Integrating Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms Through Big Ideas

Christine Chaille is Professor and chair of the department of Curriculum and Instruction at Portland State University, focusing on early childhood education, where she has taught since 1991. Her doctorate is from U.C.L.A., and she also studied with Jean Piaget at the University of Geneva. She is the author of Constructivism Across the Early Childhood Curriculum: Big Ideas as Inspiration, and co-author, with Lory Britain, of The Young Child as Scientist: A Constructivist Approach to Early Childhood Science Education, has written many publications primarily on the importance of children’s play. She has also developed a child development curriculum for Hands to Hearts International that is used with caregivers in orphanages in Southern India, as well as in other countries and with other vulnerable populations. She was a panel member responsible for developing the NSTA Position statement on Early Childhood Science Education (2014). She has served as President of the Oregon Association for the education of Young Children, President of the National association of Early Childhood Teacher educators, and Chair of the early education/Child Development Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association, and is the recipient of the Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher Educator award for 2013 from the National Association of early Childhood Teacher Education.Sara McCormick Davis has degrees in Family Relations/Child Development and Early Childhood Education. Her doctorate is in Curriculum and Instruction from Oklahoma State University. She taught preschool through fifth grade for many years before working with teachers, both pre service and in service. As a preschool/elementary classroom teacher, one of her goals was to always have a project going in her classroom that helped children construct new ideas. Her interests and work have revolved around how teachers can integrate curriculum so that children are engaged and learning. She has published about the integration of the arts in teacher education and researched practices of classroom teachers as they work to create environments where everyone can flourish.

• Brief Table Of ContentsChapter 1: Constructivist Curriculum Framework for the Integration of Math and Science in Early Childhood ClassroomsChapter 2: AssessmentChapter 3: Creating an Environment for Math and Science IntegrationChapter 4: PatternsChapter 5: TransformationChapter 6: MovementChapter 7: Balance and SymmetryChapter 8: RelationshipsChapter 9: Developing Your Own Curriculum: Big Ideas and PlanningReferencesGlossaryDetailed Table Of ContentsPART I: IntroductionChapter 1: Constructivist Curriculum Framework for the Integration of Math and Science in Early Childhood ClassroomsChildren as Theory-BuildersWhat Is Constructivism?Big Ideas as Tools for IntegrationWhat Is a Big Idea?Characteristics of Big IdeasViews of Teaching and LearningThe Child at the CenterCelebration of the Diversity of ChildrenWhat About Content?Child-Centered Versus Teacher-Directed Curriculum: A False DichotomyBackground on the Model of Curriculum Integration Used in This BookHistorical ContextModels of Curriculum IntegrationThe Project ApproachBig Ideas, Projects, Concepts, Topics, and Facts: What Are the Differences?The Work of Reggio EmiliaReview QuestionsSummaryWebsitesChapter 2: AssessmentWhy Begin with Assessment?Understanding Children’s DevelopmentPrinciples of DevelopmentResponding to Children’s NeedsCulture and Context 24Principles of AssessmentAssessment Should Be ValidAssessment Should Guide Teaching DecisionsAssessment Should Be Part of a System That Is Designed to Support the Whole ChildVocabulary Development and AssessmentTeacher LanguageDocumentation of Children’s Learning as AssessmentDocumentation Strategies for Integrated Math and ScienceCapturing the DocumentationMore Formalized Assessment ToolsScience and Math JournalsInterviewing for AssessmentQuestions That Help with AssessmentInterviewing ActivitiesStandards and AssessmentStandardized TestingEdTPAReview QuestionsSummaryWebsitesChapter 3: Creating an Environment for Math and Science Integration How Our Beliefs About Children, Teaching, and Learning Shape Our EnvironmentsAcademic EnvironmentPhysical EnvironmentClassroom OrganizationDifferentiation Built into the EnvironmentAnimals in the ClassroomCommunicating with Families and Others Through the EnvironmentReview QuestionsSummaryWebsitesPART II: Integration Through Big IdeasChapter 4: PatternsPatternsWhat Is Important About Patterns? Why Do We Talk About Patterns with Young Children?Elements of the Big Idea of PatternsRepeating PatternsSpatial Structure PatternsGrowing PatternsSubitizingSeriation and SequencingPatterns Surround UsPatterns Help Us PredictPatterns Help Us Make ConnectionsPatterns Help Us Organize InformationReview QuestionsSummaryChapter 5: TransformationWhat Is Transformation?Relationship Building as a Part of TransformationEquivalence as Part of TransformationExploration of TransformationObservationEstimationExperimentationGrowthReview QuestionsSummaryChapter 6: MovementIntroduction to the Big Idea of MovementElements of the Big Idea of MovementDirection of MovementRepresentation of MovementTypes of MovementMovement of the SurfaceSources of MovementMysterious MovementSpinningThe Movement of TimeReview QuestionsSummaryChapter 7: Balance and SymmetryElements of the Big Idea of BalanceComparisonsPatternsThe Establishment of EqualityExploration of BalanceThe Study of SymmetryComparisons and Tools of MeasurementThe Use of RepresentationsGames That Incorporate Balance: Physical KnowledgeReview QuestionsSummaryChapter 8: Relationships Introduction to the Big Idea of RelationshipsElements of the Big Idea of RelationshipsCause and EffectPart/Whole RelationshipsClassificationPerspective-Taking and InterdependenceReview QuestionsSummaryChapter 9: Developing Your Own Curriculum: Big Ideas and Planning Determining the Big IdeaComing up with New Big IdeasRe-thinking an Activity, Project, or UnitStarting with Children’s InterestsStarting with an EventStarting with Where You AreStart with an Interest of YoursStarting with the StandardsThe Planning Process: Strategies for Thinking About PlanningThe Planning Process: What Does It Look Like?Planning for Integration and InquiryThe Project ApproachPlanning with the End in SightThe Five E Learning CycleUsing Other Areas of the Curriculum to Strengthen Math and ScienceConnecting Language Arts, Math, and ScienceConnecting Children’s Literature, Math, and ScienceCognitively Guided InstructionStarting with a StandardConnecting the Arts, Math and ScienceConnecting Social Studies, Math and ScienceReview QuestionsSummaryWebsitesReferencesGlossaryName IndexSubject Index