"Elementary and Middle School Mathematics" illustrates how children in PreK to 8th grade learn math, and then shows the most effective methods of teaching math using problem-based activities. Examples of real student work and common challenges help you visualize developmentally appropriate mathematics instruction and assessment that…

"What" and "how" young children are thinking are typically expressed and shared at home and school through verbal and written modes of communication. As a visual language framework conceived and developed by David Hyerle, Thinking Maps® offers an additional way for learners to represent their ideas by visually mapping their…

Matter is an essential science topic that is often challenging to teach at the early elementary levels. Learning about matter helps students develop a solid foundation for more complex concepts that are taught in later years. Make this abstract concept developmentally appropriate for children by engaging them in investigations that focus on…

The VPK Learning Center Activities included with this guide are aligned with the Language, Communication and Emergent Literacy Domain within the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards for Four-Year-Olds (2011). Although the goal was not to create an activity to represent each and every standard and benchmark, most standards are…

Children who learn math fundamentals in preschool and kindergarten have the best chance of later achievement in school--but too often, children don't get the effective early math instruction that makes all the difference. Now there's a core early childhood textbook that helps current and future educators teach the most critical math concepts to…

Presents three activities for teaching spelling to students in grades 2-6 using individualized weekly spelling lists made up of developmentally appropriate words. (SM)

This article presents a unit of fun and developmentally satisfying activities, using familiar folk stories focusing on threesomes. Each example involves story time, block center, art center, dramatic play, listening area, math and manipulatives center, folder game, group times, cooking, writing center, discovery center, and the music and movement…

Discrediting the notion that puppets are strictly for play, this book presents innovative ways for teachers of young children to use puppets as valuable and developmentally appropriate teaching tools. Chapter 1 of the book details the educational benefits of puppets and relates puppetry to play theory, developmentally appropriate practice, and…

Challenges the thinking about planning activities for children around holidays in Head Start programs. Discusses the role of holidays as family events and the difficulties surrounding teaching preschoolers the meaning of holidays. Suggests ways to use holidays as an opportunity to truly expand children's knowledge using child development…

Examines educational activities in terms of authentic, developmentally appropriate practices. Suggests that authentic experiences are closer to being true than false in nature; a real thing rather than a replica; characterized by honesty; and richer, wider, deeper than a synthetic counterpart. Authentic experiences feel right and evoke feeling.…

Illustrates developmentally appropriate physics activities for young children. Addresses ways that teachers can use the environment to teach physics and answers the questions: What is the value of physics for young children? What are criteria for developmentally appropriate physics activities? How does one integrate physics into a project or unit…

This science activity book contains age-appropriate activities that will enable children ages 3-6 to explore one of the first environments they encounter, their own body. The knowledge gained in these activities can be interspersed with pre-science skills, health information, literature, self-concept development, and body awareness. Each chapter…

Describes the creation of a developmentally appropriate curriculum in one child care center using input from teachers, children, parents, and others. Discusses the planning process that combined teacher-initiated activities with child-initiated ideas and questions to produce a unique, dynamic curriculum of age-appropriate and individually…

Contains a series of short, experientially oriented articles on circle time entitled "You Can Make Circle Time Developmentally Appropriate"; "Using Circle Time as a Hub of Curriculum"; "Working It Out Together in Circle Time"; and "Starting with Stories: Building a Sense of Community." (SD)

Discusses ways science can be included in every activity of the preschoolers' day. Describes four characteristics of young children that are important to remember when planning science activities. Provides guidelines for developing and evaluating science activities. Presents a preschool unit on insects and offers suggestions for incorporating…