Pre & Primary Teacher Training

Phase–1

Principles and Approaches to Early Childhood Education

Principles and approaches to teaching young learners relate teaching to learning. Teaching
facilitates learning by promoting, nurturing a culture of learning and building connections
with knowledge. Teaching should facilitate the construction of meaning, promote
understanding, and bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and
environmental influences. It leads to experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making
changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views (Illeris, 2000; Ormorod, 1995).
Learning as a process focuses on what happens when the learning takes place. Explanations
of what happens constitute learning theories. A learning theory is an attempt to describe
how people and animals learn, thereby helping us to understand the inherently complex
process of learning. Learning theories have two chief values according to Hill (2002). One is
in providing us with vocabulary and a conceptual framework for interpreting the examples
of learning that we observe. The other is in suggesting where to look for solutions to
practical problems. The theories do not give us solutions, but they do direct our attention to
those variables that are crucial in finding solutions.

Maria Montessori
We begin with the Montessori approach to teaching:
Maria Montessori (picture to the left) was, in many ways,
ahead of her time. Born in the town of Chiaravalle, in the
province of Ancona, Italy, in 1870, she became the first female
physician in Italy after her graduation from medical school in
1896. In her medical practice, her clinical observations led her to analyze how children learn,
and she concluded that they build themselves from what they find in their environment.

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What ultimately became was the Montessori Method of education, based upon
Montessori's scientific observations of these children's almost effortless ability to absorb
knowledge from their surroundings, as well as their tireless interest in
manipulating materials. Every piece of equipment, every exercise, every method Montessori
developed was based on what she observed children to do "naturally," by themselves,
unassisted by adults.

Children teach themselves. This simple but profound truth inspired Montessori's lifelong
pursuit of educational reform, methodology, psychology, teaching, and teacher training—all
based on her dedication to furthering the self-creating process of the child.

Maria Montessori died in Noordwijk, Holland, in 1952, but her work lives on through
the Association Montessori International (AMI), the organization she founded in
Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1929 to carry on her work.

Principles of Montessori Method

The Montessori Method is based on several principles. Montessori believed that learning is
a “natural, self-directed process” that follows several fundamental laws of human nature.
According to Montessori principles, a child will naturally become in harmony with his or her
environment during the learning process as long as the environment is properly prepared
and maintained. The role of the adult in the child’s learning process is to simply prepare the
environment and to make sure this environment remains intact. Montessori’s principles
state that the adult who is preparing the environment needs to be committed to several
things: observation, individual liberty, and sufficient preparation. Montessori believed that
as long as the adults involved in the learning process follow these guidelines the children
will engage themselves in their own learning process.

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 The teaching methods used in the Montessori
classroom (picture to the left) are very
specific. The Montessori teacher must be sure to
include work tasks and activities that involve all of
the individual intelligences. These intelligences
include musical, kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, intuitive, linguistic, and
logical. Children are given the opportunity to
explore different activities that address these
different areas of knowledge.

A Montessori class usually consists of 30 to 35 students and one or two teachers. Children
are grouped in three-year spans, which allow the children to remain with the same teacher
for three to six years. The classroom is usually divided into center stations. The center
stations are grouped into categories such as daily living materials (washing station, cleaning
supplies, etc.), sensorial materials (sand, sound cylinders, etc.), academic materials (books,
pencils, etc.), and cultural/artistic materials (paints, crayons, markers, etc.). The materials
found in each station are carefully organized and usually remain in the same location
throughout the entire school year.

The materials used in the classroom are also important aspects of the Montessori school
system. The materials used are specific to the Montessori school and each serve a very
specific purpose. When a new material is introduced into the classroom the teacher
carefully demonstrates to the children exactly how the material should be used. After this
demonstration the children are expected to only use the material the way it is supposed to
be used. If the teacher observes the child using the material in a different way, he or she
will demonstrate the proper use of the material once again. An example of such a material
is the dried pea work task. The child is given a bowl of dried peas along with a spoon and an
empty bowl. The teacher demonstrates to the child how to spoon the dried peas into the
empty bowl. The child is then left to complete this task on his or her own. If the teacher

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were to see the child using the peas for any other play or work, he or she would
demonstrate the task again.

Montessori claimed that their school system, unlike traditional school systems, provides
children with the opportunity to grow into independent and self-sufficient individuals with a
deeply rooted love for learning.

How her Basic Principles came about:

Montessori kept a list on what children like:

• Children like to repeat exercises; once they discover certain activities they want to
repeat them constantly in order to master them (sensitive period).
• Children like to choose on their own.
• Children have the need to check on themselves.
• It is a challenge to them to come up with the right solution.
• Children like it when human movements are analyzed. How do you do a specific
movement? Is it a beautiful movement?
• Children enjoy silent exercises.
• Children favor good manners in their social behavior.
• Children like an ordered environment in which everything has a fixed place.
This gives them a sense of security and safety.
• Children feel the need to take care of their own body, for instance, washing, blowing
their nose.
• Children in the ages from three to six years are geared toward their senses; through
their senses they learn to explore and order their environment.
• Children write before they start reading (no books yet).

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Friedrich Froebel

Play is a natural instinct of the children. It has been effectively used

for teaching. Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel (picture to the left)
was the father of the Kindergarten system, meaning “Children’s
Garden”, a system which encourages fun and play based
learning. Froebel characterized play as the “work” of childhood and described it as “the
purest, the most spiritual, product of man at this stage.”

Froebel sought to encourage the creation of educational environment that involved

practical work and the direct use of materials. Through engaging with the world,
understanding unfolds; hence the significance of play. It is both a creative activity and
through it children become aware of their place in the world. He went on to develop special
materials (such as shaped wooden bricks and balls – gifts), a series of recommended
activities (occupations) movement activities, and linking set of theories. His original concern
was the teaching of young children through educational games in the family. In the later
years of his life this became linked with a demand for the provision of special centers for the
care and development of children outside the home.

We have seen the development of kindergartens, and the emergence of Froebel movement.
For informal educators, Friedrich Froebel’s continuing relevance has lain in his concern
for learning through activity, his interest in social learning and his emphasis on the
‘unification’ of life.

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Froebel labeled his approach to education as “self-activity”. This idea allows the child to be
led by his or her own interests and to freely explore them. The teacher’s role, therefore, was
to be a guide rather than lecturer.

Froebel’s kindergarten was designed to meet each child’s need for:

 physical activity
 the development of sensory awareness and physical dexterity
 creative expression
 exploration of ideas and concepts
 the pleasure of singing
 the experience of living among others
 satisfaction of the soul

The Kindergarten Curriculum

Froebel’s Gifts:
Froebel developed a series of gifts and occupations for use in
kindergartens. Representing what Froebel identified as
fundamental forms, the gifts had both their actual physical
appearance and also a hidden symbolic meaning. They were used
to stimulate the child to bring the fundamental concept that they represented to mental
consciousness.
Froebel's gifts were the following items:
 Six soft, colored balls
 A wooden sphere, cube, and cylinder
 A large cube divided into eight smaller cubes
 A large cube divided into eight oblong blocks
 A large cube divided into twenty-one whole, six halves, and twelve quarter cubes
 A large cube divided into eighteen whole oblongs: three divided lengthwise, three
divided breadth wise
 Quadrangular and triangular tablets for arranging figures
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  Sticks for outlining figures. Whole and half wire rings for outlining figures
 Various materials for drawing, perforating, embroidering, paper
cutting, weaving or braiding, paper folding, modeling, and interlacing

The occupations were items such as paper, pencils, wood, sand, clay, straw and sticks for
use in constructive activities. Kindergarten activities included games, songs, and stories. The
activities are designed to assist in sensory, physical development and socialization. With the
play activities, children socialize, imitate adult social and economic activities as they are
gradually led into the larger world of group life. The kindergarten provided a milieu that
encouraged children to interact with other children under the guidance of a loving teacher,
and this is followed in KG schools all over the world even today.

Jean Piaget
Swiss biologist and psychologist Jean Piaget (1896-1980) is
renowned for constructing a highly influential model of child
development and learning. Piaget discovered that children think
and reason differently at different periods in their lives. He
believed that everyone passed through an invariant sequence of
four qualitatively distinct stages.

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Invariant means that a person cannot skip stages or reorder them. Although every normal
child passes through the stages in exactly the same order, there is some variability in the
ages at which children attain each stage.

Piaget identified four major stages: sensory-motor, preoperational, concrete operational

and formal operational. Piaget believed all children pass through these phases to advance
to the next level of cognitive development.

• Sensorimotor stage: From birth to age 2. Children experience the world through
movement and senses (use five senses to explore the world). During the sensorimotor stage
children are extremely egocentric, meaning they cannot perceive the world from others'
viewpoints. The sensorimotor stage is divided into six sub-stages: (1) simple reflex (2) first
habits and primary circular reactions (3) secondary circular reactions (4) coordination of
secondary circular reactions (5) tertiary circular reactions, novelty, and curiosity and (6)
internalization of schemes.
• Simple reflexes are from birth to 1 month old. At this time infant uses reflexes such
as rooting and sucking.
• First habits and primary circular reactions are from 1 month to 4 months old. During
this time infant learns to coordinate sensation and two types of scheme (habit and
circular reactions). A primary circular reaction is when the infant tries to reproduce
an event that happened by accident (e.g. sucking thumb).
• The third stage, secondary circular reactions, occurs when the infant is 4 to 8 months
old. At this time, they become aware of things beyond their own body; they are
more object-oriented. During this time, they might accidentally shake a rattle and
continue to do it for sake of satisfaction.
• Coordination of secondary circular reactions is from 8 months to 12 months old.
During this stage they can do things intentionally. They can now combine and
recombine schemes and try to reach a goal (e.g. use a stick to reach something).
They also understand object permanence during this stage. That is, they understand
that objects continue to exist even when they can't see them.

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 • The fifth stage occurs from 12 months old to 18 months old. During this stage infant
explores new possibilities of objects. They try different things to get different results.
• The sixth stage occurs from 18 months to 24 months. During this stage babies
gradually start to know the world through mental representations of items instead of
being solely dependent on action.

• The preoperational stage: Usually occurs during the period between toddlerhood
(18 – 24months) and early childhood (7 years). During this stage child begins to use
language, memory while the imagination develops. In the preoperational stage,
children engage in make-believe. They can understand and express relationships
between the past and the future. More complex concepts, such as cause and effect
relationships which they have not learned. Intelligence is egocentric, intuitive and
not logical.

• The concrete operational stage: This typically develops between the ages of 7-11
years. Intellectual development in this stage is demonstrated through the use of
logical and systematic manipulation of symbols, which are related to concrete
objects. Thinking becomes less egocentric with increased awareness of external
events, and involves concrete references.

• The period from adolescence through adulthood is the formal operational stage.
Adolescents and adults use symbols related to abstract concepts. Adolescents can
think about multiple variables in systematic ways, can formulate hypotheses, and
think about abstract relationships and concepts.

Piaget's Key Ideas (SUMMARY)

What it says: adapting to the world through assimilation and

Adaptation
accommodation
The process by which a person takes material into their mind from
Assimilation
the environment, which may mean changing the evidence of their

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 senses to make it fit.
The difference made to one's mind or concepts by the process of
Accommodation assimilation. Note that assimilation and accommodation work
together as you can't have one without the other.
The ability to group objects together on the basis of common
Classification features.

The understanding of more advanced than simple classification,

that some classes or sets of objects are also sub-sets of a larger
Class Inclusion class. (E.g. there is a class of objects called dogs. There is also a
class called animals. But all dogs are also animals, so the class of
animals includes that of dogs.)
The realization that objects or sets of objects stay the same even
Conservation
when they are changed about or made to look different.
The ability to move away from one system of classification to
Decantation
another, one that is appropriate.
The belief that you are the center of the universe and everything
revolves around you: the corresponding inability to see the world
Egocentrism
as someone else does and adapt to it. Not moral "selfishness", just
an early stage of psychological development.
The process of working out something in your head. Young
children (in the sensorimotor and preoperational stages) have to
Operation act, and try things out in the real world, to work things out (like
count on fingers). Older children and adults can do more in their
heads.
Schema (or The representation in the mind of a set of perceptions, ideas,
scheme) and/or actions, which go together.
A period in a child's development in which he or she is capable of
Stage
understanding some things but not others.

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Stages of Cognitive Development

Stage Characterized by
Sensorimotor Differentiates self from objects.
(Birth-2 years) Recognizes self as agent of action and begins to act intentionally. E.g.
pulls a string to set mobile in motion or shakes a rattle to make a
noise.
Preoperational Achieves object permanence: realizes that things continue to exist
(2-7 years) even when no longer present to the sense (pace Bishop Berkeley).
Learns to use language and to represent objects by images and
words. Thinking is still egocentric, has difficulty taking the viewpoint
of others.
Classifies objects by a single feature, e.g. groups together all the red
blocks regardless of shape or all the square blocks regardless of
colour.
Concrete Can think logically about objects and events.
operational Achieves conservation of number (age 6), mass (age 7), and weight
(7-11 years) (age 9).
Classifies objects according to several features and can order them in
series along a single dimension such as size.

Formal Can think logically about abstract propositions and test hypotheses
operational systematically.
(11 years and Becomes concerned with the hypothetical, the future, and
above) ideological problems.

John Dewey
According to John Dewey ‘Education is life itself’.
John Dewey (1859-1952) believed that learning being active and
schooling was long and restrictive. His idea was that children came

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to school to do things and live in a community which gave them real, guided experiences
which fostered their capacity to contribute to society. For example, Dewey believed that
students should be involved in real-life tasks and challenges.

• Math could be learnt via learning proportions in cooking or figuring out how long it
would take to get from one place to another by mule.
• History could be learnt by experiencing how people lived, geography, what the
climate was like, and how plants and animals grew.
Dewey had a gift of suggesting activities that captured the center of what his classes were
studying. Dewey's education philosophy helped forward the "progressive education"
movement, and spawned the development of "experiential education" programs and
experiments.

Reggio Emilia

The Reggio Emilia approach is a form

of alternative education which focuses on
teaching children through a strong sense of
community. It is usually applied to young
students in pre-school and primary school
grades. This philosophy proposes interactive
methods of teaching, which often involve
parents, educators and environment in a variety of ways.

Loris Malaguzzi (1920-1994) founded the 'Reggio Emilia' approach at a city in northern Italy
called Reggio Emilia. The 'Reggio' approach was developed for municipal child-care and
education programs serving children below six years. The approach requires children to be
seen as competent, resourceful, curious, imaginative, inventive, possess a desire to interact
and communicate with others.

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In 1991, Newsweek magazine noted that the system of thirty-three infant/toddler schools
and preschools in Reggio Emilia were among the ten best school systems in the world.
Reggio Emilia schools carry out a process of collaborative examination and analysis of
teaching and learning about children. This examination and analysis has broadened
constructivist theory, and the results have been demonstrated to experts in education.
“Constructivist theory” refers to learning by doing and the development of knowledge and
understanding based on the child’s own interests.

The 'Reggio' vision of the child as a competent learner has produced a strong child-directed
curriculum model. The curriculum has purposive progression but not scope and sequence.
Teachers follow the children's interests and do not provide focused instruction in reading
and writing. Reggio approach has a strong belief that children learn through interaction with
others, including parents, staff and peers in a friendly learning environment.

The Reggio Emilia approach was conceived to encompass and implement the theoretical
contributions of thinkers including Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner. Collaboration
among children, teachers, parents, and the community is highly valued and the centers are
open to all families regardless of income and supported by the town.

This approach originated in the Italian city of Reggio Emilia after World War II. At that time,
some of the schools in the city rejected the traditional approach of teaching children
through strict discipline and guidelines. It adopted a more flexible method. Gradually, this
new way gained popularity around the world because it encourages child development
through exploration of interests and building relationships with others.

One of the key elements of the Reggio Emilia

approach is the school environment. Small and
colorless classrooms are thought to be
unproductive and limiting to a child’s imagination.
This philosophy suggests lessons be held in much
bigger rooms with plenty of light, space and real

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plants. The idea behind the principle is to stimulate a student’s sense of exploration from an
early stage. Some schools following the Reggio Emilia approach try to limit the barriers
between classrooms to encourage interaction between students.
Parents and friends are very important to this alternative form of education. The children’s
development is often seen as the responsibility of
the entire community. Parents are strongly encouraged to assist their children, not only
with homework, but also by being involved in the child's school activities. The Reggio Emilia
approach places a great value on parental input, and most school boards hold open
meetings on issues like school curriculum and policy.

A major innovation brought about by this type of philosophy is the role of educators.
Learning material is typically designed to enhance the teachers’ own education, to allow
them to learn along with their students. Many of these teaching methods include learning
from physical experience, such as touching, hearing or seeing. Examinations, such as
achievement tests, are often limited and a greater focus is put on helping the children to
comprehend the practical ways they can use what they are learning.

Another important aspect of the Reggio Emilia approach is that it gives children some
control over the way they learn things. Parents and teachers are often instructed to find
ways to incorporate individual student interests into a child's learning process. Children are
also motivated to express themselves through various means, such as writing, drawing and
play-acting. These works are often shared, and even revised, by their peers, to encourage
collective participation.

This model was conceived after World War II when the women of Reggio wanted to build a
school, literally from the rubble of the devastated town. The curriculum is based on close
observation and documentation of the children’s ideas by the teacher who co-constructs
knowledge with the children. Their ideology expanded and deepened and special roles are
given to the atelierista (helps children express ideas) and the pedagogista (the teacher and
connector of teachers). Parents continue to be engaged as partners in their child’s learning.

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The environment is used as a valuable source of learning both to inspire, reflect and to
promote the work of the children, which is done in small groups.

Underlying Features of the Reggio Emilia Approach

• Cooperation – Collaboration – Co-construction

• Documentation - a sophisticated approach to purposefully using the environment to
explain the history of projects and the school community. It does not simply refer to
the beautiful classroom artwork commonly found throughout schools following
Reggio Emilia Approach.
• Environments - the homelike atmosphere is designed to help make children feel
comfortable and learn practical life issues.

Waldorf System

For the Waldorf student, music, dance, and theatre, writing, literature, legends and myths
are not simply subjects to be read about, ingested and tested. They are experienced.
Through these experiences, Waldorf students cultivate a lifelong love of learning as well as
the intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual capacities to be individuals certain of their
paths and to be of service to the world.

Developed by Rudolf Steiner in 1919, Waldorf Education is based on an understanding of

human development that addresses the needs of the growing child. Waldorf teachers strive
to transform education into an art that educates the whole child—the heart and the hands,
as well as the head. When you enter a Waldorf school, the first thing you may notice is the
care given to the building. The walls are usually painted in lively colours and are adorned
with student artwork. Evidence of student activity is everywhere to be found and every desk
holds a uniquely created main lesson book.

Another first impression may be the enthusiasm and commitment of the teachers you meet.
They are facilitators of learning. Teachers in Waldorf schools are dedicated to generating an

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inner enthusiasm for learning within every child. They achieve this in a variety of ways. Even
seemingly dry and academic subjects are presented in a pictorial and dynamic manner. This
eliminates the need for competitive testing, academic placement, and behavioural rewards
to motivate learning. It allows motivation to arise from within and helps engender the
capacity for joyful lifelong learning. The Waldorf curriculum is broad and comprehensive,
structured to respond to the three developmental phases of childhood: from birth to
approximately 6 or 7 years, from 7 to 14 years and from 14 to 18 years. Rudolf Steiner
stressed to teachers that the best way to provide meaningful support for the child is to
comprehend these phases fully and to bring "age appropriate" content to the children that
nourishes healthy growth.

Project Method

The project method can be defined as a medium of instruction. This method is considered as
one of the modern methods of teaching in which utmost importance is given to the
student’s point of view while designing the curriculum and content of studies. This method
is based on the philosophy of Pragmatism and the Principal of “Learning by doing”. Project
work focuses on improving student involvement and motivation in order to foster
independent thinking, self-confidence, and social responsibility. According to Bollard “A
project is a bit of real life that has been imparted into school.”

Project is all about collaborative learning. Students in a project method environment should
get ample opportunity to explore and experience their environment through their senses
and direct their own learning by their individual interests. This method takes the students
beyond the walls of the classroom and it is carried out in natural setting making learning
more realistic and experiential. It also encourages students for investigative learning and
finding solution of practical problems. This helps in acquiring better knowledge of practical
aspect than gaining knowledge from book. While planning a project the teacher plays the
role of a facilitator and allows students great freedom encouraging the spirit of research.

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There are varieties of projects that can be implemented understanding the need of the class
or the group of students catering to. The types of project are as follow:

Individual and social project: Here students solve their problems by themselves in
accordance to their interest, capacity, attitudes and needs.

Group Project: The problems solved by the group of students involved in the class. This
helps in developing confidence and social responsibility.

Simple and complex project: Here children compete only at work time. They get an
opportunity to gather deeper and broader knowledge about the problems.

To prepare a project, steps mentioned below should be followed:

Creating situation

Selection of problem

Planning

Execution

Evaluation

Reporting and recording

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 1) Sample project for primary classroom

Name of the Project: Wonderful World of Weather

Estimated time and brief outline of the project:

The purpose of this project is to heighten the students' awareness of weather by allowing
them to observe weather conditions and to discover weather-related things and
phenomena in their immediate environment.

Specifically, students will:

 develop a basic understanding of how weather can be described in measurable

quantities, such as temperature, wind and precipitation
 use hands-on activities and real-time data investigations to study factors that affect
weather and climate.

The estimated time of the project would be around 10-15 days. This completely depends on
how students master each skill and how ready are they to learn at a particular pace. Each
lesson would be around 50 minutes.

Subject Overview of the project

Integration of English
Students will be able to:

1. Incorporate content-area vocabulary into creative writing

Traditional Japanese haiku is a verse form that began in Japan

during the 17th century. Haiku are short poems about things that
make people feel a connection to nature. Each haiku is made up
of three unrhymed lines of poetry with a total of 17 syllables. The
first and third lines have five syllables each; the middle line has 7.

The teacher will gather the students together as a group. Read

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 several examples of haiku from Flower Moon Snow. For the first
reading, have the students close their eyes and see if they can
picture the scene that the poet is describing. For the second
reading, have them count the syllables with you. Have the
students to try to remember a windy day that they experienced
last week, last month or even last year. Make them share
anecdotes and feelings about that day.

Tell the students that they will try to recreate that day in writing
by composing their own haiku. They should try to use some of
the words on the chart and make their "word pictures" seem so
real that those who read them will have a special feeling. Give
the students time to work on their haiku and to read it to a
classmate. They can clap out the syllables together.

Integration of Science
Students will be able to:

1. Describe weather changes that occur from day to day

2. Suggest why understanding weather is important
3. Know how weather can be measured

Allow approximately one hour for a discussion that will focus on

the observable characteristics of weather.

 Ask the students what they think of when they hear the
word "weather"? What kinds of things would they look
for if they wanted to describe the weather of a particular
day to someone else? What kind of a day do they
consider to be a "nice" day?

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  Lead a discussion on how weather affects their daily lives
considering such factors as the kinds of clothes they wear
and the outdoor activities that they can do.
 Remind them to record the things about weather that day
that might not be visible, but that can be felt, such as
wind.

Weather walk activity:

The students will make casual observations about the weather

outside. They should bring a pencil and a notebook or clipboard
and, as they walk, write as many words as they can to describe
the weather. They might also use drawing or symbols to
represent the characteristics of weather that day.

After each walk the students should gather together and the
teacher should record on a wall chart the "Weather Words" that
students used to describe weather that day (hot, cool, humid,
sunny, etc.) See how many words they had in common.

Integration of Art
Students will make a Pinwheel collector to catch the wind!
(Group activity)
They will notice that the pinwheel only spins when the wind hits
its center.

Process flow:
 Lay the square piece of paper flat on a table and draw a
line diagonally from each corner to the opposite corner.

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  Mark the center of the square where the two lines cross
and punch a small hole through it with the pencil tip.

 Cut along each line stopping about an inch from the hole
in the center of the square.

 Take the pin and punch a hole in the top left corner of
each of the four flaps. (No two holes should be next to
each other.)

 Pick up a flap at each punched corner and carefully curve

it over toward the center hole, securing it with the pin.
Repeat this for the other flaps.

 When all four flaps are held by the pin, carefully lift the
paper without letting the flaps unfurl.

 Lay the pencil flat on a table and push the point of the pin
into the side of the eraser.

The teacher will guide the students throughout this activity.

Integration of
Students will do the following:
Geography

1. Identify and describe the atmospheric conditions of Mars

and Venus.
2. Interpret and compare available weather and climactic
information for Mars and Venus.

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 Review Earth weather phenomena that they've studied.
Ask:
Do other planets have weather like Earth's?
If weather is the condition of the atmosphere at any particular
time or place, why does a planet need to have weather?
(atmosphere)

Bookmarked sites-

 Star Child
 The Eight Planets Just for Kids
 Astronomy for Kids: The Planets
 Mars Global Surveyor
 Your Summer Vacation on Mars
 Mars
 Venus
 The Space Place (NASA)

Introduce planets by directing the students to the online images

that you have and bookmarked. Have students share facts that
they know about each planet and make predictions about the
atmospheric/weather conditions of each planet. Record
predictions on wall chart.

Further, the students (either independently or in small groups)

should use the previously bookmarked web sites to find
information about the climate and weather of Venus and Mars.

Depending on the ability, reading, and interest level of the

students, they may report on any or all of the following topics for
each planet:

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  Length of rotation and revolution
 Average surface temperature
 Daily high and low temperatures
 Reasons for temperature variation
 Cloud cover, wind, precipitation, storms
 Composition of the atmosphere
 Seasons
 Unusual weather patterns or atmospheric behavior

Project overview

Topic Wonderful World of Weather

Class/Age 5th Grade students

group

Subjects English
integrated
Science

Geography

Teaching Aids
Used

Subject 1:
Notebook, Pencil, Pin scissors, Sharpened pencil with eraser, Square piece
Science
of construction paper (about 8.5" x 8.5")

Subject 2:
English Chart Paper and drawing materials

Subject 3: Weather learning logs, Chart Paper, Online images

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 Geography

Music/ Art Pinwheel collector activity

integrated

Remarks (if
any )

2) Sample project for primary classroom

Name of the Project: Stages of Germination

Estimated time and brief outline of the project:

The purpose of this project is to heighten the students' awareness of plant life by allowing
them to observe germinating seed and to discover related things and phenomena in their
immediate environment.

Specifically, students will:

 develop a basic understanding of how environment plays an important role in

germinating a seed.
 use hands-on activities and real-time data investigations to study factors that helps
in germination.

The estimated time of the project would be around 10-15 days. This completely depends on
how students master each skill and how ready are they to learn at a particular pace. Each
lesson would be around 50 minutes.

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 Subject Overview of the project

Integration of English Students will be able to:

Incorporate content-area vocabulary into creative writing

Integration of Science
Students will be able to:

Describe the stages of development from a seed to a plant

Factors effecting germination

Allow approximately one hour for a discussion that will focus on

the factors affecting the development of plant from seed.

 Ask the students what they think of when they hear the
word "germination"? How do plants reproduce?
 Lead a discussion on how do plants reproduce and the
factors that helps in germination.
 Remind them to record minutely the things about the
stages of germination.

Visit to Nursery:
The students will make casual observations about the plants in
the nursery. They should bring a pencil and a notebook or
clipboard and, as they walk, write as many words as they can to
describe the different stages of plantation. They might also use
drawing or symbols to represent the steps of germination.

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 After each walk the students should gather together and the
teacher should record on a wall chart the "Germination Words"
that students used to describe the stages of germination that
day. See how many words they had in common.

The students will make maple seed bird.

Integration of Art
 Collect maple seed.
(Group activity)
 Take print out of images of birds
 Start gluing the maple seed to form the feather.
 Color the remaining portion of the picture.

Integration of Science
Students will need the following:
 Fresh seeds of your choice such as pumpkins seeds,
sunflower seeds, lima beans or pinto beans.
 Good quality soil (loose, aerated, lots of peat moss), if
you don’t have any you can buy some potting soil at your
local garden store.
 A container to hold the soil and your seeds
 Water.
 Light and heat.

Instruction
 Fill the container with soil.
 Plant the seeds inside the soil.
 Place the container somewhere warm, sunlight is good
but try to avoid too much direct sunlight, a window sill is
a good spot.
 Keep the soil moist by watering it every day (be careful
not to use too much water).
Record your observations as the seeds germinate and seedlings

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 begin to sprout from the seeds.

What is happening?

After a week, your seedlings will be on their way. Germination is

the process of a plant emerging from a seed and beginning to
grow. For seedlings to grow properly from a seed they need the
right conditions. Water and oxygen are required for seeds to
germinate. Many seeds germinate at a temperature just above
normal room temperature but others respond better to warmer
temperatures, cooler temperatures or even changes in
temperature. While light can be an important trigger for
germination, some seeds actually need darkness to germinate, if
you buy seeds it should mention the requirements for that
specific type of seed in the instructions. Continue to look after
your seedlings and monitor their growth. For further
experiments you could compare the growth rates of different
types of seeds or the effect of different conditions on their
growth.

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Project overview

Topic Stages of Germination

Class 5th Grade students

Age group 10 years

Subjects English
integrated
Art

Science

Teaching Aids
Used

Subject 1:
Fresh seeds, good quality soil, water, container to hold the soil and your
Science
seeds, light and heat.

Subject 2:
Chart Paper, writing and drawing materials, diagram of stages of
English
germination, chart paper, online images

Subject 3:
Maple seed, images of bird
Art

Music/ Art Maple seed bird activity

integrated

Remarks (if
any )

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The Thematic Approach (Integrated Curriculum)

Thematic teaching is about students actively constructing their own knowledge. Theorists
Piaget and Vygotsky were strong proponents of this constructivist approach. Piaget (1926)
believed that knowledge is built in a slow, continuous construction of skills and
understanding that each child brings to each situation as he or she matures. He also
emphasized the cognitive growth that takes place when students cooperate and interact
with one another. Vygotsky (1997, 175) suggested that social interaction and collaboration
were powerful sources of transformation in the child's thinking: "In education it is far more
important to teach the child how to think than to communicate various bits of knowledge to
him."

Therefore, thematic teaching can be defined as the process of integrating and linking
multiple elements of a curriculum in an ongoing exploration of many different aspects of a
topic or subject. It involves a constant interaction between teacher and students and their
classroom environment. Among the important elements that foster success in any thematic
project are initiation of the theme, the teacher's role, group exploration, integration of the
theme with the curriculum and learning centers, and building and maintaining spirit and
enthusiasm.

Various Web sites also can aid in the initiation of a theme. For younger students, visit the
Website of Jan Brett, author of Gingerbread Baby (1999) as well as many other children's
books (www.janbrett.com). Older students can research their interest in particular aspects of
a theme via the library and the Internet.

Thematic Teaching and Curriculum Integration are established with the following goals in mind:

INSTRUCTION is planned to accommodate individual interests, abilities, and rates of learning while
fostering a climate of teamwork and mutual support. Students are grouped into heterogeneous,
mixed-age classes that are taught by a two-teacher team. Students stay with these teachers for

29
two years. They work in groups of all sizes and composition, engaged in activity-based, learning
projects. They have many opportunities to make decisions about their own learning and to
develop responsibility. Students’ progress at their own best rate and move on when they are
ready. There is no ceiling on the level of work they can do.

CURRICULUM is interdisciplinary or integrated, organized around themes, with many hands-on

activities and in-depth study of content. All levels focus on the skills of communicating well in oral
and written forms and using mathematical concepts to solve problems. A strong citizenship
program emphasizes perseverance, responsibility, and other life skills. Assessment of learning is
based on individual growth and performance.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT is encouraged and recognized as essential for creating a nurturing, family-
like, school environment. Many parents work in the classroom and throughout the school.

Thus, thematic teaching is about bringing together various aspects of the curriculum into
meaningful association to focus upon broad areas of study. It views learning and teaching in a
holistic way and reflects the real world, which is interactive. In general, integrated curriculum or
interdisciplinary curriculum include:

• A combination of subjects
• An emphasis on projects
• Sources that go beyond textbooks
• Relationships among concepts
• Thematic units as organizing principles
• Flexible schedules
• Flexible student groupings.

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Recommended reference reading:

 Gardner, H. 1993. l-rarncs of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences, 10th

anniversary ed. New York: Basic Books.

 Piaget, J. 1926. The language and thought of the child. New York: Marcourt Brace.

 Vygotsky, L. S. 1997. Educational psychology, trans. R. Silverman. Boca Raton, FL: St.
Lucie Press.

 Yorks, P. M., and F-. I. PoIIo. 1993. Engagement rates during thematic and traditional
instruction. LRIC ED 363 412.

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