Introduction Your ability to create a developmentally appropriate environment will improve with
practice and experience. This assignment requires you to examine a scenario and make decisions
regarding appropriateness.
The Assignment Read the following scenario and answer the questions below:
Barbara has been the lead teacher of 3- and 4-year olds in a local daycare center for 8 years. She
habitually observes the children in the various centers and intervenes occasionally if she sees an
opportunity to guide the children to discover a new concept. While observing a small group of4 children
in the pretend grocery store, she notices how they eagerly begin to play; however, they do not engage
in sustained play for it appears as if they don’t seem to know what to do with the materials or each
other. It isn’t long before the children are arguing with each other, snatching items from each other and
off the shelves, and dropping the items on the floor. Their play lacks focus, and they do not assume any
of the ”play roles,” such as the cashier or customer. Eventually, the children leave the area to pursue
other activities, and they do not return the items to their proper places.
Barbara wants to introduce the children to other possibilities and help them play at a higher level. Your
task is to:
1. Describe potential child learning in the pretend grocery store.
2. Identify three teaching strategies Barbara can use to support the children’s learning in the
pretend grocery store.
3. Provide examples of verbal scripts to illustrate any verbal strategies you use.
4. Compose 4 examples of encouragement you can use to communicate with the children in the
pretend grocery store. (Hint: Instead of saying, ”Good job” when they clean up, remember to be
specific: “I like the way you placed the items on the shelf before leaving the play area.”
5. How is the pretend grocery store a developmentally appropriate environment? (Hint: Tie the
elements in the pretend grocery store and the children’s actions to specific learning.)
Resources You may use your textbook, printed resources, and any Web resources you need to complete
this assignment.
Acceptable Length There is no minimum or maximum length for this assignment.
0 Put your name, course and section number, and assignment title at the top of the document.
Use one-inch margins.
Use a 12-point Times New Roman font.