11/21/2024 2:53:20 AM	CHLD 90.4 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  CHLD 90.4	Title:  INTRO TO CURRICULUM
Full Title:  Introduction to Curriculum
Last Reviewed:2/28/2022

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  CHILD 90.4

Catalog Description:

In this course, students will develop knowledge and skills related to planning and implementing developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum and environments for young children ages 0 to 8 and will examine the teacher's role in promoting practices that support learning and development with an emphasis on the essential role of play.  Students will also study the overview of content areas including but not limited to: language and literacy, social and emotional learning, sensory learning, art and creativity, math and science, and using the environment as a foundation for curriculum. California Preschool and InfantToddler Learning Foundations and Framework are incorporated. This course is required for the Child Development Teacher Certificate and the Child Development Major (AA).

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of CHLD 10 and CHLD 51; OR Course Completion of CHLD 110.1, CHLD 110.2 and CHLD 51

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL C1000 OR EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10)

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

In this course, students will develop knowledge and skills related to planning and implementing developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum and environments for young children ages 0 to 8 and will examine the teacher's role in promoting practices that support learning and development with an emphasis on the essential role of play.  Students will also study the overview of content areas including but not limited to: language and literacy, social and emotional learning, sensory learning, art and creativity, math and science, and using the environment as a foundation for curriculum. California Preschool and InfantToddler Learning Foundations and Framework are incorporated. This course is required for the Child Development Teacher Certificate and the Child Development Major (AA).

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of CHLD 10 and CHLD 51; OR Course Completion of CHLD 110.1, CHLD 110.2 and CHLD 51
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL C1000 OR EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10)
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1987	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:
CID Descriptor: ECE 130	Introduction to Curriculum	SRJC Equivalent Course(s): CHLD90.4

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Articulate developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum principles and teaching strategies that positively influence young children's development and learning.

2. Design curriculum based on observation, documentation and assessment of young children to support play and learning using developmental, inclusive, and anti-bias principles that support all children and families.

3.  Demonstrate knowledge of the teacher's role in evaluating developmentally appropriate practices with consideration for the various impacts on children's learning and development.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Plan appropriate curriculum that supports a range of developmental, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.

2. Demonstrate, through written curriculum plans, familiarity with appropriate materials, equipment, and curriculum planning principles that support optimal group and individual learning and development for all children.

3. Explain the value of play as a major element in curriculum design and implementation.

4. Create an observation-based, integrated curriculum using a web of possible activities and environmental enhancements.

5. Develop a curriculum plan including emergent curriculum concepts.

6. Identify key ways in which the environment functions as an essential component of the curriculum.

7. Utilize observation, documentation, and evaluation of children in naturalistic settings and propose appropriate curriculum possibilities for expanding children's learning in a variety of curriculum content areas.

8. Create curriculum opportunities that reflect developmentally and culturally appropriate learning objectives in foundational content areas and developmental domains.

9. Design a family engagement component that reflects knowledge of the teacher's role in creating a strong home-school connection that supports children and their families.

Topics and Scope

I. Foundations of Curriculum

      A. Theories of curriculum design

      B. Developmentally appropriate principles

      C.  Culturally appropriate principles

      D. Inclusive and anti-bias principles

      E. The role of play

II. Utilizing Diverse Curriculum Areas - The environment as a foundation of curriculum

       A. Physical environment

            1.  Indoor environments

            2.  Outdoor environments

        B. Temporal environment

        C. Interpersonal environment

III. The Teacher's Role in Curriculum

      A. Interactions with individual children in large and small groups

      B. Concepts of group and individual behavior management

      C. Inclusion of families in children's learning

      D. Observation and documentation methods used to design and assess emergent curriculum and environments

      E. Assessment techniques for children and programs

IV. Curriculum to Meet the Needs of Young Children

      A. Developmentally appropriate curriculum

      B. Individually appropriate curriculum

      C. Culturally appropriate curriculum

V. How to Plan Curriculum

      A. Identifying goals and objectives that reflect children's developmental levels and cultural backgrounds

      B. Utilizing short and long term planning for a designated age group or multi-age group

      C. Planning activities and materials in curricular content and developmental areas

            1. Language and literacy

           2. Math and science

           3. Art and creativity

            4. Social-emotional  

            5. Physical development

           6. Music and movement

       D. Utilizing specific interest areas and physical arrangements

      E. Utilizing daily schedules and planning routines to support age-appropriate curriculum

      F. Using the California Preschool and Infant Toddler Learning Foundations

Assignments:

Assignments may include:

1. Observations of children in early care and education programs (2 minimum, 500-1250 words each).

2. Self-assessment of teaching philosophy and understanding of developmentally and culturally appropriate practice (1 paper, 1500-2500 words).

3. Written early childhood activity plans, incorporating concepts from class and child observations (1-8, 750-1000 words each).

4. Plan for an environmental enhancement (interest area set-up) in an early childhood program, including a drawing or diorama and a written paper of 500-1250 words.

5. Design a family engagement component of the curriculum to support the homeschool connection.

6.  Long-term curriculum planning project representing a weekly curriculum plan for an early childhood care and education program, integrating concepts from class and child observations; 1000-1500 words.

7. Assigned textbook reading of approximately 20 pages per week.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 40 - 60%
Written observations, activity plans, self-assessment
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 30 - 40%
Long-term curriculum planning project, family engagement plan
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 20%
Environmental enhancement plan
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 0 - 0%
None
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 0%
None

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Who Am I in the Lives of Children?  An Introduction to Early Childhood Education, 11th ed.  Feeney, Stephanie, Moravcik, Eva,  and  Nolte, Sherry.  Pearson:  2018  

California Preschool Learning Foundations and Framework, Volume 3. California Department of Education:  2012 (Classic)

Children's Lively Minds: Schema Theory Made Visible.  Curtis, Deb and Jaboneta, Nadia. Minnesota Redleaf Press:  2019

Developmentally Appropriate Practice, 4th edition.  Friedman, Sandra.  Washington, D.C. NAEYC:  2021

Reflecting Children's Lives: A Handbook for Planning Child-Centered Curriculum, 2nd ed.  Carter, Margie and Curtis, Deb.   Minnesota Redleaf Press:  2016 (Classic)

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