ELE 4770 F06Eastern Illinois UniversityDepartment of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Middle Level EducationELE 4770 Methods and Curriculum in the Primary Grades Fall 2006M: 7-9:30 P.M., Buzzard 2160Instructor: Dr. Sham`ah Md-YunusOffice: 2203, Buzzard HallOffice Hours: M: 12-2; T: 12-1; W: 1-2; Th: 12-1.; other times by appointmentPhone: 217-581-6215 (office); 217-348-5646 (home)E-mail: [email protected] Theme: Educators as creators of effective educational environment, integrating diverse students, subjects, strategies, and societies. Catalog Description: A study of curriculum, units of instruction, lesson planning and techniques for teaching mathematics, science, and social studies in the early grades. Course Description: This course will cover the nature of children’s need to explore their physical environment and the crucial role of the teacher in encouraging their interest in and knowledge of their physical environment. Ways to help children understand and appreciate their roles in society and activities that help promote knowledge of self and of others will be discussed. Math instruction utilizing the play and problem-solving interests of childhood from which learning emerges will be investigated. Course Rationale: This course is designed specifically to meet Illinois State Board of Education requirements for Early Childhood Certification. It is required of all elementary education majors following the Early Childhood Option.Course Goal: Building on knowledge of human growth and development, and an awareness of learning and the means of facilitating and stimulating learning, this course addresses three major areas of the primary curriculum: mathematics, science, and the social studies. This course will focus on student involvement in planning lessons and activities appropriate for mathematics, science, and social studies in the primary grades. Prerequisites: ELE 3250Outcomes for all the ELE Classes:- Develop a desire for lifelong learning. - Demonstrate good communication.- Demonstrate/ exhibit sensitivity to student’s feelings.- Demonstrate knowledge of facts, and an understanding of fundamental principles, ideas, and relationships among various domains.- Utilize concepts of measurement and assessment.- Provides for the uniqueness of the individual.- Emphasize higher order, critical thinking. Outcomes Specific to this Course:- Design instruction to promote a healthy self-concept in students.- Demonstrate a mastery of the basic skills in social studies, science, and mathematics.- Demonstrate a mastery of the structure of the three disciplines – maths, science, and social studies;include discourse, theories, concepts, facts, principles, ideas, and relationships.- Develop competence in planning, teaching and assessing themed learning activities that meet state goals and standards.- Demonstrate alternative methods of achieving similar learning outcomes including constructivist methods and higher order and critical thinking skills. 1ELE 4770 F06- Provide for the uniqueness of individuals, recognizing the characteristics of culturally pluralistic and “at risk” populations, and foster appreciation fro those differences.- Model appropriate professional behavior… ethnical, legal, social, and moral.- Use appropriate technology to support ate aching and learning. Course Text: Brewer, Jo Ann (2004). 5th Edition. Introduction to early childhood education: Preschool through primary grades. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Learning Model: Developmental: This model begins from the perspectives of the selfhood of the individual. It emphasizes development that occurs as a result of interaction between the individual and the physical and social environment. Learning occurs when individuals assimilate new experiences into alreadyexiting cognitive structures. The model pays great attention to the individual perspective and shapes education so that students can better understand themselves, take responsibility for their own learning, and go beyond current developments in order to become stronger, more sensitive, and more creative. (Joyce, B.,Weil, M. & Showers, B (1992). Models of Teaching, 4th. Ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon). If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodation, please contact the Office of Disability Services at 581-6583.Course Requirements and Evaluations: Points Due Date1. Review a research article 20 9/11/062. Mid-term Exam 50 10/9/063. Thematic Unit 230 11/20/064. Lesson presentation 30 11/20/06 & 11/27/065. Final Exam 50 12/11/066. Participation 20 Total 400Grading Scales: A= 90% or above, B= 80- 89%, C= 70-79%, D= 60-69%, F= Below 60%Points: A= 360-400, B= 320- 359, C= 280-319, D= 240- 279, F= Below 239.Note: This syllabus is tentative. The instructor may change the topics and/or time of the class schedules. All written assignments must be in an American Psychological Association, 5th.ed. (APA) format and should reflect academic honesty and no plagiarism. Due dates will be set for all work, one points shall be deducted for each calendar day that a paper or project is late. Absences: Regular attendance and class participation are expected and count as part of your grade. Students are allowed two absences throughout the semester. If you are absence or missed the class, it is your responsibility to check with your classmate first to see if there have been any assignment changes or materials covered in the class. Students are required to conform to classroom rules. Using cell phones and other electronic devices are strictly prohibited. Tentative Course ScheduleWeek 1, 2, & 4 (8/1-21, 8/28, 9/11): Chapters 1-7. Topics: Overview of course/requirements, Thematic approach, Planning and Assessing Learning Activities.I. Planning and Assessing Learning ActivitiesA. Curriculum Planning: the teacher as decision maker in selecting goals/objectives, selecting and organizing content, selecting appropriate learning experiences and the appropriate sequence for these experiences, and determining how to assess children’s growth and the activities. 1. Curriculum definedB. Curriculum Organization1. Different curricular approaches2ELE 4770 F06C. Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum1. Using knowledge of growth and development as the framework for the curriculum 2. Adapting for individual children 3. Considering the interests of the children when selecting curriculum experiences4. Curriculum goals, contents, and materials5. Integrating