Preschool Curriculum Planning PDF

Planning a Preschool Curriculum  2 WHAT IS CURRICULUM?  3 Curriculum is…. Developmentally appropriate Evidence-based May be accidental or planned Follows state standards and best practices What we are teaching the children!...

Planning a Preschool Curriculum  2 WHAT IS CURRICULUM?  3 Curriculum is…. Developmentally appropriate Evidence-based May be accidental or planned Follows state standards and best practices What we are teaching the children!  4 Program Goals Broad statements of purpose that state the desired end results The why of the curriculum!  5 Goals Include: 1. Areas of child development 2. Have the whole child in mind 3. Philosophy of the program Example: ✘ To develop self independence ✘ To develop problem solving skills ✘ To respect culture and diversity ✘ To develop fine motor skills ✘ To develop social skills ✘ To prepare children for Kindergarten ✘ To foster family relationships  6 Program Goals Examples CFC Head Start Fall River Little Peoples College Philosophy of Education: Head Start promotes the school readiness of children ages of birth to 5 by Mission enhancing their cognitive, social, emotional, physical development. We use an individualized and to provide the best possible program of early developmental approach to early childhood education education and care available – a program where that builds upon the child’s strengths, their needs, and their interests. The children learn through exploration and children are loved and where children and families discovery and through their own experiences to ensure feel safe, secure, and respected, enabling children that learning concepts are meaningful to the children. to grow to their fullest potential physically, emotionally, socially, cognitively and in language development.  7 Classwork: Create Program Goals for The Little Falcons Preschool In groups, using the slides above create 4 goals that could be used to describe our Little Falcons Preschool program **Remember we are a laboratory preschool. This should be referenced in your goals  8 The Content and Process-Centered Curriculum Read Pages 357-362 (stop at emergent curriculum) ✘ Learning is a constant process of exploring and questions the environment. ✘ All areas of development are covered ✘ Hands on experiences  9 What elements create a great curriculum? Write you answer on the white board.  Direct Learning 10 Experiences ✘ The way the room is set up ✘ The activities that are planned Indirect learning experiences occur on the spur of the moment Transition Teachable Moment is an unexpected event the teacher can use as a learning opportunity  11 Factors to consider when developing curriculum Choose the skills and Balance learning activities content to cover Engaging activities connect the children’s Is the information interests, experiences, and developmental worth knowing? level Is the information A good curriculum includes a balance of developmentally structured as well as unstructured appropriate? learning activities indoor and outdoor learning activities, whenever possible active and quiet learning opportunities  12 Factors to consider when developing curriculum Consider Learning Respect Cultural Early learning Styles Diversity standards Field-sensitive children like to work and Infusion is the process of guidelines (or play with others integrating multiculturalism framework) for educators/caregivers into all curricular areas Field-independent children like to try new use to inform activities Classrooms should curriculum decisions Visual learners depend a great deal on the represent a variety of sense of sight cultures Auditory learners are children who learn Be appropriate for every best through hearing and listening child  13 Classwork: 1. Using the Working with Young Children book Pg. 352 Complete the Curriculum Builders worksheet 2. Review with class  14 Emergent Curriculum Emergent curriculum is child-centered that “emerges” from the children’s interests and experiences Reggio Emilia Video  15 Themes or Thematic Unit activities are planned around one main topic or idea Developing themes using webbing Concepts based on the theme  16 Choosing a Theme Theme should have enough content Learning and skills development Take age, abilities, and interest into account Culturally sensitive Availability of materials Take season and time of year into consideration A meaningful connection to children's lives  17 Goals for your theme What you expect the children to learn from your from the overall theme/unit. Examples 1. During the planting theme children will learn about how and what plants need to grow. 2. During the Farm Unit children will learn about different types of animals that live on a farm.  18 Webbing A web is a planning tool outlining the major concepts related to a theme ✘ Can outline - Activities - Vocab - Stories - Materials 19  To DO: 20 With a partner using the previous slides a. Pick 1 developmentally appropriate theme b. Create a web for that theme c. Create 3 goals for your theme  21 Block Plan An overall view of the curriculum; outlines the general plans. Our plan will include for each day: 1. Large group activity 2. 2 small group activities 3. Story 22 23  24 Lesson Plan More detailed plans outlining specific actions and activities that will be used to meet goals and objectives ✘ Materials ✘ Motivation ✘ Procedure ✘ Closure ✘ Learning Standards ✘ Developmental Goals-More specific  Development Goals Tells me what developmental domain they are using (Cognitive, Physical, Social/Emotional) and how Example: By answering the questions I ask and predicting the children will use their cognitive development.  Learning Objective Tells me what the children are learning over all. If we are writing science lessons more than likely this will be related to science. This should also incorporate the MA learning standard. Example: By observing the pumpkin and the insides children will gain a better understanding of earth science and the way a plant grows.  Intro/Motivation Tells me how you will begin your lesson plan. What questions will you ask to get them interested in what you are doing. Example: I will show the children the pump and tell them today we are going to see what is inside the pumpkin I will ask them what they think is in the pumpkin.  Closure Tells me how you will end your lesson plan. What questions will you ask to get them RECAP LEARNING. Example: What was inside the pumpkin? How did it feel? Transition to next center  Procedure Step by step instructions on how to complete the activity. Example: Ask children to predict what they think is in the pumpkin Chart their answers Open the top of the pumpkin Have children look inside, and feel. Discuss what they see and if they predicted right.  Materials All the items you need to complete the activity Example: A pumpkin with the top cut Chart paper Markers  31 Classwork: With a partner your partner a. Create a block plan using the theme and web you created b. Each of you pick one activity and write a lesson plan for that activity. (2 separate activities)