education

Insects Concept Map A concept map is different from a plan for activities. It focuses on the goals or objectives of the unit. Specific activities are derived from the ideas represented. As she continued to research resources for the topic, Phyllis was delighted to discover that she could order butterfly and ladybug larvae online. She […]

Creating and scheduling plans for lessons and activities In this step of the planning process, the teachers took their ideas for activities and experiences and blocked out a week-at-a-glance schedule for three weeks, using the daily schedule as a framework: Week one: Insects (focus on lifecycle) Week two: Ladybugs Week three: Butterflies Place Your Order

Brainstorming ideas for activities that support and connect different areas of the curriculum As Stephanie and Phyllis began to plan the thematic unit, they brainstormed ideas and concepts that would support the standards they are working on and what they have observed about the children lately. They used the five categories of the standards listed

Selection of a topic or theme that provides opportunities to meet objectives Phyllis continued, We just finished planting tomato and strawberry plants, bean seeds, and an amaryllis bulb. We learned about pollination and talked briefly about “good” insects. I noticed that a lot of the children were curious about the insects they might see in

Identifying important considerations about childrens developmental and cultural characteristics, interests, and needs Phyllis explained what she had observed and learned from evaluating and reflecting about recent activities with the children: iStockphoto / Thinkstock Children are often fascinated by magnifying glasses; one of their favorite pastimes is looking for insects. This group of children gets along

Learning standards and objectives to be addressed This unit was implemented by teachers of two groups of children between 3 (twelve children) and 4 years (fifteen children) of age at the time of the study. For this unit, one of the teachers (Phyllis) explained, At this time of the year [late spring] I have been

  Thematic Unit: Ladybugs, Butterflies, and Bees As described above, a thematic unit is a long-term investigation of a topic intended to capture and engage childrens interest and provide opportunities to develop skills and knowledge in multiple areas. Typically, planning for a thematic unit represents a top-down approach, with the teacher making most or all

Venn Diagram A graphic organizer provides a visual representation of ideas or information. One example of such a device is a Venn diagram, which illustrates where ideas or facts about two separate things overlap. iStockphoto / Thinkstock 6.4Approaches to Planning You probably already know what kind of planning style might suit you best. Think about

Graphic Organizers Graphic organizers are simple charts, diagrams, or templates that represent multiple concepts and the connections between them (Figure 6.4). They are useful with young children to help them visualize ideas. You will see several examples of different kinds of graphic organizers in this and later chapters. There are literally hundreds of examples on

Worksheets Worksheets are most often used in elementary school classrooms, but they can be seen in preschools or child-care programs as well. They are not considered to be developmentally appropriate.   While the goal of pacing guides is to ensure that all children are experiencing the same curriculum, their use in the primary grades is