Middle Childhood Observation

Child Growth and Development

Virtual Middle Childhood Observation

Objectives

• To see school-age children in action
• To identify milestones of development
• To examine influences on development
• To make connections to a theory of development
• To reflect on this experience

Before You Begin

Read this assignment completely, including the evaluation rubric. If you have questions about this assignment and/or how it will be graded, reach out to your instructor for clarification.

Part One: Observing Elementary School-Aged Children

Step A: Watch the Clip

Here is the link to the video The Work of Play by the Teaching Channel.

This video is not the ideal video for observing children, but it was the best footage of school-aged children I could find. This 7:28 video showcases the role of play in the Central Park East II elementary school. For that reason, it is narrated to illustrate the power of play and explain that play is learning for children (even in elementary school).

Step B: Observe for Developmental Milestones

Instructions

1. I would encourage you to watch it once so you can listen to the narration and absorb the message they wanted to portray.
2. Then look through the four lists of milestones below to see what you need to look for when you focus on the children.
3. Then watch it again (as many times as you need), focusing just on what you see the children doing. As you do that, notice all the milestones you see in action (by any/all children).
4. Mark any milestone on the 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-years-old checklists that you observe or think you observe (some will be easier to see than others and that’s okay) with an X in the left-hand column.

5-Years-Old Checklist

Here are the milestones most children can do by 5 years of age

Gross Motor
	Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer
	Hops; may be able to skip
	Can do a somersault
	Can use a toilet on her own
	Swings and climbs
Fine Motor
	Can draw a person with at least 6 body parts
	Can print some letters or numbers
	Copies a triangle and geometric shapes
	Uses a fork and spoon and sometimes a table knife
Cognitive Milestones
	Counts 10 or more things
	Knows about things used every day, like money and food
Language Milestones
	Speaks very clearly
	Tells a simple story using full sentences
	Uses future tense; for example, “Grandma will be here.”
	Says name and address
Social and Emotional Milestones
	Wants to please friends
	Wants to be like friends
	More likely to agree with rules
	Likes to sing, dance, and act
	Is aware of gender
	Can tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
	Shows more independence (for example, may visit a next-door neighbor by himself [adult supervision is still needed])
	Is sometimes demanding and sometimes very cooperative

 

6-Years-Old Checklist

Here are the milestones most children can do at 6 years of age

Gross Motor
	Movements are more precise and deliberate
	Moves constantly
	Enjoys vigorous activity
	Rides bicycle with training wheels
	Swings a bat
Fine Motor
	Enjoys painting, modeling with clay, drawing, coloring
	Writes numbers and letters with varying degrees of precision and interest (might reverse or confuse certain letters: b/d, p/q, g/q, t/f)
	Traces around hand and other objects
	Folds and cuts paper into simple shapes
	Ties own shoes (some still struggle)
Cognitive Milestones
	Shows increased attention span
	Understands simple time markers
	Understands simple motion concepts
	Enjoys the challenges of puzzles, mazes, and games
	Names and correctly holds up right and left hand fairly consistently
	Inquisitive about surroundings and everyday events
Language Milestones
	Talks nonstop
	Carries on adult-like conversations; asks many questions
	Uses appropriate verb tenses, word order, and sentence structure
	Uses language to express displeasure
	Talks self through steps required in simple problem solving
	Imitates slang and profanity; finds “bathroom” talk extremely funny
	Delights and telling jokes and riddles
	Recognizes some words by sight;
	Attempts to sounds out words
Social and Emotional Milestones
	Becomes less dependent on parents
	Needs and seeks adult approval
	Anxious to please
	Sees events from almost entirely own perspective
	Easily disappointed and frustrated by self-perceived failure
	Has difficulty composing and soothing self
	Dislikes being corrected or losing at games
	Often fibs, cheats, or takes items belonging to others
	Knows when he or she has been bad based on expectations and rules
	Can be increasingly

 

7-Years-Old Checklist

Here are the milestones at most children can do by 7 years of age

Gross Motor
	Balances on either foot
	Runs up and down stairs with alternating feet
	Throws and catches smaller ball
	Practices a new motor skill over and over until mastered, then drops it to work on something else
	Finds floor more comfortable than furniture when reading, playing, or watching TV
	Legs are often in constant motion
Fine Motor
	Manipulates computer mouse or paintbrush with greater precision
	Uses knife and fork appropriately, but inconsistently
	Holds pencil in tight grasp near the tip; rests head on forearm, lowers head almost to the tabletop when doing pencil-and-paper tasks
	Produces numbers and letters in deliberate and confident fashion (more uniform)
Cognitive Milestones
	Understands concepts of space and time in ways that are both logical and more practical
	Begins to grasp conservation
	Gains better understanding of cause and effect
	Tells time by clock and understands calendar time
	Plans ahead
	Shows fascination with magic tricks
	Enjoys counting and saving money
	Continues to reverse some letters and substitute sounds on occasion
Language Milestones
	Engages in storytelling
	Uses adult-like sentence structure and language in conversation
	Uses more adjectives and adverbs
	Uses gestures to illustrate conversations
	Verbal exaggeration is common
	Describes personal experiences in great detail
	Understands and carries out multiple-step directions
	Enjoys writing simple notes to friends
	Finds reading easier
	Reading skills are better than spelling skills
Social and Emotional Milestones
	Criticizes own performance
	Is cooperative and affectionate towards adults
	Is more outgoing
	Seeks outs friendships
	Can find things to do independently
	Quarrels less often
	Still tattles
	Prefers same-sex playmates
	More likely to play in groups
	Blames others or makes up excuses for own behavior
	Worries about not being liked
	Feelings are easily hurt
	Can be trusted to carry out directions and commitments
	Worries about being late or not getting school work done

 

8-Years-Old Checklist

Here are the milestones most children can do by 8 years of age

Gross Motor
	Likes to dance, skate, swim, wrestle, ride bikes, play basketball, jump rope, and fly kites
	Seeks out opportunities to play in team activities and games
	Exhibits significant improvement in agility, balance, speed, and strength
	Possess seemingly endless energy
	Likes to dance, skate, swim, wrestle, ride bikes, play basketball, jump rope, and fly kites
	Seeks out opportunities to play in team activities and games
	Exhibits significant improvement in agility, balance, speed, and strength
	Possess seemingly endless energy
Fine Motor
	Copies words and numbers with increasing speed and accuracy
	Has good eye-hand coordination
	Drawings reflect more realistic portrayal of objects
	Copies words and numbers with increasing speed and accuracy
	Has good eye-hand coordination
	Drawings reflect more realistic portrayal of objects
Cognitive Milestones
	Organizes and displays items according to more complex systems
	Bargains and trades collectible items
	Plan and saves money for small purchases
	Begins to take interest in what others think and do
	Understands there are distant countries and differences of opinion and culture
	Understands perspective (shadow, distance, shape)
	Grasps basic principles of conservation
	Uses more sophisticated logic in efforts to understand everyday events
	Adds and subtracts multiple digit numbers
	Learning multiplication and division
Language Milestones
	Reads with ease and understanding
	Writes with descriptions that are imaginative and detailed
	Uses language to criticize and compliment others
	Repeats slang and curse words
	Understands and follows rules of grammar in conversation and written form
	Is intrigued with learning secret word codes or using code language
	Able to think and talk about past and future
Social and Emotional Milestones
	Begins to form opinions about moral values and attitudes
	Plays with two or three best friends; most often of same age and gender
	Enjoys spending some time alone
	Participates in team games and activities
	Acceptance by peers is important
	Enjoys talking on the phone with friends and family
	Seems less critical of own performance, but is easily
	Understands others may have more talent in a specific area
	Enjoys performing for adults and challenging them in games

 

Step C: Summarize the Development Observed for Each Domain

Using the milestones you were able to check off and what you have learned about development in Chapters 10-12 that might not be represented in the selected milestones, summarize what you observed about each of these areas of development. Your summaries should be at least a paragraph long, address several milestones, and include information that you saw related to each domain that is not included in the milestone checklists.

Physical Development (gross and fine motor and movement)
Cognitive and Language Development (thinking and communication)
Social and Emotional Development (interactions, social and self-awareness, expression of feelings, and self-control)

 

Step D: Analyze a Specific Milestone

Choose one specific milestone you observed from any area of any checklist (for example, “Reads with ease and understanding”) to analyze a little more closely. Think about why this milestone is important enough to notice as well as things that may positively and negatively influence that milestone (for example, if a child has been in a literacy-rich environment and read to regularly, this would support their development of learning to read).

What milestone did you choose?
Why is this milestone important? (What does it show us about the child’s development? What does it now allow the child to do? What is coming next?)
What is something that could be a positive influence on how and when this milestone develops? (What would support this milestone)
What is something that could be a negative influence on how and when this milestone develops? (What could undermine or delay this milestone?)

 

Step E: Make a Connection to a Theory

Theories help guide us to understand children’s growth and development. The key theories in Child Development were introduced in Chapter 1 and revisited in later chapters, where appropriate. Connect something you observed to a theory we have covered in class (for example, noticing that children can memorize information and process information quickly illustrating the theory of Information Processing).

What theory are you making a connection with?
Where is this theory discussed in the book? Provide the chapter and page number.
How does what you observed illustrate this theory? Be specific about what you observed and how it relates to the theory.

 

Part Two: Reflection

Reflect on this experience by answering each of the questions.

How was this experience different than seeing these children in person? (Consider both benefits and drawbacks)
What do you still have questions about in terms of middle childhood development? What else do you wish you could have seen in action?

 

Evaluation Criteria

Exemplary

Emerging

Building

Checklists

Identified almost many milestones in all domains in all four ages 13 points

Several milestones present in the video not identified on checklists 11-12½ points

Missing numerous milestones; missing domains and/or ages 1-10½ points

Missing completely 0 points

Development Summaries

Provided accurate, thorough 1 paragraph summary addressing milestones and other content for all three domains 13 points

Summary mostly accurate or not quite thorough and/or only addresses milestones or other content 11-12½ points

Summaries not thorough and/or not accurate; milestones not identified 1-10½ points

Missing 0 points

Milestone Analysis

Specific milestone observed chosen; thorough explanation of importance and accurate and specific positive and negative influences identified 8 points

Specific milestone observed chosen, but explanation of importance could be more thorough or positive and negative influences could be more specific 6-7½ points

Did not choose a specific milestone, explanation wasn’t accurate, and/or influences not accurate 1-5½ points

Missing 0 points

Theory Connection

Identified theory and clearly related it to what was observed; AND provided chapter and page number in book 8 points

Identified theory; missing chapter or page number; OR connection to what was observed could have been more thoroughly described 6-7½ points

Identified theory; missing chapter and page number; OR inaccurate or missing explanation of connection to what was observed 1-5½ points

Missing 0 points

Reflection

Fully addresses all questions providing a complete reflection of at least a paragraph 5 points

All questions are at least partially addressed 4-4½ points

Missing responses to some questions 1-3½ points

Missing 0 points

Format and spelling & grammar

Types into form with very few spelling and grammar errors 3 points

Typed into form with some spelling and grammar errors 1-2½ points

Did not use form (may be asked to resubmit) OR many errors 0-½ points

Total Points Earned    ______________  /  50