Project Planning for Our Youngest Learners
During this course, you will develop an understanding of the foundations of early childhood Project Based Learning. You will explore a learner-centered approach to planning, empowering you to create meaningful learning experiences that guide the sustained inquiry process. When children readily engage in research opportunities by way of first-hand, authentic experiences, they discover connections between the content, their interests, and the world beyond the classroom. Using a three-layered approach to the integration of key knowledge, skills and dispositions, you will consider how to best facilitate the project within your context. This course will help you successfully plan and implement a project with young learners.
Course Outcomes
- Examine the definition of PBL to understand the difference between themes, projects, and Project Based Learning through an early childhood lens.
- Acknowledge possible misconceptions and assumptions about the way young children can successfully engage in PBL, particularly as they relate to inquiry and integration.
- Learn to plan PBL units by incorporating existing curricula and schedules while leveraging children’s interests and questions.
- Redefine the concept of “research” to include authentic investigations, experimentation, inquiry and learning experiences that build on young children’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder.
- Explore how to plan lessons and experiences for sustained inquiry, using an integrated approach that allows students to understand the connection between content areas and process-related skills and apply learning to broader contexts.
"Wonderful seminar...Please keep spreading PBL knowledge especially for ECE! Thank you for all that you do."
“I learned that PBL with younger learners is a reality! The workshop has helped me to feel confident about fully implementing PBL with my group of younger kids!”
"I appreciate your passion and drive to continue making children's learning authentic. Thank you!"
Course Curriculum
Additional Content
If you're looking for additional ways to transform PBL in your early childhood classroom, then be sure to take a look at the other projects and course we've designed.
Early Childhood PBL Made Possible
If you're looking for step-by-step, in-depth guidance on how to plan and implement high quality projects in your own early childhood classroom, check out our book, "Implementing Project Based Learning in Early Childhood".
Together, we debunk several commonly held misconceptions around PBL in early childhood and lay the foundation for what authentic, meaningful PBL projects can look like, feel like, and sound like for our youngest learners.
Click on the image of our book to learn more.
