IELDS Standard: 10.A.ECb
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The House Project
Laura Deluca and Sandy DunnPershing Early Learning CenterDecatur, Illinois Decatur is a community of about 76,000 in Macon County. The Pershing Early Learning Center in northwest Decatur houses 17 half-day prekindergarten classes for at-risk children, 6 half-day inclusive classes, 7 self-contained early childhood special education classes, and a parent-involvement program for children from birth to…
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Tools People Use
Karen McFadin and Kim HackPershing Early Learning CenterDecatur, Illinois Our project on tools took place in a half-day prekindergarten classroom at Pershing Early Learning Center in Decatur, Illinois. Children attend for 2.5 hours in the morning or afternoon, 5 days a week. Thirty-three children participated in this project. The morning class included 5 children with…
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Helping Children Take Surveys
Children can use surveys just as adults do—to collect information from other people. Surveys can help them find out about others’ opinions, preferences, predictions, and experiences. Taking part in a survey can spark children’s personal interest in a project and increase their engagement with the topic, with classmates, and with others around them. A class…
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Helping Children Sketch and Draw from Observation
A sketch is a quick drawing that shows interesting features of something observed. Drawing, on the other hand, usually refers to a more careful process that includes greater attention to detail. All drawing involves skills, techniques, and tools that are basic to the visual arts, but making sketches or drawings from observation is not necessarily…
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Things to Sit On
Projects are the part of the curriculum that involves children in investigating objects and events around them that are worth knowing more about. Project work is a way of uncovering a subject rather than just covering it. A project focusing on “Things to Sit On” has the potential to involve the entire class from the…
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All About Gardens
Projects are the part of the curriculum that involves children in investigating objects and events around them that are worth knowing more about. Project work is a way of uncovering a subject rather than just covering it. A project focusing on gardens has the potential to involve the entire class, the children’s families, and community…
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From Door to Door: A Project about Doors and Gates
Projects are the part of the curriculum that involves children in investigating objects and events around them that are worth knowing more about. Project work is a way of uncovering a subject rather than just covering it. Doors are so much a part of our daily lives that we tend to take them for granted.…
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Changes in the Trees around Us
Projects are the part of the curriculum that involves children in investigating objects and events around them that are worth knowing more about. Project work is a way of uncovering a subject rather than just covering it. Most young children growing up in Illinois have opportunities to observe and study the dramatic seasonal changes that…
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Investigating Wheels
A project is a part of the curriculum that involves children in investigating objects and events around them that are worth knowing more about. Project work is a way of uncovering a subject rather than just covering it. A project on wheels has the potential to involve the entire class, the children’s families, and community…
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Magnets and Cars
The teacher took the 3- and 4-year-olds to visit the automotive lab next door to the classroom. The next day she asked the children to predict what parts of a car would attract a magnet.
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Exploring Windshield Wipers
Children in a mixed-age early childhood classroom at a rural community college were engaged in a study of cars.
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Exploring Trees on the Playground
This video clip provides a glimpse of some of the interactions among the children and between the children and the environment that can occur when teachers involve children in outdoor education experiences.
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The Clock Repairman and His Tools
This video clip shows some of the interaction between a preschool class (ages 3–5) and a visiting clock repair specialist.
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Project Approach for Preschoolers
Preschoolers like to investigate! They enjoy learning about the world around them. The Project Approach involves children in studies of things nearby that interest them and are worth knowing more about.
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Fun at Home with Preschoolers: Let’s Measure!
Here are some home activities that can help your child learn basic measurement concepts.
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Math and the Project Approach
Young children develop math competencies when their teachers know what math concepts and skills young children are most likely to be ready to learn and should know (Illinois State Board of Education, 2013) and when teachers know where each child’s individual level of progress and performance is in relation to mastery of those competencies.
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Get Growing: Learning about Seeds
Preschoolers can find out many things about seeds before planting them. Here are some teacher-tested activities to help children investigate seeds.
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Get Growing: From Seeds to Sprouts
Here are some suggestions for seed-sprouting activities.
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Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?
Teachers can help children understand more about their communities and think about what they might like to do when they grow up by helping children identify a variety of community workers and the many services they provide.
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Say Yes to the Mess! Play with Rocks
Materials such as rocks can be important additions to a preschool’s outdoor play area.
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Project Approach: Children Taking Surveys
Surveys are popular sources of information for adults. Young children can also use simple surveys. They can ask others for predictions related to a project or ask about others’ opinions, experiences, and work.
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Path to Math: More Numbers
Here are some ways to help older preschool children learn more about numbers.
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Path to Math: Measurement with Young Children
Measurement activities can help young children understand basic math concepts and learn life skills.
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Out and About with Preschoolers: The Places You’ll Go!
Go ahead—take those young social scientists outside!
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Natural Illinois: Mammals
Look carefully and you may see squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, or field mice—or the tracks they leave behind.
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Natural Illinois: Birds
Illinois is home to a wide variety of birds that are as close as your backyard, local park, or schoolyard.
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Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Science
So don’t just wait—investigate! You can help your child to start thinking like a young scientist by…
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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Being There!
These tips can help your class have a good field trip.
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Learning Math Through Games
Playing active games is fun for most children, and it can build a strong sense of community in a classroom.
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A Project on Trees: Suggestions for Teachers
Here are some of our suggestions for ways to get young children started on what could become a lifelong interest in things that grow around them.
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Project Approach: Phase 2—Doing Fieldwork
Here are some ways to help children do fieldwork.