1. Read & explore 6.2.1 – Read Week 6 assigned texts & resources
https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/Child_Growth_and_Development_(Paris_Ricardo_Rymond_and_Johnson)/05%3A_Cognitive_Development_in_Infancy_and_Toddlerhood/5.06%3A_Memory_and_Attention
2. Work on your next DCDEE WORKSLinks to an external site. certificates.
Then, create your Discussion 6 post:
· Write a brief reflection (1-2 paragraphs) on how relationships and belonging in early care and education (ECCE) settings can impact young children’s health and well-being.
· Connect your reflection to at least TWO of the Module 6 readings and/or materials that you explored, such as:
· Articles or videos (linked in 6.2 – Learning activities & resources)
· Virtual Lab School Family Engagement materials (tell us which one you picked)
· NC Foundations (Goals ESD 1-7 & CD 6-9)
· Tell us which two readings/materials you picked, share some specific information (ex. strategies, ideas, resources, etc.) from each, and explain how you might use the information to support young children’s relationships and sense of belonging in ECCE settings.
https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/journal/who-am-i-developing-a-sense-of-self-and-belonging/
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/summer2024/partnering-with-families
Part B
First:
1. Read & explore 7.2.1 – Read Week 7 assigned texts & resources
https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/Book%3A_Health_Safety_and_Nutrition_(Paris)
2. Work on your next DCDEE WORKSLinks to an external site. certificates.
Then, create your Discussion 7 post:
PART 1: Your thoughts on play, joy, and/or mental health in ECCE
https://www.dpi.nc.gov/documents/fbs/resources/development/foundations/download
·
· Share your thoughts on the importance or role of play, joy, and/or mental in early childhood care and education (ECCE).
· Reference at least ONE reading or resource from MODULE 7 – Foster wellness – Play, joy, & mental health
· OPTIONAL: Connect to your own experiences.
PART 2: Planning for joyful & playful learning (Mini-project #4)
NOTE: Mini-project #4 is OPTIONAL for extra credit on your FINAL PRODUCT (2 of 3): Toolkit items assignment.
For this project, you will demonstrate your ability to apply knowledge from this course to your own early childhood context. Your mini-project #4 can be on any topic of your choice and should incorporate lanning for joyful & playful learning
Steps to design your mini-project #4:
1.
1. Choose an age group to focus on: Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers
2. Select any TWO Foundations goals and/or strategies to address through your mini-project
3. Identify a specific audience for your mini-project ( ex. educators in early childhood classrooms, families of young children, center directors/owners, etc.)
4. Specify at least ONE potential use for your mini-project ( ex. for teaching in your own classroom or center, for training or coaching new employees, etc.)
5. Pick ONE of these mini-projects to create that will be designed to incorporate some element of joyful and/or playful learning:
· Lesson : Create a lesson plan or series of mini-lessons
· ^ can be in a format of your choice, but should at least include group size, length of time, materials needed, specific activities and steps to complete. Would also be good to include details about assessment of learning + plans for differentiation of activities or materials.
· Display : Create visuals for classroom, school/center hallway displays, or online presence
· Examples: Posters, flyers, infographics, photo collages, slideshow for TV display, content for center website, series of social media posts
· Social stories : Create a social story or set of social stories
· Could be designed for sharing with a classroom community or with individual children to refer to in class and/or take home to read with family members.
· Materials for children : Create list of items, books, and/or activities to add to learning centers
· ^ include brief explanation for how the items address your goals/strategies
· Materials for educators : Create training or professional development materials
· ^ Examples: video or slides for onboarding new staff members, outline for professional development workshop, proposal for a professional conference presentation
· Materials for families : Create materials or a set of materials designed for families of young children
· ^ Examples: packet of tips/ideas/strategies/resources, mini take-home kits for a class or center “lending library”, invitations to school/class events, short video explainers, etc.
FOR YOUR POST , please list the following:
·
· My mini-project #4 will be: __________________
· The age group my mini-project will focus on is: __________________
· The Foundations goals/strategies my mini-project will address are:
1. ________________
2. _________________
· My mini-project will incorporate joy and/or play by: _________________
· My mini-project could be useful for: _________________
· Some people that I could share my mini-project with are: _________________