ECE 176: Health, Safety and Nutrition: Birth to Eight

Course Description

Children must be in a state of wellness in order to learn and reach their full potential. This course provides a comprehensive overview of current philosophies and developmentally appropriate practices related to health, safety and nutrition for young children ages birth through eight years old. Students investigate a variety of effective strategies and available resources to promote healthy lifestyles, safety, and nutritional guidelines within the context of an early childhood educational setting. Permeating themes are inclusion, diversity and the importance of being culturally, linguistically and individually sensitive of our children and families. Students explore topics including child development; physical and mental health; childhood diseases and illnesses; safe environments and activities; child abuse with an emphasis on the teachers’ role as mandated reporters; nutritionally sound menus; as well as the importance of food safety. This course requires 10 field experience hours. Students are required to write three lesson plans with one plan being implemented in a classroom or other early care setting. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

• ECE 101: Introduction to Early Childhood Education
• ECE 217: The Exceptional Learner
• ECE 222: Curriculum for Young Children - Methods and Techniques or ECE 261: Infant / Toddler Care: Methods and Techniques
• ECE 247: Child Development: Birth to Eight

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

At the Associate of Science level, students will:  

1. Promote Child Development and Learning- understand how young children develop and learn and how to use developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging learning environments inclusive of all young children (NAEYC, Standard 1).
2. Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections- collaborate as partners with families as young children’s development and learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement.  (NAEYC 2b).
3. Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices – Understand and use teaching skills that are responsive so the learning trajectory of young children and to the needs of each child, recognizing that differentiating instruction, incorporating play as a core teaching practice, and supporting the development of executive function skills is critical for young children.   (NAEYC 4b). 
   

   • Use teaching practices with young children that are appropriate to their level of development, their individual characteristics, and the sociocultural context in which they live. 

4. Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices – use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically relevant teaching approaches to facilitate development, learning and classroom management.  Guide and supervise implementing effective teaching practices and learning environments.  (NAEYC 4c).

   • Apply knowledge about age levels, abilities, developmental status, cultures and languages, and experiences of children in the group to make professional judgments about the use of materials, the organization of indoor and outdoor physical space and materials, and the management of daily schedules and routines.

5. Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum – modify teaching practices by applying, expanding, integrating and updating their content knowledge in the disciplines, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge.  (NAEYC 5c).  

   • Combine understanding of content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and early learning standards to select or create an integrated curriculum across content areas for birth-five settings.   Support the implementation of curriculum across content areas for K-3 settings.

6. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator – identify and involve oneself with the early childhood field and serve as an informed advocate for young children, families and the profession. (NAEYC 6a).
7. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator – know about and uphold ethical and other early childhood professional guidelines.  (NAEYC 6b).

   •  Identify and follow relevant laws such as reporting child abuse and neglect, health and safety practices, and the rights of children with developmental delays and disabilities. 

8. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator –use professional communication skills including technology-mediated strategies, to effectively support young children’s learning and development and work with families and colleagues.  (NAEYC 6c). 

   • Apply proper grammar, spelling, and usage of terms when communicating with young children, families, and colleagues equivalent to the expected level of college graduate.

9. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator – develop and sustain the habit of reflective and intentional practice in their daily practice with young children and as members of the early childhood profession.  (NAEYC 6e). 

   • Examine own work, sources of professional knowledge, and assumptions about the early childhood field with a spirit of inquiry.

At the Bachelor of Science level, in addition to the above, students will:

1. Promote Child Development and Learning in Context- understand the developmental period of early childhood from birth through age 8 across physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and linguistic domains including bilingual/multilingual development. (NAEYC 1a).
2. Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections – use a variety of communication and engagement skills with families and communicate (or find resources) in families’ preferred languages when possible.  (NAEYC 2b).
3. Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices – Understand and use teaching skills that are responsive so the learning trajectory of young children and to the needs of each child, recognizing that differentiating instruction, incorporating play as a core teaching practice, and supporting the development of executive function skills is critical for young children.   (NAEYC 4b). 
4. Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices – use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically relevant, anti-bias and evidence-based teaching skills and strategies that reflect the principles of universal design for learning.  (NAEYC 4c). 

   • Use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate, culturally, and linguistically relevant teaching approaches to facilitate development, learning and classroom management.  Guide and supervise implementing effective teaching practices and learning environments.

5. Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum – modify teaching practices by applying, expanding, integrating and updating their content knowledge in the disciplines, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge.  (NAEYC 5c).

   • Select or create curriculum that counters biases and stereotypes, fosters young children’s interest in the content areas, and facilitates individual and group learning for birth-age 8 settings.  (NAEYC 5c).

6. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator – identify and involve oneself with the early childhood field and serve as an informed advocate for young children, families and the profession. (NAEYC 6a).
7. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator – know about and uphold ethical and other early childhood professional guidelines. (NAEYC 6b).

   • Identify and follow relevant laws such as reporting child abuse and neglect, health and safety practices, and the rights of children with developmental delays and disabilities. 

8. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator –use professional communication skills including technology-mediated strategies, to effectively support young children’s learning and development and work with families and colleagues.  (NAEYC 6c). 
   • Apply proper grammar, spelling, and usage of terms when communicating with young children, families, and colleagues equivalent to the expected level of college graduate. 
9. Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator – develop and sustain the habit of reflective and intentional practice in their daily practice with young children and as members of the early childhood profession.  (NAEYC 6e). 

   • Examine own work, sources of professional knowledge, and assumptions about the early childhood field with a spirit of inquiry.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

1. Describe the interrelatedness among child development, health, safety and nutrition (NAEYC Standard 1).
2. Design safe and effective, high quality indoor and outdoor environments that are conducive to learning (NAEYC Standards 4, 5).
3. Explain how to plan, prepare and serve age-appropriate, nutritionally-balanced meals and snacks (NAEYC Standard 4).
4. Plan, implement, and reflect upon developmentally appropriate health, safety, and nutrition activities for young children (NAEYC Standards 5c, 6e).
5. Examine communicable and acute illnesses, infections, diseases, and injuries.  Self-select one to research more thoroughly: describe, identify potential treatments, supporting community agencies, and classroom implications.  (NAEYC Standard 1a, 6c).
6. Recognize abuse and neglect of children and detail the process of securing help for the child(ren) involved (NAEYC Standard 6b).
7. Categorize food nutrients and their benefits to our bodies (NAEYC Standard 1a).

Course Activities and Grading

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore

• Marotz, Lynn R. Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Young Child - with MindTap. 11th ed. Cengage Learning, 2024. ISBN-13: 978-0-357-77293-5

Course Schedule

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.