- whatchamacallit
MA Standards:
English Language Arts/Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.2 Recall information for short periods of time and retell, act out, or represent information from a text read aloud, a recording, or a video (e.g., watch a video about birds and their habitats and make drawings or constructions of birds and their nests).
Head Start Outcomes:
Language Development/Receptive Language Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 12 Listen to, recite, sing, and dramatize a variety of age-appropriate literature.
English Language Arts/Language 3 Communicate personal experiences or interests.
Watch Together: “The Whatchamacallit” #2 (PEEP show)
STEM Key Concepts: A ramp, or inclined plane, is a surface with one end higher than the other; An object placed on an inclined plane will roll, slide, or stay put
ELA Focus Skills: Active Viewing, Cause and Effect, Listening and Speaking, Story Comprehension, Vocabulary
Tell children that they are going to watch the PEEP and the Big Wide World video “The Whatchamacallit” again. Set a viewing focus for children by asking them to recognize how things roll, slide, or stay put on the slide.
Before you Watch
Discuss what children recall from viewing the video earlier in the week. Ask questions such as,
- Why did Raccoon call the gutter pipe a whatchamacallit?
- How did Chip and Peep first discover a fun way to use the whatchamacallit?
As You Watch
- Pause the video occasionally and ask children to predict what happens next.
- Pause when Raccoon throws something out of the trash and onto the gutter. Have children discuss how the object moved down the ramp and why they think it moved that way.
After You Watch
After children watch the video, ask questions such as:
- What discoveries did Peep, Chirp, and Quack make about slides and ramps that you have made while exploring slides and ramps?
- What happens when Raccoon sits on the ramp?
- What did you notice when the ramp fell down?
Educator Tip: Watching and discussing the selected PEEP stories and live-action video clips can spark and extend children’s interest and understanding of ramps. We suggest that children watch the video after they have had an opportunity to do their own initial exploration of ramps. That way your children can compare their experiences and discoveries with those shown on the video and think about what additional ramp explorations they might like to try.
