Portfolio

This page contains resources that I have created for my students over the years, and serves as a living portfolio of my work.

YouTube channel

Like any human with a Gmail account, I also have a YouTube channel. Here’s what you’ll find:

  • Story-time favorites from Preschool and Kindergarten
  • Movement games
  • Nature exploration
  • Guided meditations

Website with interactive elements

I created this website in collaboration with a classmate while in college. Our assignment was to create a resource for a Kindergarten class to extend learning on a topic. We chose weather, created various activities to feature on the site, and also linked outside resources.

Literacy-based extension projects in preschool

These projects stemmed from books that were favorites of the class. Every book we read with children presents an opportunity to explore an interest.

  • Harold and the Purple Crayon
    • Day 1: read Harold and the Purple Crayon all the way through (or watch my reading video here).
    • Day 2: re-read, pausing to ask children if they remember what happens next in the story (this step can be skipped).
    • Day 3: re-read. Instead of looking at the illustrations, children are given paper and a purple crayon, and invited to draw whatever comes to mind while listening to the story. After reading, discuss children’s art, allowing them to share whatever they feel is most important about their creations.
    • Days 4+: this activity can be repeated as long as children are interested. These illustrations can be stapled or otherwise bound together into a book.
    • Variations:
      • Use the same plan, but instead of purple, children use their favorite color.
      • Ask children to draw a specific scene from the story, or a picture of their own world with one color while listening.
      • While listening to the story, ask children to draw certain elements from the book, with their own twists. What would the have at the picnic? What kind of animal would guard the tree in their forest?
    • Children will think of their own variations as well if the material is engaging for them!
  • Shapes
    • An online learning activity:
    • Step 1: watch video of reading of Shapes by Sophie Pelham (also available on my YouTube channel).
    • Step 2: complete a scavenger hunt for shapes in the home. Scavenger hunt materials and instructions are found in this Google Doc.
      • Download and/or print to use. If printing, I recommend adjusting settings to print pages 2-4, as page 1 contains color photos that are not needed for the activity.
  • Ten in the Bed
    • Day 1: Read Ten in the Bed all the way through.
    • Day 2: Re-read, asking children to join in on repetitions.
    • Day 3: Acting out the story.
      • Gather a works rug, silk scarf, or similarly sized piece of fabric, and nine stuffed animals and a doll. Ten stuffed animals will also do.
      • Lay the rug or fabric flat. This will be the bed. Arrange the animals and doll on the bed, close and cozy.
      • You can read the story and move the animals while reading, or you can recite from memory.
      • While the story progresses, call on children to help gently roll animals off the bed. That animal can then sit with the child. (If you have a large group, be prepared to repeat the story until everyone has had a turn!)
      • Call children 2 at a time to return their animals to the bed at the end of the story.
    • Day 4+: This story-telling can be repeated many times and still be engaging. Children may want to lead the story themselves. If possible, find space in the classroom for a basket with these materials and the book, so children can choose story-telling during work cycle.

Parent resource article

During the unexpected shift to mandatory home-schooling in March 2020, many parents found themselves with the teachable content, but without tried and tested teaching skills. Unfortunately, the former can be rather ineffective without the latter. I received a request for resources on encouraging young children to navigate and sustain their own play, without an adult’s express involvement. In response, I wrote an opinion piece on self-directed play, drawn from my personal experiences as an educator and caretaker. The article can be read in Google docs here, and includes links to additional resources.

Search-and-find presentations

Search-and-find books are not only fun and engaging for young children, but they can also become self-directed favorites once a child is familiar with the book. During the crisis response education period, I converted some search-and-find books to click-through presentations, so families could enjoy at home. I chose books that were at a level more developmentally appropriate for preschoolers than I Spy, which require a fair amount of reading and are more task-oriented with lists of specific items to find. The books I chose are: