Abigail McPhillips' ID portfolio

Navigation links: ETAP 623 Fall 2026 | Link to my mini-course front page

About Me

My name is Abigail McPhillips, and I am from Newburgh, NY. I received my bachelor's degree in history and psychology from Mount Saint Mary College, and I am now enrolled in the Curriculum Design and Instructional Technology graduate program at the University at Albany.

I hold teaching certifications in Early Childhood Education, Childhood Education, and Special Education. It is my dream to teach students in grades Pre-K through 2nd grade. I enjoy working with young learners and creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences that help students grow and develop.

I am currently a district substitute teacher in Newburgh NY. I have the opportunity to work with students across different grade levels with very diverse backgrounds.

My Topic and Purpose

My mini-course will focus on the topic of  Hands-On Exploration in Pre-K. The course will show  the importance of providing young children with opportunities to learn through active, meaningful experiences. The course will also explore how hands-on activities, sensory experiences, manipulatives, experiments, art, building, and other forms of exploration can support children’s cognitive, social-emotional, language, fine motor, and problem-solving development. The purpose of the mini-course is not only to help educators understand why hands-on exploration is important for young children, but also how to plan for it and put it into practice in the Pre-K classroom. Participants will learn how to intentionally create hands-on learning experiences that connect to developmental goals and encourage children to explore, make choices, ask questions, experiment, and problem-solve.

I chose this topic because young children learn best when they are actively engaged in what they are learning rather than simply being told information. As someone with experience working in a Pre-K classroom, I have seen firsthand how excited and engaged children become when they are given the opportunity to explore and learn through doing. I believe hands-on learning is an important part of creating a developmentally appropriate and engaging Pre-K classroom where children can build confidence, curiosity, independence, and a love of learning.

Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content

Throughout the mini-course, participants will develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to intentionally incorporate hands-on exploration into a Pre-K classroom. In terms of knowledge, participants will develop an understanding of what hands-on exploration is, why it is important for young children, how it supports different areas of development, and how teachers can create meaningful opportunities for exploration. Participants will develop skills in selecting appropriate materials, planning safe and developmentally appropriate activities, observing children’s exploration, asking questions, providing guidance, and knowing when to step in or allow children to continue exploring independently. The course will also encourage positive attitudes toward hands-on learning by helping participants view children as active learners who are capable of making choices, solving problems, asking questions, and learning through their own experiences. Participants will be encouraged to see the teacher’s role as one of supporting and extending children’s learning rather than directing every part of the experience. By developing these knowledge, skills, and attitudes, participants will be better prepared to intentionally plan and put hands-on exploration into practice in their own Pre-K classrooms.

Needs Assessment

The Educational Problem or Opportunity

The educational opportunity for this mini course is to help Pre-K teachers better understand how hands-on exploration can support the learning and development of young students. Hands-on exploration is something that tends to naturally happen in a Pre-K classroom. Young children learn by interacting with materials, exploring the environment around them, asking questions, and making observations. However, teachers may need more support with more intentional planning. These experiences can and should also connect to learning goals. This creates an opportunity to help teachers understand not only the benefits of hands-on exploration, but also how to use it effectively in their classrooms.

The Learners/Participants Involved

The participants in this mini-course will be Pre-K teachers and educators who work with young children. Participants may have different levels of experience working with Pre-K students or young children. They also may already have experience using and /or creating hands-on activities in their classrooms.

Analysis of Gaps in Terms of Know vs. Need to Know

The current reality is that participants may understand that hands-on activities are beneficial for young children, but they may not know how to intentionally plan and facilitate these experiences to support specific learning goals. For example, a teacher may provide a sensory activity or materials for children to explore but may not know how to connect the activity to a specific skill or how much support to provide while children are exploring.

The ideal situation would be for teachers to understand the purpose of hands-on exploration and feel comfortable planning developmentally appropriate experiences that allow children to explore while also supporting learning. Shambaugh and Magliaro (1997) explain the importance of identifying the difference between the current situation and the desired situation when completing a needs assessment. The gap in this case is between knowing that hands-on exploration is valuable and knowing how to intentionally use it to support children's learning.

Major Findings: Best Practices and Gaps/Challenges

The sources I reviewed show that hands-on exploration can give young children a multitude of opportunities to be an active participant in their learning rather than only listening to information from the teacher. Hands-on activities can encourage children to explore, make observations, solve problems, use their senses, and make connections between what they are learning and the world around them. Hands-on activities can include a multitude of activities. For example, using objects to practice counting, exploring plants, playing with sand and water, building with different materials, and participating in sensory activities (Parkland Children's Academy, 2023). The National Institute for Early Education Research also emphasizes the importance of looking at the activities, content, and teaching strategies that children experience in preschool classrooms, showing that how teachers plan and organize learning experiences is an important part of the classroom environment (Nores et al., 2021).

Another best practice is giving children opportunities to explore while still providing appropriate teacher support. The teacher does not need to direct every part of the activity. Instead, teachers can observe children, ask questions, provide materials, model when needed, and allow children to make choices during the exploration. Mansio Montessori (n.d.) describes a similar approach in which teachers guide children while giving them opportunities to work independently and explore materials at their own pace. One challenge I found is finding the right balance between teacher guidance and student directed exploration. Another challenge is making sure that hands-on activities are not simply activities that are fillers or just to keep students busy. We need to make sure the activities are intentionally connected to learning goals. Teachers also need to consider children's different developmental levels, prior experiences, interests, and abilities when planning exploration activities.

The major gap I identified is providing hands-on activities and then intentionally using hands-on exploration as an instructional strategy. Teachers may already provide children with materials and opportunities to explore, but they may need additional support with understanding why an activity is being used, what children should learn from the experience, and how the teacher should support children without taking over the exploration. This connects to the needs assessment because the goal is to identify the difference between the current situation and the desired situation (Shambaugh & Magliaro, 1997). My mini-course will address this gap by helping Pre-K teachers understand the benefits of hands-on exploration, identify developmentally appropriate activities, and understand how to intentionally plan and support these experiences.

Existing Efforts to Address This Gap

Hands-on activities are already included in many early childhood classrooms. Teachers may use sensory tables, blocks, manipulatives, art materials, science activities, and other materials that allow children to explore. However, there are many times when the hands on experiences are just used as fillers for extra time or cents. There is still an opportunity to provide teachers with more guidance on how to intentionally plan these experiences and connect them to learning goals. The goal is not to replace activities teachers are already using, but to help them think more intentionally about why they are using them and how they can support children's learning.

Intent Statement

The intent and purpose of this mini-course is to help Pre-K teachers, and individuals who work with young children, understand hands-on exploration and how it can support learning and development for young students. This mini course will provide participants with information about the benefits of hands-on exploration, examples of developmentally appropriate activities, and guidance on the teacher's role during exploration. The course will also assist in how to create and blend hands-on exploration into current lessons and curriculum. By the end of the mini-course, participants will be able to identify developmentally appropriate hands-on activities, explain how they can support children's learning, and consider how they can incorporate more intentional hands-on exploration into their own classrooms.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

Learners

The learners for this mini-course will be Pre-K teachers and educators who work with young children. Participants may have different levels of experience, so some may already use hands-on exploration regularly while others may have less experience with this type of instruction. Participants may also have different teaching styles and classroom environments, which means they may use different approaches when planning activities for their students.

Prior Knowledge, Experiences, and Interests

Participants will likely have some prior knowledge of early childhood education and an understanding that young children benefit from active learning experiences. They may already have experience using classroom materials such as blocks, manipulatives, sensory materials, art supplies, books, and other hands-on resources. However, their previous experiences may differ, so the mini-course will give participants opportunities to connect the information to what they already do in their classrooms.

Participants may also be interested in finding activities that are engaging and appropriate for young children. The mini-course can build on this interest by showing how hands-on activities can be both engaging and connected to learning goals.

Learning Context

The mini-course will be completed online, allowing participants to work through the content at their own pace. Participants will need access to a computer or another internet-connected device. The mini-course will include short readings, examples, and activities that allow participants to think about how they currently use hands-on exploration and how they could incorporate it into their own classrooms. Also, if they do currently incorporate it in their classroom, this course will give them a better understanding of how to tie hands-on exploration to lessons rather than it being a fun filler activity.

Participants could complete the mini-course during professional development time or independently outside of the school day. The content will be broken into smaller sections so that participants can work through the material without needing to complete the entire course at one time.

Resources Needed

Participants will need access to the online mini-course and an internet-connected device. Participants may also benefit from having access to common Pre-K classroom materials when completing activities that involve planning or thinking about hands-on exploration. These could include manipulatives, sensory materials, art supplies, books, or other materials that are already available in their classrooms.

Performance-Based Objectives

After completing this mini course, learners will be able to:

• Understand and explain the benefits of hands-on exploration for supporting Pre-K students development and learning.
• Identify developmentally appropriate hands-on activities that support young children's learning through exploration, discovery and inquiry.
• Select materials and strategies that encourage curiosity, creativity, inquiry and active participation in learning.
• Describe how teachers can guide children's exploration while allowing them to be independent and learn through their experiences.
• Design a developmentally appropriate hands-on activity for a Pre-K classroom that supports and aligns to a specific learning goal and topic.

Task and Content Analysis

Before taking this course, the learner:

1. Should have a basic understanding of Pre-K learners and their developmental needs
2. Should have a general understanding of early childhood education and classroom learning
3. Must be interested in learning how to incorporate hands-on exploration into a Pre-K classroom

Unit 1

Understanding Hands-On Exploration in Pre-K

After this unit the learner:

1. will be able to explain the benefits of hands-on exploration for Pre-K learners
2. will understand how hands-on experiences support children's learning and development
3. will be able to identify examples of hands-on exploration in an early childhood classroom
4. will review information and examples related to hands-on learning
5. will begin thinking about how to incorporate hands-on exploration into their own classroom

Unit 2

Developmentally Appropriate Hands-On Activities

After this unit the learner:

1. will be able to identify hands-on activities that are developmentally appropriate for Pre-K learners
2. will understand how activities can support different learning goals and developmental needs
3. will be able to identify activities that encourage children to explore, experiment, and learn through play
4. will review examples of hands-on activities for young learners
5. will identify activities that could be used with their own students

Unit 3

Materials That Encourage Curiosity and Creativity

After this unit the learner:

1. will be able to identify materials that encourage curiosity and creativity
2. will understand how open-ended materials can support children's exploration
3. will be able to select materials that encourage participation and active learning
4. will review examples of materials that can be used for hands-on activities
5. will begin planning materials for their own hands-on activity

Unit 4

Teacher Guidance and Student Independence

After this unit the learner:

1. will understand how teachers can guide hands-on exploration while allowing children to explore independently
2. will be able to identify strategies that encourage children's curiosity and participation
3. will understand the importance of asking questions and providing support without taking over the activity
4. will review examples of teacher guidance during hands-on learning
5. will identify strategies they can use in their own classroom

Unit 5

Designing a Hands-On Pre-K Activity

After this unit the learner:

1. will be able to design a developmentally appropriate hands-on activity for Pre-K learners
2. will be able to identify a learning goal and select appropriate materials for the activity
3. will incorporate strategies that encourage curiosity, creativity, and participation
4. will explain how the activity supports children's learning while allowing opportunities for independence
5. will complete a hands-on activity plan that can be used in a Pre-K classroom

Curriculum Map

References and Resources

Mansio Montessori. (n.d.). Montessori preschool program. https://www.genevamontessori.org/preschool

Nores, M., Friedman-Krauss, A., & Figueras-Daniel, A. (2021, November 3). Activity settings, content, and pedagogical strategies in preschool classrooms: Do these influence the interactions we observe? National Institute for Early Education Research. https://nieer.org/research-library/activity-settings-content-pedagogical-strategies-preschool-classrooms

Parkland Children's Academy. (2023, August 10). Why is hands-on learning beneficial for preschoolers? https://www.parklandchildrensacademy.com/the-importance-of-hands-on-learning-for-preschoolers/

Shambaugh, N., & Magliaro, S. G. (1997). Mastering the possibilities: A process approach to instructional design. Allyn & Bacon.