EDU 209 - Creative and Language Arts for Preschoolers

Description
This course teaches methods for engaging preschoolers in play, creative and language arts. Best practices, culturally and developmentally appropriate assessments, materials and activities are explored in the college classroom and then planned and implemented at the GRCC Fratzke Early Childhood Learning Laboratory (ECLL). Each student is assigned a lab instructor who models, supports, and evaluates teaching and learning in the preschool classroom. Lab participation at the GRCC ECLL is required weekly.

Note: Students enrolled in Child Development Lab classes automatically undergo a Criminal Background Check and a Public Sex Offender Registry Check. If, as a result of the criminal background check, or if Grand Rapids Community College learns through an authoritative source, that a student has been convicted of ANY FELONY, or is listed on the Public Sex Offender Registry, the student will be refused lab placement and removed from the course. Complete Policy Information is provided on the GRCC Education Website.

Credit Hours: 4
Contact Hours: 5

School: School of Liberal Arts
Department: Education
Discipline: ED

Major Course Revisions: Prefix
Last Revision Date Effective: 20220217T16:06:27
Course Review & Revision Year: 2026-2027

Course Type:
Program Requirement- Offering designed to meet the learning needs of students in a specific GRCC program.
Course Format:
Lecture/Lab - Must meet Lecture & Lab Ratios

General Education Requirement: None
General Education Learner Outcomes (GELO):
NA

Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Write a newsletter directed at parents, illustrating the value of play in the preschool classroom, addressing the relationship between play and learning, and giving examples of how play enhances learning in all the developmental domains.

2. Develop lesson plans and implement activities at the GRCC Lab Preschool that meet appropriate curriculum goals in each of the following areas: flannelboard stories, language arts circle, literacy skills, art, music, and dramatic play.

3. Facilitate children’s language development by introducing vocabulary, extending conversations, and using active listening skills.

4. Use authentic assessment tools to observe and document children’s developmental stages in interactions, language arts and creative arts.

5. Based on observation and assessments, design and implement developmentally appropriate activities with modifications for preschoolers, with and without disabilities, that demonstrate respect for each and every child’s culture, home language, individual abilities or disabilities, family context and community.

6. Plan and implement a two hour teaching session focused on creative and language arts activities at the GRCC ECLL.

7. Create a culturally and developmentally appropriate resource collection of creative arts and language arts materials and activities.

8. Create and present a documentation panel based on one of the activities implemented at the GRCC ECLL.

9. Observe and assess preschoolers’ development related to social interactions and Creative and Language Arts areas.

10. Reflect on activity implementation and interactions with preschoolers identifying strengths and weaknesses and plans for improvement.

Approved for Online Delivery?: Yes

Course Outline:
I. Introduction and Review of Course/Lab Requirements

II. Play

III. Child Centered Curriculum Models

IV. Flannelboard Stories

V. Lesson Planning: Michigan Early Learning Expectations for Pre-kindergartenersVI. Selecting Fiction and Non-Fiction Books

VII. Circle Time Activities

VIII. Read Aloud Stories

IX. Story Reenactment

X. Literacy Skills: Oral Language

XI. Literacy Skills: Print Concepts and Written Expression

XII. Literacy Skills: Phonological Awareness and Alphabetic Knowledge

XIII. Language and Language Environment Assessments

XIV. Small Group Planning and Assessment

XV. Music

XVI. Dramatic Play

XVII. Art

XVIII. Anti-Bias Curriculum

XIX. Creative and Language Arts Project Presentations

XX. Documentation Panel Presentations

XXI. Observation and Assessment

Mandatory CLO Competency Assessment Measures:
Play Newsletter and rubric

Lab Participation and rubrcs

Individual Activities and rubrics

Creative and Language Arts Project (Written Plan and Lab Implementation) and rubrics

Documentation Panel and rubric

Name of Industry Recognize Credentials: None

Instructional Strategies:
Lecture: 10-15%

Facilitated Discussion: 10-15%

Group Work: 10-15%

Workshops: 10-15%

Lab Experience: 35%

Student Presentation: 10-15%

Mandatory Course Components:
None

Academic Program Prerequisite: None
Prerequisites/Other Requirements: EDU 118 (C or Higher)
English Prerequisite(s): None
Math Prerequisite(s): None
Course Corerequisite(s): None
Course-Specific Placement Test:
Course Aligned with IRW: NA
Consent to Enroll in Course: No Department Consent Required

Total Lecture Hours Per Week: 3
Total Lab Hours Per Week: 2
Faculty Credential Requirements:
Master’s Degree (GRCC general requirement), Professionally qualified through work experience in field (Perkins Act or Other) (list below), 18 graduate credit hours in discipline being taught (HLC Requirement)
Faculty Credential Requirement Details: An instructor must possess an M.A. or M.S. degree in Early Childhood Education and two years work experience in a preschool classroom.

General Room Request: ECLL Adult Classroom

Maximum Course Enrollment:
Dual Enrollment Allowed?: Yes
AP Min. Score:
Number of Times Course can be taken for credit: 1
Programs Where This Courses is a Requirement:
Child Development, A.A.A.S., Child Development (MTA Eligible), A.A.A.S., Child Development, A.A.A.S. (Western Michigan University - Family Science and Human Development), Paraprofessional Education, A.A.A.S., Pre-Birth to Kindergarten, A.A. (Grand Valley State University), Pre-Early Childhood Education, A.A. (Ferris State University), Pre-Elementary Education, A.A. (Ferris State University)
1st Catalog Year: 2022-2023
Course Fees: $220.00
People Soft Course ID Number: 104479
Course CIP Code: 19.9999