Child Development I
Curriculum
North Arlington High School
Family and Consumer Science Department
5-credit course
Submitted by
Dale Dempsey, Teacher, FCS
June 5, 2012
CHILD DEVELOPMENT I
Of all the responsibilities assumed by men and women, none is more important than that of nurturing a
child. Effective parenting requires a variety of skills for which most people have had little or no formal
training. In years past, children were able to learn parenting skills in a nuclear family setting. The family
setting today has drastically changed. There is higher rate of child abuse, adolescent crime, and teenage
pregnancy. Many children are being raised by single parents and working mothers. These are among the
number of reasons why a Child Development course is so important to our high school students who will be
faced with the responsibility of nurturing a child in the years to come.
In this course, the students are able to work with children in a nursery school setting, supported by the
study of child development from the prenatal stages, through infancy and early childhood, to Grade 3.
Knowledge of physical, intellectual, language, social, and emotional development is applied through planning
lessons, teaching, observing, and studying three and four year-olds in the child development laboratory.
Additionally, students will complete an interactive on-line project in the development of and educational
preschool game. The skills that are developed and practiced in this program prepare students not only for
parenthood, but also for careers relating to children and families.
Standards addressed in this course are the 2009 New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards.
Content Area Child Development I
Target Course/Grade level 9-12
Unit Title Q-I Development of Children 0-6
Essential Questions What are the benefits of studying children?
Unit Overview Introduce the course of study entitled “Child Development”. Using class textbook and concepts of the major theorists, the unit serves as a background for the
coursework and the lessons the students will be involved in throughout the year
Standards/
CPI’s
NJCCCS
2.1.12.A.1
9.1.12.A.1
9.1.12.F.2
Unit Learning Targets
Lessons and Activities
Evidence of Learning
As a result of this segment of learning, students
will…
The learning experiences that will facilitate
engagement and achievement
Formative and Summative
measures
Identify benefits of studying children.
Identify and explain Erik Erikson’s Eight
Stages of Social-Emotional Development in
Children.
Discuss how Erikson’s theories relate to their
work with the children in the Nursery School
as the year progresses.
Identify and explain the four developmental
stages of learning as supported by
psychologist Jean Piaget’s research.
Discuss how Piaget’s theories relate to their
work with the children in the Nursery School
as the year progresses.
Discuss the developmental characteristics of
children from birth to six years old.
View movie “Child Development One to
Three” and complete worksheets.
Students are introduced to Erik Erickson’s
Theories on Social-Emotional Development in
Children. They will then further research the
concept on the Internet and contribute to
additional class discussion. As they develop
their lesson plans and projects through the
year, students will apply these theories.
Students are introduced to Jean Piaget’s
Theories on the developmental stages of
learning. They will then further research the
concept on the Internet and contribute to
additional class discussion. As they develop
their lesson plans and projects through the
year, students will apply these theories.
Using the Internet, students will complete
worksheets identifying developmental
characteristics of a child. Class discussion
will then allow students to compare their
findings.
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Internet worksheets
Textbook-Chapter 1
Class discussion
Worksheets
Application of theories to
lesson planning
Computers with Internet
access
Completion and discussion of
development worksheets
Internet
Content Area Child Development I
Target Course/Grade level
9-12
Unit Title Q-I Teaching Children 3-4
Essential Questions What are the developmental needs of the 3-4 year old?
Unit Overview This unit focuses on understanding the developmental needs of the 3-4 year old. The unit emphasizes the various aspects of human development including,
social emotional and intellectual.
Unit Learning Targets
Lessons and Activities
Evidence of Learning
Standards/
Resources
As a result of this segment of learning,
The learning experiences that will facilitate
Formative and Summative
CPI’s
Books, articles, text, etc.
students will…
engagement and achievement
measures
NJCCCS
2.1.P.C.1
2.1.P.D.1
9.1.12.A.1
9.1.12.A.2
Demonstrate an understanding the physical,
social-emotional, and intellectual development
of three- or four-year old child as they work
on various projects.
Create valuable lesson plans suitable for
preschool students and focused on hands-on
learning.
View movie “Child Development Three to
Five” and complete worksheets.
Completion and discussion of
development worksheets
Teach students in preschool their planned
lesson, including art/paper supplies.
Completed movie worksheets
to be graded as a test.
Students will complete several projects
throughout the year, such as:
 Buying an appropriate gift for a 3-year
old based on physical, intellectual,
emotional-social development.
 Creating a book, poster, poem, or chart
suitable for teaching young children a
cognitive, social-emotional, or motor
skill.
 Create a toy appropriate for a 3-year old
based on physical, intellectual, language,
emotional-social development and explain
the value of the play activity or object.
Lessons and Projects will be
graded on a performance
rubric
Internet
Textbook-Chapters 9-14
Worksheets
Content Area Child Development I
Target Course/Grade level
9-12
Unit Title Q-II Childhood Development
Essential Questions What are the different types of learning styles?
Unit Overview This unit introduces the various types of learning styles and the skills necessary to evaluate the needs of a group of students in a preschool setting. The
introduction of lesson planning based on learning styles to reach all students is the focus of the unit.
Standards/
CPI’s
NJCCCS
2.1.12.E.1
2.1.12.E.3
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning,
students will…
Identify different types of learners and how to
vary presentation of information to reach all
students.
Apply knowledge of how to build a tiered
lesson.
Expand their lesson plan ideas into thematic
units.
Target ways to reach children with different
learning concepts.
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will facilitate
engagement and achievement
Evidence of Learning
Formative and Summative
measures
Students will study different learning styles
and identify the type of learner they are.
Completion and discussion of
development worksheets
Students will discuss how to develop their
lesson idea into a multi-step lesson, re-looping
prior information.
Participation in the Nursery
school setting will be graded
on a RUBRIC.
Students will research via the internet,
thematic lesson plan and generate a 3 day
plan.
Projects will be graded on a
performance rubric and mock
template.
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Internet
Textbook-Chapters 9-14
Students will create a educational preschool
game via an interactive website
“Gamecrafter.com.”
Students will test games to find out if they are
practical and useful.
Worksheets
Content Area Child Development I
Target Course/Grade level 9-12
Unit Title Q-II Child Development (Role of parent and Family Life Cycles)
Essential Questions What are the roles of being a parent?
Unit Overview The unit encompasses the study of the role of parenthood and the importance of family life cycle. Complex issues of family living and parenthood are presented
and the many considerations that go into the decision process of having a child.
Standards/
CPI’s
NJCCCS
9.1.12.A.2
9.1.12.B.3
9.1.12.C.1
9.1.12.C.4
9.1.12.C.5
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning,
students will…
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will facilitate
engagement and achievement
Understand and recall the 5 Family Life
Cycles.
Students create a Timeline project on family
life cycles.
Describe the main parenting skills needed to
properly care for a child.
Discuss the factors that should be considered
when contemplating pregnancy:
emotional maturity
health considerations
financial considerations
Explain why parenting skills can be helpful to
those who not parents, as well as those who
are.
Describe the following terms: biological
parent, foster parent, guardian, stepparent,
adoptive parent.
Discuss the rewards of parenthood.
List factors that should be considered in
evaluating readiness for parenthood.
Students will discuss the various types of
parents, and implications for child as related
to development.
Students will list and discuss advantages and
disadvantages of becoming a parent.
Student groups will list good and poor reasons
for having a child and then discuss these
reasons with the rest of the class.
Evidence of Learning
Formative and Summative
measures
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Worksheets
Textbook-Chapter 2
Class discussion
Worksheets
Family Life Cycle
project/RUBRIC
Essays
Written tests
Content Area Child Development I
Target Course/Grade level 9-12
Unit Title Q-III Teen Pregnancy
Essential Questions What would be the struggles and challenges of being a teenage parent?
Unit Overview The unit serves as a parenthood simulation. From beginning to end, the ideas of teenage pregnancy and parenthood are discussed and researched and the realities
of parenthood are experienced.
Standards/
CPI’s
NJCCCS
2.2.12.A.1
2.2.12.A.2
2.2.12.B.1
2.4.12.C.6
2.4.12.C.7
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning,
students will…
Discuss the implications of a teen pregnancy,
including health risks to the mother and baby,
poor parenting skills, and financial concerns.
Provide care in a simulated baby care
environment and be able to evaluate the
experience.
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will facilitate
engagement and achievement
Students will research and discuss the
statistics relating to teenage pregnancy.
Students will participate in one or more of the
following simulation projects:
 Flour Babies
 Egg Babies
 Baby Think It Over
The Flour or Egg Babies project will be a full
class project where students will be
responsible for caring for their ‘babies’ for a
set period of time. They will create a “mock”
birth certificate, log flour baby’s feeding
schedule in a journal, and write a report of
their experiences.
Students will participate in the Baby Think It
Over project on a scheduled basis. They will
be responsible for the computerized baby on a
24-hour basis for several days. Their care of
the baby will be monitored and recorded.
Students will be responsible for completing a
summary project of their experiences.
Evidence of Learning
Formative and Summative
measures
Class participation
Construction of flour/egg
babies
Completed reports of
experiences with ‘baby’—
graded on a rubric
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Materials for constructing
flour/egg babies
Baby Think It Over doll
and accessories
Daily diary worksheets
and handouts
Content Area Child Development I
Target Course/Grade level 9-12
Unit Title Q-III Prenatal Development
Essential Questions What are the stages of pregnancy?
Unit Overview The unit presents the stages of fetal development including growth factors and genetic implications on child development.
Standards/
CPI’s
NJCCCS
9.1.12.A.1
9.2.4.B.1
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning,
students will…
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will facilitate
engagement and achievement
Name the three stages of pregnancy and
describe the prenatal development in each.
Class will develop a timeline that represents
the three stages of pregnancy and will discuss
the implications of each.
Worksheets
Textbook-Chapter 3
Class discussion
Worksheets
Students will brainstorm to identify traits that
can be inherited from previous generations
and then decide what traits they have inherited
from their parents or grandparents.
Written tests
Describe how personal characteristics are
inherited.
Explain how multiple births occur.
Discuss possible solutions for infertility.
Discuss the causes of birth defects and how
they can be diagnosed and prevented.
Birth Defect Project
Students will work in pairs to research and
make a presentation to the class on a birth
defect. The presentation will include a
description, the causes, detection, and
treatment of the defect.
Evidence of Learning
Formative and Summative
measures
Rubric--Birth Defect Project
and Presentation to class
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Content Area Child Development I
Target Course/Grade level 9-12
Unit Title Q-IV Child Development Learning Laboratory—The Nursery School
Essential Questions How do preschool age children learn? What are age appropriate lessons for a preschool?
Unit Overview The unit shows the facilitation of lessons inside the preschool classroom. The emotional, social and intellectual skills are developed and nurtured and
implemented throughout the planning and execution of lessons.
Standards/
CPI’s
NJCCCS
2.1.12.A.1
2.2.12.B.2
2.4.12.C.5
9.3.12.C.3
Unit Learning Targets
As a result of this segment of learning,
students will…
Lessons and Activities
The learning experiences that will facilitate
engagement and achievement
Demonstrate an understanding the physical,
social-emotional, and intellectual development
of three- and four-year old children as they
participate in the Nursery School program.
Students will participate in the following
activities when the Nursery School program is
in operation:
 Discussing and selecting goals and
activities for the children
 Setting up the room—furniture
arrangement, bulletin boards, organization
of toys, etc.
 Maintaining a safe environment
 Writing lesson plans
 Teaching lessons
 Working with the children
 Writing observation reports on the
children
 Participating in the preparation for
nursery school graduation
Evidence of Learning
Formative and Summative
measures
Resources
Books, articles, text, etc.
Weekly participation and
performance rubric
Classroom materials for
lesson preparation
Lesson plans rubric
Internet access
Teaching opportunities rubric
Materials necessary for
student-prepared lessons
Written observation reports
Worksheets
Observation sheets
RESOURCES
Textbook
Brisbane, Holly E. The Developing Child. Understanding Children and Parenting. California: Glencoe.
1988.
References
Neimiroff, June Libman. Practicing Parenting. New Jersey: Butterick Publishers.
Stephens, Karen and Maxine Hammonds-Smith. Child and Adult Care Professionals. Illinois: Glencoe
Publishing Company. 2004.
Other
Arts & Crafts Materials
Child-Size Furniture and Toys
Computers and Pre-School Software Titles
Current Internet Sites on Child Development
Numerous Source Materials for Project and Lesson Development
Student Workbooks
Videos—Instructional
Videos—Pre-School