Too few pre-K classrooms provide opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary learning.

Each Connect4Learning unit allows children to work together toward a larger goal while learning key concepts across multiple domains of learning. For example, the Growing Our Garden curriculum unit addresses learning across multiple domains and culminates in a collaborative project.

Math: measuring growth, creating a mural from shapes

Science: growing plants, raising worms, and learning where food comes from

Literacy: reading informational texts and classic stories about gardens, keeping a science journal, and writing invitations to a garden party

Social-Emotional: working together and collaborating to grow a garden

Rather than limiting read-aloud explorations to storybooks, Connect4Learning incorporates informational texts in the context of science and math learning experiences to create a more authentic approach to literacy development.

Throughout the Connect4Learning curriculum, teachers are encouraged to consistently ask children, "How do you know?" This process promotes deep mathematics, science, and literacy thinking and supports social-emotional development.

Research shows children naturally explore and engage with content areas such as math and science during play. The Connect4Learning curriculum takes this knowledge to heart—providing children with numerous opportunities to learn and make connections through free play. Each experience is valued and intended to make the other richer, rather than competing for time in a daily schedule.

Connect4Learning encourages a strong classroom community by focusing on the most important school connections: among the child and peers, teachers, and the school. Children learn classroom routines and begin to learn the social-emotional skills needed to be with a group, make friends, and work together.

Other curriculum programs set limits on the mathematics and science concepts that pre-kindergarten children should learn and know. Connect4Learning doesn't abide by that same philosophy.

By increasing the emphasis on math- and science-focused skill development, pilot programs using Connect4Learning have seen improvement in children's performance across all four domains of learning.

Connect4Learning makes teaching science and math concepts easy by introducing them as fun, natural components of classroom explorations! Rather than focusing on teacher-directed instruction or isolated activities, Connect4Learning helps children make practical connections among all four domains of learning by using a project-based approach to classroom instruction with plenty of time allotted for free play.

Effective family engagement is an important part of Connect4Learning. The curriculum includes special events to invite families into the classroom, so children can share what they are learning and experiencing in your program.

Connect4Learning's Online Portal is a valuable communication tool for families to use to keep track of children's progress. When families have up-to-date knowledge of what their children are exploring at school, they are more likely to continue the learning at home.