Material
- Eight approximately 9” by 9” cake tines, to be laid out in pairs in the classroom, with plaster of paris (or similar) colored forms each having matching pairs.
Lake—————–Island
Peninsula————-Gulf
Cape——————Bay
Isthmus————–Strait
Lake Island
- Watering can with water
- Small sponge
- Waterproof mat
- Waterproof name labels.
- Photos of real land and water forms
N.B., Land extends all over trays, low where water is to go. Inscribe a blue water line around the tray to show the child how deep the water level should be. The land is colored green.
Teacher’s Presentation
(N.B. For small child’s first presentation, show how to pour to the blue line and do not include names.)
- Take lake and island trays to the child’s table, with his help.
- Say that you are going to show him a model of some of the things in the world.
- Show land and say that you are going to pour water over the blue.
- As you pour the water in, you explain that it is the rain falling over the land saying, “ This is an island. You can see how the water is all around it… This water is a lake. You can see how the land is all around the lake.”
- Proceed with the second stage of the 3-period lesson (e.g., “what is this called? What is this water called?”)
- Do the same with all the other pairs of forms.
Further Presentation
When the child can do this, give a 3-period lesson with the name labels, which should be small enough to fit into the lake, strait, etc.
Show real photos of islands, lakes, etc.
Direct Aim
To give the child a clear picture of forms of land and water. The child associates the form with places he has been to. Let him bring photos to show.
Point of Interest
- The sound of the new names.
- Keeping the water level below the blue line.
- Drying after use before putting it away.
Further Exercises
The children make their own models of land and water forms with clay. They make tiny boats for the water.