DEMOS & CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES--DEVELOPMENT
I. Topic: Stages of Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
II. Purpose: To help students learn the key characteristics and time span of the stages of cognitive development as proposed by Jean Piaget.
III. Description: Handout/Worksheet
When completed correctly, this simple worksheet will provide students a quick and handy overview of Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
IV. Procedure:
1. Pass out the worksheet to students and have them complete as per the instructions.
Instructions: For each of Piaget's 4 stages, complete the table below by providing the approximate age range in which each stage occurs and what the key characteristics of each stage.
| Stage or Period | Approximate Age Range | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Sensorimotor | ||
| Preoperational | ||
| Concrete Operational | ||
| Formal Operational |
| Stage or Period | Approximate Age Range | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Sensorimotor | Object permanence; deferred imitation; basic symbolic thinking | |
| Preoperational | | More advanced symbolic and logical thinking; egocentrism; cannot master conservation problem |
| Concrete Operational | | Now masters conservation problem; decreased egocentric thinking; understands categorization |
| Formal Operational | Thinks and reasons abstractly |