The goal of this paper is to create a developmentally appropriate learning activity. First, you must describe specific developmental theories. Then use the theories to form a foundation for a learning activity that is appropriate for 3rd-grade students. Next, you will discuss the plan you have in place for promoting the cognitive, social/emotional, and moral development of the children. Please use the outline below as the structure for this paper and answer the bullet point questions Please include a reference page. I. Introduction~ Overview of Developmentally Appropriate Practice • What is developmentally appropriate practice? • Why is it important that educators have a working understanding of the concept of developmentally appropriate practice? II. Description of the developmental theories that guide developmentally appropriate practice • Cognitive and Socio-Cultural Development Theories – Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky • Psychosocial Stages of Development Theory- Erik Erikson • Stages of Moral Development – Lawrence Kohlberg • Motivation- Hierarchy of Needs Abraham Maslow • Model of Nested Ecology- Uri Bronfenbrenner Sections III and IV III. Your Developmentally Appropriate Learning Activity Apply the child development theories you have described above in a sample learning activity and classroom plan to support the growth and development of the children in your class • What is the grade level of the children in your class? • Select an age appropriate lesson for the grade level you are teaching. • What is the subject you are teaching and what are the learning outcomes for this lesson? • Describe the learning activity you have created. You may also select a lesson plan that you have found online that meets your criteria for developmental appropriateness. IV. Your Developmentally Appropriate Classroom Plan Cognitive: Which stage of Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development describes the children in your class? Describe how this learning activity will support and promote the developmental level of the children in your class according to Jean Piaget. How do you plan to implement Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding strategies during the activity? Social/Emotional: State the stage of psychosocial development your students are in. Based upon the potential “crisis” area for this stage according to Erik Erikson’s theory of Psycho Social Development, describe your plan for creating opportunities to support a positive outcome for the critical stage of psycho social development of the children in your class during the activity. Motivation and Discipline: Describe how you will apply Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to guide your approach in promoting student learning and plan for addressing the deficiency needs that may get in the way of their intellectual development stage during the activity? Describe the moral development stage of the students in your class according to Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development . Discuss a developmentally appropriate method of discipline you have in place to use to promote the development of prosocial behavior among the children in your class during the activity. Parent Engagement: Describe your plan for engaging the culturally diverse parents of the children in your classroom. Explain how Bronfenbrenner’s Model of Nested Ecology can assist you in making a meaningful connection with students’ families in supporting their reinforcement of the topic before and/or after the class learning activity.
