Brittany Pedigo
Tennessee Tech University
Cookeville, TN
Advisor Dr. Melinda Swafford

Course: Early Childhood Careers I
Project: From DIP to DAP
Descriptor:
Designed to give better understanding of developmental milestones and resources, how to select toys that are developmentally appropriate, how to create developmentally appropriate books and toys, and how to coordinate these activities into a developmentally appropriate lesson for young children. Activities from this project can be used individually or used as a long-range course project.
National Standards: 4.2 and 4.3
TN FACS Standards: 1.3, 3.3, 4.2, 4.4, and 4.5
Gateway Connections: English 2.3, 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, Algebra: 1.1,  2.14

Activities

1.  Developmental Milestones

Summary: Complete a Developmental Milestones Chart for an age group chosen at random: Infant/Toddler, Preschool, School-Age

Handouts: Directions (Word Document), Developmental Milestones Chart

Websites/Resources: Human Development, Ninth Edition HELP Hawaii Early Learning Profile Activity Guide                                                            http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/devmile.htm

2.  Toy Designer

Summary: Conduct a web search on developmentally appropriate toys and games for the age group chosen at random. Students design a developmentally appropriate game for that same age group.
Handouts: Directions (Word Document), 1. Websearch for DAP Toys and Games, 2. Criteria for toy
Websites/Resources: http://www.fisher-price.com/us/default.asp
http://www.hasbro.com/
http://www.hasbro.com/playskool/

3.  Children Stories

Summary: Read and critique a children’s book intended for age group chosen at random. Write and illustrate a DAP children’s book.

Handouts: Directions (Word Document), Writing a Children’s Story, Criteria for Grading a Children’s Story.

4.  Teaching the Children

Summary: Develop an age and DAP lesson for a Preschool class.
Handouts: Directions (Word Document), Criteria for lesson
Websites/Resources: http://www.first-school.ws/themes.html                                               http://www.lessonplanz.com/
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/

5.  Shopping Smart

Summary: Conduct a web search to compare company prices on toys, and calculate shipping, taxes, and discounts.
Handouts: Directions (Word Document), Smart Shopping for Toys and Games and Price Calculations.
Websites/Resources:  http://www.target.com/
http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3088668
http://www.walmart.com/
http://www.kbtoys.com/index.html?s_kwcid=kb%20toys|961802284&PopOn=no

6.  FCCLA Project

Career Investigation
Summary: Research a career, set career goals, create a plan to achieve the goals, and explain the relationship between FACS coursework to the career
Websites/Resources: http://www.fcclainc.org/, STAR Events Manuel P. 40-43
Entrepreneurship
Summary: Develop a plan for a small business using FACS and business skills. The business must relate to FACS.
Websites/Resources: http://www.fcclainc.org/, STAR Events Manuel P. 78-83

7.  Grading Materials

Handout:  Project Rubric and Criteria for Children’s Story (Word)