Two Points: This is MY method, and not necessarily right for you, your teaching or care philosophy, your set-up, or your students. Curriculum participation by my students is VOLUNTARY. I invite them to participate, but if they choose not to, then that is fine. I usually offer them a choice of a few of the activities and let them decide where we start and where we go. An engaged child learns, a dis-engaged child rebels. The 3-year rotating curriculum is theme based. Some times we stick to the plan, but usually I observe what they are interested in learning about, what they are asking questions about, and suggest up to three different themes they can choose from for us to study. I make my own 3-year rotating curriculum for many reasons: Packaged curriculum is often only one year. Since I teach for 3 years, this would be redundant. Most packaged curriculum focuses on skills my students master early. My 2s count to 20, know 11 colors, know most of their phonics, uppercase and lowercase letters, 10 shapes and some of their numbers and I still have 3 years of curriculum to teach them. They often are worksheet intensive. My students usually are cognitively advanced from their fine motor skills. I have 4 year olds that still can't write well. If I had relied on worksheets for the last 2 years, there is no way they would have the skill sets they have. Worksheets are also not considered Developmentally Appropriate Practice [DAP] for children under the age of 8. We use them here for writing practice starting at age 4. [Yes, worksheet-intensive public schools are not using DAP for kindy through 3rd grade!] They can be expensive. If you are purchasing worksheets, why would you spend even $1 a week/$52 a year when you can purchase a 400 page Scholastic preschool workbook from Sam's Club for $8 that covers probably more material, is most likely aligned with the public school expectations, and is colorful. Colored copies are NOT affordable to make from packaged curriculum. Most [ALL!] preschool learning should be interactive. Pinterest is a better source for ideas. My students change every time I do a theme. I have to be able to tweak it to the interests and capabilities of those currently in my care. Plus, I'll find more interesting activities on Pinterest, have an idea for a new game, etc. It's a constant evolution to keep my curriculum relevant to our current group, situation and resources. However, curriculum planning and creation is very time consuming. Even with older curriculum I spend several hours going over it prior to teaching - updating, creating new materials, purchasing and setting new classroom decorations. While I have had my 3 year curriculum, this year I found myself wanting a more specific schedule to focus on specific skill sets for this particular group of children. Most of these skills can be incorporated into our themed curriculum, or they take 5 minute sessions to pop into our day. I have two groups, the younger preschoolers are 2-3 years old and the older ones are 4-5 years old, all at the same developmental and skill set level within their group. This makes it easier, as I can tailor everything to just 2 groups. If I were to have additional levels of children, then it would be tailored to each level. Children here are taught at their developmental level, not age. Asychronastic development is normal, so I may be teaching a child at various levels depending upon the subject matter. For the younger preschoolers, I came up with this structure. For the older pre-k students, I came up with this one. For instance, both of them have Measurement & Comparison on Friday for Reasoning. However, for the younger students, this would be a more/less, longer/shorter, big/little, etc. activity, while the older students would be measuring with rulers, yardsticks, tape measures, measuring cups, unit blocks, foot steps or themed units, and graphing the measurements to compare. Same skill set, differentiated at vastly different levels. Even this needs conditional tweaking. All the pre-k's know how to spell their last names now, so that is no longer a relevant skill activity for music and will be changed out. In another post I'll get into the curriculum components and the importance of each. For instance, how counting on Friday teaches 1-to-1 correspondence and creating method processes for counting groups of objects. CLICK PICTURES TO VIEW LARGER I use this MS Word template, available for FREE on TPT, for curriculum planning. Often, the daily skill sets above are either already incorporated, or can easily be incorporated, into the theme planning. For an example of a completed curriculum unit, check out our Owls Theme. Each monthly theme is broken down into 4 sub-themes. For instance: SPACE Astronauts & Rockets The Universe Our Solar System Aliens & Robots We also have a musical component, often classical, and an art component, often a master, and Spanish vocabulary component that we incorporate. This planning form may not include all games, file folder games, manipulatives, room-set up, etc. that I utilize. For those of you trained in curriculum creation, I do NOT do a full curriculum development for each activity. With having these children usually from infant to school-age, I keep an internal evaluation of progression and plan out only weekly learning objectives. Since I am creating the activities for my personal use, I do not need to create written procedures and evaluations. My curriculum is stored currently in file folders in a large office bookcase unit. I would like to get it into boxes so that I could have EVERY theme-related item, including dress-up, room set-up, manipulatives, etc. together for an easy pull. File boxes will most likely be the easiest, but they do take up a lot of space. In each file some of the things I probably have: Completed planning sheets All the books I own for that theme Flannel board Sentence and word walls File folder games Samples of previous crafts DVDs CDs Coloring pages Mini-book(s) Build-a-[theme item] game Curriculum creation is one of my great joys. I love the research and compilation, the creativity and excitement of bringing something fun and educational to my students. Learning is rarely linear. Children take developmental leaps, sometimes in odd directions. As a teacher, it is important that I keep each one challenged without pushing or inhibiting their growth, and that takes constant evaluation and a good eye for when those leaps happen so that we can move on to a higher level of instruction. When we do an activity, I constantly question if they WANT to do another round, another activity, and I usually cut them off while they are still engaged. I want them wanting more, and they will usually ask if they can continue. One of the most important desires and abilities I can instill in them is that of self-directed learning. So as they choose to go off with their rulers after we've spent several minutes doing a measuring activity, conferring between themselves as to procedures and what to measure next, I step back and let them. They know I am here as a resource, rather than an intrusive director. It is my job to ensure that when I invite my students to learn, they glow with excitement and anticipation of a fun, interactive, playful time. The results, so far, have been astounding. A few of my complete curriculum units are available through my TPT store. Apples Dental Ice Cream Penguins Rainbows St. Patrick's Day Valentine's Follow Connie -'s board Classroom on Pinterest. Tags: preschool, child care, pre-k, curriculum, development, teaching, education, homeschooling, homeschool, home, school, preschool curriculum development, planning

Curriculum mapping is an essential skill for educators. Curriculum Mapping ensures a teacher teaches all the standards for the grade level by mapping out what…

Learn about the Charlotte Mason method for foreign languages and how you can use it to teach your child Spanish.

Foreign Languages for Kids by Kids® gives kids a practical setting and format for learning Spanish. It is an effective online homeschool Spanish curriculum that gives kids confidence speaking Spanish while allowing parents to tailor to individual learning styles.

The Singapore math method is a top choice for homeschoolers seeking a comprehensive and engaging math education for their kids. Here's why.

A popular homeschooling method is Thomas Jefferson Education (TJEd), which emphasizes mentoring and teaching children how rather than what to think and learn.

Preschool & Kindergarten can be taught for just the cost of printer ink & paper! This list of free preschool and kindergarten curriculum has a method to suit everyone. Do you have several little ones of different ages? Choose the Preschool program that you like and then add math & phonics for your Kindergartener. Life is so [...]

In this post, we share a Montessori Curriculum Free Sensorial Lesson to teach the names of shapes with a free printable set of 3-part cards in Spanish!

Research-based curriculum embeds skills naturally through play-based experiences that adapt to each child's developmental level and interests.

I have gathered a lot of classroom materials and ideas over the years. I mean, a lot. I know some of you can relate to this. I have SO MUCH STUFF. I feel like a hoarder. But my classroom does not look like the homes on the hoarding TV shows. In fact, all my stuff […]

Mathematics Enhancement Programme (MEP) offers a free full math curriculum for preschoolers up to 9th grade. MEP’s math curriculum is rather hands on, having children count real beads, for ex…

Learn why writing comes before reading when you follow Montessori methods of teaching reading for homeschool preschool and kindergarten at home.

Read about six fun activities to help teach the scientific method in your upper elementary classroom.

Learn how you can use Spanish Montessori 3-part cards in your Spanish lessons to promote language learning.

If you are doing Montessori at home, this free Montessori curriculum download will be a God-send! Come and take a look!

Are you looking to bring the beauty of nature into your school routine? Check out our free nature book list! This list contains over 100 beautiful nature books that make celebrating the changing seasons special.

You don’t need expensive curriculum to teach math. You can spend LOTS of money before you figure out what works for you. But you don’t have to.

Overview: Afraid it's not possible to find a Charlotte Mason curriculum for high school, or even to use Charlotte Mason methods? I'm here to help with all of that! (Note: This post is sponsored by Dreaming Spires Home Learning, but all opinions are my own.) 'Do I have to? This is SO BORING! When am I ever going to use this stuff?' You may have heard these exact words from your teen. I know I have. Homeschool used to be fun! But in high school it has become a drudgery, because there are credits to count, grades to calculate—and taking

If you are getting started with inquiry, you may wonder where to start and how to prepare for something that is student-led. Although using an inquiry

Here are 6 tools to help learn your homeschool child’s learning style...

The three methods that promote interest-based learning in the home are the Montessori method, Waldorf method and Unschooling. Learn about each of these.

Knowing that the Charlotte Mason, Montessori, & Waldorf methods all honor the individual child, I wanted to compare these 3 hands-on homeschooling methods.

Ignite a love for learning using stories, teaching subjects in a gentle way. Embrace learning with a literature-based homeschool curriculum!

Teach the scientific method to your students through these engaging science experiments! Check out this blog post to learn more!

Do your students struggle with the variables in an experiment? Help them understand the concept of variables with this lesson. Included are: * 2 notes pages (one that includes constants and one that is just independent and dependent variables) *2 versions of a sorting activity (one that includes constants and one that is just independent and dependent variables) * An application activity where students come up with their own experiment This product is differentiated with several options for all kinds of learners! Be sure to check out the preview! Now available DIGITALLY!This is now on a google slide presentation that you can share with your students in Google Classroom! Try my other scientific method resources! Introduction to CER: Claim Reasoning Evidence Scientific Argument Lesson Example Scientific Observation: Qualitative vs Quantitative notes, activity, sort Scientific Method SORT Cut and Paste w/ Descriptions & Examples! REVIEW! ASSESS! Experiment Variables Notes, Sort & Application: Independent, dependent, constant Writing A Hypothesis in the Scientific Method: Lesson, Activities, Checklist

TEACCH is a structured teaching method specifically for children with autism. Find out about TEACCH and how to use TEACCH at home.

1. Hold schedules loosely The little years can be unpredictable; with sicknesses, growth spurts, developmental leaps, and oftentimes toddlers or babies underfoot. Rhythms and routines are indeed important, especially for little ones, but the schedule your family needs might look different from the

What are the best catholic homeschool curriculum out there? Well to be honest, this will depend entirely on your method of homeschool.

A Review of the Charlotte Mason Simple Spanish Curriculum: a Charlotte Mason Inspired Foreign Language Program for children aged 0-8 Years.

Unschooling is a method that works well for many families, but it sure can be a challenge to plan for! Here are my tips for staying on top of things.

Just stepping your toes into the world of homeschooling? Wondering what the different types of homeschooling methods are and which one is the best fit for your family? Choosing a homeschool style can seem daunting and overwhelming at first, but taking the time initially to learn all the different methods will help you to understand … The Different Types of Homeschooling Methods Explained Read More »

The self-paced classroom benefits students and teachers! We share how to make it a reality in your classroom using the Grid Method.

Of the eight years we’ve been homeschooling, our favorite math curriculum hands-down is Life of Fred. Not being a family that particularly loves the drill-and-kill method of learning, Life of…

It took me years of searching, but I finally found the BEST homeschool spelling curriculum! This spelling curriculum teaches spelling rules.

Learn how to make a hurricane tube of your own - a great activity for when you are studying weather, or space, or just want a fun activity for kids.