Web Exercises

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Web Exercise #1: The Weight of the Nation
LO 7.1 Discuss physical development in early childhood.

Chapter 7 discusses physical development in early childhood. Specifically, it discusses the fact that vitamins and minerals are important in healthy development. Additionally, children must play, utilizing both gross motor and fine motor skills. However, many children in the United States are at risk, because families feed them foods that are high in calories and low in vitamins and minerals. In this exercise, students will watch the documentary, The Weight of the Nation: Part 3 – Children in Crisis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T24B6T-hp0E and answer these questions:

  1. If the parents were concerned about the health of their children, why do you think they let them eat the wrong foods?
  2. What are the health consequences of overweight children?
  3. Do you think that parents should model healthy eating? What about other family members who are not overweight? Why or why not?
  4. How do families, neighborhoods, and schools play a role in the health of children? 
  5. Should schools take more responsibility for the health of the students?

Web Exercise #2: Brain Plasticity
LO 7.1 Discuss physical development in early childhood. 

The human brain has the incredible power to re-wire itself in some cases. Although we know the brain is plastic, there is much more we do not know about the brain plasticity. In this video, students will watch a TED talk presented by Michael Merzenich, a leading researcher on brain plasticity and answer the questions below.

  1. Describe what we know about brain plasticity in childhood. 
  2. What does this talk add to our knowledge?
  3. What support does the speaker offer regarding plasticity in adulthood?
  4. What are the implications for our understanding of plasticity in childhood? 

 

Web Exercise #3: I Want to be an Early Childhood Educator
LO 7.5 Identify and explain two approaches to early childhood education.

Some students may be taking this class because they want to become early childhood educators. The purpose of this exercise is to encourage students to explore the process of becoming an early childhood educator. Use the following websites to explore this job:

  1. What kinds of degrees do people need to have a career in early childhood education?
  2. What kinds of jobs can a person get with each type of degree in early childhood education?
  3. About how much does a person make with each degree in early childhood education?
  4. Describe findings of research on pre-kindergarten? How do these findings compare with the research discussed in the textbook?
  5. After completing this exercise, are you interested in getting a degree in early education? Why or why not?
  6. If you were an early childhood educator, how would you make a difference?