ED 243 - Emergent Environments for Children

3 Credits

Outline Effective Date: Academic Year 2025/2026
Revised Date: Aug 25, 2025
Date Approved: Aug 25, 2025

Lecture Hours: 45

Course Description:
This course is designed to enable students to apply observation skills, documentation, and curriculum approaches to develop program planning and design the environment in early learning settings. It examines emergent curriculum through play and inquiry with children.

Rationale:
This is a required course for Early Childhood Education diploma students. Graduates need to develop emergent curriculum for children based on their needs and interests. Students learn to do this by observing children, documenting, and developing skills in integrating their knowledge of children with what they have observed. This integration is used to expand skills in planning, implementing, reflecting, and evaluating developmentally appropriate play-based, Reggio-inspired curriculum, following Indigenous and provincial frameworks. Students apply their knowledge to design an emergent learning environment and complete an inquiry project with young children.

Prerequisites: Early Childhood Education Certificate
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
A student who successfully completes the course will have reliably demonstrated the ability to

1.compare emergent curriculum models and approaches to programs.

2.prepare, plan, implement and reflect on experiences that are developmentally appropriate, play-based, Reggio-inspired, use emergent curriculum, and Indigenous and provincial frameworks.

3.design an emergent environment for young children.

4.identify the components and steps required in the development of an inquiry project.

5.use various media and documentation methods.

6.collaborate with children and peers to develop planning, implement plans, and create documentation.

7.demonstrate the educator’s role in an emergent, play-oriented program.

Required Resource Materials:
Stacey, S. (2019). Inquiry-based Early Learning Environments: Creating, supporting, and

collaborating. Redleaf Press.

Optional Resource Materials:
Helm, Harris, Judy, & Katz, Lilian. (2011). Young investigators: The project approach in the

early years (2nd ed.). NAEYC.

Conduct of Course:
The course is conducted both face-to-face in class and online using Desire2Learn (D2L). Implementing assignments with children is a requirement of this course. On-campus students observe, collaborate, implement experiences, and create documentation with the children in an early learning setting.

Regular attendance is essential for success in any course. Absence, for any reason, does not relieve a student of the responsibility of completing course work and assignments to the satisfaction of the instructor. Frequent absences may result in probation. Further absences may result in suspension from the program.

Online attendance is demonstrated by keeping up with readings and assignments, participation in dialogue on the discussion board and completing course work assignments to the satisfaction of the instructor.

In cases where illness impedes participation, the student may be requested to submit a medical certificate.

Content of Course:
1.Emergent Curriculum

2.Models of Emergent Curriculum

3.Planning and Programming for Emergent Curriculum

4.Inquiry Projects with Children

5.Implementing the Process and Documentation

6.Evaluating the Process and Reflective Practice
Course Assessments:

Provocation Assignment	30%
Emergent Environment Design	35%
Inquiry Project	35%
Total	100%

Official final grades will be available on My Lakeland. Grades posted in D2L should be considered interim grades.
“Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College policies and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.”

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Letter	F	D	D+	C-	C	C+	B-	B	B+	A-	A	A+
Percent Range	0-49	50-52	53-56	57-59	60-64	65-69	70-74	75-79	80-84	85-89	90-94	95-100
Points	0.00	1.00	1.30	1.70	2.00	2.30	2.70	3.00	3.30	3.70	4.00	4.00

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

Copyright©LAKELAND COLLEGE.
2602 - 59 Avenue, Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada T9V 3N7. Ph: 780 871 5700
5707 College Drive, Vermilion, Alberta, Canada T9X 1K5. Ph: 780 853 8400
Toll-free in Canada: 1 800 661 6490 E-mail: admissions@lakelandcollege.ca

Here at Lakeland College, we acknowledge that the land we gather on is the traditional homeland, hunting, and ceremonial gathering places of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit. The Plains Cree, Woodland Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, Dene, and Nakota Sioux people have practiced their culture and languages on Treaty 6 and Métis Region 2 territories for generations and were the original caretakers of this land. Many First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples call this land home today and have done so for millennia. We would like to acknowledge the history we have created together on this land, and to be thankful for the opportunity to walk together side-by-side in friendship, learning from our past, and promoting positive relationships for the past, present and future.