Active learning ideas
The topic 'How I Have Grown' helps 1st Class students recognize the physical, emotional, and intellectual changes they have experienced since infancy. This connects to the NCCA SPHE strand 'Myself,' specifically 'Growing and Changing.' It encourages children to take pride in their new abilities and to look forward to future developments.
Activity 01
Students bring in a photo or drawing of themselves as a baby and place it next to a current self-portrait. The class walks around to observe the changes in size, features, and the things they can do now compared to then.
How have I changed since I was a baby?
Activity 02
In small groups, students sort cards with different skills (e.g., crawling, riding a bike, reading, tying laces) into a timeline of when they usually happen. They discuss which skills they have mastered and which they are still learning.
What can I do now that I couldn't do before?
Activity 03
Children think of one thing they can do now that they couldn't do in Senior Infants. They share this with a partner and discuss how it makes them feel to be 'bigger' and more capable.
How will I change in the future?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Growing only means getting taller.
Children focus on physical height. Active learning tasks that highlight 'new skills' (like reading or sharing) help them understand that emotional and mental growth is just as important.
Everyone should be able to do the same things at the same age.
Students can feel discouraged if they haven't met a milestone. Use collaborative investigations to show that growth timelines are different for everyone and that 'not yet' is okay.
Methods used in this brief