This timely volume provides a constructivist interpretation of developmentally appropriate curriculum in early childhood education. Rheta DeVries, one of the founders of constructivist early education, and her colleagues provide the theoretical rationale and practical advice for conducting specific activities in the classroom. Descriptive vignettes are used to show how children's reasoning and teacher interventions are transformed in the course of extended experience with a physical phenomenon or group game. Throughout the book, constructivist teaching is illustrated and contrasted with the approaches found in three other classroom types.

Acknowledgments

ix

Introduction

1

(2)

Rheta DeVries

PART I Understanding Constructivist Education

3

(66)

Rheta DeVries

The Political Problem with Play-Oriented Curriculum

3

(7)

Conclusion

10

(3)

Play in the Early Education Curriculum: Four Interpretations

13

(22)

Rheta DeVries

Classroom Types A and B: Emphasis on Academics

14

(7)

Classroom Types C and D: Emphasis on Development

21

(11)

Conclusion

32

(3)

What Is Constructivist Education? Definition and Principles of Teaching

35

(18)

Rheta DeVries

Rebecca Edmiaston

Betty Zan

Carolyn Hildebrandt

General Principles of Teaching

36

(15)

Conclusion

51

(2)

Assessing and Documenting Learning in Constructivist Classrooms

53

(16)

Rebecca Edmiaston

Assessment and Documentation in Classroom Types A, B, C, and D

53

(3)

Principles for Conducting Meaningful Assessment

56

(8)

Communicating Assessment Findings

64

(2)

Conclusion

66

(3)

PART II PHYSICAL-KNOWLEDGE ACTIVITIES

69

(112)

Rheta DeVries

Stages in Children's Reasoning About Physical Objects

69

(1)

Criteria for Good Physical-Knowledge Activities

70

(1)

Principles of Teaching

71

(3)

Conclusion

74

(3)

Casting Shadows

77

(24)

Rheta DeVries

Betty Zan

Rebecca Edmiaston

Karen Wohlwend

Shadow Activities in Classroom Types A, B, C, and D

77

(2)

Shadows as Physical-Knowledge Activities

79

(1)

Children's Conceptions of Shadows

80

(4)

Initiating Shadows Investigation

84

(2)

Principles of Teaching

86

(12)

Conclusion

98

(3)

Exploring the Art and Science of Musical Sounds

101

(20)

Carolyn Hildebrandt

Betty Zan

Three Approaches to Making Musical Instruments with Children

102

(1)

Introduction to the Physics of Sound

103

(4)

Goals for Children

107

(1)

Principles of Teaching

108

(2)

Two-Musical-Instrument-Making Activities

110

(8)

Conclusion

118

(3)

Cooking Transformations

121

(20)

Betty Zan

Rebecca Edmiaston

Christina Sales

Cooking in Classroom Types A, B, C, and D

121

(4)

Bringing Cooking into the Classroom

125

(2)

Principles of Teaching

127

(7)

Integrating Curriculum in Constructivist Cooking Activities

134

(5)

Conclusion

139

(2)

Experimenting with Draining and Movement of Water in Tubes

141

(24)

Rheta DeVries

Hyang Lim Kwak

Christina Sales

The Emergent Development of Materials, Activities, and Objectives

143

(16)

Principles of Teaching

159

(3)

Conclusion

162

(3)

Developing Geometric Reasoning Using Pattern Blocks

165

(16)

Christina Sales

Carolyn Hildebrandt

Materials and Objectives

166

(3)

Comparing Geometric Activities in Classroom Types A, B, C, and D

169

(2)

A Pattern Block Project in a Type D Preschool Classroom

171

(1)

Goals for Children Engaging in Type D Pattern Block Activities

172

(6)

Principles of Teaching

178

(2)

Conclusion

180

(1)

PART III GROUP GAMES

181

(44)

Rheta DeVries

Betty Zan

Carolyn Hildebrandt

Group Games in Types A, B, C, and D Classrooms

182

(1)

Developmental Stages in Game Playing

183

(2)

The Construction of Logico-Mathematical Relationships

185

(1)

The Role of Contradiction

186

(1)

The Issue of Competition

187

(1)

Principles of Teaching

188

(5)

Using Group Games to Teach Mathematics

193

(18)

Carolyn Hildebrandt

Betty Zan

What Is a Math Game?

193

(1)

What Is the Value of Group Games in Teaching Mathematics?

194

(1)

Goals for Children

195

(2)

Playing Math Games in a Preschool Classroom

197

(11)

Conclusion

208

(3)

Variations on a Checkers Theme

211

(14)

Betty Zan

A Checkers Story

211

(11)

Progress Revealed in Checkers Play

222

(2)

Conclusion

224

(1)

Epilogue

225

(4)

Rheta DeVries

Appendix Stages in Children's Reasoning About Shadows

229

(4)

Rheta DeVries

References

233

(8)

Index

241

(8)

About the Authors

249

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