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
● Choice time center activities

Story Times
Books are related to unit and read multiple times.
•First reading- To explain events in story
•Second reading- Discuss thoughts and feelings of characters •Third reading- feeling related to events
•Fourth reading- Relate story to personal experiences or act out by assigning characters (often in dramatic play)

Choice Time
Relating Play Experiences
to characters in stories.
Other OWL Facts
● 5 day cycle
● Supplemental materials including books,
music, and activities are often used
● Program provides tools for monitoring
progress
Songs, Word Play, and Language
● Includes large group to help children develop phonological awareness, alphabet letter knowledge, and vocabulary
● Through song, using props, utilizing Touch-It board, movement, and manipulating oral language.

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

Let’s Talk About It
How to care for babies
Comparing our birth length with a friend. Who was longer? Who was shorter?
Related to our book, we listened to videos of children playing harmonicas then examined a real harmonica.

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

Transition to School
● What’s going well?
● What questions do you have?
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