Galway City & County

Childcare Committee

Curriculum Planning

What we will cover….

� Welcome

� Overview of Aistear

� Aistear: Defining short, medium & long-term curriculum planning)

� How do we start?...

- Observing, Documenting & Displaying

� Templates

Aistear

Aistear: See handouts

4 Themes

4 Aims under each Theme

6 Learning Goals under each Aim

________________________________

Themes

Well-Being

Identity & Belonging

Communicating

Exploring & Thinking

Aistear:

Activity for 6/9mths – 18mths

Row Row the Boat

Learning goal: anticipation, waiting,

eye contact, choice, gross & fine motor

skills.

Aistear Links: C, A 1, LG 6. W, A2, LG 3.

Aistear

Each theme offers some ideas and suggestions for

the types of learning experiences that adults might

provide for children in working towards Aistear’s

aims and goals. These ideas and suggestions are

known as sample learning opportunities. They are

presented in three overlapping age groups:

� babies (birth to 18 months)� toddlers (12 months to 3 years) � young children (2½ to 6 years).

Aistear

� While most of the sample learning opportunities can be adapted and developed for different types of settings, some may be more suited to one type than to another. Most of the sample learning opportunities can also be adapted for use indoors or outdoors. Using the outdoor environment can often give children more space and freedom to move, to explore, and to express themselves, which in turn can bring even greater enjoyment, satisfaction and learning.

Aistear

&

Curriculum Planning

Long-term PlanningYour approach/philosophy/ethos/pedagogy

Medium-term PlanningOnce a term…..

Developmental goals for each group

Interest based themes

Seasonal Celebration

Short-term Planning

Weekly (Activity) planning

(Child) Interested Based

Seasonal Celebrations

Dev. Goals

Long-term Planning

For example….(Our Ethos).

Siolta’s standards and the Aistear National Curriculum

Framework guides our practice, through positive

consultation with parents, family and the community, we

aim to promote each child’s sense of identity and well

being. Through our knowledge and understanding of how

children learn and develop, we facilitate each child to share

and communicate their ideas, whilst they explore and

problem solve through meaningful play experiences.

Long-term Planning

Using the 4 themes of Aistear we encourage each child to be confident and competent learners:

� Exploring & Thinking: Supporting children to make sense of things, places and the people in their world.

� Communication: Supporting children to share their experiences, thoughts, ideas and feelings with others.

� Well-being. Supporting children to be confident, happy and healthy individuals

� Identity and Belonging: Supporting children to develop a positive sense of identity where each child feels valued and respected as apart of a family and community.

Medium-term planning?

Medium-term plans focus on each term. This

plan sets out goals for a fixed period of time and gives a

broad outline of activities, at the same time being flexible in

order to take account of children’s ideas and interests.

Observations as well as communication and on-going

consultation with staff, parents and children guide the

development of the medium-term plans.

Short-term Planning

Short-term plans outline the experiences to be organisedfor children, for a week or fortnight. They are more specific

than medium- and long term plans. Short-term plans can

address individual children’s needs and interests. Listeningto what children say and incorporating what they want to

do, involves them actively in the planning process.

It is important, to include the interests of individual children

in the short-term plan drawn up for the full group.

How do we start?

The Curriculum Plan Checklist(1) Long-term plan - the

ethos/approach to how you work with the children.

(2) Medium-term Plan (a brief outline)

Discuss with staff re; upcoming seasonal celebrations, dev. goals and the children’s interests. (once a term)

(3) Observations (ongoing)For each child (once a term)

for e.g. Learning recordsSuggestion *Each practitioner could be assigned to observe a specific group of children for the term.

(4) Short-term Activity Plan(weekly/fortnightly)

This is a visible activity plan

• incorporates the children ‘s interests - refer to your observations of the children

• Addresses how you will support the children to meet their dev goals

• Your plans for up coming seasonal celebrations

Medium-term Planning(once a term)

Age Group: 3 to 4 years Time period: Jan-April

General Developmental Goals: Self-help skills, Fine/Gross Motor dev, Personal Hygiene

Festivals/ Celebrations: Easter, Mothers Day etc

Interest – based Projects: Role Play – Restaurant, Jungle Animals…

Aistear is reflected in our weekly curriculum planning.

Let’s look at what you do already

&

how you can link it to the

Aistear Curriculum Framework

Daily Curriculum Plan

Time Activities Aistear Links

Arrival Welcome Well-being: Aim 1, LG 2 & 3

Breakfast Socialising, conversations, settling in….. Well-being: Aim 2, LG 6

Free Play

Indoor/Outd

oor

Children choose what materials/equipment to play with– availability and

accessibility to interest areas in the room.

Exploring & Thinking

Aim 3 LG, 4 Aim 2 LG, 3 & 4,

Circle Time An opportunity to consult with the children about their interests or tell a

story that leads onto your next activity. Talk about upcoming

celebrations, project theme, news, songs, music etc…

Communicating: Aim 4 , LG 1 & 5

Identity & Belonging: Aim 2 LG1 & Aim 3

LG 1.

Project

activity Idea

Your planned project/activity idea: This comes from your Short-Term

planning

Aistear Themes, Aims and Learning Goals

are incorporated into our short term

planning and linked to each

project/activity idea

Lunch

/Dinner

Socialising , Health and Well-being Communicating : Aim 2, LG 1.

Well-being: Aim 1, LG 2 & 3 & Aim 2 LG 6

Free play/

Planned

activity

indoor/outd

oor play.

This could be an opportunity for you to observe and/or play alongside

individual children, gather information for future activities. Perhaps you

may want to continue your project /activity idea.

Aistear Themes, Aims and Learning Goals

are incorporated into our short term

planning and linked to each

project/activity idea

Winding

down!

This could range from a variety of activity ideas: Storytelling, music,

dancing, exercising, meditation, sensory play, arts &c crafts etc..

Well-being: Aim 2 LG 2 & 6

Home time Preparing for home-time - Meeting with parents, communication

books…

Well-being: Aim 1, LG 1

Short-term Planning

*Observations guides our Short-term planning

For example - Learning Story/Record

• Remember to take photos

(written permission needed)

Photo:

Describe

Learning Record

Child’s Name:_____________ Date of observation: …../..…/..…Signed:_____________ Date: _____________________.

What does it mean?

What could we do next to extend the learning?

Observations

� The Learning Records/Observations can be stored in a individual folder/box for each child.

� To be updated once a term (4 observations for each child)

Note:

If you do a Learning Record of a Group Activity – display this on your walls. This in itself

Is your short-term curriculum planning because you have made it visible for parents and

visitors to see, they can see the Aistear curriculum in action and how you are meeting and

promoting the holistic needs of the children attending the service.

(See: Documenting and displaying the learning process – it is similar to a learning record)

Aistear Links: E&T, A 1, LG 3, A 2 LG 3.

Learning record/story of a group activity

Short-term Activity

Planning

Monday ../../14 Tuesday ../../14 Wednesday ../../14 Thursday../../14 Friday ../../14

Schema/Interest

observed

Bugs & Insects

Schema/Interest

observed

Bugs & Insects

Schema/Interest

observed

Bugs & Insects

Seasonal Celebration

Getting ready for

Easter

Seasonal Celebration

Easter Egg Hunt

Aistear Links: C, A 4, LG, 1 & 3

Aistear Links: Aistear Links: Aistear Links: Aistear Links:

Activity

Bugs & Insects: Looking

at bugs and insects

outside with the

magnifying glass.

Activity

Bugs & Insects:

Outdoor and arts &

crafts activity; building

houses for the bugs &

insects.

Activity

Bugs & Insects: Finding

out about the living

habits of the spider,

centipede & worm. Using

videos, books, internet

etc.

Activity

Getting ready for

Easter Egg Hunt –

preparing clues, map

making, cutting out

egg shapes etc…

Activity

Extension Ideas:

Going outdoors and

building house/huts for

the bugs & insects using

junk material.

Extension Ideas

Research project:

Finding out more about

the s the spider,

centipede & worm.

Extension Ideas;

Group Learning Story;

Putting together our

learning story about bugs

& insects – what we have

learned…

Extension Ideas

Include an obstacle

type course

Extension Ideas

Short-term Activity Planning

Week: 4 Age group:

A more detailed approach to Short-term Planning (Activity Planning)

A. Planned Activities: A themed project that is based on the children’s

interests or seasonal celebration.

B. Individual / Group Goal/s…..(knowing the stages of play – can help)

C. Plan the activities, you can refer to the following interest areas as a guide:

� Role Play/Home Corner

� Constructive Play/ Small World Play/Block Play etc

� Creative Activity: Sensory Play , Arts & Crafts, Sand & Water

� Music and/or Movement

� Story-time

� Outdoor Play – Physical Play

D. Link activities to Aistear’s Themes: Aims & Learning Goals

E. List equipment needed

F. Health & Safety Considerations

G. Possible Challenges / Questions to ask…

What we know already…

Schema/Interest observed: Animals in the Jungle

Age Group: Age 2.5 yrs old

Stage of Play observed: Parallel Play

Specific Learning Goals: An open-ended activity that will

encourage self expression and the opportunity for

cooperative thinking. (associative play)

Health & Safety

Considerations

Remove tripping

hazards

Short-term Project/Activity Plan

Aistear Aim s& Learning Goals

Aistear Links: C, A 4, LG, 1 & 3.

Week 3 Date/s:

Equipment Needed

Camera: to take

photographs of the children.

Storybook: “The Dancing

Tiger”

CD: Different types of

music, lots of space,

scarves, instruments-

shakers.

Reflect on Activity

Extension ideas .Going outdoors and building

house/huts for the jungle

animals using junk material

Questions to ask the

children

I wonder how the animal

will move to this music?

I wonder what will the

animal do next?

Is your body moving fast

or slow

Project Idea:

“Going to the Jungle”

Picture/story book or

video – of different

jungle animals.

Music & Movement -

Play different types of

music – child acts out

different animals while

listening to the music.

Documenting and Displaying the Learning Process

Notes to remember: Take photographs of the activity. Observe and take brief notes detailing the children’s interest and conversations.

Activity: Being Constructive“Digging & Building”

An example of how you could display the children’s work and learning

Children’s Conversations & Observed Play:Include comments the children

made or observational notes

about their play.Children’ Conversations

“Look, the big truck doesn’t fit but

the small truck fits on the digger”

ObservationsThe children really enjoyed

transporting objects back and forth,

especially when the natural materials

were introduced.

What did we learn?We used our fine motor

skills to pick up objects and

construct buildings.

We problem-solved – we

visualised, planned and

created.

We learned about how much

our digger could carry.

We learned mathematical

concepts: height, weight,

size and composition.

We learned about different

textures, using natural

materials

Extension Ideas: What we could do next….

We could develop & extend the construction area in the playroom – add natural

materials & miniatures (lollipop sticks, play dough, trailers, big & small bricks etc)

Aistear Links:

Workshop Activity

How can we plan our curriculum from our

observations and conversations with children?

Examples of interest based, dev. goals &

seasonal curriculum planning.

Lets look at the video clips…..

The Role of the Adult� Listening, observing � Open-ended questions (“I wonder…What happens…..let the child

have ownership over their ideas)� Descriptive language: extends their understanding, learning and

language skills, inflection in voice - interested (Assimilation & Accommodation).

� Encouragement & support � Enthusiasm (tone of voice)� Could you add something to extend the learning – suggest? – “I

wonder”…� Remember some of the scaffolding stages (they will help – for

example: simplify the task, reduce frustration (perhaps model a solution- demonstration – ask for help from the child) marking critical features.

� Reflecting/Mirroring what the child is doing: make it meaningful(similar to parallel play.

“Encourage possibility thinking”

Examples of open-ended questions

� Tell me about …

� I wonder…

� What would happen if…

� How did you make…

� What would you like to change

� What made you think of doing…

� How would you figure out …

� What else can you try..

� Describe your favourite part

SummaryHow to organise…..

� A folder with your Long-term plan (ethos, approach) & Medium-term plans (for each term - 3/4).

� Short-term plans: in other words your activity /project ideas - These will incorporate your medium-term plans…

- Dev. Goals- Seasonal Celebrations- Interest-based

� Observations for each child (once a term – 3/4 observations for each child). Each child can have a folder and you can put their learning records/observations inside.

*Give yourself credit for all this work – show off what you do with the children

and display photos of the children’s activities, artwork and active learning on

the wall. ( See slide “Documenting & Displaying the Learning Process” &“Group Learning Record”)

Templates that you may find helpful….

Adapt and edit to fit in with the demands of

your service

Photo:

Describe

Learning Record

Child’s Name:_____________ Date of observation: …../..…/..…Signed:_____________ Date: _____________________.

What does it mean?

What could we do next to extend the learning?

Monday ../../.. Tuesday ../../.. Wednesday ../../.. Thursday ../../.. Friday ../../..

Interestbased/dev.goals

/seasonal celebration.

Interestbased/dev.goals/

seasonal celebration.

Interestbased/dev.goals/

seasonal celebration.

Interestbased/dev.goals/

seasonal celebration.

Interestbased/dev.goal

s/seasonal celebration.

Aistear Links: Aistear Links Aistear Links: Aistear Links: Aistear Links:

Activity Activity Activity Activity Activity

Extension Ideas: Extension Ideas Extension Ideas; Extension Ideas Extension Ideas

Week No: Age group:

Short-term Activity planning

What we know already…

Schema/Interest observed:

Seasonal Celebration:

Age Group:

Stage of Play observed:

Specific Learning Goals:

Health & Safety

ConsiderationsShort-term Project/Weekly Activity Plan

Aistear Links

Week: Date:

Equipment Needed

Reflect on Activity

Extension ideas .

Questions to ask the

children

Project/Activity Idea

Information on Aistear

� www.ncca.ie – click on Aistear – for more information.

� www.ncca.ie – click on Aistear – Aistear Toolkit – choose a theme (you will be able to access the sample learning opportunities for each age category.

� To access the sample Aistear documents: Go to www.ncca.ie, click on Aistear - Aistear Toolkit - Planning, documenting and assessing.

See link below…

www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Early_Childhood_and_Primary

Education/Early_Childhood_Education/Aistear_Toolkit/Planning-and

documenting.html

EquipmentThe equipment should reflect the developmental needs and the interests of the children

Therefore consider equipment that can encourage the followingactivities:� Arts and Crafts.� Role play� Games with rules.� Free play/ Open-ended play� Appreciation of nature� Quiet Time� Opportunity for messy/sensory play� Constructive play

Thank you

Any Questions