Inquiry idea adapted from: Miles, M & Duffy, D. (Summer 2022). A wormery spurs an inquiry. Teaching Young Children. Vol 15, number 4, pages 8-11. 

Worming our way through fall (infants to afterschool)
Essential questions: where do worms live? why can't we see their eyes? how do they stay warm as the weather changes? how long do worms get?  what do worms eat? 
Social Studies: who has seen a worm in their home space (what environments best help us encounter worms)? How is a worm's home similar/different for our children's?
Mathing: measurement; comparison terms (longest; shortest); actual measurement tools (rulers, pegs, counting items to create charts)
Science: worms vs people needs to survive (can we survive like worms?); movement: skeleton vs invertebrates (no backbones); breathing: lungs vs breathing through skin; food: we eat fresh food while worms prefer to eat their food as it begins to decompose (yum); explore actual worms through gentle handling and magnifying glasses. How can we make the Earth safe for our worm friends?
Early Literacy: Doreen Cronin (2003) Diary of a Worm; Julia Donaldson: Superworm (2014); Ashley Wolff: Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth (how to start a wormery in your program =))
If I Were a Worm poem: If I were a Worm | Creative poem for kids - Bing video
Find the Spanish and other represented  languages in your program for various study's key terms; ASL for worm, wiggle, earth/dirt, etc.
Music/creative movement: Herman the Worm (also great for mathing as you actually bring in the items to weigh, compare mass and actually eat!); wiggle like a worm through an obstacle course; use old sheets to pretend that children are below surface; what else can have children use creative movements in indoor/outdoor play?
Sensory experiences: hide plastic worms in the sand table; scoop out worms in the water table (mathing).
Home engagement: how can your families become involved in this study? What resources may they have available in their garages or attics? What expertise may they have to add content to the study? How can you extend the study to the child's home and local community?

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​Fall 2022 Virtual Training Calendar

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Is your center or home program using The Creative Curriculum? For non-GNJK (must participate in CCDBG) or current GNJK participating centers or FCC, here is a valuable training opportunity to better help you gain greater awareness of Creative Curriculum:

On behalf of the NJ Department of Human Services and Grow NJ Kids, we would like to remind you that training is available to any early childcare provider with a NJ Workforce Registry account who is affiliated with a program flagged as CCDGB on NJCCIS. These training sessions provide valuable knowledge and skills for programs implementing the Creative Curriculum.
 The following courses are available as live virtual classes in both English and Spanish.  Registration is required at www.NJCCIS.com.   
 
Course Name & NJCCIS Class ID

• Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers & Twos - Session 1: Live Virtual 101198
• (Spanish) Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers & Twos – Session 1: Live Virtual 101714
• Creative Curriculum for Preschool - Session 1: Live Virtual 101200
• (Spanish) Creative Curriculum for Preschool – Session 1: Live Virtual101715
• Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care: Live Virtual 102443
• (Spanish) Creative Curriculum for Family Child Care: Live Virtual 102444

In these interactive four-day live virtual trainings, teachers and caregivers will explore either The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, Infants, Toddlers & Twos, or Family Child Care and have the opportunity to practice using the curricular volumes, Teaching Guides, and daily resources to maximize child outcomes.
 
Each twelve-hour virtual training is facilitated virtually over four days, three hours per day, at the same time each day per session, in the morning (10:00 am - 1:00 pm), afternoon (2:00 pm - 5:00 pm), or evening (6:00 pm – 9:00pm). Participants must attend and actively participate in the entire session in order to earn training hours for the topic session.  Participants must have a laptop, tablet, or cell phone with internet connectivity to log into the video conferencing program. A link to supplemental materials will be emailed prior to the course start date. 

Look for these courses on the NJ Workforce Registry or the Grow NJ Kids Training Calendar at http://www.grownjkids.com/Training-Calendar/.  

Once in NJCCIS, search a course by Class ID:

• Click the Registry tab located at the top of the screen
• Select Find Professional Development & Training Classes
• Click + Add Search Criteria
• Use the Field to Search drop down menu
• Select Class ID and type number to search
• Scroll through the pages for most current offerings

If you have any questions, email us at GrowNJKids@ssw.rutgers.edu for more information. Thank you for your commitment to improving the quality of childcare and early learning for children throughout New Jersey.
 
Sincerely,
 
Grow NJ Kids Training Services
Institute for Families, School of Social Work
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Phone: 732-258-5203