Lesson Plan: All About Marvelous Me!

Materials Needed

• Child-safe, unbreakable mirror
• Large roll of paper (or 1 large sheet of poster board)
• Washable crayons or markers
• Washable paint and stamp pad (or washable ink)
• Yarn (various colors for hair) and safety glue stick
• Playdough
• "All About Me" mini-printable or poster template (optional)

Lesson Overview & Objectives

Target Age: 3 Years Old

Duration: 30–45 minutes (can be split into two short sessions)

Universal Context: Designed for 1-on-1 homeschool setting, easily adaptable for small preschool groups or daycare circles.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the child will be able to:

1. Identify and name at least 4 facial features (eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair).
2. Express at least 2 personal preferences (e.g., favorite color, favorite food, or favorite activity).
3. Recognize that they are unique and special by creating a personalized life-size silhouette or paper self-portrait.

Success Criteria

• Child points to and names their own facial features when looking in a mirror.
• Child verbally states or points to a favorite item/color.
• Child actively participates in decorating their "Me" portrait.

1. Introduction (Hook & Warm-Up)

Time: 5–7 minutes

The Mirror Discovery Hook

• Activity: Hand the child a child-safe mirror (or stand together in front of a full-length mirror). Cover the mirror with a small cloth first.
• Teacher/Parent Talking Points:

  "Guess who is hiding under this cloth? It’s someone super special... someone who is smart, silly, and wonderful! Ready? 1... 2... 3... PEEK-A-BOO! It’s YOU!"

• Interactive Movement Song: Sing to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" while pointing to body parts:
  "Look at me and you will see,
  Someone special as can be!
  Two bright eyes and one small nose,
  Ten wiggling fingers, ten tiny toes.
  Look at me and you will see,
  I am special, marvelous ME!"

2. Body: Content & Guided Practice

Time: 20–25 minutes

Phase 1: Direct Modeling ("I Do") — Mirror Exploration

• Instruction: Model looking in the mirror and exploring features out loud using cheerful, simplified language.
• Teacher/Parent Talking Points:

  "Look at my face! I have two eyes that blink—wink, wink! I have one nose—boop! Can I boop my nose? Boop! And look at my hair. It feels soft."

Phase 2: Guided Practice ("We Do") — The Face & Favorites Game

• Interactive Facial Feature Check:
  • Ask the child to point to features on their face using the mirror.
  • Prompts: "Where are your eyes? What color are they?" / "Can you make a big happy smile with your mouth?" / "Show me your ears! Can you wiggle them?"
• Playdough Face Creation:
  • Roll out a flat circle of playdough to represent a face.
  • Have the child roll small pieces of playdough to add eyes, a nose, and a mouth while talking about their own features.
• Favorites Chat:
  • Ask simple preference questions using visual options when possible.
  • Teacher/Parent Talking Points:

    "Me options! Do you like to eat apples or bananas best? Do you like playing with blocks or playing outside? What is your super favorite color?"

Phase 3: Independent Application ("You Do") — "Life-Size Me" Art Project

• Activity Instructions:
  1. Unroll the butcher paper on the floor. Have the child lie down on their back on top of the paper.
  2. Trace around their body outline using a marker (tickle toes as you trace!).
  3. Have the child step off the paper to see their giant outline.
  4. Decorate:
     • Child uses crayons/markers to color inside their outline.
     • Glue yarn on the head for hair.
     • Press paint-covered hands (or ink pad) onto the arms of the outline to add personalized handprints.
     • Parent/Teacher scribes the child's answers around the outline (e.g., "I love strawberries!", "My favorite color is Blue!", "I am 3 years old!").

3. Conclusion (Closure & Celebration)

Time: 5–10 minutes

Recap & Show

• Hang the giant body tracing on a wall or lay it flat on the floor.
• Teacher/Parent Talking Points:

  "Look at this giant picture! Who is this? It's YOU! Let's point to your picture's eyes. Good job! What is your favorite thing on here?"

• Self-Affirmation Practice: Have the child put their hands on their heart and repeat after you:

  "I am kind! I am smart! I am ME!"

Assessment Strategies

Formative Assessment (During the Lesson)

• Observe if the child accurately points to their own eyes, nose, mouth, and ears during the mirror game.
• Listen for spontaneous verbal responses or pointing when discussing favorite colors and foods.

Summative Assessment (End of Lesson)

• Review the completed "Life-Size Me" art product to verify inclusion of key physical features (eyes, hair, hands) and recorded preferences.

Adaptations & Differentiation

For Extra Support (Scaffolding)

• Non-verbal or Speech-Delayed Learners: Provide real objects or picture cards (e.g., choosing between a real apple and a banana) to express choices. Use hand-over-hand assistance during tracing and gluing.
• Sensory Sensitivity: If the child dislikes tracing while lying down, trace only their hands/feet or use a paper plate to make a face portrait instead.

For Advanced Extension

• Name Tracing: Have the child practice tracing or writing the first letter of their name at the top of their outline.
• Emotion Mapping: Draw different facial expressions (happy, sad, surprised) on paper and ask the child, "What face do you make when you are happy?"