I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Understanding and Planning Curriculum

2. Course Prefix & Number:
CDEV 2208

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

4. Course Description:

This course exposes students to what developmentally appropriate curriculum is for infants, toddlers, preschool and young school age children. Students will examine curriculum components along with how curricula differs and effects teaching and learning for specific and multi-age groups. Curriculum theory, models, research, evaluation, assessment, implementation, and evaluation will be explored.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

No placement tests required

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Early Childhood Education AAS

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate written communication skills	Evaluate early childhood curricula models and approaches.
Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations	Examine and demonstrate how to individualize experiences and lessons based on child interests, development, and learning thorough out the curriculum.
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments	Describe and analyze how the physical and psychological environment affects and should reflect the curriculum and overall goals of an early childhood program.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Examine and evaluate early childhood curricula models and approaches;
• Examine the components that make up a curriculum;
• Plan and evaluate components of developmentally appropriate early childhood curricula;
• Embed social and emotional goals and positive guidance strategies into curricula;
• Examine what individualization means within curriculum and how to individualize based on child interests, development, and learning;
• Describe how the physical and psychological environment affects and should reflect the curriculum and overall goals;
• Examine the role of assessment in various components of and the overall curriculum;
• Research and evaluate various lesson plan/activity and curricular forms;
• Research Child Care aware approved curricula; and
• Explore the process of creating a curriculum for approval through Child Care Aware.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Early childhood curricula models
• Emergent
• Cross content curricula models
• Anti-bias
• Multicultural
• Constructivist
• Reggio Emilia
• North American Montessori
• High Scope
• Creative curriculum models
2. Concepts regarding curricula
• Embedding topics, bulling, social, emotional
• Child Centered versus Teacher Centered
• The Hidden Curriculum
• Play Based Curriculum
• Developmentally Appropriate
3. Curricula models in various settings and age groups
• Home based child care
• Adapting curriculum for multi age groups
• Supporting program and individual goals
• Center based child care
• Infant curriculum
• Toddler curriculum
• Preschool curriculum
• School Age child care curriculum
• Supporting program and individual goals
• Head Start, School Readiness, and Church Based programs
• Various Curricula utilized in preschool programs, a look at local programs
4. Guidance in the curriculum
• Developmentally appropriate classroom rules
• Problem solving
• Guidance techniques that support curricular goals
• Classroom management techniques that support individualization based on children’s social/emotional needs
5. Individualizing curriculum
• Whole child
• Flexibility and organization
• Child interests, following child’s lead
• Designing and individualizing based on children’s abilities
6. The environment
• What does room set up say about the program and curriculum
• Using the physical environment to support overall program and individual goals
• Using the psychological environment to support overall program and individual goals
• Connecting and supporting families through the curriculum
7. Lessons plans and activities role in the curriculum
• Assessment Formative
• Summative
• Informal
• Formal
• Adapting lessons, activities, and the curriculum based on assessment 
• Importance of timely feedback for learning
• Standards
• Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress
• Minnesota State Standards for Kindergarten through Third Grade
• How to include Indicators and Standards in lesson plans to support overall developmental and curricular goals
8. MN Childcare Aware approved published Early Childhood curriculums
• Explore the process of creating a MN approved curricula
• Bundling curriculum models