Thinking Big, Learning Big: Connecting Science, Math, Literacy and Language in Early Childhood

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

"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."

"This teacher-friendly book enables all to foster a love of learning and science in students" - Laura Ristrom Goodman, curriculum coordinator for Pima Medical Institute

" '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 a re 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." - Stephanie Burton, teacher and owner of Panda Bear Publications

About the Author

Marie Faust Evitt is the head teacher of a preschool class for four- and five-year-olds. Prior to teaching, Marie was an award-winning newspaper reporter and freelance journalist for more than 20 years. Her articles and essays on education, parenting, and child psychology have been published in national magazines and on websites including Newsweek, Parents, Child, Parenting, Scholastic’s Pa