Developmental Curriculum and Activities

PSYED 1016 Developmental Curriculum and Activities

Instructors: Jill Sarada, MAT Anna Arlotta-Guerrero, Ph.D.

Phone: 412-624-0114 412-624-0306 (office)

Email:

Office hours: Upon request

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to various curriculum designs that address individual and group learning, development, and the cognitive needs of children to promote social, emotional, and academic success.

Students will become familiar with concepts and theories of child development and instructional approaches that represent developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood education. Students will learn to align developmentally appropriate practice with state and national standards, curriculum, and activities. Students will become familiar with PA state standards and learn how to utilize data collected from formal and informal assessments to drive differentiated instruction that will improve the learning opportunities of all students in an integrated academic setting.

Courses Objectives:

• Students will have a working understanding of developmentally appropriate practices that support the learning of children ages birth - 8.
• Students will be able to identify various instructional approaches in Early Childhood education and discuss activities that are used in each of these approaches and integrated across content areas.
• Students will gain a knowledge base for developmentally appropriate practice as it aligns with the current context of a standards based approach to instruction.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of child development as evident through the application of PA Learning Standards. Students will demonstrate an ability to design, implement, and evaluate appropriate activities and environments that encourage and support learning.
• Students will become familiar with observation and environmental evaluation techniques.
• Students will be able to apply knowledge of current critical issues in education and child care that enable them to identify the best practices used by highly effective teachers and caregivers.
• Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to communicate effectively with children and their families.
• Students will be able to identify their responsibility as an advocate for young children.

DATE / DISCUSSION TOPICS / ASSIGNMENTS/READINGS
January 5 / Syllabus and assignments review
Chapter 1 – page 23 - #1 activity
Reflecting about your own PK-12 education experience. Share
Preview of Montessori and Reggio
learning approaches
Developing guiding questions for our Montessori and Reggio visits.
How can you be influential in a child’s life?
Relationships??? / In-class readings:
NAEYC – Developmentally Appropriate Practice Statement

/positions/PSDAP.pdf
Responsive ClassroomPractice
January 12 / Visit to Carlow Montessori school
Meeting location to be announced. / Prepared Readings:
Bullard, Chapter 1
Assignment Due:
Your favorite classroom space –
What was there, why, climate in the classroom
January 19 / Visit to CMU’s Cyert Center
Meeting location to be announced.
Meet at 5:15 p.m. / Prepared Readings:
Bullard, Chapter 18
January 26 / Review of visits – compare and contrast, what can you apply in another space/elementary
Tour of Falk classrooms
Explain the project - add something
Window shopping – deep dive into two centers, Plan A &B
Observe space, how would it be used, sketch it.
Spaces children are using to learn.
Think about what you are observing, what interests you
What does Developmentally Appropriate Practice look like in different grades?
Using DAP to plan curriculum in a standards aligned education system / Prepared Readings:
Bullard, Chapter 5 and 6
February 2 / The environment and climate in the classroom. How does the classroom context influence Child Development?
Relationships
SEL
Attachment
Dramatic Play - gender / Prepared Readings:
Bullard
Chapters 2 and 7
In-class readings:
Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
February 9 / Context for learning in a risk-free developmentally appropriate
environment.
Play-based curriculum
Scheduling
Designing your classroom, grouping, observations and anecdotal notes / Prepared Readings:
Bullard Chapters, 3 and 4
February 16 / Understanding the importance of differentiating for a diverse group of learners.
Hands-on activities, Content area centers and workstations
Science experiments / Prepared Readings:
Bullard
Chapters 8 and 11
Assignment:
Observation #1 completed by this date
February 23 / Continuation of sensory experiences
Art activities / Prepared Readings:
Bullard
Chapter 13
March 2 / Math and Block centers
Observations
Developing math skills
Problem Solving in math / Prepared Readings:
Bullard
Chapters 9 and 12
Blooms Taxonomy
Assignment Due:
Information regarding center adaptation to Falk classroom teacher and instructors by this date
March 9 / Spring Break
March 16 / Literacy centers
Literacy across the curriculum in all centers and spaces
Using technology preparing for our future classrooms / Prepared Readings:
Bullard
Chapters 10 and 15
In-class readings:
Hart and Risley
March 23 / Music centers in the classroom
Special Interest/Thematic Centers / Prepared Readings:
Bullard
Chapters 14 and 16
Assignments Due:
March 30 / Classroom Designs
Hands-on activities in the outdoors
Environmental Designs / Prepared Readings:
Bullard
Chapters 17 and 19
Assignment Due:
Center adaptation and second observation is complete by this date
April 6 / No class meeting.
Workshop/Prep Day / Prepared Readings:
Maker Movement Article
Assignment Due:
PittARTS Project Due
April 13 / Presentations / Assignment:
Project and Presentations
with photos/video
April 20 / Presentations / Assignment:
Project and Presentations
with photos/video
April 27 / Finals Week

Texts/Resources:

Bullard, J., (2010). Creating Environments for Learning: Birth to Age Eight

Pennsylvania Standards

Pennsylvania Prekindergarten Standards

Description of Assignments:

Your Favorite Classroom Space:In a two-page, double-spaced paper describe a classroom space that you recall as one of your favorites. Include information about the materials and activities that took place in this space, who, if anyone, was usually in the space with you, were there interactions with the teacher in this space? What made this space a place that you wanted to be in at that point in your life? If you would like you may include a drawing of this space to include with your paper. (20 points)

PittARTS Project: As a Pitt student you have the opportunity to use your Pitt ID card to visit a number of different sites in the Pittsburgh/Oakland area for free. The link to those places is: For this project you will choose to visit one of the sites. This must be an actual visit, not a review of their website.

After touring the venue, you will plan a field trip for your students to visit the facility as a learning experience. You will: choose the grade level of your students, choose what you wish to teach them by going on this field trip, and then describe your plan. Your plan should include 1) your letter home to parents describing the field trip, 2) what you will do on the day of the field trip, and 3) what would your follow-up activity be once you return after the field trip and debrief. You may choose to focus on only one or two areas of the facility, a specific exhibit, or the facility as a whole. A brief presentation in class will give you time to share where you visited and a short overview of your field trip.(40 points)

Class Participation: Active participation in this class will be very important for both your acquisition of knowledge, and for your understanding of the issues that surround the lives of your students. You will be expected to come to class having read the materials listed on the syllabus and be prepared to discuss the readings. Please bring your books and/or articles to class eachweek. We will refer to the readings a number of times throughout the semester. (20 points)

Grading Outline:

Your Favorite Classroom Space 20 points

PittARTS Project40 points

Falk Project 120 points total

First observation – By Feb 16 15

Plan with teacher – By March 2 15

Adapt center –By March 30 15

Second observation – By March 30 15

Presentation of project – April 13 or 20 60

Classroom Attendance and 20 points

Participation

Total Points: 200 points

Students with Specific Needs

If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact your instructor and Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union, 412-648-7890 or 412-383-7355 (TTY) as early as possible in the term. Disability Resources and Services reviews documentation related to a student’s disability provides verification of the disability and recommends reasonable accommodations for specific courses.

IDEAS

Mud kitchen

Painting

Mixing paints art materials

Pretend snow

Science centers

Penny and the water, eye dropper

Math – ways to intro that is always open, or temporary

Make all differentiated and individualized

Special interests – sewing woodworking

Maker center