Portfolio
PRGRT01
Assignment number:
685437
Dina-Mari Bohr
Student number:
79169708
, Question 1
The layout of a Grade R classroom is essential to the teacher’s success in teaching , the separate
areas need to be well planned to optimize learning. The classroom should be designed to encourage
a child’s natural curiosity and desire to learn about her world. The separate areas in the classroom
are as follow:
1. Block play and big construction area
2. Emergent reading area (book area)
3. Emergent science and mathematics area
4. Educational games area
5. Small construction and fine motor skill area
6. Art area
7. Fantasy play area
1. Block play and big construction area.
The block play area should be in a low-traffic area in the classroom to keep other children from
bumping a structure over, the area should also be nice and big to allow children to build and explore
without constraint. Blocks should be able to be built on a flat surface as child builds with blocks, they
are developing control of the small muscles of their fingers and hands as blocks are added to a
structure. It is important to give the children a big selection of blocks as perceptions of size, weight,
and shape are developing and language skills are growing as children discuss what they are building.
Cooperation and planning among children develops as they work together toward a common goal.
Make sure to store building blocks in clearly marked containers to keep the area neat.
2. Emergent reading area (book area).
Books should be placed in a quiet part of the classroom. A simple bookshelf filled with books and
attractive cushions or chairs is all you need, when children play in the emergent reading area they
pretend read, learn to enjoy, appreciate, and care for books. Change the books regularly to attract
children to sit quietly with a book. Students also re-read or re-visit familiar stories and "picture read"
these familiar books. They also practice reading skills by looking for words they know in stories or
practice sounding out works. Screens or other dividers such as shelves can be used to separate this
area from the rest of the classroom.
3. Emergent science and mathematics area
Have a display or interest table near the carpet area. This table can display the theme for the week,
or a new skill to be learnt. Sometimes the table can be a “touch and learn” table and other times it
can be a “look only” table. All items on the table should be labelled. Children can interact with
materials on their own or in small groups as they explore items at the Science area. Counting shells,
sorting leaves by size or shape, classifying rocks by type, and experimenting with magnets are
examples of activities young children can do here. Children learn about making patterns, comparing,
sequencing, graphing, measuring, counting, sorting, classifying, adding, subtracting, and geometric
shapes; providing students a natural way to explore and extract mathematical meaning.