Early Learner Series Session 2: Opening the World of Learning

Burlington Public Schools Early Childhood Information Series: Session 2
Opening the World of Learning (OWL)



What is OWL?
● Created by Judy Schickedanz, Ph.D. and David Dickinson, Ed.D.
● A comprehensive early literacy program
● Every classroom in the Burlington Early
Childhood Center uses this program
● Arranged into six thematic units

Six Thematic Units
● Family
● Friends
● Wind and Water
● The World of Color
● Shadows and Reflections ● Things that Grow

What is each unit comprised of?
● Story time books
● Information books
● Predictable books
● Key vocabulary words
● Let’s find out about it
● Songs, wordplay, and letters
● Small groups
● Center activities

Other OWL Facts
● 5 day cycle
● Supplemental materials including books,
music, and activities are often used
● Program provides tools for monitoring
progress
Language Based Curriculum
● Gives opportunities for children to engage in conversations about curriculum
● Books lend themselves to rich discussions including the use of questioning
● Key vocabulary words are used across activities

Specific Activities
Even though the curriculum is language based, it is comprehensive in that it focuses on literacy, math, motor development and social development
Center Activities
● Sand and water (sensory)
● Book area
● Art area/table
● Art area/easel
● Blocks
● Puzzles and manipulatives
● Dramatic play
● Writing center

Small Groups
● Typically three small groups per day that children rotate through at their own pace. This varies by classroom.
● Small groups focus on academic, language based skills
● Cross-curricular

Supplemental OWL Units
● Created by the teachers of the Burlington Early Childhood Center
● Based on the format and content of the published OWL curriculum
● Comprised of seven thematic units
Seven Thematic Units
● Farm/harvest
● Family traditions ● Snow
● Community
● Transportation ● Five Senses
● Camping

Accommodations
● No one curriculum is a perfect fit for every child
● Teachers adapt and differentiate instruction based on the individual needs of each student
● Accommodations occur in all areas of a child’s development, not just academic tasks