Curriculum Development

Now that we have developed the framework of this program it allows us to dive into the details. The curriculum development that has been done thus far has taken the form of wild brainstorming. My collaborator Alisha Mai Frank and I work together with great ease and joy. The work shown in here was completed over a cup of tea with nothing more than a white board, markers and our creative selves. I then transferred the maps to VUE (Visual Understanding Environment) which is a free mapping software from Tufts University. In our last working session together we named the four main threads of which our curriculum would comprise, Body Literacy, Nimble Arts, Nature Connection, & Kitchen Alchemy. Our passion for the curriculum threads makes all the necessary creative work fun, juicy and exciting. Recall that we are currently designing two programs. Crescent Moon Girls is for 11-13 year old. Full Moon Girls is for 14-17 year olds. The maps below show the work that we have done thus far. Simply click on each of the maps to zoom in.

These lists of curriculum pieces will most likely be developed further with each individual program plan. As we get closer to scheduling the dates for each program we will most likely put a loose schedule to the program, placing each of the curriculum pieces on a different program day. Many of the curriculum pieces are season specific like canning tomato sauce and collecting acorns. This will help facilitate the mapping process of program flow design. On the other hand some activities can be done throughout the whole year but might look different in each season, for example shelter building will look different in the winter than it will in the fall. We’ve placed some activities in one program or the other based on what we assess is developmentally appropriate for that age group. For example collecting nuts for the younger girls and making acorn flour for the older girls. Collecting is something that any young one can get really excited about. However processing any significant amount of flour takes mind focus that may or may not excite the younger girls, therefore we’ve put that part of the activity in the older girl’s program.

This curriculum is by no means done or stagnant. It will be one that develops for as long as I am a growing and developing individual. I’m so grateful to be doing something that can develop along side me.