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For those that use Creative Curriculum, can you please give me some pointers to get started? I have looked at it many times over the last 8 years and have always wanted to do it but the conversion seems daunting. Currently I use Mother Goose Time as my basis but adapt it to how I want to use it which means picking and choosing the parts I feel are appropriate for the kids and making as much of it open ended as I can. Lesson plan samples? Daily schedules/routines? Anything you would be willing to share would be great. I am applying to have my facility become a North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten facility and we will be required to use Creative Curriculum so this is the kick in the butt to finally switch over. So, please share away.....
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I heard it explained this way recently....YOU are the curriculum. If kids are showing an interest in bugs....then you incorporate bugs in your plan. Your plan might be at that very moment. You might look things up together on the computer or children's science. Children would have plenty of free choice time....and you would be a dectective for teachable moments. -
As the kiddos and I are going about our week I am paying close attention to what it is that they're interested in. Sometimes I do an activity around their interest right then (and then just cross out on my lesson plan what I was going to do) but many times I will keep it in mind for next weeks plan and do it then. As PP suggested, if the children are interested in bugs, I might do some bug exploration with the children for the rest of that week and also do a more extensive bug study with them the following week or two (or longer, depending on how long it holds their attention and where it ends up going).
Also, just because you put something on your plan, doesn't mean that you have to do it and you still have ultimate flexibility in being able to 'change it up' if the day or the children call for it.
I really like doing emergent curriculum! This past spring we were studying weather, and it emerged to birds, then bears and caves (and we had a bear Hibernation Celebration when the bears woke up..it was so much fun), then it went into bugs... everything just flowed beautifully and it came right from the children. It doesn't always work out to be so smooth and there are weeks that I'm struggling to figure out where the curriculum could be going, but overall I really like it and love it when we get into a groove.
I can't really help with the routine part of it, as I run just a 3-hr/day program and not all day, but I'm sure others will pipe in. PP was right when she mentioned having plenty of time for free play.
Have fun with your transition.
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Last year, I started with and apple theme.
But, by the first week back (they are gone in the summer) It was obvious that we were now obsessed with Rubber ducks. <--I misspelled ducks the first time, and I'm so glad I caught that.
So.. we did a Rubber Duck theme for a few weeks. Then, it was Circus, so I switched to a circus theme.
It's really hard sometimes though, because I didn't see the rubber duck obession coming, so I had to go out and buy ducks, and hit up the library and internet for other stuff... so, unless you have a box of themes put away somewhere, it's really hard to do.Comment
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just an example.....
yesterday we had spagetti and meatballs for lunch. while we were eating, one of the kids mentioned that his gma made the BEST matza balls ever! he asked if anyone knew what they were, and of course, none of the other kids did. so....a theme was born! international cuisine! which, i dont know how long this topic will last....or how deep we will dig into the different nationalities, but i'm sure it will end with a family potluck of some sort.
yummy and i cant wait!!!
when planning emergent curriculum, just pay close attention to what the kids are interested in, and go with it! you can still pre-plan your lesson plans each week.Comment
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