I would like a good overall preschool curriculum for my class of 10 3-5 year olds. Help please.?

Question

I am currently using Funshine Express and like it so much b/c it isn't worksheet bases, but I am disappointed to learn that it is being discontinued. Please help me find some other alternatives!

Answer 1

Go to brainpop,com and sign up for brainpop jr. There is a lot of videos on like everything.

Answer 2

Try creative curriculum. It's worth a look.



1-800-637-3652

Resources for Preschool Programs

Inside this page: Theory and Research | How Children Develop and Learn | The Learning Environment | Interest Areas | What Children Learn | The Teacher's Role | The Family's Role

The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool translates new research and theory from the field of early childhood education into a practical, easy-to-understand approach to working with children and their families. It is a comprehensive curriculum with a clear organizational structure and a particular focus on interest areas.

The structure of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool includes the following sections:

Theory and Research

How Children Develop and Learn

The Learning Environment

What Children Learn

The Teacher's Role

The Family's Role

Interest Areas

Click on each of the sections of the organizational structure below to learn more.



Order The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool





Learn More

Theories, Research, and Classroom Implications (pdf)

Related materials

The Creative Curriculum for Preschool

Building Your Baby's Brain

Building Your Baby's Brain (Spanish)



Theory and Research

Child development theory and scientific research are the foundation of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool. They inform decision making, influence our view of children, and are the basis for all the recommendations we've included.

Abraham Maslow--Basic needs and learning

Erik Erikson--The emotions and learning

Jean Piaget--Logical thinking and reasoning

Lev Vygotsky--Social interaction and learning

Howard Gardner--Multiple intelligences

Sara Smilansky--Play and learning

Research on learning and resiliency

Research on learning and the brain

Not only is every aspect of The Creative Curriculum based on sound developmental theory and evidence-based research, but numerous research studies have been conducted to validate its effectiveness.

back to organizational structure



  

Learn More

Ch. 1: How Children Learn and Develop excerpt (pdf)

Related materials

Goals and Objectives Poster

Goals and Objectives Poster (Spanish)

The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum for Ages 3-5



How Children Develop and Learn

Knowing how children develop and learn is the basis for planning your program, selecting materials, and guiding children's learning. By knowing, we mean appreciating general patterns of growth in all children as well as the differences you will certainly encounter among individual children.

The Creative Curriculum enhances social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development. Goals and objectives for each of these developmental areas are organized into The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum for Ages 3-5.

Because children do not master a skill all at once, each objective has three steps that illustrate the typical sequence of development. A special category called forerunners helps you look at emerging behaviors for each objective and enables you to assess all children's learning and development, including those with disabilities or developmental delays.

You'll find that The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum for Ages 3-5 is an effective way to focus your observations of children and document their progress in relation to the goals and objectives. This tool has been proven valid and reliable in a wide range of research studies.

back to organizational structure



  

Learn More

Ch. 2: The Learning Environment excerpt (pdf)

Related materials

Room Arrangement as a Teaching Strategy (Video/DVD)



The Learning Environment

The learning environment is the structure of the classroom that sets the context for teaching and learning. The Creative Curriculum shows you how to

set up the physical environment and maintain interest areas

establish a classroom structure that includes the daily routine and schedule, choice times, and small- and large-group times

create a classroom community that promotes positive relationships and where children make friends and learn social problem-solving skills

back to organizational structure



  

Learn More

Ch. 6: Blocks excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 7: Dramatic Play excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 8: Toys & Games excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 9: Art excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 10: Library excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 11: Discovery excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 12: Sand & Water  excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 13: Music & Movement excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 14: Cooking excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 15: Computers excerpt (pdf)

Ch. 16: Outdoors excerpt (pdf)

Related materials

The Creative Curriculum Video

Room Arrangement as a Teaching Strategy (Video/DVD)



Interest Areas

The physical space of The Creative Curriculum classroom is organized into 10 indoor interest areas:

Blocks

Dramatic Play

Toys and Games

Art

Library

Discovery

Sand and Water

Music and Movement

Cooking

Computers

The 10 indoor interest areas plus the outdoor space offer multiple opportunities for children to explore, discover, and learn. Interest areas provide a setting for children to learn academic content and apply skills.

back to organizational structure



  

Learn More

Ch. 3: What Children Learn excerpt (pdf)

Related materials

Literacy: The Creative Curriculum Approach

A Trainer's Guide to The Creative Curriculum for Preschool: Vol. 2: Literacy

The Creative Curriculum for Preschool Literacy Kits

Study Starters: In-Depth Project-Based Investigations in Science and Social Studies

Mathematics: The Creative Curriculum Approach

The Creative Curriculum for Preschool Math Kit #1 and Kit #2



What Children Learn

On the basis of scientific research and state and professional standards, The Creative Curriculum identifies the knowledge, skills, and concepts important for preschool children to acquire in each content area: literacy, math, science, social studies, the arts, and technology. We describe the key components of these content areas:

Literacy: vocabulary and language, phonological awareness, letters, words, print, comprehension, books and other texts, and sources of enjoyment

Mathematics: numbers; patterns and relationships; geometry and spatial awareness; measurement; and data collection, organization, and representation

Science: physical science, life science, and earth and the environment

Social Studies: spaces and geography, people and how they live, people and the environment, and people and the past

The Arts: dance, music, drama, and the visual arts

Technology: awareness of technology, basic operations and concepts, technological tools, and people and technology

Most importantly, we explain how to teach these subject areas in ways that respect how preschool children develop and learn.

back to organizational structure



  

Learn More

Ch. 4: The Teacher's Role excerpt  (pdf)

Related materials

The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum for Ages 3-5

The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Assessment Toolkit for Ages 3-5

The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Assessment Toolkit for Age 3-5 (Spanish)

CC-PORT

CreativeCurriculum.net



The Teacher's Role

The Creative Curriculum for Preschool describes the teacher's role as an ongoing cycle of observing children, guiding their learning, and assessing their progress. We show you how to motivate children, build on their prior knowledge and strengths, and support their learning in an intentional way by using a variety of strategies to increase their knowledge, skills, and understandings.

You'll find out how to use assessment information to guide children's learning throughout the day: during large- and small-group times, routine times, long-term studies, and in interest areas.

back to organizational structure



  

Learn More

Ch. 5: The Family's Role excerpt (pdf)

Related materials

A Parent's Guide to Preschool

A Parent's Guide to Preschool (Spanish)

A Parent's Guide to Preschool (Japanese)

Building Your Baby's Brain

Building Your Baby's Brain (Spanish)

Reading Right from the Start

Reading Right from the Start (Spanish)



The Family's Role

Home and school are a young child's two most important worlds. Children must bridge these two worlds every day. If home and school are connected in positive and respectful ways, children feel secure. However, children suffer when the two worlds are at odds because of apathy, lack of understanding, or an inability to work together. Teachers can build a true partnership when they truly value the family's role in a child's education and recognize how much they can accomplish by working with families.

The Creative Curriculum for Preschool provides you with guidance on getting to know families, welcoming and communicating with them regularly, partnering for children's learning, and responding to challenging situations.

Answer 3

Have you tried "www.preschool education.com"? or www.perpetual preschool.com ? Those are both sites I get ideas from. Congratulations for not doing worksheets! I can't believe how many teachers use them- they are so innappropriate.

Answer 4

Creative Curriculum is simply a framework, not a daily curriculum.

The company I work for wrote Links to Literacy. It is available through www.kaplanco.com. It is a research-based, literacy-based curriculum for 3's and 4's.

Answer 5

I definately recommend Creative Curriculum.  This is beyond the "send you all the materials and instructions for activities in the mail."  I'm not familiar with Funshine Express but that's what it sounds like...no offense.  :-)  I just find that the use of the word "curriculum" in their titles a little humorous.  I would consider those type of "curriculums" more of a curriculum support than an actual curriculum.  But it depends on what definition you apply to the word  :-)  Check out Creative Curriculum.