Lynn,
We will be talking within the next few hours, but I wanted to say how much I like this assignment. You have me very curious about the "Sultan's Elephant!" I love that you give students some options for assignments. I just started doing this in my writing class and the students love it. I wondered if we want to give students some parameters about the length of their written responses. I have been asking my lit students for a 300 or 400 word minimum, in hopes that they will go beyond the perfunctory response.
I really agree that it might be a good idea to forgo the chapter 12 assignment in favor of letting students share their final projects. I feel bad that I don't have the sensory and music assignments completed yet. I think I can do them tomorrow, maybe Monday. I'm up to my eyebrows in fence-mending just now. The next few weeks will be crazy as I try to clean my father's house before I leave. He is having his brother visit right after I leave on the 15th, and I want the place half decent before I go.
Again, beautiful puppet assignment!
Suzanne
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Chapter 11 Puppets
Hi Suzanne!
I'm back! Here's chapter 11's discussion forum. Chapter 12 falls on week 12 our last week - should we still cover it or have students share their curriculum? Just thought I'd ask before finishing it up.
Chapter 11 Puppets
Reading Assignment: pgs. 325-348
Discussion Board by midnight Friday – complete one of the following:
After reading the chapter go to Center for PuppetryArts at http://www.puppet.org. This site is an interesting one to explore. You’ll find out a lot about puppet presentations. For example, click on “Museum Tour.” Select one of the puppet show themes, click on “show information,” and look at the PDF information offered. When you have finished exploring, write a short description of what you found that was new to you. Will you use any of this information to enhance your curriculum? What do you think would be most appealing to young children? Explain in writing.
Royal de Luxe’s amazing street parade, “The Visit of the Sultan of India Atop His Time-Travelling Elephant,” occurred from May to July 2006 and featured giant-sized puppets that were operated by 42 puppeteers. Do a Web search of “Sultan’s Elephant” in order to find information about this puppetry project created by a French street theatre company. You can also do a Web search for “You Tube” and then type in “Sultan’s Elephant.”
Using the information from your research on the “Sultan’s Elephant” write a brief reaction statement that addresses (at a minimum) the following points:
• Was the information contained on these Web sites revolutionary in any way?
• Have you ever seen or participated in a street or large venue puppet show? If yes, explain your feelings about the experience. If not, would you like to see one and why?
• Do you feel that this creative extravaganza was appropriate for all ages? Explain your rationale.
• What did you like most about this? What did you like least? Why?
• Describe what you imagine the experience would be like from a puppeteer’s viewpoint, from a 4 year-old’s viewpoint, and from an 8 year-old’s viewpoint.
• Using what you have learned about puppetry, explain why you would support (or not support) public monies being spent on community shows such as this one.
• How would you include puppetry in your curriculum? If you would not include it, why not?
I'm back! Here's chapter 11's discussion forum. Chapter 12 falls on week 12 our last week - should we still cover it or have students share their curriculum? Just thought I'd ask before finishing it up.
Chapter 11 Puppets
Reading Assignment: pgs. 325-348
Discussion Board by midnight Friday – complete one of the following:
After reading the chapter go to Center for PuppetryArts at http://www.puppet.org. This site is an interesting one to explore. You’ll find out a lot about puppet presentations. For example, click on “Museum Tour.” Select one of the puppet show themes, click on “show information,” and look at the PDF information offered. When you have finished exploring, write a short description of what you found that was new to you. Will you use any of this information to enhance your curriculum? What do you think would be most appealing to young children? Explain in writing.
Royal de Luxe’s amazing street parade, “The Visit of the Sultan of India Atop His Time-Travelling Elephant,” occurred from May to July 2006 and featured giant-sized puppets that were operated by 42 puppeteers. Do a Web search of “Sultan’s Elephant” in order to find information about this puppetry project created by a French street theatre company. You can also do a Web search for “You Tube” and then type in “Sultan’s Elephant.”
Using the information from your research on the “Sultan’s Elephant” write a brief reaction statement that addresses (at a minimum) the following points:
• Was the information contained on these Web sites revolutionary in any way?
• Have you ever seen or participated in a street or large venue puppet show? If yes, explain your feelings about the experience. If not, would you like to see one and why?
• Do you feel that this creative extravaganza was appropriate for all ages? Explain your rationale.
• What did you like most about this? What did you like least? Why?
• Describe what you imagine the experience would be like from a puppeteer’s viewpoint, from a 4 year-old’s viewpoint, and from an 8 year-old’s viewpoint.
• Using what you have learned about puppetry, explain why you would support (or not support) public monies being spent on community shows such as this one.
• How would you include puppetry in your curriculum? If you would not include it, why not?
Oops!
Hey Suzanne!
I am glad the seminar was a good one - they can be hit or miss sometimes!! I will fix the course title and number in how this course works page. Thanks!! I am hoping to get the last two chapter lessons done and posted here before Saturday - we'll see - I just enrolled in the PhD program and my classes start Monday!! I am SO-o-o-o-o-o excited!!! My first two courses are Instructional design online!! ( one is principles of and the other is processes in) Can't wait to start!!
I'm glad you like the opening crayons! :) I like the way it looks too!! Hopefully I'll have another post here before Saturday, but if not I'll call you when I get back from babysitting!! Later!
Lynn
I am glad the seminar was a good one - they can be hit or miss sometimes!! I will fix the course title and number in how this course works page. Thanks!! I am hoping to get the last two chapter lessons done and posted here before Saturday - we'll see - I just enrolled in the PhD program and my classes start Monday!! I am SO-o-o-o-o-o excited!!! My first two courses are Instructional design online!! ( one is principles of and the other is processes in) Can't wait to start!!
I'm glad you like the opening crayons! :) I like the way it looks too!! Hopefully I'll have another post here before Saturday, but if not I'll call you when I get back from babysitting!! Later!
Lynn
Brief Update.
Hi Lynn,
I have returned from Tulsa with my head full of ideas about literature for teens! The seminar was excellent - which is an adjective I rarely use for seminars - and I am anxious to get working on my follow up project. I will design three lesson plans for my lit class, implement them, and write up a summary for Chapman University. This will fulfill the one remaining credit needed for my VT teacher recertification.
However, before I do that, I will be completing my last two assignments for our class and posting them here for your perusal. My plan is to complete that over the weekend.
Hope all is ducky with you and I look forward to our talk on Saturday.
Suzanne
I have returned from Tulsa with my head full of ideas about literature for teens! The seminar was excellent - which is an adjective I rarely use for seminars - and I am anxious to get working on my follow up project. I will design three lesson plans for my lit class, implement them, and write up a summary for Chapman University. This will fulfill the one remaining credit needed for my VT teacher recertification.
However, before I do that, I will be completing my last two assignments for our class and posting them here for your perusal. My plan is to complete that over the weekend.
Hope all is ducky with you and I look forward to our talk on Saturday.
Suzanne
Sunday, March 29, 2009
It Looks So Cool!
Lynn,
The course site looks just great! It was so fun to see my words appear, as if by magic. I really like the crayon graphic on the opening page, and you configured the course menu just like I do. It really looks slick.
I like the way your pieces and mine seem to mesh so nicely. You have some great elements that I just might steal for my other courses. This just validates my idea that all teachers should do some collaborative teaching - we learn so much in the process!
I had done a slight revision of my Instructor Profile, so I switched that to the new one. I tried to modify one small thing, but it won’t let me do this. In the How This Course Works section, you have your history course number rather than our EDU number, so maybe you can modify that, since I can’t seem to make it work. We can discuss this modifying issue on Saturday. It is fine to have our discussion later in the day on Saturday – it will work just as well for me.
I spent today building my other three courses and feel pretty good about what I accomplished. I am heading up to Tulsa tomorrow for an all day seminar Tuesday titled The Best Young Adult Literature of the Decade and How to Use it in Your Classroom. I am taking it for a college credit so I will be writing a few new lesson plans to try out on my Lit. students. I’m pretty excited about the seminar, and just as excited about the trip to Tulsa and getting away from the ranch for a few days. I can use a break.
I hope to get to my last two chapter assignments later this week, and when we get those done and tweaked, we can start building the Discussion Board. I am so excited to see it all coming together on our Bb site! Thanks for your hard work in pulling all the various pieces together.
Glad to hear you’re feeling better, and I hope you have a great week.
Suzanne
The course site looks just great! It was so fun to see my words appear, as if by magic. I really like the crayon graphic on the opening page, and you configured the course menu just like I do. It really looks slick.
I like the way your pieces and mine seem to mesh so nicely. You have some great elements that I just might steal for my other courses. This just validates my idea that all teachers should do some collaborative teaching - we learn so much in the process!
I had done a slight revision of my Instructor Profile, so I switched that to the new one. I tried to modify one small thing, but it won’t let me do this. In the How This Course Works section, you have your history course number rather than our EDU number, so maybe you can modify that, since I can’t seem to make it work. We can discuss this modifying issue on Saturday. It is fine to have our discussion later in the day on Saturday – it will work just as well for me.
I spent today building my other three courses and feel pretty good about what I accomplished. I am heading up to Tulsa tomorrow for an all day seminar Tuesday titled The Best Young Adult Literature of the Decade and How to Use it in Your Classroom. I am taking it for a college credit so I will be writing a few new lesson plans to try out on my Lit. students. I’m pretty excited about the seminar, and just as excited about the trip to Tulsa and getting away from the ranch for a few days. I can use a break.
I hope to get to my last two chapter assignments later this week, and when we get those done and tweaked, we can start building the Discussion Board. I am so excited to see it all coming together on our Bb site! Thanks for your hard work in pulling all the various pieces together.
Glad to hear you’re feeling better, and I hope you have a great week.
Suzanne
CD Builder and other stuff
Hey Suzanne!
I'm feeling better today - it's an uphill battle but I'm getting there! It was great talking with you yesterday as well - you helped me put some thoughts into perspective and reinforced some of my ideas and goals! Thanks!!
I have completed the course description so it now can be viewed online through the catalog - check it out and let me know what you think. I wanted to put methods in there but there really wasn't a place for it so I created one. Yours were very good - I couldn't have said them better so I just put your material in there! Thanks!
I have also done some work in our class portal - check that out as well - make any changes you want - I usually like to have a jazzed up opening page to get students excited about the course - if I've overdone it let me know! (It's how I "sell" my classes)
I will send you anything else as I complete it. I forgot to mention that next Saturday morning I am babysitting my granddaughter (2 yrs old) and may be a bit late calling you - My daughter is taking my grandson to a kindergarten orientation from 9:30-11:30. Can I call you at 12 instead of 11? It would be a bit difficult with Gwen here at 11.
I'll be back soon! Take care!
Lynn
I'm feeling better today - it's an uphill battle but I'm getting there! It was great talking with you yesterday as well - you helped me put some thoughts into perspective and reinforced some of my ideas and goals! Thanks!!
I have completed the course description so it now can be viewed online through the catalog - check it out and let me know what you think. I wanted to put methods in there but there really wasn't a place for it so I created one. Yours were very good - I couldn't have said them better so I just put your material in there! Thanks!
I have also done some work in our class portal - check that out as well - make any changes you want - I usually like to have a jazzed up opening page to get students excited about the course - if I've overdone it let me know! (It's how I "sell" my classes)
I will send you anything else as I complete it. I forgot to mention that next Saturday morning I am babysitting my granddaughter (2 yrs old) and may be a bit late calling you - My daughter is taking my grandson to a kindergarten orientation from 9:30-11:30. Can I call you at 12 instead of 11? It would be a bit difficult with Gwen here at 11.
I'll be back soon! Take care!
Lynn
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday Afternoon
Hi Lynn,
As always, it was great to talk with you this morning. I truly hope this illness subsides soon and that you get feeling better. Just think, if you eventually decide to leave the high school and teach online full time, you won't be exposed to those germy students any longer! ;) I was never so sick as I was for the first six months of working in the early childhood environment - and to add insult to injury, there was a probational waiting period before my health insurance benefits kicked in. It's a wonder I lived through it!
Below you will find the slightly revised Preliminary Syllabus, a Methods and Materials blurb (which contains the verbiage about the structure of the week, discussed this morning), my General Instructions I use for all of my classes (most useful for brand-new students).
As always, revise to your heart's content!
Take care,
Suzanne
Methods and Materials
Methods:
Weekly reading assignments from the textbooks and outside reading assignments; Weekly questions to be answered on the Discussion Board (DB), which are reflective of your reading; responses to posts on the Discussion Board.
Course Structure:
For the purpose of this course, our week begins on Tuesday, when the Discussion Board for the week opens. Your post in which you respond to the question(s) is due by midnight on Friday. Your responses to your peers’ posts are due by midnight on Sunday. If you meet these deadlines, you may continue discussion throughout Monday and earn credit for them.
Textbook:
Early Education Curriculum, 4th ed., by Hilda L. Jackman, ISBN 1428322523
(Note: You must use this ISBN because it denotes a bundled set of materials you will need for this course.)
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
The format for this class will be as follows:
Important: It is your responsibility to read every post in every Discussion Board.
You will begin each week’s lesson by reading the assigned pages in the textbook, as well as any additional assigned readings. Part of the grading process depends on how you synthesize the readings into your discussion board posts. After reading the assignments, you will compose an essay in response to the Discussion Board Instructions. There will be a separate Discussion Board set up for each week and you will submit all posts to that board. From the menu at the left, click on “Discussion Board.” Scroll to the DB for the current week. Open the DB by clicking on the underlined title. Click “Add a Thread,” and compose your answer in the dialog box. Initial weekly posts should be at least 300 words in length and will be labeled “Chapter __.” Responses to fellow students will be labeled “Response to (student’s name.). Note: All Discussion Board posts and replies must be proofread and spell checked prior to submission.
The Discussion Board will open on Tuesday, and your initial responses to the discussion question will be due by midnight on Friday. Responses to your peers’ posts will be due by midnight on Sunday. Responses to assigned readings must be submitted by Friday at midnight in order to receive credit for the posting. It is your responsibility to read everyone’s posts. This is a critical element of online learning and will require careful time scheduling.
The second part of the week’s assignment will be to respond to other students’ posts. These must be posted by midnight on Sunday. Again, it is your responsibility to read these posts as well. Of course it is fine for you to use the syllabus to see what the next week’s assignment will be, but please do not submit posts in advance of the opening date for each week’s discussion board. The discussion board is your virtual classroom, and it doesn’t make sense for you to speak to an empty room. It is also important to remember that may be changes to the syllabus, or additional outside reading or research that should be reflected in your weekly posts.
I hope these general guidelines are helpful to you. Let us know if you need clarification on anything throughout the semester.
Curriculum Development for Early Childhood Education
Preliminary Syllabus
(Note: This syllabus is subject to change prior to the first class. Please see the Discussion Board Instructions for changes.)
The structure of this course will include weekly reading assignments in the textbook and from other sources, weekly submission of homework assignments to the discussion board, and substantial participation in asynchronous discussion on the discussion board every week. Grading will be judged based on quality of your submissions, depth of your contributions to discussions, and evidence of critical thinking as you relate what you are learning to what you know, and how you will use what you are learning.
In this course, learners develop an understanding of the philosophical principles, societal expectations, and practical demands of building curriculum for early childhood education. Emphasis is on developing a child-centered, integrated, and developmentally appropriate curriculum for the early years from infancy to age 8. A variety of curricular approaches will be modeled and assessed.
Topics covered in this course include Started the Process; Creating Curriculum; Language and Literacy; Literature; Math; Science; Social Studies; Art; Sensory Centers; Music and Movement; Puppets; Dramatic Play and Creative Dramatics.
Activities and projects shared in this course will include (but are not limited to) essays in response to significant issues in curriculum development; substantial participation in discussions; development of lesson plans and activities related to learning domains, as well as activities for helping students bridge the gaps between learning domains; strategies for making curriculum accessible to diverse classroom populations, including students with different learning styles and special needs; the development, over the course of the semester, of a curriculum for use with a particular age group.
Preliminary Syllabus:
May 26: Chapter 1 – Starting the Process
Reading Assignment: Pg. 2-35
Submission of an introductory essay and your response to the discussion board questions; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 2: Chapter 2 – Creating Curriculum
Reading Assignment: Pg. 36-84
Submission of your response to your choice of several discussion board questions; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 9: Chapter 3 – Language and Literacy
Reading Assignment: Pg. 86-116
Development of a language activity for a chosen grade level; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 16: Chapter 4 – Literature
Reading Assignment: Pg. 117-154
Creation of an annotated bibliography for a selected grade level; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 23: Chapter 5 – Math
Reading Assignment: Pg. 155-184
Development of a math activity for young children; Parent involvement activity; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 30: Chapter 6 – Science
Reading Assignment: Pg. 185-213
Development of a science activity for young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 7: Chapter 7 – Social Studies
Reading Assignment: Pg. 214-238
Development of a family survey, which will be used in creating a social studies lesson for young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 14: Chapter 8 – Art
Reading Assignment: Pg. 239-268
Development of an age appropriate art activity for young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 21: Chapter 9 – Sensory Centers
Reading Assignment: Pg. 269-298
Development of a multi-cultural cooking activity to be used with young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 28: Chapter 10 – Music and Movement
Reading Assignment: Pg. 299-324
Development of a music and movement activity to be used with young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
August 4: Chapter 11 – Puppets
Reading Assignment: Pg. 325-349
Development of an activity in which puppets play an important role; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
August 11: Chapter 12 – Dramatic Play and Creative Dramatics
Reading Assignment: Pg. 350-401
Development of an activity for the dramatic play area of the classroom; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
August 17: Presentation of finals, including Culmination Essays
As always, it was great to talk with you this morning. I truly hope this illness subsides soon and that you get feeling better. Just think, if you eventually decide to leave the high school and teach online full time, you won't be exposed to those germy students any longer! ;) I was never so sick as I was for the first six months of working in the early childhood environment - and to add insult to injury, there was a probational waiting period before my health insurance benefits kicked in. It's a wonder I lived through it!
Below you will find the slightly revised Preliminary Syllabus, a Methods and Materials blurb (which contains the verbiage about the structure of the week, discussed this morning), my General Instructions I use for all of my classes (most useful for brand-new students).
As always, revise to your heart's content!
Take care,
Suzanne
Methods and Materials
Methods:
Weekly reading assignments from the textbooks and outside reading assignments; Weekly questions to be answered on the Discussion Board (DB), which are reflective of your reading; responses to posts on the Discussion Board.
Course Structure:
For the purpose of this course, our week begins on Tuesday, when the Discussion Board for the week opens. Your post in which you respond to the question(s) is due by midnight on Friday. Your responses to your peers’ posts are due by midnight on Sunday. If you meet these deadlines, you may continue discussion throughout Monday and earn credit for them.
Textbook:
Early Education Curriculum, 4th ed., by Hilda L. Jackman, ISBN 1428322523
(Note: You must use this ISBN because it denotes a bundled set of materials you will need for this course.)
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
The format for this class will be as follows:
Important: It is your responsibility to read every post in every Discussion Board.
You will begin each week’s lesson by reading the assigned pages in the textbook, as well as any additional assigned readings. Part of the grading process depends on how you synthesize the readings into your discussion board posts. After reading the assignments, you will compose an essay in response to the Discussion Board Instructions. There will be a separate Discussion Board set up for each week and you will submit all posts to that board. From the menu at the left, click on “Discussion Board.” Scroll to the DB for the current week. Open the DB by clicking on the underlined title. Click “Add a Thread,” and compose your answer in the dialog box. Initial weekly posts should be at least 300 words in length and will be labeled “Chapter __.” Responses to fellow students will be labeled “Response to (student’s name.). Note: All Discussion Board posts and replies must be proofread and spell checked prior to submission.
The Discussion Board will open on Tuesday, and your initial responses to the discussion question will be due by midnight on Friday. Responses to your peers’ posts will be due by midnight on Sunday. Responses to assigned readings must be submitted by Friday at midnight in order to receive credit for the posting. It is your responsibility to read everyone’s posts. This is a critical element of online learning and will require careful time scheduling.
The second part of the week’s assignment will be to respond to other students’ posts. These must be posted by midnight on Sunday. Again, it is your responsibility to read these posts as well. Of course it is fine for you to use the syllabus to see what the next week’s assignment will be, but please do not submit posts in advance of the opening date for each week’s discussion board. The discussion board is your virtual classroom, and it doesn’t make sense for you to speak to an empty room. It is also important to remember that may be changes to the syllabus, or additional outside reading or research that should be reflected in your weekly posts.
I hope these general guidelines are helpful to you. Let us know if you need clarification on anything throughout the semester.
Curriculum Development for Early Childhood Education
Preliminary Syllabus
(Note: This syllabus is subject to change prior to the first class. Please see the Discussion Board Instructions for changes.)
The structure of this course will include weekly reading assignments in the textbook and from other sources, weekly submission of homework assignments to the discussion board, and substantial participation in asynchronous discussion on the discussion board every week. Grading will be judged based on quality of your submissions, depth of your contributions to discussions, and evidence of critical thinking as you relate what you are learning to what you know, and how you will use what you are learning.
In this course, learners develop an understanding of the philosophical principles, societal expectations, and practical demands of building curriculum for early childhood education. Emphasis is on developing a child-centered, integrated, and developmentally appropriate curriculum for the early years from infancy to age 8. A variety of curricular approaches will be modeled and assessed.
Topics covered in this course include Started the Process; Creating Curriculum; Language and Literacy; Literature; Math; Science; Social Studies; Art; Sensory Centers; Music and Movement; Puppets; Dramatic Play and Creative Dramatics.
Activities and projects shared in this course will include (but are not limited to) essays in response to significant issues in curriculum development; substantial participation in discussions; development of lesson plans and activities related to learning domains, as well as activities for helping students bridge the gaps between learning domains; strategies for making curriculum accessible to diverse classroom populations, including students with different learning styles and special needs; the development, over the course of the semester, of a curriculum for use with a particular age group.
Preliminary Syllabus:
May 26: Chapter 1 – Starting the Process
Reading Assignment: Pg. 2-35
Submission of an introductory essay and your response to the discussion board questions; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 2: Chapter 2 – Creating Curriculum
Reading Assignment: Pg. 36-84
Submission of your response to your choice of several discussion board questions; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 9: Chapter 3 – Language and Literacy
Reading Assignment: Pg. 86-116
Development of a language activity for a chosen grade level; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 16: Chapter 4 – Literature
Reading Assignment: Pg. 117-154
Creation of an annotated bibliography for a selected grade level; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 23: Chapter 5 – Math
Reading Assignment: Pg. 155-184
Development of a math activity for young children; Parent involvement activity; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
June 30: Chapter 6 – Science
Reading Assignment: Pg. 185-213
Development of a science activity for young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 7: Chapter 7 – Social Studies
Reading Assignment: Pg. 214-238
Development of a family survey, which will be used in creating a social studies lesson for young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 14: Chapter 8 – Art
Reading Assignment: Pg. 239-268
Development of an age appropriate art activity for young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 21: Chapter 9 – Sensory Centers
Reading Assignment: Pg. 269-298
Development of a multi-cultural cooking activity to be used with young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
July 28: Chapter 10 – Music and Movement
Reading Assignment: Pg. 299-324
Development of a music and movement activity to be used with young children; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
August 4: Chapter 11 – Puppets
Reading Assignment: Pg. 325-349
Development of an activity in which puppets play an important role; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
August 11: Chapter 12 – Dramatic Play and Creative Dramatics
Reading Assignment: Pg. 350-401
Development of an activity for the dramatic play area of the classroom; substantial participation in the discussion is required.
August 17: Presentation of finals, including Culmination Essays
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