ECED 103 - Curriculum in the Early Childhood Classroom
PREREQUISITES: Demonstrated readiness for developmental English.
PROGRAM: Early Childhood Education
CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
LECTURE HOURS MIN: 3
LAB HOURS MIN: 1
TOTAL CONTACT HOURS MIN: 4
DATE OF LAST REVISION: Fall 2025
Entry level course for Early Childhood Educators. Examines Developmentally Appropriate environments and activities in various early learning settings. Explores the varying developmental levels and cultural backgrounds of children.
Students are required to complete observations and field experience in an early learning setting to successfully complete this course. 32 hours of field experience is required in an approved early learning setting. Students are required to meet personnel requirements for child care licensing which may include, but are not limited to: FBI fingerprints, 5 panel drug screen, TB test, physical/vaccination history, criminal history checks, CPS registry checks, reference checks, and completion of state licensing mandatory training modules- Health and Safety Modules 1-4, Intro to the Indiana Early Learning Standards, and Child Abuse Prevention and Detection or others that may apply or be requried by state law or by the early learning program.
Due to the field experience requirement, this course is required to be taken at the student’s home campus unless otherwise approved by the student’s home campus ECED Program Chair.
MAJOR COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: MAJOR COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this course the student will be expected to:
- Describe and discuss Developmentally Appropriate Practice as it pertains to the young child from infancy through 8 years of age with an emphasis on the importance of healthy and respectful relationships between adults, children, and families in the early learning setting. (1c, 1d, 2b, 4a)
- 1-1 Identify reliable DAP information resources
- 1-2 Determine what is DAP vs. what is not
- 1-3 Summarize the importance of relationships and DAP
- 1-4 Engage in discussions of DAP for each age group
- Recognize and describe the ways young children develop in the physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and linguistic domains, including bilingual/multilingual development. (1a)
- 2-1 Recognize child-development milestones
- 2-2 Describe how young children develop across the domains.
- 2-3 Recognize how linguistic development differs between mono- and bi/multi-lingual children
- Explain the Learning Hierarchy and the Science of Teaching and Learning (KPS).
- 3-1 Define the Learning Hierarchy
- 3-2 Explain the Learning Hierarchy and the Science of Teaching and Learning
- Recognize and discuss appropriate teaching methods for young children including direct instruction, play-based, and other instructional methods used in birth-grade 3 education. (1d, 4b, 4c, 5b, 6e)
- 4-1 Define direct instruction and other instructional methods
- 4-2 Discuss the appropriate use of direct instruction and other instructional methods.
- 4-3 Analyze lesson plans to determine instructional method
- 4-4 Determine if lessons are DAP
- 4-5 Survey environment and materials for DAP
- Research current curriculum models in use in early childhood education. (1d, 3a, 4b, 4c)
- 5-1 Select and research one current curriculum model
- 5-2 Identify strengths-and-challenges of different curriculum models
- 5-3 Identify reliable evidence-based resources for current curriculum research
- 5-4 Summarize the principles of UDL
- Research historical and current practices in teaching, including the teaching of reading.
- 6-1 Review various types of instruction within early childhood education.
- 6-2 Review historical practices within American education in literacy development.
- 6-3 Compare/contrast explicit/direct instruction to other types of instruction-constructivist, inquiry-based, project-based, play-based, etc.
- Describe, discuss, and evaluate Developmentally Appropriate environments that promote the young child’s healthy development. (1b, 1c, 1d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 5b, 5c)
- 7-1 Observe and evaluate DAP environment
- 7-2 Describe the elements of appropriate learning environments for children birth to age 8.
- Demonstrate observation skills in accordance with ethical guidelines to evaluate an early learning setting and develop a plan to enhance the environment for all children, including those with special needs. (3a, 3b, 3c, 6a, 6b, 6e)
- 8-1 Demonstrate ethical observation skills
- 8-2 Evaluate early learning environment
- 8-3 Develop a plan to enhance the early learning environment for all children, including those with special needs
- Demonstrate the ability to access and utilize the Indiana Early Learning Standards to plan, implement, and evaluate meaningful curriculum for young children. (5a, 5b, 5c, 6b, 6d)
- 9-1 Demonstrate ability to access Indiana Early Learning Standards
- 9-2 Plan curriculum utilizing Indiana Early Learning Standards
- 9-3 Implement Standards in meaningful curriculum
- 9-4 Assess Standards in meaningful curriculum
- Describe and discuss Bloom’s Taxonomy and its relationship to planning developmentally appropriate activities for young children. (5b)
- 10-1 Describe Bloom’s Taxonomy
- 10-2 Discuss Bloom’s Taxonomy’s relationship to planning DAP activities
- Create Developmentally Appropriate Lesson Plans that promote the young child’s development in the physical, communication, arts, inquiry, social, and self-awareness domains. (1d, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5b, 5c)
- 11-1 Create a DAP Lesson to promote Large Motor Development
- 11-2 Create a DAP Lesson Plan to promote Fine Motor Development
- 11-3 Create a DAP Lesson Plan to promote communication
- 11-4 Create a DAP Lesson Plan to promote the arts
- 11-5 Create a DAP Lesson Plan to promote inquiry
- 11-6 Create a DAP Lesson Plan to promote social domains
- 11-7 Create a DAP Lesson Plan to promote self-awareness
- Incorporate Developmentally Appropriate Lesson Plans into an Integrated Curriculum Study appropriate for use in the infant/toddler, preschool, or school-age classroom. (1d, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5b, 5c)
- 12-1 Incorporate DAP Lesson Plans into an Integrated Curriculum Study
- Complete Indiana child care licensing training for Introduction to the Indiana Early Learning Standards. (5a, 5b, 5c, 6b, 6d)
- 13-1 Engage the module training
- 13-2 Complete the mastery activities from the Modules
- 13-3 Submit Certificate of Completion
- Complete a minimum of 32 hours of field experience which includes 16 hours for preparation/planning (including creation of materials)/observation, 8 hours for implementation/assessment/working directly with children, and 8 hours for reflection, evaluation and professional communication with the site mentor/cooperating teacher. (7)
- 14-1 Secure/request the field placement
- 14-2 Completing hours log for the field placement
- 14-3 Professionalism objective
- 14-4 Complete self-reflection of their lesson plan
COURSE CONTENT: Topical areas of study include - Topical areas of study include - - Developmentally appropriate practice
- Children’s developmental domains
- Developmentally appropriate learning environments
- DAP lesson plans
- Integrated curriculum study
- Healthy relationships in the early learning environment
- Professionalism and confidentiality when assessing learning environments
- Cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion
- NAEYC Code of Ethics
- Indiana Early Learning Standards
- Science of Learning
- Science of Reading
- Field Experience
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2021 NAEYC Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators
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STANDARD 1
Child Development and Learning in Context
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NAEYC Standards covered in this course
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INTASC Standards Alignment
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1a: Understand the developmental period of early childhood from birth through age 8 across physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and linguistic domains, including bilingual/multilingual development.
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x
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2.a-b; 5.b
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1b: Understand and value each child as an individual with unique developmental variations, experiences, strengths, interests, abilities, challenges, approaches to learning, and with the capacity to make choices.
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x
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2.a; 3.a-b; 5.b
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1c: Understand the ways that child development and the learning process occur in multiple contexts, including family, culture, language, community, and early learning setting, as well as in a larger societal context that includes structural inequities.
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x
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1d: Use this multidimensional knowledge-that is, knowledge about the developmental period of early childhood, about individual children, and about development and learning in cultural contexts-to make evidence-based decisions that support each child
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x
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4.a-b; 8.a-d
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STANDARD 2
Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections
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2a: Know about, understand, and value the diversity of families.
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5.a-b
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2b: Collaborate as partners with families in young children’s development and learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement.
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x
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5.a-b; 7.b
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2c: Use community resources to support young children’s learning and development and to support families, and build partnerships between early learning settings, schools, and community organizations and agencies.
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2.a-b; 3.a-b; 5.a-b; 8.c-d
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STANDARD 3
Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
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3a: Understand that assessments (formal and informal, formative and summative) are conducted to make informed choices about instruction and for planning in early learning settings.
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x
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3b: Know a wide range of types of assessments, their purposes, and their associated methods and tools.
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x
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6.a-b
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3c: Use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, ability, culturally, and linguistically appropriate in order to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child.
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x
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3.b; 6.a-b; 7.a-b
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3d: Build assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues.
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3.b; 5.a-b; 7.b
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STANDARD 4
Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
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4a: Understand and demonstrate positive, caring, supportive relationships and interactions as the foundation of early childhood educators’ work with young children.
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x
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5.a; 7.b
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4b: Understand and use teaching skills that are responsive to the learning trajectories of young children and to the needs of each child, recognizing that differentiating instruction, incorporating play as a core teaching practice, and supporting the development of executive function skills are critical for young children.
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x
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2.a-b; 4.a-b; 8.a-b
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4c: Use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically relevant, anti-bias, evidence-based teaching skills and strategies that reflect the principles of universal design for learning.
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x
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2.a-b; 3.a-b; 6.a-b; 8.a
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STANDARD 5
Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
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5a: Understand content knowledge- the central concepts, methods and tools of inquiry, and structure-and resources for the academic disciplines in an early childhood curriculum.
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x
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7.a-b; 3.a-b
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5b: Understand pedagogical content knowledge-how young children learn in each discipline-and how to use the teacher knowledge and practices described in Standards 1 through 4 to support young children’s learning in each content area.
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x
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3.a; 5.a; 7.a-b
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5c: Modify teaching practices by applying, expanding, integrating, and updating their content knowledge in the disciplines, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge.
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x
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7.a-b; 3.b; 8.b
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STANDARD 6
Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
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6a: Identify and involve themselves with the early childhood field and serve as informed advocates for young children, families, and the profession.
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x
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9.a, b, c, d
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6b: Know about and uphold ethical and other early childhood professional guidelines.
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x
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9.f, j, o
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6c: Use professional communication skills, including technology-mediated strategies, to effectively support young children’s learning and development and to work with families and colleagues.
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9.c, d, f
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6d: Engage in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice.
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x
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9.a, b, c, d,
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6e: Develop and sustain the habit of reflective and intentional practice in their daily work with young children and as members of the early childhood profession.
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x
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9.f, o
2.a-b; 3.a-b; 4.a-b; 5.a-b; 6.a-b; 8.a-d
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STANDARD 7
Field Experiences
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7a: Opportunities to observe and practice in at least two of the three early childhood age groups (birth - age 3, 3-5, 5-8)
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x
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1.a, b, c; 3.b, c, d
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7b: Opportunities to observe and practice in at least two of the three main types of early education settings (early school grades, child care centers and homes, Head Start programs)
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1.a, b, c; 3.b, c, d
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GRADING POLICY
Grading Scale 100 - 93% A 92 - 85% B 84 - 75% C 74 - 71% D 70 - 0% F PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT: All degree-seeking students will be expected to present examples of coursework that they deem suitable for a cumulative portfolio that will be reviewed prior to graduation. The portfolio will contain several artifacts and reflection pieces as evidence of the students’ demonstrated understanding of early childhood principles as outlined by INTASC and NAEYC standards. The cumulative portfolio should document each student’s dispositions and competencies reflected in assignments throughout their coursework. Students may begin collecting artifacts when they begin their coursework. Creating a portfolio has value to students, the Ivy Tech Community College early childhood education program and potential employers. Students should select from a variety of assignments and are free to confer with their instructor about alternate choices of material.
Course Addendum - Syllabus (Click to expand)
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