Curriculum Expectations
6.1, 8.5
See the Kindergarten Program 2016 for details on the specific expectations.
Activity Learning Goals
By the end of the activity children will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the effects of healthy, active living on the mind and the body
- demonstrate spatial awareness by doing activities that require the use of small muscles
Equipment
Safety
n/a
Assessment Opportunity
EL-K Team observation of children’s demonstrated knowledge of the effects of healthy, active living on the body and application of spatial awareness can be recorded on the Anecdotal Recording Chart.
Outside Body Parts
Have children point to their own body parts as described in the Body Parts poem or lead children in singing the Hokey Pokey. Brainstorm questions that children want to have answered. Questions might include: Why do our teeth fall out? Why do we have bones? How do our muscles work? Explain the importance of needing food and activity and making healthy choices to have a healthy body.
Body Parts Poem
On my face I have a nose.
And way down here I have 10 toes.
I have two eyes that I can blink,
I have a head to help me think.
Here’s my chin and very near,
I have a mouth with which I eat.
Here are arms to hold up high,
And here’s a hand to wave good-bye.
Notes to EL-K Team
- Consider using a body puppet to start the discussion about body parts.
- Note that children may identify genitalia when identifying outside body parts. To prepare for the discussion of inappropriate touching, children need to know that the correct names of the private parts are, for boys, the penis, the scrotum, the testicles, and for girls, the vulva and vagina, the breasts and the buttocks.
- Children who are familiar with the correct terms are better able to report incidents of abuse.
- The private parts of a boy may be described as the area between the legs and the buttocks, and the private parts of a girl as the chest, and the area between the legs and the buttocks, if necessary. The phrase “body parts covered by a bathing suit” may also be used.
Connection Questions to Expand and Enhance Play
- How does eating a healthy breakfast every day help you learn?
- How does healthy food and physical activity help us to have a healthy body?
- Why is it important to remember to be physically active throughout the day?