IELDS Standard: 5.B.ECc
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Keeping Healthy and Safe: Smaller Group Sizes
Young children are attending programs that may have smaller groups or different groups. Adults can support them with simple explanations, visual supports, and practice.
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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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Up Up and Away: The Airplane Project
Kimberly CurialeIrving SchoolMaywood, Illinois Irving School is located 13 miles west of Chicago in Maywood, Illinois. We are part of School District 89, which includes Maywood, Melrose Park, and Broadview. The 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children of Irving’s prekindergarten classes reside throughout the district. The district has four preschool classes, both with a morning class…
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The Cow Project
Angie Herrington with Julie Morrison, Mandy Moses, and Mindy MosesSt. Ambrose University Children’s CampusDavenport, Iowa The project described here was undertaken in the Dragonfly classroom at the St. Ambrose University Children’s Campus in Davenport, Iowa. The Children’s Campus serves children ages 2 months to 5 years old. Children’s Campus teachers begin exposing children to inquiry-based…
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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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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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Roland Draws a Garden
This video clip suggests that children have much to gain from making drawings of places they have been with their families, caregivers, or teachers.
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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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Mack Reads His Book
The teachers have encouraged Mack and his classmates to make their own books related to what they have learned during the project.
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Learning about a Stethoscope
This video clip depicts interaction between some preschool-age children and a guest expert. The class has been investigating measurement. One small group of children has focused on measurement at the doctor’s office.
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Project Approach: Phase 1—Getting Started
Here are some tips to help with getting the project started.
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Get Growing: From Seeds to Sprouts
Here are some suggestions for seed-sprouting activities.
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Young Authors at Work: Literature Response Journals
Literature response journals encourage children to draw, write, and talk about the books you share with them.
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What’s Next? Predictions at Story Time
You can involve older preschoolers in making predictions when you read them a book that they haven’t heard before.
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Out and About with Preschoolers: Literacy Activities
Go ahead—take literacy outside!
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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Follow Up!
After the class returns from an outdoor field trip, the teacher might offer a variety of follow-up activities to help the children build upon the experience.
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Developing a Class Album
The creation of a class album could work well for the start of the new school year, especially if the children are new to each other and to the teacher.
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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 3—Concluding the Project
Here are some tips to use during the last phase of a project to help enrich what the children have learned.
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Project Approach: Phase 2—Doing Fieldwork
Here are some ways to help children do fieldwork.
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Project Approach: Phase 2—Getting Ready for Fieldwork
Here are some ways to help children prepare to do fieldwork.