This joyful, child-centered book will help you develop your knowledge of curriculum and understanding of what makes learning experiences meaningful to young children. Designed to help you understand the content and processes involved in curriculum that has intellectual integrity and that celebrates young children, Meaningful Curriculum for Young Childrenis comprehensive, practical, and readable. It is unique in that it combines a child-centered, child-friendly approach with a focus on meaningful subject area and field-tested content. In this, it demonstrates intellectual integrity and sensitivity to children while supplying you with practical resources for providing educational support to children. The book focuses on four domains: physical (large motor, fine motor, sensory), creative arts (art, music, creative movement), communication (language, literacy, literature), and inquiry (math, science, social studies). Each of the curriculum chapters explores the value of the subject area, describes children's development in the subject, explains the theory, structure and content of the discipline, and clarifies its connection to early learning standards. A discussion of ways to teach each subject through play in a planned environment, teacher-child interaction, and planned activities is part of each chapter, including examples of a planned activity, a week's plan, the curriculum area in an integrated study, how children with special needs can be included in this curriculum area, and considerations for working with primary school age children.

Eva Moravcik is a professor of early childhood education at Honolulu Community College. In addition to teaching college classes, her work includes daily contact with children, families, and college students at the Leeward Community College Children’s Center. Much of Meaningful Curriculum for Young Children grows out of her 20-plus years of creating curriculum and teaching teachers about it. Her daily work with children, family, staff, and college students provides her with grounding in the reality of life in a program for young children.

 

Sherry Nolte also teaches at Honolulu Community College. She currently supervises practicum students in community preschools, and teaches classes on preschool curriculum, infants and toddlers, child development, and child guidance.

 

Stephanie Feeney is recently retired from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where she was professor of early childhood education for many years. She and Eva collaborated on the development of a conceptual framework for teaching social studies to young children and an accompanying curriculum. Stephanie is also the lead author on an introduction to early childhood education text, Who am I in the Lives of Children? along with Eva and Sherry, has done extensive work on the Code of Ethical Conduct  with NAEYC members and staff, and is the author of a new book, Professionalism in Early Childhood Education.

 

Chapter 1:   Curriculum That Engages Young Children

Chapter 2:   Planning, Implementing, and Assessing Curriculum

Chapter 3:   Planning Integrated Curriculum

Chapter 4:   Large Motor Curriculum: Moving and Learning

Chapter 5:   Fine Motor Curriculum: Manipulating and Coordinating

Chapter 6:   Sensory Development Curriculum: Sensing and Perceiving

Chapter 7:   Language Curriculum: Speaking and Listening

Chapter 8:   Literacy Curriculum: Exploring and Using Print

Chapter 9:   Literature Curriculum: Delighting in Books and Words

Chapter 10:   Visual Art Curriculum: Creating with Hand and Eye

Chapter 11:   Music Curriculum: Creating with Heart and Voice

Chapter 12:   Creative Movement Curriculum: Creating with Body and Mind

Chapter 13:    Math Curriculum: Discovering Patterns and Solving Problems

Chapter 14:    Science Curriculum: Discovering the Natural World

Chapter 15:    Social Studies Curriculum: Discovering the Social World