Step-Chart Activities
When I provided children with at least one step-chart activity per week it blew me away how much it changed the culture of the classroom and fostered interdependence — boys working with girls and everyone working with others who were not their best friends. Step-chart activities follow a set sequence: (1) demonstrate, (2) freely do or not do, (3) represent. In large group time the leader demonstrates step by step how to make something she thinks all of the children might like to make for themselves — within their ZPD — and simply sets the materials out in free play for the children to use as they wish without help from adults; other children become the go-to resources. Later, the leader reviews the sequence in a reflective large group time, or if the children are capable, the children represent the sequence in oral descriptions, drawings, or photos to guide other children and share the sequences with the community.
It is important that the leader demonstrate each step clearly referring to the step-chart by page number as the children simply watch and discuss. Each action is referred back to the image, so the image begins to make sense. (At this demonstration the children have no materials at all.) The images do not convey what to do, they represent what they have seen done. The images make sense only after the children have made the product and the images are reviewed at a later time. I also happily demonstrate mistakes and fix them.
- demonstrate (group time)
- do (free time)
- review (group time)
The review is the education. Taking the time the next day or week to go over the sequence of steps in the chart and discuss the problems encountered is time well spent. The processing ensures that the experience of risks and mistakes has long term benefits. The reflection is a lesson in how to learn how to learn, like teaching a hungry man how to fish, so they no longer are dependent on other’s gifts.
Each completed step-chart I offer has a link to the pdf. The best way I have found is to have one step on one copy paper sized page with a large number for the step on the upper left. I tape them together in a way that enables an accordion fold to fit in a file folder. That way I never have to make that Step-chart again and others can borrow it.
The best way to tape them, I have found, is to lay the pages face down in reverse order, from right to left, then put small pieces of tape on the back to connect them, and then turn the banner over for final taping. MUCH fewer mistakes.
Last thought: I’d like you to note that none of these is a cutesy, cheesy, teacher-made, piece of busy-work. I choose to make step-charts that develop skillfulness in the use of tools or manipulation of the hand. Usually the activity makes something useful to the children in a way they can invent for themselves.
Booklet Binding
A step chart for adults I made for my Project Approach class. It works for children age five and up.
Skill practice: scissors, scoring, folding, tucking, gluing.
Helicopter
A helicopter master has to be cut apart into four separate helicopters. Children cut on the dotted line and STOP at the dot. Stop at the dot. Stop at the dot. Stop at the dot.
Skill practice: precise cutting, folding, and attaching a paper clip.
Spider
Polymer clay (Sculpey III) and long chenille sticks of good spidery colors. Having photographs or scientific drawings of spiders enable the children to attend to the reality of a spider and see different spiders and never copy some adult’s cutesy cartoon. Spider pdf
Skill practice: rolling, bending, using sculpting tools.
Ghost or てるてる坊主
Teru teru bōzu is an amulet or doll from Japan, the same as a Western ghost, which is a humorous bald-headed appeal to the gods for sunny weather. Especially interesting when experiencing continuous rain for a few days. Not illustrated here. Drawing hands is hard.
Skill practice: attaching a rubber band around something one is holding
Foldovers
Not illustrated here. The steps are to fold a paper in half, open it back up, place drops of paint with an eyedropper anywhere you want, and press the paper together to spread the paint inside. I like using dark paper and white tempera paint. At a future time, say a month later, repeat the activity with two colors of paint. This step-chart is easy to make. Simply cut a set of smaller papers to attach to the copy paper. Do each step and glue it to a separate paper. Tape them together to make an accordion-folded document that can be put in a file folder for every year thereafter.
Skill practice: Using an eyedropper and folding a paper in half.
Wrapping a Box
Gifts came up one day in discussion, so I created an activity for wrapping classroom tissue boxes that were in storage. Those boxes were all the same size, which made it a better activity. I cut the paper to the exact size for wrapping: the length being the circumference of the box plus an overlap. The width being the length of a box plus 1 – 1/2 times the depth of the box. I loved this activity, because it took off from an existing interest and generated more cooperation than any step-chart I ever used.
Skill practice: Using a tape dispenser, wrapping, folding the ends neatly.
Cleaning Clay Tables
Elsewhere I have Cleaning Tables, but cleanup after clay offers a unique complexities. Water and clay do make messy mud, and you can’t pour clay water down the drain. It clogs them fast.
I have a system for offering earthen clay to children that I needed because (1) clay is one of the basic materials of young children from the beginning of time, and (2) it is rarely added to preschools and care centers indoors, I think because it’s hard to clean up.
I don’t have a step-chart here illustrated for you, unfortunately, but you can draw one yourself.
To make clay cleanup as self-managed as possible, the clay storage has to be accessible. I used a small garbage-type can with tight lid for storing the clay that was on casters. Inside the clay is formed into tennis-ball sized balls covered by a few wet paper towels to keep it moist. Clay setup includes a shallow container of damp (not soaking) paper towels, dry-wall taping knives, and a waste can.
I put a couple of balls out on the table covered by a damp paper towel and without a mat or workspace. The children use the clay on the table and have the damp towel at hand as the only moisture source. Incoming children get their additional supplies from the can.
At cleanup a source of damp towels is added to clean the table.
The children do the steps in the sequence as demonstrated by the leader at large group meeting time. At free play time they help each other figure it out themselves, with informative statements added by a leader as required. A sequence chart helps make it more independent.
Cleanup for Clay
- make a tennis ball of the clay to return it to the storage can
- using the taping knife, scrape the clay bits into a rough pile
- scrape all residue over the edge of the table into the waste container
- place used-up damp towels into the waste container, too
- wipe down the table with a fresh damp towel; it may take several damp paper towels from the supply.
My job for earthen clay is to ensure the workability of clay, manage the water resources, and ensure the damp towel supply. At the end I give the table a final wipe.
Clay water is not for plumbing systems. All clay water gets dumped outdoors.
Skill practiced: using a drywall knife to scrape off clay remains, wiping with wet paper towels
Mask
Scissors, tape dispenser, hole punch
Pretzels
Rolling, attaching file folder label to toothpick
Pressing Leaves
Alternating layers of cardboard (a standard size), paper towel, items to press dry, paper towel, second cardboard, stacking on a community pile to figure how to weigh it down later at group time.