In this paper, you will continue developing your muscle as an observer.  This Observation Summary Paper involves writing an ~3 page paper (type written, double spaced, standard 1″ margins) summarizing your observation of a young school age child (kindergarten to 2nd grade).  The following steps will help you construct your paper:

1. Pick 1 video you would like to use:
   1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRfUK890XK4 (the video starts at the 00;57 mark)
   2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur69USqVWTs&t=415s
2. Watch the video
3. Re-watch the video, focusing on:
   1. What happens at the start of the observation/ video? What is the child doing? Do they know you are observing?  How do they respond? What do they do/ say?  (This info will go into your paper)
   2. Identify 4 parts (called vignettes or mini-stores) of the videos that you feel are important and would like to document in your paper. Identify vignettes that you feel capture the child and who they are.
   3. What happens as you end the observation/ video? What is the child doing? Do they know the observation is finishing?  How do they respond? What do they do/ say? (This info will go into your paper)
   4. Try to own the observation; give the child a name, try to imagine yourself in the setting actually observing the child.  Weave those details into your paper.
4. Each vignette should describe the child engaged in an activity. Each activity should be 2-3 minutes of the video, and you should document the entire activity (don’t stop writing your vignette in the middle of the activity).  In other words, you should have 4 vignettes that are 4 activities and each activity/ vignette should be 2-3 minutes of video
5. Watch the video a third  time — or more, this time take very detailed notes.  These notes are called field notes.  The field notes should describe the child’s behaviors, actions, and reactions during each vignette and activity. Specifically, you should document what happens in the vignette in sequential order, capturing:

• What does the child do during the vignette?
• How does the child move — include all types of movements)?
• What does the child looks at, gaze at?
• What seems to attract the child’s interest? How can you can tell?
• What toys, materials, and/or furniture does the child use during the vignette How?
• How does the child vocalize, including cries, babbling, and using real words?
• What other ways does the child communicate, including facial expressions and gestures?
• How does the child interact with people?
• Anything else you notice.

1. Your field notes will help you write your paper.  If you would like, you can use the Field Notes Form to record your field notes.  Jot down info that will help you – don’t worry about spelling or writing full sentences.  Keep the field notes for yourself.
2. Use your notes to construct your paper. Attached is the Writing your Observation Summary Paper Chart that will help you when writing your Observation Summary Paper. Again, this is for you and it is optional.
3. Describe your vignettes in sequential order; vignette #1 should happen 1st in the video, vignette #2 next, etc.
4. This is a sample vignette;
5. Write your Introduction paragraph that includes the following information:
   • Describe the setting of the observation.
     • Where did the observation take place?
   • Describe the physical space.
     • What furniture, materials, equipment were in the space?
     • How was the furniture, materials and equipment positioned?
     • Who was present?
   • Describe the child.
     • How old is the child?
     • Describe the child’s physical appearance — hair, skin, facial features, body type, and clothing.

1. Write your Conclusion paragraph that answers the following questions:
   1. What struck you from the observation, either while you observing the child or when you were writing your paper?
   2. What did you learn about the child?
   3. What new insights do you have about young school age children (kindergarten to 2nd grade) from your observation?
   4. How does this observation connect to what you have learned in ECE 110?
2. Review the Assignment Guidelines (in menu item Papers & Projects) to be sure your papers meets the criteria for “Learner” in all tasks of the rubric

Here are

sample Observation Summary Paper

sample Observation Summary Paper

sample Observation Summary Paper