1. Piaget

2. To recap Sensorimotor stage (birth - 2 years old)Sensorimotor stage (birth - 2 years old) Preoperational stage (ages 2-7)Preoperational stage (ages 2-7) Concrete operations (ages 7-11)Concrete operations (ages 7-11) Formal operations (beginning at ages 11-15)–By this point, the child’s cognitive structures are like those of an adult and include conceptual reasoning.Formal operations (beginning at ages 11-15)–By this point, the child’s cognitive structures are like those of an adult and include conceptual reasoning.

3. The schema A schema is a picture of what we know about life at a particular point in time.A schema is a picture of what we know about life at a particular point in time. Based on our needs we either assimilate or accommodateBased on our needs we either assimilate or accommodate

4. Assimilation An infant knows how to grab his favorite rattle and thrust it into his mouth. - He’s got that schema down pat.An infant knows how to grab his favorite rattle and thrust it into his mouth. - He’s got that schema down pat. He comes across some other object -- say daddy’s expensive watch, he easily learns to transfer his “grab and thrust” schema to the new object.He comes across some other object -- say daddy’s expensive watch, he easily learns to transfer his “grab and thrust” schema to the new object. This is assimilation, specifically assimilating a new object into an old schema.This is assimilation, specifically assimilating a new object into an old schema.

5. Accommodation When our infant comes across another object again -- say a beach ball -- he will try his old schema of grab and thrust.When our infant comes across another object again -- say a beach ball -- he will try his old schema of grab and thrust. This of course works poorly with the new object. So the schema will adapt to the new object: Perhaps, in this example, “squeeze and drool” would be an appropriate title for the new schema.This of course works poorly with the new object. So the schema will adapt to the new object: Perhaps, in this example, “squeeze and drool” would be an appropriate title for the new schema. This is called accommodation, specifically accommodating an old schema to a new object.This is called accommodation, specifically accommodating an old schema to a new object.

6. Adaptation Assimilation and accommodation are the two sides of adaptationAssimilation and accommodation are the two sides of adaptation Adaptation is also known as learningAdaptation is also known as learning Piaget sees it as a fundamentally biological process. Even one’s grip has to accommodate to a stone, while clay is assimilated into our grip.Piaget sees it as a fundamentally biological process. Even one’s grip has to accommodate to a stone, while clay is assimilated into our grip.

7. Equilibrium Assimilation and accommodation work like pendulum swings at advancing our understanding of the world and our competency in it.Assimilation and accommodation work like pendulum swings at advancing our understanding of the world and our competency in it. According to Piaget, they are directed at a balance between the structure of the mind and the environment, at a certain congruency between the two, that would indicate that you have a good (or at least good-enough) model of the universe.According to Piaget, they are directed at a balance between the structure of the mind and the environment, at a certain congruency between the two, that would indicate that you have a good (or at least good-enough) model of the universe.

8. Handout Read and take notes on the handout.Read and take notes on the handout. Complete the puzzle.Complete the puzzle.

9. Answers to handout puzzle. The E and the 7. The E must have an even number on the back -- that much is obvious. the 7 is odd, so it cannot have a vowel on the other side -- that would be against the rule! But the rule says nothing about what has to be on the back of a consonant such as the K, nor does it say that the 4 must have a vowel on the other sideThe E and the 7. The E must have an even number on the back -- that much is obvious. the 7 is odd, so it cannot have a vowel on the other side -- that would be against the rule! But the rule says nothing about what has to be on the back of a consonant such as the K, nor does it say that the 4 must have a vowel on the other side

10. Activity Read the story provided twice.Read the story provided twice. Put the story that you read in the center of the table.Put the story that you read in the center of the table. Rewrite the story that you read on a piece of paper. Include as much detail as possible.Rewrite the story that you read on a piece of paper. Include as much detail as possible. Put your version of the story in the center of the table.Put your version of the story in the center of the table. Repeat the process with someone else’s version of a different story.Repeat the process with someone else’s version of a different story.

11. Reflection How did you use accommodation and assimilation in this activity?How did you use accommodation and assimilation in this activity?