Thinking BIG, Learning BIG

Connecting Science, Math, Literacy, and Language

BIG activities engage little learners with this complete curriculum for science, math, literacy, and language.

BIG is powerful. Children want to be BIG. They want to do BIG. They love enormous numbers like a hundred million billion and long words like "tyrannosaurus rex." They love to spread their arms wide and run as fast as they can. Thinking BIG, Learning BIG is filled with BIG activities to engage the imaginations of young children.

Children learn best by seeing, feeling, and doing. Making things on a grand scale enhances their understanding. When children build a giant spider with eight legs and eight eyes, and a giant fly with six legs and two eyes and two wings, children can experience the difference between spiders and flies, that they are not just "bugs." BIG creations are more fun, more memorable, and therefore, more educational.

The chapters are organized by topic, with activities that build science, math, literacy, and language skills, which form a solid foundation for future learning. The information and activities align with the standards set by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the International Reading Association, and the National Council of Teachers of English. The BIG Connections section presents ways to integrate the topic throughout the curriculum—in sensory experiences, art, music, dramatic play, and gross motor skills.

Thinking BIG, Learning BIG offers BIG fun and BIG learning!

Chapters Include:

Thinking BIG About Little Creatures: Worms

Thinking BIG About Little Creatures: Spiders

Seeds: Growing BIG

Rain, Drip, Drop, Downpour

Light! Colors! Rainbows!

Huffing and Puffing: Feel the Wind Blow

Brrr! Ice Is Cold

Outer Space is Really Huge: Astronauts Explore the Moon

How BIG Can We Build?

Getting From Here to There: Roads, Ramps, Bridges, and Tunnels

BIG Ideas: Inventions

Reviews

"[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."

""Thinking Big, Learning Big" is going to be a BIG hit with early childhood educators everywhere. The comprehensive teaching units will help to make any classroom a great place for children to learn across the curriculum. The clear, concise directions for each activity make them easy to implement.

The ideas are child-centered and contain lots of great tips to make each lesson a valuable learning experience. "Thinking Big, learning Big" should be a BIG part of every teacher's curriculum plans."

"This teacher-friendly book enables all to foster a love of learning and science in the students."

"Science as a content area is often neglected in preschool classrooms. 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-initated and teacher-facilitated components, and the inclusion of explicit opportunities to support oral language development demonstrate the book's attention to developmentally appropriate practices."

"A terrific resource for the early childhood educator... I recommend teachers keep this book in the classroom for easy access."