1. The Curriculum
Chapter 18

2. Meeting Goals
Children should be able to participate in most activities without an adult’s help.
The environment can foster development.
Place coat hooks, paper towels, tables, chairs, and equipment within children’s reach.

3. Who Plans the Curriculum?
Curriculum development can involve one person or several staff members.
In most cases, the director is in charge of supervising all center activities. Therefore, their job usually involves curriculum supervision.
YOU WILL BE PLANNING CURRICULUM 

4. Balance Learning Activities
A good curriculum includes a balance of structured as well as unstructured learning activities.
Whenever possible, use a balance of indoor and outdoor learning activities.
Active and quiet learning must also be balanced.

5. Consider Learning Styles
Field-sensitive: children who like to work and play with others
Field-independent: children who like to try new activities
Visual learners: children who depend a great deal on the sense of sight
Auditory learners: children who learn best through hearing

6. Consider Learning Characteristics
The children in a classroom have a wide range of learning characteristics.
Some work slowly and others quickly. Some are attentive and others bore easily.
Evaluate children’s learning characteristics in relation to your own.

7. Consider Learning Characteristics
Children also make decisions in very different ways:
Some are impulsive and act immediately.
Some are cautious and study the environment before making up their minds.

8. Themes
Theme: one main topic or idea around which the classroom activities are planned
Theme ideas
Developing themes using webbing
Concepts based on the theme

9. Theme Ideas
Spiral curriculum: A curriculum based on the fact that as children grow, their circle of interest becomes larger
Two-year-olds are interested in their immediate worlds.
Three-year-olds are interested in their families.
Themes related to animals are popular with four- and five-year-olds.
Activities based on holidays need to be near the holiday so children don’t get overexcited and confused.

10. Developing Themes Using Webbing
Web: outlines the major concepts related to a theme
This is a simple method for listing concepts related to a theme.

11. WEB EXAMPLE

12. Concepts Based on the Theme
Concept: a generalized idea or notion
By forming concepts, children learn to group experiences in meaningful ways.

13. Written Plans
Block plan: an overall view of the curriculum that outlines general plans
Lesson plans: more detailed than a block plan, outlines specific actions and activities that will be used to meet goals and objectives

14. Block Plan To write a block plan, follow these steps:
Review your program goals.
Review your observations and assessment of the children.
Note the children’s interests.
Consider the availability of your resources.
Select a theme.
Develop concepts.
Select activities and record them on the block plan.

15. Lesson Plans Lesson plans contain the following: Developmental goals
Tell the why of the activity
Learning objectives
Describes the expected outcome of an activity
Used to plan teaching strategies
Concepts

16. Lesson Plans Materials needed Motivation Procedures
List everything that is needed for the activity
Motivation
Describes how you will gain the children’s attention
Procedures
Simple step-by-step instructions should be included

17. Lesson Plans Closure/transition Evaluation
Refers to how an activity will end
Transition refers to the movement of one activity to another
Evaluation
Involves three steps:
Evaluating the learning experience
Evaluating the children and their responses
Evaluating your own teaching strategies

18. Summary
A good curriculum is based on how the children develop and learn.
The content and process-centered approach to curriculum planning is the method most used.
Activities are often selected based on theme.
Written plans are developed which include activities for all classroom activity areas.