Assignment: The Opportunity is All Yours: Designing a Project-Based Experience Assignment Template LINK: https://www.mediafire.com/file/82i9f8o7o5xtqw8/WAL_MSEC_6108_M3_ProjApprTemplate+(1).pptx/fil Original Papers

Assignment: The Opportunity is All Yours: Designing a Project-Based Experience

Assignment Template LINK: https://www.mediafire.com/file/82i9f8o7o5xtqw8/WAL_MSEC_6108_M3_ProjApprTemplate+(1).pptx/file

“Children have a strong disposition to explore and discover. The Project Approach builds on natural curiosity, enabling children to interact, question, connect, problem-solve, communicate, reflect, and more. This kind of authentic learning extends beyond the classroom to each student’s home, community, nation, and the world. It essentially makes learning the stuff of real life and children active participants in and shapers of their worlds.”

For this Assignment, you have an opportunity to delve into the world of the project approach by immersing yourself in a scenario where young children are excited and curious about the bugs in their environment. You assume the role of their teacher, join in their journey of curiosity and learning and create your own project-based experience, drawing on the resources in this module, your knowledge of child-centered learning and teaching, and your imagination! 

Reference: Chard, S. (2014). Engaging Children’s Minds. The Project Approach. http://projectapproach.org/

Resources

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.Click the weekly resources link to access the resources. 

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To Prepare:

• Review the scenario Download scenario in which a preschool teacher has already been part of children’s growing interest in bugs and insects, making it a perfect topic for a project approach experience. Also, review the Initial Topic Web the teacher created. It includes a few ideas she brainstormed about linking bugs to content-area knowledge and local resources on which to draw as well as room to add what children already know, are wondering about, and what to learn.

Part 1: Let the Project Begin!

Use the PowerPoint template Download PowerPoint templateto create a presentation that explains and illustrates how you would apply principles of the project approach, including child-centered learning and teaching and developmentally appropriate practice to develop a project approach learning experience based on the scenario. This learning and teaching adventure is one where you will draw on many quality resources as well as your imagination!

Your PowerPoint is divided into two sections:

Beginning the Project: Planning and Initial Exploration

• Develop a revised Topic Web that reflects child/teacher engagement with the topic.

Developing the Project: Investigation, Field Work, Documentation

• Describe 3-5 learning experiences that build on children’s interests and provide challenges. Explain how these learning experiences, taken together, align with the child-centered goals of the project approach.
• Explain how the project approach exemplifies emergent curriculum as children engage with the teacher, the topic, and their environment.
• Resources: Using APA formatting, cite at least three resources you drew on to complete your PowerPoint presentation.

Note:

• Be sure to review the template carefully, paying close attention to the “Notes” section on each slide where you will find details about the specific content required.
• Use the Revised Topic Web template
• As you prepare to develop your 3-5 learning experiences, consider what you have learned about child-centered learning and teaching, developmentally appropriate practice, and inclusive practices. Then review project approach resources for examples and inspiration for learning experiences/activities that promote:
  • Problem solving
  • Building on children’s interests
  • Building content knowledge and skills in specific content areas—oral language, written language, social studies, science, math, literature, art, movement, and music
  • Enhance healthy development across domains
  • Enable children to work independently, in small groups, and in whole group situations
  • Participate in fieldwork by interacting with and learning from experts, using authentic resources, and exploring real objects
  • Conducting experiments
  • Sharing ideas and observations through drawings

Part 1 Assignment Length: The number of slides needed to complete the PowerPoint presentation will vary depending on your style and formatting. Be sure to respond to each section thoroughly and use as many slides as necessary to share your project. Make sure each slide is grammatically correct and visually appealing, conveying the information for each bullet point clearly, highlighting important points.

Part 2: Take Time to Reflect

Write a 3-5-page reflection, analyzing the project approach experience you just developed by responding to the following questions:

• What excites you as an early childhood professional about using the project approach with young children?
• What challenges and barriers concern you about using the project approach with young children?
• How does this approach to child-centered learning and teaching support and value each child as an individual, with unique developmental variation, experiences, strengths, interests, abilities, challenges, and approaches to learning? Provide at least 3 examples.