Big-Idea Themes for Social
Emergent Themes
Recall that big ideas can also emerge from the interests or questions of a particular group of children, either to initiate a study or change the path of work under way. Published accounts of project work from Reggio Emilia schools often describe topics deeply embedded in the social studies. For example, a project described in the first edition of The 100 Languages of Children, “The City in the Rain,” emerged after children took a walk following a thunderstorm and wondered where the rain went after it fell, leading to a long-term study of the public water and storm drainage systems in their city (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 1998).
My own experiences with emergent project work include many examples of investigations that demonstrate deep connections with social studies concepts but evolved unexpectedly. Table 9.6 lists short descriptions of some of these inquiries.
Teachable Moments
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In addition to curriculum themes and activities we plan or anticipate, teachers experience daily encounters with teachable moments that often provide opportunities to address social and emotional development or issues and concepts. For example, you decide to take your students on a field trip to a nearby fire station during a study of community helpers. You find, when you get there, that the firefighters have a dog named Dottie, who lives with them and rides on the fire truck when they go out on a call. You remember that you have several children in your class who are afraid of dogs and see potential trouble looming! What if Dottie growls at the children? Suddenly, you realize you have a perfect teachable moment.
You gather the children around one of the firefighters and ask him to tell the children a story about Dottie. He describes how Dottie helped them locate a small child in a burning house and shows them a newspaper article with a picture of Dottie on the truck. You realize that the very children you know to be afraid of dogs are now asking questions and wanting to pet Dottie. As you leave the firehouse, you think about how you can follow up back at school with a discussion about fears that you can directly relate to the children’s experience with Dottie and perhaps use the field trip as a “remember when” anecdote when the issue of fears comes up again.
Stop and Reflect
Imagine your group of children is outside on the playground and one of the children brings you a bone fragment she found when digging in the dirt, wondering what it is.