Reading Edge, is being piloted in a few schools. The development of Curiosity Corner, the preschool program, was funded in part by the New Jersey State Department of Education. It will begin implementation in about 150 pre-kindergarten, Head Start, and childcare center classes in September 2000.

Curiosity Corner promises to provide three- and four-year-olds with a developmentally appropriate curriculum that will set them on the right track for future school success. A team of experienced early childhood educators developed this literacy-focused, problem-solving program that provides teachers and children with well-structured, child-tested thematic units. It includes detailed instructions and materials necessary for implementing a stimulating, engaging program, as well as training and support for educators implementing the program.

Each thematic unit features interesting, concrete, interactive experiences to address the following:

* oral language development
* thinking and problem solving
* development of social competencies
* self-confidence and self-help skills
* literacy development
 - concepts about print
 - letter awareness
 - phonemic awareness
 - comprehension and appreciation of a wide range of literature
* numeracy development
 - basic number skills
 - concepts about space, time, and
* measurement
* psychomotor development

The Curriculum

Curiosity Corner's integrated approach is built on a sequence of components that foster cooperation. In Greetings & Readings each child is individually greeted and made to feel welcome in a relaxed beginning to the day. Children spend a few minutes looking at books and exploring tabletop activities before gathering together around the Daily Message.

Each day during Clues & Questions, Curiosity Cat, the class mascot, brings out a hidden object related to a theme and gives the children clues so they can guess what the object is. The teacher stimulates the children's curiosity and invites them to solve problems and learn more about the topic.

During Rhyme Time the children learn active rhymes and songs related to the theme to promote their phonemic awareness. Then, during Learning Labs children explore the theme through concrete, hands-on experiences in a variety of learning centers. They participate in interactive, problem-solving activities that promote higher-level thinking.

Through the interactive story component, Story Tree, children have opportunities to understand the world through books and stories. Simultaneously, they develop their vocabulary, learn about what to expect in a story, and prepare for reading by learning that print communicates ideas. Children are challenged to higher levels of thinking in interaction with their peers and educators who model thinking and questioning within and beyond the story.

In order to help children develop cognitive schema related to each theme, we have incorporated large motor Outside Play and Snack Time into the thematically integrated curriculum. Children's interpersonal skills are enhanced through playing cooperative games and taking part in other forms of peer interaction during these times.

At the end of each day, during Question/Reflection, children think back to the questions they asked at the start of the day, recall their experiences throughout the day, and reflect on what they have learned from them.