distinctions among the constellation of subtopics and ideas, providing a visual of learning over time( Helm et al. 2023).
The teachers planned explorations that engaged the children in“ the work” of play( Trundle & McCormick Smith 2017, 80). They gave the children options to represent what they knew about frogs and the frog life cycle: The children created and labeled their own paintings and drawings, engaged in dramatic play, and constructed block renderings of frogs. Ms. Evelyn and Ms. Kelly observed as the children engaged in these activities to plan experiences for phase two in response to the interests and curiosities that arose.
Through these learning experiences, the children’ s knowledge about frogs deepened. Over time, questions began to emerge: They wondered how and why frogs camouflaged themselves, why colorful frogs were often poisonous, and how frogs and toads differed.( See“ Phase One Activities and Learning” below.)
Investigating
During the four weeks of the second phase, Ms. Evelyn and Ms. Kelly helped the children engage in deep thinking, trial and error, and problem solving as
Phase One Activities and Learning
Below is a sample of what the children did as they engaged in their choice of multimodal learning experiences designed to surface their existing knowledge.
Subtopics Learning Goals Children’ s Activities Evidence of Learning
Frog anatomy |
Identify and name the basic parts of a frog( head, eyes, legs, feet, and body) |
Made observational drawings of live and dead frog specimens |
Labeling body parts verbally or in writing |
Frog life cycle phases |
Identify and describe the four main phases of the frog’ s life cycle |
Created a tadpole habitat; made observational drawings of tadpoles; acted out stages of its life cycle |
Exploring the frog’ s life cycle using a model set; depicting the life cycle through drawing, painting, or acting |
Frog populations, behaviors, and habitats |
Identify where frogs live, their common behaviors( hopping, swimming), and how they interact in their environment |
Conducted field visits at the playground and nearby pond; observed where and how the frogs lived |
Noticing patterns of frog behaviors and making hypotheses about the reasons for their behaviors; demonstrating knowledge of frog behaviors through role playing and / or written and verbal descriptions |
50 Young Children
Summer 2025