Standard 4: Teaching and Learning Students prepared in associate degree programs integrate their understanding of and relationships with

children and families; their understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning; and their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all young children. 4c: Knowing and understanding the importance, central concepts, inquiry tools, and structures of content areas or academic disciplines. Rationale: Planning curriculum and developing learning centers that support early learning of the academic disciplines, and referencing the Foundations for Young Children when planning activities for my childcare program demonstrates my understanding of the importance, central concepts, inquiry tools and structures of content areas and academic disciplines. For NAEYC Standard 4c, I chose my unit plan on dinosaurs that I used in the spring of 2011. I included developmentally appropriate activities and learning centers for science, math, language arts games, dramatic play, group time, music and movement, and gross motor play, which all promote positive development and learning. Reflection: Creating this unit plan reinforced the importance of being thorough when planning curriculum for children. Planning curriculum for each of the academic disciplines based on the Foundations for Young Children and Developmentally Appropriate Practice ensures that positive development and learning are being promoted each day. Using my understanding of the importance of central concepts, inquiry tools, and structures of content areas, I used this unit plan in the classroom to promote positive development and learning for all the children.

References Bredekamp, S., & Copple, C. (Eds.). (1997). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs (Revised ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. (Original work published 1986) Indiana department of education and family and social services administration, division of family resources, bureau of child care. (n.d.). Foundations to the Indiana academic standard for young children from birth to age 5. Retrieved from http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/curriculum/ indianafoundations1.pdf Dinosaurs Preschool Lesson Plans. (2012). Retrieved February, 2011, from vBulletin Solutions Inc. website: http://www.123child.com/UBB/ showthread.php?3581-Dinosaurs-preschool-lesson-plans Jacobs, G. (1999). Activities for a dinosaur theme. In Gayle's Preschool Rainbow Activity Centeral "Where early childhood teachers find ideas." Retrieved February, 2011, from Gale Jacobs website: http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/ dinosaur.htm Schlller, P., & Hastings, K. (1998). Dinosaurs, More dinosaurs, Dinosaurs again. In The complete resource book for preschoolers (pp. 185-187). Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House, Inc.