dramatic, solitary, parallel)?
What kinds of social behavior did you see? Be specific. What would you expect of a
child of this age? What do you think the child was learning through play in the
environment and with others? Give evidence for your answer. Support your response
with information from the text and video, using in-text citations.
If you are using the videos for this assignment, pick one child from the list of 13
videos to write a description on. Please include the title ofthe video and the name of
the child (if available) or a description of whatthey look like. You can use more than
one video if needed.
Section 4: Physical Development
What evidence did you see of fine and gross motor development? Be specific. What
would you expect of a child of this age? How do you think this child's physical
development and skills affect his/her learning in the setting you observed and, based
on information from the text and videos, in-text citations. Why do you think that?
If you are using the videos for this assignment, pick one child from the list of 13
videos to write a description on. Please include the title ofthe video and the name of
the child (if available) or a description of whatthey look like. You can use more than
one video if needed.
Section 5: Reflection
Reflect on the assignment expectations and what you learned from the child or
children you observed. How did the presented information on preschool development
and the requirements of this assignment change or deepen your understanding and
expectations of children at this age? Be specific. Provide examples. How will you or
might you use these new or deeper understandings and expectations in your practice
with or parenting of preschoolers? Support your thinking with information from the
text and video, using in-text citations.
Section 6: References (separate page)
Sample Solution