Let's forget about animation for a few minutes, and take a look inside one of these pre-school magazines. These images are from an issue of CBeebies Magazine (issue 94: November 2017), which according to Unique Magazines, is aimed at children aged 3 to 6, with the core target age being 4 years old. A symbol on the front cover of the magazine informs parents that it is specifically designed as a companion to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Obviously for copyright reasons I've only included a few of the pages.
These pages are based on the live-action programme Andy's Baby Animals. Their primary topic is obviously science, specifically the requirement to "make observations about plants and animals" (DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION 2017), which it does by pointing out physical characteristics of the hedgehog. By talking about hibernation through the winter and waking up in spring, it also covers changes in season, another science requirement.
However, it also contains activities which other topics: a mathematics task to count the baby hedgehogs (The Statutory Framework requires children to "count from 1 to 20"), art tasks to draw and colour in ("experiment with colour, design, texture, form, and function"), and a task to trace over spike shapes, which I believe is designed to help children hold a pencil and make shapes in preparation to form letters. ("Show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements, including holding a pencil")
Notably, the different tasks are designed for different styles of learning: visual learners can colour in the sun with its S-shaped rays, aural learners are encouraged to "say something silly," verbal learners can practice writing the letter, and kinaesthetic learners are told to pretend to use a pump. It's a very inclusive range of techniques.
In all, I'm impressed with this magazine, which is clearly designed with the assistance of early years professionals. It works alongside CBeebies programming to deliver a consistent message of education, in terms of both academic content and personal development.
Obviously for copyright reasons I've only included a few of the pages.
These pages are based on the live-action programme Andy's Baby Animals. Their primary topic is obviously science, specifically the requirement to "make observations about plants and animals" (DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION 2017), which it does by pointing out physical characteristics of the hedgehog. By talking about hibernation through the winter and waking up in spring, it also covers changes in season, another science requirement.
However, it also contains activities which other topics: a mathematics task to count the baby hedgehogs (The Statutory Framework requires children to "count from 1 to 20"), art tasks to draw and colour in ("experiment with colour, design, texture, form, and function"), and a task to trace over spike shapes, which I believe is designed to help children hold a pencil and make shapes in preparation to form letters. ("Show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements, including holding a pencil")
Here we see a page designed to boost a child's personal, social and emotional development, one of the "prime areas" from the Statutory Framework. They cover requirements to "say when they do or don't need help," "understand and follow rules," "be confident to speak about their ideas to familiar people," and "play co-operatively, taking turns". In just one page, they cover a huge chunk of the curriculum! And there are sticker rewards as an incentive. I'm not sure what this has to do with Sarah & Duck though, to be honest. Probably just to attract the child's interest through use of familiar characters.
In these pages, based on the live-action series My Pet and Me (shouldn't that be My Pet and I, surely?) we have more making observations of animals, and another counting activity. I think this is probably for younger children than the hedgehog pages though, as the information and vocabulary seems simpler. Also I find it a bit strange that it asks the child to "Choose 3 toys for your puppy" but tells them exactly which stickers to use... not much of a choice is it?!
And finally we have an Alphablocks page, focusing on the letter "S". Obviously these are literacy-based tasks, to help the child learn the connection between the letter and its sound. (This isn't specifically in the Statutory Framework, but it works towards the eventual target of being able to use synthetic phonics to "decode" words).
Notably, the different tasks are designed for different styles of learning: visual learners can colour in the sun with its S-shaped rays, aural learners are encouraged to "say something silly," verbal learners can practice writing the letter, and kinaesthetic learners are told to pretend to use a pump. It's a very inclusive range of techniques.
In all, I'm impressed with this magazine, which is clearly designed with the assistance of early years professionals. It works alongside CBeebies programming to deliver a consistent message of education, in terms of both academic content and personal development.
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION, 2017. "Statutory framework for the early years
foundation stage: Setting the standards for learning, development and
care for children from birth to five" [online]. Available from
www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2017/03/EYFS_STATUTORY_FRAMEWORK_2017.pdf
[Accessed 9 November 2017]
BBC, 2017. CBeebies Magazine (Issue 94), November 2017, 14 - 23.
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