ED407074 PS025116
Title: Engaging Children's Minds: The Project Approach.
Author(s): Katz, Lilian G.; Chard, Sylvia C.
Pages: 189
Publication Date: 1989
ISBN: 0-89391-534-3
Available from: EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from
EDRS.
Availability: Ablex Publishing Corporation, P.O. Box 5297, Greenwich,
CT 06831; phone: 203-661-7602; fax: 203-661-0792 (clothbound: ISBN-0-89391-534-3,
$73.25; paperback: ISBN-0-89391-543-2, $39.50. Individual orders prepaid
with credit card or personal check receive 40% discount on cloth edition
and 20% discount on paper edition. Add $5 shipping for cloth edition
and $4 shipping for paper edition).
Language: English
Document Type: Book (010); Guides--Non-classroom (055)
Geographic Source: U.S.; Illinois
Journal Announcement: RIESEP1997
A project
is an in-depth study of a particular topic that one or more children
undertake, and consists of exploring the topic or theme such as
"building a house" over a period of days or weeks. This
book introduces the project approach and suggests applications and
examples of this approach in action. Chapters are: (1) "Profile
of the Project Approach," defining the approach and describing
how project work complements other parts of the preschool curriculum;
(2) "Research and Principles of Practice," discussing
the conceptual basis for a project approach; (3) "Project Work
in Action," illustrating the variety of project work; (4) "Features
of the Project Approach," presenting guidelines for project
topic selection, types of project activities, choices children make
in project work, the teacher's role, and the three phases of project
work; (5) "Teacher Planning," focusing on selecting a
topic, making a topic web, deciding on a project's scope, and using
five criteria for selecting and focusing on project topics; (6)
"Getting Projects Started: Phase I," detailing ways to
engage children's interest, initiate the introductory discussion,
organize activities for early stages of extended projects, and involve
parents; (7) "Projects in Progress: Phase II," discussing
ways to maximize children's learning, interest, and motivation;
(8) "Consolidating Projects: Phase III," presenting various
approaches to concluding a project, such as making presentations
to other classes or evaluating the project; and (9) "The Project
Approach in Perspective," identifying the project approach
as a complement and supplement to other aspects of the curriculum
while giving teachers the opportunity to attend equally to social
and intellectual development. Appendices present project descriptions,
project guidelines, and a checklist for recording Missouri State
Competencies applied in the course of project work. Contains about
140 references. (KDFB)
Descriptors: Active Learning; Child Development; Class Activities;
Early Childhood Education; Instructional Innovation; *Learning Activities;
Parent Participation; Primary Education; Student Motivation; *Student
Projects; Teacher Role; Teacher Student Relationship; Teaching Methods;
*Young Children
Identifiers: *Project Approach (Katz and Chard); Task Engagement
