IEL Electronic Newsletter
2009, Issue 4
IEL Tip Sheets and Early Learning Benchmarks
- Are you aware that the curriculum-based IEL Tip Sheets have related Illinois Early Learning Benchmarks highlighted at the top of each Tip Sheet? For example, when you click on the Tip Sheet Natural Illinois: Leaves Are All Around (http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/leaves.htm), you will find... “Illinois plants are as close as your local park or schoolyard. Preschoolers can learn a lot about plants by studying leaves. At the same time, they can address the Illinois Early Learning Benchmarks 11.A.ECa, 11.A.ECb, 12.A.ECa, 12.B.EC, and 12.C.EC.”
New IEL Tip Sheet in English
- Get Growing: Planters and Preschoolers
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/garden-planters.htm
New IEL Tip Sheet in Spanish
- El juego y la auto-regulación en los programas preescolares
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-sp/self-sp.htm
New Tip Sheets in Polish
- Games for All Young Children
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-pol/games-pol.pdf - Toys from Throwaways: Let’s Recycle!
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets-pol/toys-recycle-pol.pdf
New IllinoisPIP Blog—A Project on Trees: Suggestions for Teachers
Spring is a good time to involve young children in investigating the dramatic changes in trees and bushes around the school. Suggestions for introducing the topic, getting started, collecting data, and bringing the project to a close, along with additional resources on the topic may be found at http://illinoispip.org/katz/2009/mar13.htmlEditor's note: This url has changed:http://illinoispip.org/blogs/katz/2009mar13.html.New IllinoisPIP Project
The Akin Prekindergarten, in southern Illinois, provides full-day early childhood education for 17 children, ages 3 to 5 years old. While running in the field beside the school playground, the children noticed cracks in the ground and wanted to know what caused them. The teachers decided to let the children experiment and figure out the cause of the cracks on their own.- To view the project, please go to http://illinoispip.org/projects/cracks/index.html.
National Environmental Education Week—April 12-18, 2009
National Environmental Education Week is the single largest organized environmental education event in the United States. As you plan your environmentally themed lessons, don’t forget to include IEL Science Tip Sheets!- Get Growing, Natural Illinois, Toys from Throwaways, and Encouraging Scientific Thinkingare a few titles in our science-related series. You can download our Science Tip Sheets by going to http://illinoisearlylearning.org/cgi-bin/iel/searchiel.asp?st=a&sl=s.
Visit Us at a Conference Near You!
- The Child Care Business Expo sponsored by the Women’s Business Development Center will be held in Chicago on May 16, 2009. For additional information, please go to http://www.wbdc.org/Calendar/Child.aspx#. (exhibit)
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For more information, contact Karen Smith (877) 275-3227 or ksmith5@illinois.edu
Disclaimer
The opinions, resources, and referrals provided on the IEL Web site are intended for informational purposes only and are not intended to take the place of medical or legal advice, or of other appropriate services. We encourage you to seek direct local assistance from a qualified professional if necessary before taking action.
The content of the IEL Web site does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Illinois Early Learning Project, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or the Illinois State Board of Education; nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the Illinois Early Learning Project, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or the Illinois State Board of Education.