Date of Award

5-2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Education (MSEd)

First Advisor

Salvatore Vascellaro

Abstract

This paper is a curriculum study of a school neighborhood designed for children ages 5 through 7. The goal of this study is to provide an opportunity for students, who at this age are beginning to expand outward from the roots of their homes and families, to understand their next immediate neighborhood (their school). They will have a chance to meet people who work in the neighborhood, learn about how we get around and from where things come. And then, from that vantage point the students can begin to broaden their perspective and view of their world.

This study is experientially based on a teacher's own research in the school neighborhood as well as a contrasting neighborhood, going into stores and services and meeting and talking to members of the community. From that process this neighborhood study was constructed as a series of trips where the results of the study will be largely developed through the children's own exploration and reflection. Trips are woven throughout this year-long curriculum that also includes pre-trip and post-trip classroom activities designed in tandem with the goals of each trip. These activities and discussions cross all curriculum areas including science, math, art, music/movement, cooking, and language arts. During this entire study the students investigate and continually build on their own individual and collective experiences.

This curriculum study includes an extensive Annotated Bibliography of children's literature and teacher resources (reference books and websites), letters to parents, recipes, instructions for classroom activities, schedules and trip sheets, an designed to help teacher's in planning their own neighborhood study.

Comments

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