Embracing Emergent Curriculum

Emergent Curriculum is a way of planning and implementing lessons that evolve around children’s interests, questions, and observations. Teacher’s act as facilitators by creating experiences based on these interests. 

For example, if a class is showing interests in nature, a teacher will build lessons based on these interests. Ways they will do that would be:

-Nature walks

-Setting up an observation station which would have different leaves, bugs, plants, sand, magnifying glasses, etc.

-Gather books about nature

-Inviting experts to their class to discuss different aspects of nature

-Create art projects that are nature based

-Discuss why nature is important/how to take care of nature

-Create their own gardens

-Plant flowers around campus

These lessons will continue until the children naturally move away from the interest. It could be anywhere from 1 week to several weeks long. It is built to be flexible, child lead, and allow the children to dig deeper in their interests. By teaching through emergent curriculum, teachers create an environment that supports creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, engagement, and empowers children to take an active role in their education.