**Lesson Plan: Cultural and Creative Arts for Toddlers**
**Topic: Colouring of Rectangle (Black)**
**Age Group:** Toddlers (2-3 years old)
**Duration:** 30-45 minutes
**Objective:**
- To introduce toddlers to the shape of a rectangle.
- To encourage fine motor skills development through coloring.
- To familiarize students with the color black.
**Materials:**
- Large rectangular sheets of paper with pre-drawn rectangles
- Black crayons, markers, or finger paints
- Wet wipes or paper towels
- Aprons or old t-shirts (optional, to protect clothing)
- Visual aids (pictures of rectangles in real life, e.g., doors, books)
- Short, age-appropriate rectangle song or rhyme
**Introduction (5 minutes):**
1. **Greeting:** Welcome the toddlers with a cheerful greeting.
2. **Circle Time:** Have the children sit in a circle.
3. **Shape Introduction:** Hold up a visual aid of a rectangle and explain, "This is a rectangle! It has two long sides and two short sides."
4. **Real-world Examples:** Show pictures of rectangular objects (e.g., a door, a book) and ask the toddlers to repeat the word "rectangle."
**Activity 1: Rectangle Song or Rhyme (5 minutes):**
- Sing a simple rectangle-themed song or chant a rhyme together to make learning fun and engaging.
Example: (Tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")
"Rectangle, rectangle, what do you have?
Four straight sides are what you have.
Long sides, short sides, yes, it's true,
Rectangle, we love you!"
**Activity 2: Coloring the Rectangle (20 minutes):**
1. **Set Up:** Distribute large sheets of paper with pre-drawn rectangles. Ensure each child has a black crayon, marker, or finger paint.
2. **Instructions:** Demonstrate how to color within the lines of the rectangle. Explain, "We are going to color our rectangles with the color black!"
3. **Assistance:** Go around the room, assisting toddlers as needed. Encourage them to enjoy the process and praise their efforts.
4. **Cleaning:** Use wet wipes or paper towels to clean up any messes. Remove and clean aprons or protective clothing if used.
**Activity 3: Shape Hunt (5-10 minutes):**
- Organize a small "shape hunt" in the classroom where children identify rectangles in their environment (e.g., blocks, books, or posters).
**Conclusion (5 minutes):**
1. **Show and Tell:** Encourage each child to show their colored rectangle to the group. Praise their work.
2. **Recap:** Briefly recap what was learned. "Today, we learned about rectangles and had fun coloring them black!"
3. **Goodbye Song:** End with a short, cheerful goodbye song. Encourage the toddlers to wave goodbye.
**Extension Activity:**
- Create a classroom display with the colored rectangles or send the artwork home with the children.
Remember, the goal at this stage is to make learning enjoyable and ensure that the activities are developmentally appropriate. Adapt the plan based on the toddlers' engagement and response.