The theme of this center will be of your choice and include an integrated curriculum with activities
from at least two content areas. Your task is to design a learning center for an early childhood
classroom and report on it in a research paper. When responding to the following, include the
numerical number before your response. Include the following 5 parts in the paper:
1. A theme for your learning center.
Describe your reasoning for choosing this theme and provide some research (use at least two
research articles) to support your decision.
2. Design the physical setting for this learning area, such as a small table, at child height, with
space for at least three children. Identify resources, such as learning materials, books, and
technology for children to use in the center, along with an area for them to actively work.
(Provide a diagram of the center in an appendix in your paper.)
3. Choose 2 New Jersey Learning Standards. Describe an engaging activity for the center that
addresses each standard. Although the teacher will initially present these activities,
describing their purpose and the way they will be carried out, the activities should be self-
explanatory to the children, allowing them to complete them independently or cooperatively
without much, if any, adult intervention. Make sure that they are activities which are
appropriate for the age and developmental range of children in the classroom, related to the
general curriculum of the class, are challenging and likely to hold children’s interest, and
which provide something for children to think about and do (worksheets and other drill
activities will not accomplish this task). (Provide explanations of the activities, including lists
of materials needed to accomplish the activity in the learning center).
4. Choose at least 4 children’s books which support the learning being carried out in the
learning center which will be kept in the center and which children may refer to while they
are working there. In addition, research and include technological support for your center
(i.e., developmentally appropriate software) which can further enrich the learning taking
place there.
5. Describe how you will modify the center to meet the needs of children with special needs.
You will need to describe modifications for at least two types of learners (e.g., children of
special needs, ELL, gifted and talented, etc.) and are geared toward urban, multicultural
classrooms.
The format for your paper is APA style. Include a title page, appendix with a diagram of the
center, and a list of references. Identify each section of your paper as Part 1, Part 2, Part 3,
Part 4, and Part 5.