Section 2: Planning and Implementing Creative Activities

In this section of your text the discussion is centered around many issues such as creative teachers and activities, creative environments, and using media to promote creativity. This Web Activity section is designed to help familiarize you with the numerous early childhood education Web sites available.

WebActivities

Using the information in your text, you are encouraged to evaluate each site as to its developmental appropriateness and suitability for classroom use.

Conduct an Internet search, locating at least four sites that you feel will be useful in your teaching. Review, compare, and contrast the information provided on each site.

  • Does the information appear to be accurate?
  • Is it developmentally appropriate?
  • Does any of the information appear to be more product-oriented than process-oriented?

Log on to the Awesome Library at Enter the door for teachers. Click on the arts section and choose one of the activities to use with children, now or in the future. Review this activity for its developmental appropriateness and how it compares with the information in your text on creative activities and teaching.

  • What would you do to improve this activity?
  • What age group is it most appropriate for?
  • Can it be changed for use with a different age group?If so, how?

Compare the Web site, (Preschool Education.Com) with Perpetual Preschool).

  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of each site?
  • Does one have more developmentally appropriate information than the other?
  • Which site would you find most useful in your teaching? Why?
  • Which site presents information that is most consistent with the information presented in your text in Section 2?

Visit the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Website, on NAEYC Resources. Then click on “View NAEYC Position Statements.”Click on the “Improving Program Practices with Children,” then click on the “Technology and Young Children ages 3–8” article.

  • Compare the information presented in the Web site to that in your text.
  • Prepare a summary of the article for presentation to the class.
  • Include your own observations and opinions in this report.
  • Will any of the information presented in the Web site be useful in your work with children?Why or why not?

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a project called the National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC). This project is dedicated to providing a national resource that links information and people on early childhood issues. Visit the Web site at Click on “Popular Topics.”Choose one of the areas listed and read at least one article in that section.

  • Prepare a summary of this article to present to the class.Be sure to include your own opinions in your summary.
  • Will the information from this article be of any use to you in your teaching? Why or why not?

Council of ChiefStateSchool Officers

Under “Federal Programs” click on NCLB.Compare the information provided in this Website to the above referenced teachers and families site.What is the main difference in the two sites?Which site would be most useful to you in your current work with children?Why?

Common Disabilities Defined/Described
Visit PE Central at on Adapted Physical Education, then click on Common Disabilities, to access a comprehensive list of common disabilities and a concise description of the listed disability.From the Disability Menu, choose one of the following disabilities:mental retardation, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, behavior disorders, cerebral palsy, visual impairments, hearing impairments, or learning disabilities.

For the disability chosen, prepare a short report including definition of the disability, characteristics, social/emotion, physical motor, teaching strategies, and other Web sites with information on the disability.Share your information with your classmates.

Web Search for Information on Disabilities
Conduct a Web search to find Web sites that give helpful information on working with children with special needs.Choose at least two sites and evaluate them on the following:

  • Is the information easy to understand?
  • Is the information practical and useful for your work with children?
  • What age group or grade level is best served by each site?

Multiple Intelligences

Visit this Website: Compare the information in your text to that found in these sites.Using the information provided in these sites, write at least two activities for each of the multiple intelligences.Share this information with your peers.Evaluate each of the sites on the following:

  • Ease of use
  • Presentation
  • Amount of information
  • Usefulness of information

Conduct an Internet search for developmentally appropriate toys for children.Locate at least four reliable sites.Review, compare, and contrast the information provided on each site.

  • Does the information appear to be accurate?
  • Is it developmentally appropriate?
  • Does any of the information appear to be potentially harmful to young children?

The Public Broadcasting System’s Web site is a good source for information on many child development and early childhood issues. Visit their site at

  • Click on the Search bar and conduct a search of their site for information on child’s play.
  • Share the information you located with fellow students.

Review the current and back issues of the online journal, Early Childhood Research Practice at their Web site, Review the current and back issues for an article related to play and young children.

  • Read and review the article you chose.
  • Prepare a summary of the article including your own opinions and reactions to it.
  • How would you use the information from the article in your work with children?

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has a Web site for their magazine, Young Children, at Visit this site and click on the Search Index for articles on play.

  • Read the synopsis of the chosen article.
  • Go to the library and locate the journal to read the article in its entirety.
  • Write a summary of the article, including your own opinions and reactions, as well as how you plan to use this information in your work with children.

One of the goals to accomplish in the Mission Statement of the Toy Manufacturers of America is to “educate parents, caregivers, and others about the importance of play and the safe use of toys.” Visit their Web site at Click on the Parents Index; then go to the Toy Facts section. Review the information provided for “classic toys.”

  • What interesting facts could you surmise from this information?
  • How does it fit with the information presented in Chapter 7 of your text?
  • Explore other sections of this Web site for more information on toys.
  • Is this information developmentally appropriate?
  • How useful is this information for teachers?

Web activities sec2-1