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Play, Projects, and Preschool Standards
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Play, Projects, and Preschool Standards
Nurturing Children's Sense of Wonder and Joy in Learning

Foreword by Marilou Hyson



November 2006 | 176 pages | Corwin

"The ideas in this book will seem familiar and nonthreatening—yes, teachers can indeed use what they already know and what their children love, but they can also enhance and expand favorite activities, enriching the educational benefits of everyday experiences."
—From the Foreword by Marilou Hyson

Stimulate children's love of learning while meeting standards and benchmarks!

Teachers today are often challenged by and concerned about the expectations in states' early learning standards. They have questions about their appropriateness, implementation, and tendency to overlook the needs of the growing number of children who are second language learners or who have disabilities and developmental delays. In Play, Projects, and Preschool Standards, authors Gera Jacobs and Kathy Crowley tackle these questions (and more!) head-on, providing teachers with plenty of lively, creative ideas to develop children's genuine curiosity while building the skills they'll need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

In inviting, informal language, the authors walk readers through the creation of well-planned projects and activities that both capture children's interest and enhance social and pre-academic development. Each chapter offers:

  • "What Research and the Experts Say" snapshots, and applications of the research in practice
  • "Try This" activity ideas that engage children and meet standards
  • Suggestions for tailoring activities to meet the needs of bilingual children and children with special needs

This timely book is sure to give teachers the confidence and competence they need to connect the experiences that make preschool so enjoyable with the skill development that makes preschool so necessary.


 
Foreword by Marilou Hyson
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
1. Addressing Preschool Standards in Developmentally Appropriate Ways
Defining the Standards

 
Meeting the Needs of All Children

 
Addresssing Standards Through Engaging Experiences and Activities

 
Assessing Progress Toward Meeting the Standards

 
Summary

 
 
2. Designing the Environment With the Child in Mind
Creating a Welcoming Environment

 
Building Relationships

 
The Power of Choice

 
Arranging the Room for Exploration and Learning

 
Materials for Creating Engaging Interest Areas

 
Scheduling the Day for Play and Learning

 
Summary

 
 
3. Developing Positive Approaches to Learning and Social-Emotional Development
Developing Curiosity and Eagerness; Initiative and Persistence; Problem Solving and Reflection; Invention and Imagination; Self-Concept and Self-Confidence; Regulating Emotions; Respect and Appreciation; and Pro-Social Behaviors and Cooperation

 
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for Approaches to Learning

 
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for Social-Emotional Development

 
Developing Positive Approaches to Learning and Social-Emotional Development Through Projects

 
Designing the Environment

 
Addressing Standards Through Engaging Experiences and Activities

 
Supporting Children Who Are Bilingual Learners

 
Working With Children's Individual Needs

 
Summary

 
 
4. Exploring the World Through Science
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for Science

 
Science as Inquiry; Physical Science; Life Science; Earth and Space Science; Science and Technology; Science, Environment, and Society

 
Exploring the World and Science Through Projects

 
Designing the Environment

 
Addressing Standards Through Engaging Experiences and Activities

 
Supporting Children Who Are Bilingual Learners

 
Working With Children's Individual Needs

 
Summary

 
 
5. Learning About Our Community Through Social Studies
Families/Cultures; Community/Civics; History/Time; Geography/Places, People, and Environments; and Economics

 
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for Social Studies

 
Learning About Our Community and Social Studies Through Projects

 
Designing the Environment

 
Addressing Standards Through Engaging Experiences and Activities

 
Supporting Children Who Are Bilingual Learners

 
Working With Children's Individual Needs

 
Summary

 
 
6. Engaging Children in Meaningful Literacy
Reading; Writing; Listening and Phonological Awareness; Speaking/Communicating and Oral Language Development; and Learning New Languages

 
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for Language and Literacy

 
Engaging Children in Meaningful Literacy Through Projects

 
Designing the Environment

 
Addressing Standards Through Engaging Experiences and Activities

 
Supporting Children Who Are Bilingual Learners

 
Working With Children's Individual Needs

 
Summary

 
 
7. Making Mathematics Inviting
Number Sense and Operations; Shapes/Geometry; Measurement; Data Analysis and Probability; and Patterns/Algebra

 
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for for Mathematics

 
Making Mathematics Meaningful Through Projects

 
Designing the Environment

 
Addresssing Standards Through Engaging Experiences and Activities

 
Supporting Children Who Are Bilingual Learners

 
Working With Children's Individual Needs

 
Summary

 
 
8. Fostering Creativity Through the Arts
Visual Arts; Music; Creative Movement; and Dramatic Play

 
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for Creative Arts

 
Fostering Creativity in the Arts Through Projects

 
Designing the Environment

 
Addressing Standards Through Engaging Experience and Activities

 
Supporting Children Who Are Bilingual Learners

 
Working With Children's Individual Needs

 
Summary

 
 
9. Promoting Physical Development and Healthy Lifestyles
Gross Motor; Fine Motor; and Health and Safety

 
Sample Early Learning Guidelines for Physical Development and Health

 
Promoting Physcial Development and Healthy Lifestyles Through Projects

 
Designing the Environment

 
Addressing Standards Through Engaging Experiences and Activities

 
Supporting Children Who Are Bilingual Learners

 
Working With Children's Individual Needs

 
Summary

 
 
10. Putting It All Together
Addressing Standards in Developmentally Appropriate Ways

 
Addressing Standards and Benchmarks Through Projects, Studies, and Themes

 
Supporting the Transition to Kindergarten

 
Final Thoughts

 
 
Resources
Sample Signs for Interest Areas

 
Assessing Children's Progress Toward Standards

 
Sample Group Observation Tool for Language and Literacy

 
 
Sample Individual Child Observation Tool for Language and Literacy
Children's Books and Music

 
Resources for Teaching Bilingual Learners

 
Assessment Materials

 
Helpful Websites

 
 
References
For Further Reading

 
 
Index

"A wonderful, richly detailed book that presents children as lively, engaged learners. Successfully communicates standards and benchmarks in familiar, matter-of-fact ways that support young children’s growth and learning and that are aligned with good developmental practice. The sections on second language learners and children with individual needs are important reminders that these children too are part of our classrooms and that one-size-fits-all teaching doesn’t benefit anyone."

Julie Olsen Edwards, NAEYC Board Member and Early Childhood Education Instructor
Cabrillo Community College

"The ideas in this book will seem familiar and non-threatening—yes, teachers can indeed use what they already know and what their children love, but they can also enhance and expand their favorite activities, enriching the educational benefits of everyday experiences."

From the Foreword by Marilou Hyson

"Preschool teachers and daycare centers concerned with early education receive an excellent survey based on expert insights that provide a variety of projects and activities to enhance early learning in all curriculum areas. This is a workbook of ideas pairing benchmark standards to realistic activities."

Library Bookwatch, February 2007

Fun, hands-on, and reader friendly

Professor Hadas Mizrahi
child development, Union Institute & University
May 19, 2014
Key features
  • Links activities to preschool standards for both content-area development and social & emotional development
  • Offers strategies and tips for working with English language learners and children with individual needs
  • Explains ways to design the learning environment for every interest area in the preschool classroom
  • Provides sample observation tools for assessing children's progress
  • Connects recommendations with established research in early childhood education

Select a Purchasing Option


Paperback
ISBN: 9781412928021
$32.95

Hardcover
ISBN: 9781412928014
$89.95

This title is also available on SAGE Knowledge, the ultimate social sciences online library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.