Discussion Starters 8 videos
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Blocks in the Bucket
Jenna plays with blocks as she sits on the floor alongside her teacher. As you study the strategies that the teacher uses to extend Jenna’s block play consider when and how she is most successful. Notice how the child gazes at her teacher on multiple occasions and speculate about Jenna’s…
Subjects: blocks
Ages: ones
Tags: non-verbal function communication teaching child-teacher closed captions
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Construction Site Dilemma
Eight boys and their teacher problem solve about how to learn what some construction workers are building without crossing the parking lot at school. The teacher says, “So we’re gonna try and figure out what they might be doing over there.” This activity encourages the children to make inferences about…
Subjects: body
Ages: fours
Tags: children-teacher communication perspective mind of other outdoor play closed captions
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Discovering Our Plan
Three children play together by animating a butterfly and two toy turtles. These animals become the central characters around which the children collaborate to develop a pretend script. Study how the children use symbols in their play and consider why some symbols are constant while others change. Observe how pretending…
Subjects: replica toy
Ages: fives
Tags: closed captions teaching children-teacher symbolization pretense negotiation
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Coloring Water
Six two-year-olds and their teacher, experiment with mixing food coloring in water. Notice how the teacher works to increase the children’s understanding by asking them to plan ahead: “Tyler, do you have an idea of how many drops of blue we should put in?” Observe what strategies the teacher uses…
Subjects: water
Ages: twos
Tags: teaching closed captions environments counting cause-effect children-teacher
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Face Painting
Four children talk with their teacher as they work to paint their faces and to move like animals. Observe how the teacher confronts the paradox in Kay’s decision to paint an entire butterfly on her face and consider how an adult might help the child reflect about this contradiction more…
Subjects: paint
Ages: fives
Tags: teaching children-teacher symbolization gestures closed captions
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Painting with Watercolors
Three children are exploring watercolor paints with their teacher. On several occasions, the teacher gives the children verbal guidance or even holds a child’s hand to show the sequence: dip in water, dip in paint, and then stroke paper. Carefully study the teacher’s strategies and consider where she is most…
Subjects: paint
Ages: twos
Tags: teaching children-teacher sequence directions closed captions
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Shadow Play
Walter, Justin and Shea are exploring shadows with their teacher. Notice that the teacher begins by saying, “When I stand here, look! When I stand here my shadow is on the wall." Consider why the teacher may decide to use a scientific term to talk with the children about their…
Subjects: shadows
Ages: twos
Tags: teaching children-teacher cause-effect exploration environment closed captions
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Writing Pineapple
Nicholas and Jack are working at the table with their teacher. Jack would like to write the word ‘pineapple’ and throughout the video clip the teacher helps Jack determine what letters to write next by giving him phonetic clues. For example, the letter ‘N’ is next and the teacher says,…
Subjects: letters
Ages: fives
Tags: writing teaching children-teacher literacy spelling closed captions