Program Information

Developer and contact

Curiosity Corner was developed and is distributed by The Success for All Foundation. Address: Success For All Foundation, Inc., 200 W. Towsontown Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21204-5200. Email: sfainfo@successforall.org. Web: www.successforall.org/early/early_curiosity.htm. Telephone: (800) 548-4998, ext. 2372.

Scope of use

Curiosity Corner is currently implemented in more than 300 sites in 29 states. Curiosity Corner is used in Head Start centers, preschool classes in elementary schools, child care centers, and early childhood
education centers, mostly in high-poverty neighborhoods.

Teaching

Curiosity Corner can be implemented in various early childhood settings; however, settings are typically composed of about 15 children with a teacher and an assistant. Additional teaching staff are required for children who need special care or with special needs. The program includes a teacher’s manual and weekly theme guides to provide teachers with detailed instructions for lessons and supplies (themed children’s books, manipulatives, and games) for the instructional activities. Teachers are also given initial training and follow-up support (workshops and in-class visits by the Success for All Foundation staff).

Curiosity Corner is organized by weekly themes. Daily activities—which proceed in a sequential order to provide children with active learning experiences—include Greetings and Readings, Clues and Questions, Rhyme Time, Learning Labs, Story Tree, Outside/Gross Motor Play, Snack Time, and Question/Reflection. Although designed to enhance the development of the whole child, the program emphasizes children’s language and early literacy skills. Parents are encouraged to participate through various activities both in and out of the classroom, such as home visits, the Home Link Page, a lending library, videos, and classroom activities.

The Success for All Foundation staff provides professional development. The first year of professional development includes an initial two-day training session, additional training sessions and ongoing implementation visits, and a fall conference for Curiosity Corner coaches and facilitators. The second year includes a one-day refresher session, subsequent training sessions and ongoing implementation visits, and training available at experienced sites and conferences for Curiosity Corner coaches.

Cost⁶

Teaching materials for Curiosity Corner cannot be purchased without participating in training and other professional development activities. The teaching materials, costing $2,825 per class, come with a teacher’s manual, 38 weekly theme guides, and more than 150 children’s trade books, manipulative materials, games, and puppets. The first year of professional development costs on average $1,516 per classroom and includes initial training and follow-up support. Costs for the second year of professional development are based on the amount of time for which administrators contract.