1. China in the Ganon The Project Approach in ECD

2. What is a Project? In-depth investigation of a particular subject. Teacher selects the topic of study based on the children's interests.

3. How is a topic selected? Observing and listening to the children, while playing and interacting Examples from GHA: South Africa, Dogs, Bats, Animals

4. Phases of the Project 1: Assess knowledge, formulate research questions, engage families, plan investigation 2: Topic web, experts, field trip, research with authentic materials, representation 3: Culminating event, children tell story of the learning, personalization of the knowledge (through various “languages”)

5. This year’s projects in Ganon

6. Bamboo Schach Questions about bamboo Bamboo in the play area Items made from bamboo Sketching Where is it grown? YouTube videos Pandas eat bamboo Noticed that the conversations and interest were now focused on Panda Bears Kids started bringing in books about Pandas, toy pandas Used the bamboo in our classroom to build a “forest” for their toy pandas During freeplay they pretended they were Pandas

7. Pandas Books and photos of Pandas Computer lab, SMARTboard Clay Invited an “expert” on Pandas Private panda tour at the zoo During this time of course it was mentioned that Pandas in the wild only live in China… …They began talking a lot about China Provocation with Chinese umbrella, some magazines and they started asking some questions On to China…

8. China Books, photos, info at computer lab Read a lot of children’s stories based in China Made our own “rice paddy” Skype Fans Silk Calligraphy Chai Peking? Book making Dads’ Morning Just getting started…Who know what tomorrow may bring?

9. The investigation: What does the learning look like?

10. Children’s ideas ZELLIK - They people's eyes turn down and they speak differently. Their writing is funny. They eat with chopsticks. SHAYNA - Chopsticks are made from wood, not metal like forks. SIMON - They eat different food like a lot of carrots and seaweed. (In response, Zellik also said he knew they ate seaweed.)

11. Children’s questions JOSIAH - How many kids go to school there? ZION - Do only China people live there? ELLA - How many people live in China? MATAN - How big is China? RACHEL - Is it near the ocean? SHAYNA - Is China bigger than Texas and do they have different kinds of taxis there? MANNY - How many cars in China? ZELLIK - How many roads are there and how many traffic lights? KAREN - Is there a Jewish Day School? SIMON - Do they have restaurants? MIKEY - How do they write their letters?

12. How did we learn about China? Books

13. How did we learn about China? Books

14. How did we learn about China? Enhancing the environment with Chinese print

15. How did we learn about China? Studying currency

16. How did we learn about China? Drawing characters and making flags

17. How did we learn about China? Field work at the zoo

18. How did we learn about China? Field work at the zoo

19. How did we learn about China? Field work at the zoo

20. How did we learn about China? Field work at the zoo

21. How did we learn about China? Making fans

22. How did we learn about China? Clay

23. How did we learn about China? Technology

24. How did we learn about China? Sensory experiences

25. How did we learn about China? Representational art

29. How did we learn about China? Sketching

30. Sketching

32. Why the project approach? From the teacher’s perspective