PLAY CENTER: PET STORE BECCA OWEN

RATIONALE Based on case study Jack’s interest in animals, particularly dogs His best friend, Gorge, got a dog at the beginning of this semester A lot of conversations about pets during breakfast – with Gorge and Jack as well as many of the other students in the classroom. Home visit to friends house resulted in us playing with the puppy Had shown interest in a pet store when we went past one on a previous field trip Doesn’t have pets because family doesn’t have time or resources for an animal STORY BOX IMPLEMENTATION Conversation during circle time about what pets people have in other countries, particularly in China, since we spent the most time with that storybox.

SET UP OF THE PLAY CENTER

MATERIALS PROVIDED Makeshift cages Empty bags of cat food Stuffed animals: dogs, cats, fish, rabbits, etc Cash register with play money (great for counting skills) Notepad and pencil for writing down what people are buying Leashes and collars Dog toys Dog and cat clothing Medical materials used for pets

Students used medical materials for pets on themselves and the stuffed animals in the pet store casita.

LITERACY Several casitas we have had in our classroom have incorporated notepads – in the restaurant to take orders, in the house to write down notes, in the doctors office to write prescriptions, and for the pet store to write what people are buying and how much things cost. Animal/pet books by the front of the center and around the room. Pictures of dogs/cats/birds with writing about them. Puppies for Sale sign

SUCCESSES Children were initially very interested in the center – They interacted with all of the stuffed animals and put leashes and collars onto them. Case study child, who does not usually play in the casita, did so on one day. Loved the play money – interacted with that more than anything else, and were counting out coins and dollar bills to give to their friends Assigned different roles in their play – cashier, customer, etc. Used the notepad frequently to play write notes about different animals STRUGGLES Interest only held for about a week and a half We had to intervene because one girl stole all the money and started attempting to take stuffed animals home with her as well