1st Edition
The Kinderchat Guide to Elementary School Projects A Playful Approach to Learning
The Kinderchat Guide to Elementary School Projects takes the structure, philosophy, and child-centered, playful approach to learning most commonly seen in early childhood and shares how to scale and apply for the wider elementary school community. From one of the founders of the popular online Kinderchat group, this book shows how inviting play into academic learning forms an essential "back and forth" between application and skill development. Learn how to foster discovery, playfulness, imagination, and spontaneity into the elementary school academic curriculum, while keeping skills in the foreground. Offering lesson plans, scaffolded implementation techniques and methodologies, these unique and approachable projects are ready to use by in-service elementary educators, seasoned professionals, and school leaders.
Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Projects Philosophy, Definitions and Structures General Philosophies and Definitions The Skill of Sense Making Methods and Approaches Surrounding Project Work and Inquiry How to PBL The Play Projects References and Resources 2. The Town and Neighborhood The Bank Grocery Store Museums and Cafes Stoplight Story Theater Toy Town Makerspace Money Town 3. Civics and Society Math and Social Studies Projects Tic Tac Toe Tournament Risk and Gamer Teams Math Court Math Debate Teams Expanding Circles: Places Literacy and Social Studies Projects Expanding Circles: People Neighborhood Newspaper Talking Timeline Little Library Expanding Circles: Social Studies Projects School of Citizens Government Roles and Leadership Peace, Equity and Justice 4. Nature and World Community Gardens Ecosystem Expo Laboratory Obstacle Course and Workout World Walk n’ Talk Trail 5. Working Together in a Digital World Philosophy and Application Navigating Technology is a Literacy The Digital Classroom Blended Models How To Implement in K-5 Showcasing Student Projects Building Digital Portfolios Special Events and Integrations Large Scale Applications Resources and References　
Biography
Heidi Echternacht is co-founder of Kinderchat, a weekly professional conversation, resource library, and online network for early childhood advocates and educators. Created and led by teachers, Kinderchat has hosted global discussions between and among professional educators and in-service teachers for over ten years. Author of The Kinderchat Guide to the Classroom, Heidi has been an educator of children for over 20 years and currently teaches second grade in Princeton, NJ, USA.
