Project CHANGE is a US Department of Education Jacob Javits grant defined by goals that emphasize early identification of Pre-K through second grade students of diversity using the non-traditional method of “curriculum as a catalyst.” Curriculum is used as the stimulus to provide students the opportunity to learn and demonstrate their talents, interests, and abilities.
Ideal For: preschool-2nd grade teachers, administrators
Project CHANGE: Curriculum that Harnesses Academics and Nurtures “Giftedness” Equitably
Project CHANGE, University of Southern California, is defined by goals that emphasize early identification of Pre-K through second grade students of diversity using the non-traditional method of “curriculum as a catalyst.” Primary to this Department of Education Jacob Javits Grant is to identify students of cultural, linguistic, economic, and academic diversity in a non-traditional measure. The traditional use of intelligence and achievement have inhibited the identification of young children and students of diversity.
The purpose is to utilize curriculum as the stimulus to provide students the opportunity to learn and demonstrate their talents, interests, and abilities. Curriculum Task Cards (Pedagogical Tool) and Curriculum Lessons are the primary sources implemented by teachers to stimulate and subsequently uncover the talents and abilities of all young students of diversity.
Project CHANGE Curriculum Domains
Project CHANGE is assessing four areas to determine their effectiveness as features of curriculum to recognize and respond to potential, advanced abilities, and interests in pre-kindergarten to second grade students of cultural, linguistic, economic, and academic diversity. An analysis of the areas of Language Development, Curiosity, Problem Solving, and Play facilitated by the Curriculum Task Cards and the lessons were used. A brief description of these areas follows:
- Language Arts/Language Development – This domain focuses on the types of language development students experience. This includes areas such as the multiple meaning of words, decoding big ideas, and interpreting similes and metaphors. The purpose of Language Arts/Language Development task cards is to determine the students’ abilities to utilize language in ways that are not typically presented in the core curriculum or the Common Core State Standards.
- Curiosity and Interest — This domain focuses on stimulating students’ curiosity and interest as evidenced by the asking of questions. Curriculum Task Cards in this domain provide students with an opportunity to ask their own questions in response to a pictorial representation of a situation. The purpose of this domain is to highlight students’ ability to ask questions rather than simply respond to questions.
- Problem Solving – This domain provides students with an opportunity to engage in the skill-sets related to problem solving. Students are presented with a series of unfamiliar problems and are asked what they would do to solve the problem in a given context or situation. The purpose of this domain is to analyze how curricular tasks also can highlight students’ use of critical and creative thinking skills.
- Creativity/Play – This domain targets creative thinking and the skills of visual and spatial thinking. Curriculum Task Cards in this domain ask students to interpret situations and make decisions about how to engage in these situations or contexts. The purpose of experiences in this domain provides students with an opportunity to see objects and ideas in new and different ways.
Project CHANGE – Pedagogical Tool
The Pedagogical Tool, also referred to as Curriculum Task Cards, includes a set of tasks aligned to the four areas that Project CHANGE is attempting to develop in young children. The Pedagogical Tool can be used as a diagnostic element to provide teachers the ability to recognize students’ potential in these four areas: problem solving, creativity, language development and curiosity. As a result of using the Pedagogical Tool, the teacher will have an awareness of the interests and abilities of young children and can focus attention on these areas that reveal advanced readiness and possible giftedness using a non-traditional method to understand learners beyond formalized testing.
Below are excerpts from the Pedagogical Tool, exemplifying each of the Curriculum Domains. The field-tested Pedagogical Tool is available for three grade levels: Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade.
