AA Home Outdoor Play.pdf
HOME-BASED ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY
Outdoor Play
DESCRIPTION
Being outdoors and engaging with the natural world is a healthy, positive activity for young children. Outdoor play activities such as playing in a sandbox or discovering nature are often part of children’s daily schedules at home. Outdoor play can include child- or adult-directed games, such as imaginary play, as well as activities with peers. Discussions about the natural world offer opportunities to document communication skills as children engage in imaginary play as animals, scientists, explorers, or adventurers. Outdoor play is a good context for large-group assessment activities because it is possible for the team to observe whether children know and follow game rules and how they participate. These games offer the opportunity for children to run, jump, and play with balls.
SUGGESTED MATERIALS
No special materials are necessary other than those already available in nature (plants, insects, stones, leaves, etc.) or in the yard (balls, etc.).
- An adult could encourage the child to use their senses to explore nature (smell leaves, flowers, or herbs; touch rocks or leaves, etc.) and comment on their experiences.
- An adult could facilitate imaginary play by suggesting a setting such as a forest, farm, or jungle as the child takes on an imaginary role as an animal, explorer, or adventurer. The child could also use props during the imaginary play.
- Outdoor activities can also be used to elicit targeted test items, such as by:
- Explore the environment
- Make simple observations (“A bucket of leaves is lighter than a bucket of sand”)
- Expand their observations and explorations through further inquiry
- Generate hypotheses and investigate to test them (“If I throw a leaf and a rock with the same force, which one will go farther?”)
- Explain their understanding of phenomena
- Anticipate outcomes of their investigations
- Draw plausible conclusions about events beyond their personal experience
Date(s) completed: ____
Person completing form: ____
Program: _____
GROSS MOTOR
Strand C, 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL
Child(ren) observed:
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL
Strand C, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4, 4.1, 4.2
SOCIAL-COMMUNICATION
Strand B, 4, 4.1
Strand D, 1, 1.1, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5
Strand D, 3, 3.1, 4, 4.1
Strand E, 1, 1.1, 1.2, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
HOME-BASED ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY
Outdoor Play
| Score Key | Note Key | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastery performance 2 | Emerging performance 1 A=Assistance 1 I=Incomplete 1 AI=Assistance/Incomplete | No performance 0 | C=Conduct M=Modification Q=Quality R=Report |
| Name: | Name: | Name: | Name: | Name: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOB: | DOB: | DOB: | DOB: | DOB: |
Gross Motor
| C. Active Play | Target | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Swings bat, club, or stick to strike stationary object | CMQR | ||
| 1.1 Bounces ball with one hand | CMQR | ||
| 1.2 Bounces ball with two hands | CMQR | ||
| 1.3 Catches ball | CMQR | ||
| 1.4 Kicks ball | CMQR | ||
| 1.5 Throws ball overhand at target with one hand | CMQR | ||
| 1.6 Throws or rolls ball at target with two hands | CMQR |
Social-Emotional
| C. Interactions with Peers | Target | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2. Plans and acts out recognizable event, theme, or storyline in imaginary play | CMQR | ||
| 2.1 Enacts roles or identities in imaginary play | CMQR | ||
| 2.2 Uses imaginary props in play | CMQR | ||
| 3. Maintains cooperative activity | CMQR | ||
| 3.1 Initiates cooperative activity | CMQR |
Cognitive
D. Reasoning | Target | Score | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | | 3. Solves problems using multiple strategies | | | C MQ R | | 3.1 Evaluates common solutions to solve problems or reach goals | | | C MQ R | | 4. Draws plausible conclusions about events beyond personal experience | | | C MQ R | | 4.1 Draws conclusions about causes of events based on personal experience | | | C MQ R |
E. Scientific Discovery | Target | Score | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1. Expands simple observations and explorations into further inquiry | | | C MQ R | | 1.1 Uses simple tools to gather information | | | C MQ R | | 1.2 Uses senses to explore | | | | | 2. Anticipates outcome of investigation | | | | | 2.1 Generates specific questions for investigation | | | | | 2.2 Demonstrates knowledge about natural happenings | | | | | 2.3 Makes observations | | | | | 3. Investigates to test hypotheses | | | | | 3.1 Draws on prior knowledge to guide investigations | | | | | 3.2 Manipulates materials to cause change | | | | | 4. Transfers knowledge | | | | | 4.1 Communicates results of investigations | | | | | 4.2 Demonstrates knowledge of properties of change resulting from investigations | | | | | 4.3 Shows awareness that manipulation of materials or processes prompted change in those materials or processes | | | |