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May 5, 2009. Nursery school's legacy spans generations: Forty years of thinking big at MVPNS culminates in book on childhood education, by Diana Reynolds Roome, Mountain View Voice
Reviews
“The book has been an amazing addition to my classroom. The kids and adults are having fun Thinking Big and Learning Big together. The authors do a great job of integrating science, math, literacy in a very easy to read and follow format. Everything you need to know for a successful, hands-on integrated unit on science is in this book. My students have also loved the integration of sign language. This is a must-have for any early childhood educator.”
“I'm a big proponent of kids learning from doing/seeing/feeling, and this book does that and more. When children build a giant spider and then a giant fly, they find out that these creatures are quite different and not just "bugs" -- something many adults haven't even learned yet!”
"I have absolutely loved your book!!!! This year my classroom was filled with only boys and did they ever blast off into outerspace!!!! They loved every aspect of spiders, inventions, construction, etc. Thanks so much for the huge inspiration!"
"It is wonderful to see such a quality source of science activities done in such a comprehensive manner. The use of cross-curricular connections, a balance of child-initiated and teacher-facilitated components, and the inclusion of explicit opportunities to support oral language development demonstrate the book's attention to developmentally appropriate practices."
"I used Thinking Big, Learning Big curriculum for my summer camp this year. During the six weeks we covered spiders, rain, rainbows, the moon and building. Each week was new and exciting. The children loved finding spiders and seeing rainbows. They were thrilled to ride in the lunar module that we built and play in "Mission Control." I especially liked using the SCAD system and American Sign Language. Thank you for your clear instructions and ideas."
“Thinking, BIG, Learning BIG helps very young children to prepare for core academic areas with creative activities that are fun. At the same time, Thinking, BIG, Learning BIG guides children to think in ways that will help them achieve not only academically throughout their school years, but also, throughout their lives.”
"This book of activities reinvigorated my thinking. Aligned with national standards in reading, literacy, math, and science, Thinking BIG, Learning BIG helps me see where the science activities I know and love can incorporate more language and math goals…. The playful spirit throughout the book is so enjoyable--predicting how far popcorn will fly, playing air hockey, and making a giant rainbow! The authors understand that children are attracted to all things BIG and they will remember the concepts they learn through those activities. Here's what I found especially useful in Thinking BIG, Learning BIG: Movement ideas, insights into children's thinking, teacher-to-teacher tips, games, book lists with full descriptions, language and math goals, skills assessments, and Discussion Starter questions. So many good ideas!" Read more on NSTA Early Years blog
"Thinking Big, Learning Big is a perfect recipe book of great resources for early childhood teachers and parents who want to expand preschoolers' understanding of Language, Math and Science. The pages are full of photos, guidance and specifics on a wide range of topics which will fascinate and prepare children. This is an ideal book for teachers who want to be ready and do more to make teaching and the classroom more effective."
"The whole-body approach to learning takes the classroom activities to a higher level…. I truly enjoyed the effort the authors have taken to adapt the K-12 standards in a way that is relevant for those that teach our youngest children. Thinking BIG, Learning BIG will enhance the teacher’s ability to observe children’s work and develop curriculum based on the children’s interests and abilities".
"O.K.,I have to be honest. I know the authors. In fact, my daughter was in their class four years ago. I've seen the curriculum in this book first hand, and it simply works. As a former educator and now a parent, I appreciate curriculum that is exciting, engaging, thought-provoking, and open-ended. While volunteering in their classroom I had the opportunity to both observe and participate in the activities included in the book. Parents, teachers, and educators of young children should not miss this book. Every 'Big' concept and every 'Big' activity has been tried, tested, reworked, and presented to you in an easy to read and follow format. This is not just a book full of fun activities for kids (although the children will definitely be having fun). The book is purposefully written to help guide both teachers and children through careful and meaningful thinking, exploring, experimenting, and growing. Hooray for Teacher Marie and Teacher Tim!"