It is held that academic learning, beginning with speech mastery, is the natural, necessary, and most legitimate core of every child's nursery curriculum. And no subject matter is more academic in nature than the mastery of spoken and written language. However, as intellectually challenging as the learning of first language may be, it is generally…

An overview of the prekindergarten program provided for children in the CAL Community School District, Latimer, Iowa, is offered in this booklet. The program's goals, structure, schedule, activities, staff, and evaluation procedures are briefly described. Conclusions and recommendations of the district superintendent concerning the prekindergarten…

This publication contains current concepts, goals, and ideas relative to kindergarten education which district personnel in Illinois may wish to incorporate or reinforce in local kindergarten programs. Topics covered include (1) an introduction to the history, goals and orientation of kindergarten and the relation between kindergarten and child…

The present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of certain cognitive training tasks on children in group settings under natural preschool conditions. Thirty-five children, aged 47-63 months, were divided into six experimental groups and received various cognitive tasks. Results indicated that most children experienced at least moderate…

This paper reviews research on the overall effects of specific Head Start model programs. Test results favor children in more structured programs, but differences are short-lived. Emphasis is placed on the need to consider both the weaknesses of specific programs and the effects of child and environmental differences. (BD)

Points out that good discipline in the kindergarten classroom can be maintained by focusing on interesting and entertaining learning activities, suitable for various individual and small group levels. (BB)

Describes preschool education in West Germany in terms of the various aspects of reform that changed function-oriented classrooms to situation-oriented learning environments. Argues for the priority of social education in early childhood. (BSR)

Four kindergarten classes in an Ohio elementary school chose to study apples as a group project. Documenting the kindergartners' first experience with project work, this article discusses how the project evolved, and describes the three phases of the projectdiscussions of prior knowledge, fieldwork and visits from experts, and the culminating…

Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) is a New York state early childhood initiative providing 4-year-olds access to comprehensive early childhood education experiences that promote their social-emotional, creative expressive/aesthetic, physical, cognitive, linguistic, and cultural development. The UPK initiative takes the form of a stand-alone program…

Noting that the preschool years provide an optimal time for developing fundamental skills with lifelong implications, this paper examines the role of art in early childhood education, arguing that art improves the quality of life for young children. The paper maintains that art is the basis of early learning and that allowing children to…

At a suburban Indiana elementary school, the Project Approach serves as the basis of the curriculum in all Kindergarten classrooms. The four classes of 5- and 6-year-old children at this school chose to study llamas. This article discusses how the project evolved, describes the three phases of the project, and provides teachers' reflections on the…

This paper discusses a one-page curriculum outline for a preschool mathematics program in Israel. The curriculum was developed in the course of preservice and inservice teacher education programs in Israel, and the mathematics activities offered to support the curriculum were developed by student teachers there. The curriculum starts from…

Following adoption of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in 1998, new prekindergarten curriculum guidelines were developed. These voluntary guidelines articulate what 3- and 4-year-olds should know and be able to do and provide a means to align prekindergarten programs with the TEKS curriculum. The guidelines are intended to assist…

A supermarket of ideas on merchandising curriculum materials to students. Suggestions, too, for creating exciting classroom environment inexpensively. (Author/JN)

Explains the effective use of paper bags to invite preschoolers' attention and participation in activities. Provides examples of the paper bag technique applied to language, science, and premath experiences as well as creative movement activities. (DP)