The Wheels Project took place from January to March, 2012 in a junior kindergarten/kindergarten classroom at the St. Nicholas location of Owl Child Care Services of Ontario in Waterloo. Owl Child Care Services, a nonprofit registered charity, operates seven centers in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge, Ontario. Owl is one of the largest…

Individuals engaging in recreational pursuits, education, work environments, and many other institutional settings are likely to be separated by age. This common practice is often considered an optimal way to facilitate programs. However, the separation of age groups has created societal consequences. It has encouraged a fear of aging and promoted…

Four kindergarten classes in an Ohio elementary school chose to study apples as a group project. Documenting the kindergartners' first experience with project work, this article discusses how the project evolved, and describes the three phases of the projectdiscussions of prior knowledge, fieldwork and visits from experts, and the culminating…

At a suburban Indiana elementary school, the Project Approach serves as the basis of the curriculum in all Kindergarten classrooms. The four classes of 5- and 6-year-old children at this school chose to study llamas. This article discusses how the project evolved, describes the three phases of the project, and provides teachers' reflections on the…

Describes a project to create accessibility in a preschool, whose genesis was a student comment which blossomed into a four-month endeavor. The project serves as a guide to implementing an emergent curriculum project. Describes the process of responding to children, anticipating their next inquiry, following their lead, and encouraging their…

Describes the use of handmade cloth dolls without facial features with 2- and 3-year-olds as a framework for an arts-based emergent curriculum related to body awareness. Shows how children's interests guided the project activities. Discusses the teachers' role in maintaining the content level and interest, and the importance of out-of-classroom…

Increasingly, the innovative teaching approach of the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, are being adapted to U.S. early childhood settings. This book describes the growth and evolution of the work in the St. Louis Reggio Collaborative over the past 10 years, addressing the fundamental principles of the Reggio approach as they are experienced in…

Presents suggestions for integrating children's literature with mathematics and science activities for early-childhood settings. Delineates project topics and curriculum ideas for coordination with six children's books. Includes list of 39 books appropriate for young children and related to mathematics and science. (KB)

Describes six projects used in a Hong Kong kindergarten to illustrate key ingredients of the project method. Shows how a thematic approach combined with the use of projects can enable children to be self-motivated learners equipped with the skills to conduct in-depth investigations. Includes list of children's books for projects about shoes and…

Discusses the project approach in early childhood curriculum, a natural, teacher-supported companion to teacher-directed activities that develops basic skills and recognizes the child's need for hands-on experimentation to make learning meaningful. Describes the three phases of project approach: investigation, fieldwork, and display. Offers…

Documents the process of exploring the Reggio Emilia approach in Head Start classrooms in Iowa. Describes areas of exploration, including revising the classroom environments and daily schedules, using more documentation, instituting child-initiated projects, and collaborating on a deeper level with colleagues. Includes excerpts from children's…

The preschool program of Reggio Emilia, Italy is discussed in terms of its commitment to the community, its project- and art-based curriculum, its use of space to support curriculum goals, and characteristics of its environment. Implications of the program for American education are discussed. (BG)

Describes implementation of the Reggio Approach in a university preschool. Summarizes the learning assumptions and teaching methods used. Examines the parent-teacher, teacher-teacher, and teacher-child partnerships; and describes and reflects on student projects related to dinosaurs, kites, castles, princes, and princesses. Discusses the impact on…

This paper explores implications of the preschool program in Reggio Emilia, Italy for the early childhood education curriculum in the United States. Reggio Emilia's municipal early childhood program incorporates high quality day care with a carefully articulated philosophy of education. The curriculum of the preschools is based on a project…

This book documents the work of a master preschool teacher, her co-teachers, student teachers, and very young children as they explored the automotive laboratory adjacent to their early childhood classroom at a community college. In addition to introducing the project approach, the master teacher also introduced the staff and students to…