Early Childhood Education Models

Our Backyard Unit: Overview

The theme occurring in my classroom during this sequence was Our Backyard/Our Community. The curriculum at our school is based around extended themes that are carried out by pods (groups of four to five classrooms). Four pods exist in our school each sharing a large octagon shaped commons area with a twenty-foot ceiling. Theme based projects are created which transform the commons area and classrooms, so that one can walk into the pod and feel as though they were walking into a backyard. As the year progresses, so does the project work and the transformation of these environments. Appropriate early childhood themes last anywhere from 4 months to an entire year. The sequence that I will be covering is from a yearlong theme, but will focus on a smaller sub-theme. The sub-theme I am using is Waterfalls. This sequence lasted approximately three weeks. Throughout the theme, I incorporate an integrated curriculum approach to learning. I believe that children learn best when they are encouraged to participate in authentic learning experiences that allow them to develop their abilities in many different content areas. Although this theme and the projects that accompany it have a strong tie to social studies and the arts, the development of math, science, and literacy are of equal focus. This style of teaching allows for the active participation of every student, regardless of their level of cognitive and social development or physical abilities. Through this theme, I strive to challenge all of my students and meet their intellectual, physical, and social needs while providing meaningful learning experiences for everyone involved.