Resources for Teaching 'Giraffes Can't Dance'

This article provides teaching resources for 'Giraffes Can't Dance', including intentional teaching methods, props and puppets, and incorporating the story into your program. It also includes a reflective journal on the author's experience with teaching the story. The article aims to enhance students' understanding and enjoyment of the story.

Project Two – Resources
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Project Two – Resources.............................................................................................................1
Project Two......................................................................................................................................3
1. Within using the Intentional Teaching, describing and documenting ways in which support
to the children’s understanding of the following can be done.....................................................4
2. Listing and describing the props or puppets that can be use to enhance the children’s
understanding, enjoyment and learning of this story...................................................................5
3. Two resources which will be used for demonstrating the understanding of story..................8
4. incorporating story and resources into the program..............................................................14
5. Reflective Journal..................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19
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Project Two
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(Source- Giraffes Can't Dance, 2020)
The book which has been selected for undertaking the current project is “Giraffes can’t dance”.
The author of the books is Guy Parker-Rees and selected age group of the children is 5-10 years
of age. The story revolves around the Giraffe whose name is Gerald who does not want anything
expect dancing. Gerald has thin knees and thin legs and therefore, it is hard to dance. Gerald is
upset as other animals can dance and enjoy the dancing. Gerald gets encouraging word from an
unlikely friend who is monkey and finally Gerald become able to dance (Giraffes Can't Dance,
2020). The story is about the encouragement and dedication which provide lesson to the children.
Also, the main character of the story is interesting which creates the interest level in children.
1. Within using the Intentional Teaching, describing and documenting ways in which support to
the children’s understanding of the following can be done
Intentional teaching has been determined as the teaching method that means working with
having an objective in the mind (Högberg and Gärdenfors, 2021). In order to engage the children
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in classroom the ideas, strengths and needs it is important to encourage children so, they can
develop high order thinking skills and this has been determined as the part of intentional
teaching. Within using the intentional teaching approach following elements will be explained to
the children.
Title
The title of the book is “Giraffe can’t dance “. In order to support the understanding of
the story it is important to analyse the title to the children. Now, for analysing the title to the
children, Picture of the Giraffe will be used so, children can become aware about the major
character around which story is revolving.
Author
The picture of the author is being shown to the children so, they can become aware who
has written the story. The objective behind this is to support the understanding of the children
Illustrator
Illustrator understanding can be promoted within using the flyers, magazines and
animations
Blurb
The scene from the book will take and mysterious plot will be created (whether the
giraffe can dance or not) and feedback of the children will be taken at the end whether they liked
the mystery or not.
2. Listing and describing the props or puppets that can be use to enhance the children’s
understanding, enjoyment and learning of this story
Props and puppets can lead to increase the involvement of the children in the classroom
and they will become more attainable. The learning in the children can be easily promoted within
using the props and puppets for describing the “Giraffes Can’t Dance” story.
Props which will be used
Giraffe props
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The prop of giraffe will be use in order to create about the major understanding related to the
main character. This helps in increasing the interest level of the student. This Giraffe will be
denoted as Gerald.
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This prop is depicting that Giraffe can dance. In order to explain the end of the story this prop
will be used. Also, within showing this prop it will be asked to student that, what they can
identify from this (Sabariah, Santosa and Ferdiana, 2019). The answer from the students helps in
knowing that, whether they get to know about the end or not. Along with this, attentiveness of
the students can be determined.
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Monkey props
This prop will be used for analysing the role of the Giraffe friend. While showing this prop to
student it will be said to the students that he is the friend of Giraffe and then children will
identify the name of the friend. In this manner, the understanding of the children will be
promoted and their interest will be monitored.
Puppets which will be used
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Finger puppets
These are the puppets that can be easily controlled by the fingers and will be easy to use.
Therefore, analysing the story and creating an effective understanding of the story these puppets
will be used. It will lead to increase the excitement level of the students.
String puppets
These puppets will be used in order to show Giraffe while dancing. With the help of
string it becomes easy to show the dancing movement of the Giraffe. Also, children will become
happy when they will see giraffe while dancing at the end. Also, the conversation between
monkey and Giraffe will be show with the help of string puppets.
3. Two resources which will be used for demonstrating the understanding of story
Picture collection
The collection of the pictures that has been presented below will be used for the children in order
to analyse the story. In starting it will be shown that giraffe is dreaming about dancing. Also,
pictures of all the animals will be shown for creating the understanding about the animals in
children. However, giraffe is not able to dance therefore, he only dreams about it (Tetourová and
et.al., 2020). Another pictures shows conversation with the monkey in which monkey motivates
the giraffe and finally giraffe become able to dance. After this incident monkey and giraffe
becomes best friends. At the end, Giraffe is happy as he can finally dance. The collection of the
pictures which will be used is presented below-
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Finger puppets
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The above shown puppets will be used in order to analysing the story. With the help of puppets
children gets the higher level of excitement and they start answering the question. The fingers
can be move and it leads to create the movement by puppets which makes the whole process
interesting. Thus, for showing the dance movements of Gerald (Giraffe) The fingers will be
move and this leads to create the dance movements. Thus, in this manner the whole process will
be made interesting and children gets the opportunity in terms of enhancing their learning.
4. incorporating story and resources into the program
a. Setting up the environment for students
Learning environment should be convenient and attractive which make students attentive to
learn and enhance their knowledge. While two major resources were used effectively to promote
better understanding about the story. In this scenario, building the positive environment is salient
aspect which drive children ability to learn more rapidly. Story telling considered as effective
tool which enhances the possible chances for students to get in touch with the story in efficient
and effective ways. In such learning environment this tool develops the fundamental aspect
which eases children to connect and enhance the learning capability. Assessing the learning skills
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of students is quite significant as it helps to know what knowledge is learnt by children's
regarding to the specific story. After completing the story students were provided with extra
session in which multiple questions were asked to them regarding to the story. It depicts their
knowledge and what they have learnt from the particular story.
b. Utilization of resources safeguarding sustained collaborations with children
The two major resources considered for Giraffes can’t dance was picture collection and prop box
as it was most convenient to form better collaboration with students about the specific topic. The
resources serve the ability to describe story in the easiest manner. Also, it assisted with chance to
formulate sustained interactions as those conversations provides opportunities to converse and
identifying the problems. All the materials were helpful to make students attentive about story
(Silva and et.al., 2019). It was easy to make story to be understand easily by using particular
items such as images of giraffe, puppets, masks, hat and a lot more items from set of prop box.
Children found it convenient and such way to explaining the story interacted them in classroom.
All the aspects likely to be termed as curiosity, imagination, cooperation and persistence were
maintained accordingly without framing up the mismanagement into teaching standards within
classroom.
c. Areas of development
In this phase, students were asked to frame the short summary of the overall story which clearly
specifies what they have learnt and understood from the story. Forming up the summary by the
students allows accessibility to gauge their capability and areas need to be improved. Students
having the ability to create short summary about the story are the ones with appropriate
analytical skills. Skill set is highly required in the classroom to enhance the productivity of
children which would positive impact on other behaviour as well. Emotional development is
quite significant which needs to be developed in order to create better understanding of their own
feelings and crafting adequate ways to express them accordingly. Social development is another
approach that should be developed by learners to cope up with others and get associated with
suitable knowledge factors.
d. Reflecting on ways to improve activity
Forming up the creativity in classroom is one the most prominent function as it drives children
learning ability towards enhancement. For teaching to children with age group of 5-10 years, it is
decisive to have better utilization of resources aligning with the story as this will make efficiency
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and better understanding among them. As using the picture and prop box, I will be making more
effective use of other multiple resources as well to improve enough capability among students
learning criteria. It will be including visual experience, presentations, voice of animals can
enhance the interest of the children towards story. This will assist them with better understanding
and convenience of learning that will impact positively into their knowledgerial levels. For
interaction of children within the classroom I will be implementing cooperative learning
strategies in place as part of day to day activity to make possible approaches for children to
become active. Team activities will be conducted that will serve them as fun of working as well
as sharing together with something unique experience. It is better to trundle learners often
providing them chance for experience learning in group with other children’ having different
kind of thought process.
5. Reflective Journal
Consulted with children for their experience
The students were consulted on the basis of group and individually to solve their doubts or other
problematic concerns regarding to any topic. They were provided with most appropriate
solutions and asked individually about learning experience provided to them with the help of
availability of resources. The one on one session was made to get in touch with everyone
perspectives about the story telling and what knowledge they have gained from my teaching
standards. On the basis of this procedure I will be improving my futuristic teaching practices
accordingly to enhance the chance of forming up the better understanding among students.
Acknowledge about children uniqueness
Children’s uniqueness drives the fundamental prospect which shows how systematically children
involve themselves to attain higher knowledge about what is being studied in the class. Similarly,
I paid my attention towards children learning ability regarding what they have learnt in the
overall process about story. The survey was conducted by me in which I asked some questions
associated with the story to know what they have learnt in this whole process. By getting
answers from each student I was able to analyse the inimitability of every individual learner.
This clearly stated that how children have made their valuable contribution in learning stage and
how productively they can express their ideas with others in classroom.
How children efforts were encouraged
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Children feel appreciated when they are recognized for their work or creativity made in
classroom. For influencing the bunch of efforts, I build the possibilities for them to interact with
getting new experiences and letting them to gain enough knowledge. Also, I developed positive
environment and competition in classroom to motivate all children to try harder and accomplish
the desired target. I have supported them with essential resources to ease their understanding
about story.
How response made towards additional support
By having the leaning from the story I have gained the feedback from the students that I
have to respond in the better way. I have taken the feedback from the students about the lacking
points while having the story telling. In order to have the special attention I used to listen the
concern of my students as it used to provide the clear understanding to them. As there were some
children who were required to have the special attention or support so by having the one to one
conversation with them it helps me to solve that problem in the systematic manner. I also used
the accurate knowledge about the things which were related to the story which used to have clear
understanding and have better response at the end. by providing them the feeling of safety it
helps me to have special attention related to their better learning.
How they were influenced to participate to get experience
In order to encouraged all the children so that they can participate in a variety of lesson and
experience, I have adopted unique and innovative way. It means I have used the picture
collection method as well as the prop box method to tell the story regarding “Giraffe can’t
dance” to students. This has enhanced my communication skill along with develop my
personality as a tutor. I have explained the activity of picture collection and prop box to the
students in this situation to appreciate the students to gain unique and innovative experience. For
me, child participation in the class is important for the positive children and youth development
(Champeaux and et.al., 2020). The incorporation of various practical activities is one of the best
way through which students get motivated towards the learning. Organizing each class sessions
with the unique activity and telling the story at high volume pace is helpful for encouraging the
students to participate and gather new experience. I have also trying to add, extend and build
different activities such as dance, visuals, dramas etc. within the class to keep the students
engaged within the classes. Also, extending and building on the activities that the child has
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shown preferences is also one of the way which I will use in future to keep the students engaged
in a variety experience.
How child right favoured in terms of not participating
To respect the child right of not to participate in the different experience, I have taken consent
from each child and its parents regarding the same. I have also allowed the child to make their
own choice that whether they want to participate in the activity or not. In case, if the child refuse
to do so than they are allowable to not to participate in the activity. I have also listen each child
separately and respond to their mistakes with grace.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Champeaux, H. and et.al., 2020. Learning at home: distance learning solutions and child
development during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Högberg, A. and Gärdenfors, P., 2021. Evolution of intentional teaching.
Sabariah, M.K., Santosa, P.I. and Ferdiana, R., 2019, January. Requirement elicitation
framework for child learning application-A research plan. In Proceedings of the 2nd
International Conference on Software Engineering and Information Management (pp. 129-133).
Silva, C. and et.al., 2019, June. See the World Through the Eyes of a Child: Learning from
children's cognitive maps for the design of child-targeted locative systems. In Proceedings of the
2019 on Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 763-776).
Tetourová, T. and et.al., 2020. To solve or to observe? The case of problem‐solving interactivity
within child learning games. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 36(6), pp.981-996.
Online
Giraffes Can't Dance, 2020. [Online] (Accessed through)
<https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/765148.Giraffes_Can_t_Dance>.
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