ECED 2223 Art/Music Activities Syllabus H01 Fall 2026

Credit Hours 3.00 Lecture Hours 3 Clinical/Lab Hours 0
Type of Credit
CIP Code
19.0709
Course Meeting Time

Course Meeting: Wednesday W 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM

Course Description

This course examines the creative process and developmental stages of art with emphasis on planning and implementing appropriate aesthetic experiences. Methods of encouraging participation, creativity, and individual expression will be included.

General Education Outcomes

General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:

  1. Communication
  2. Responsibility
Explanation of Course Alignment

Catalog description: Prerequisite: ECED 1513 or concurrent enrollment This course examines the creative process and developmental stages of art with emphasis on planning and implementing appropriate authentic experiences. Methods of encouraging participation, creativity, and individual expression will be included.

Goals and Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you will be able:
1. To promote music as a necessary and vital dimension in the daily lives of young children.
2. To explain theories and demonstrate practices of how to help develop the full potential in each child through
creative and aesthetic activities.
3. To develop a deeper understanding about brain research and describe how to reach all types of learners.
4. To explain how to cherish each child as unique and embrace individual differences

Faculty Contact Information

Faculty Name
Sarah Gowler
Faculty Email
Faculty Phone
(815) 802-8676
Faculty Office Number
L331
Faculty Information

Tuesday 12:15- 1:15 (in-person), Thursday 11-1:00 PM (virtual or by appt). Other times available by appointment.

Course Information

Course Outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Promote music as a necessary and vital dimension in the daily lives of young children.
  2. Explain theories and demonstrate practices of how to help develop the full potential in each child through creative and aesthetic activities.
  3. Develop a deeper understanding about brain research and describe how to reach all types of learners.
  4. Explain how to cherish each child as unique and embrace individual differences
Topical Outline
  1. Creativity
  2. Aesthetics
  3. Sensory
  4. Adapted/modified special needs
  5. Program basics – goals, set up, materials and strategies
  6. Dramatic play/puppetry
  7. Music and movement for kindergarten and early primary
  8. Developmentally appropriate celebrations
Textbook/s and Course Materials

Howard, R., & Mayesky, M. (2023). Creative Activities & Curriculum for Young Children (12th ed.). Cengage

Methods of Evaluation

Evaluation
Grading for the course will be based on presentations, homework, class activities, class participation, quizzes,
midterm, projects, and final exam.
Chapter Activities and Discussion 360 points
Lesson Plans (15 x 10 pts) 150 points
Art Area & Presentation 20 points
Music Area & Presentation 20 points
Midterm 50 points
Final Exam 50 points
TOTAL 650 points

Academic Division

Business, Technology & Human Services

Dean, Paul Carlson; 815-802-8858; V105; pcarlson@kcc.edu; Division Office – W102; 815-802-8650

Course Policies

Course Policies

 

Mandated Reporter

State law mandates that workers in certain professions must make reports if they have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect. In this instance mandated reporters include: School and Child Care Personnel: Teachers, school personnel, educational advocates assigned to a child pursuant to the School Code, truant officers, directors and staff assistants of day care centers and nursery schools, and child care workers.

Mandated reporters who make good faith reports have the same immunity from liability under the law as non-mandated reporters. However, a mandated reporter’s failure to report suspected instances of child abuse or neglect to DCFS constitutes a Class A misdemeanor; simply reporting suspicions to a superior does not satisfy legal requirements. In Illinois the number 1-800-25-ABUSE is the number that utilized to make report. If you have any questions regarding mandated reporting please discuss with your instructor.

 

Student Support Hours/ Office Hours

Student support hours are designed to be flexible to meet a wide variety of student’s needs and availability. Faculty will be available to meet before and after courses depending on scheduling. It is important that students understand that faculty is available to support you in your educational goals. Please reach out when you need support or help at any time during the semester. You are encouraged to make an appointment with faculty to meet in-person or virtually through Zoom. An appointment will also ensure that faculty will be able to avoid any other conflict and dedicate that time to helping you. You are also welcomed to drop in or stop by when you are on campus. If the door is open, I encourage you to stop in and say hello. The classroom will be available for you to use any time the Professor Gowler is present. You do not have to have a reason to stop by. You are welcome to use the room to work on projects or for a quite space to use while you are on campus.

 

Attendance/Participation

Regular attendance at all scheduled class sessions is expected. It is the student’s responsibility to notify

his/her instructor if and why he/she is unable to attend any class session. Students are expected to check in to the learning management system (LMS) -CANVAS regularly. If for any reason a student is unable to complete their work due to illness or other circumstances, please contact the instructor prior to the due date. Participation opportunities will be available at each class session. Points will be awarded at each class participation opportunity. These points will be earned by in-class, active participation and CANNOT be made up. For hybrid and online courses; online participation will be included into class participation. Missing 4 or more classes shall result in course failure.

 

Late Assignments

All assignments are due at the date and time specified by the instructor making the assignment. All assignments must be submitted in the appropriate place in the LMS/ Canvas. Assignments will not be accepted through email or canvas messaging. It is the responsibility of the student to submit the assignment in the appropriate place or seek assistance in order to submit the assignment. Any late work will be deducted 10 percent for each course day the assignment is late. Assignments will receive an “F” after one week following the deadline unless the student has received an extension from the instructor making the assignment. The extension must be granted PRIOR to the time the assignment is due. All late work must still be submitted to the instructor making the assignment in order to meet course objectives. Students will not receive a grade for the course until all course assignments have been submitted.

*All assignments will be due on Wednesday by 7:30 PM, unless otherwise specified in canvas*

Early Childhood Academic Honesty Policy

Cheating: Cheating can take many forms in a classroom: copying or using another student’s work, using your own work from another class without my prior permission (i.e., not writing original work for this class), adjusting format to make papers appear longer, working in groups on individual assignments (whether openly or in secret), sharing or stealing answers for tests or assignments, etc. No form of cheating is acceptable. Cheating on an assignment will be taken seriously and discipline action will follow.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is defined in section 17.6.B of the KCC Code of Conduct: “Taking, reproducing, and/or using as one’s own, without proper attribution, the ideas, writings, paraphrases, data, reports, graphic designs, or computer codes of published or unpublished work of another person in completing an academic assignment. Prohibited conduct may also include the unauthorized submission for credit of academic work that has been submitted for credit in another course.”

Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

  • submitting someone else’s paper
  • using published material, including materials published online, without proper attribution/citation
  • paraphrasing or quoting someone without attributing the quote in your paper (that is, without providing an in-text citation) even if the source is included on the works cited page
  • working with someone (without my permission) to write your paper & submitting it as your own
  • submitting automated writing (including chatGPT or other AI tools) as your own work

When in doubt, add the citation. You are expected to cite all sources of information. If you are in doubt, inquire with the faculty teaching the course or utilize KCC tutoring. In your ECED courses, you are expected to follow APA citation guidelines and formatting. 

Student Found to be in Violation of KCC Academic Honesty Policy: Students found to be in violations of KCC’s academic honesty policy will result in disciplinary action.

  • The first instance of academic dishonesty or plagiarism the student will be given a zero, required to meet with the professor, given resources for the student success center, and allowed to redo the assignment after meeting with the professor. A verbal warning from Academic Affairs may go on the student’s recorder if the severity of the academic dishonesty warrants it.
  • A second incident of academic dishonesty will result in a zero for the assignment with no opportunity to redo the assignment. The student will be required to meet with the professor to continue in the course. A verbal or written warning will be reported to Academic Affairs.
  • Additional incidences of academic dishonesty or failure to meet with the professor will result in course failure with no opportunity for the student to withdraw. The student will be reported to Academic Affairs and the incident of Academic Dishonesty will appear on the students record. Student found to be consistently violating the student code of conduct could potentially be suspended from the institution.

 

Extra Credit Opportunities

Extra credit opportunities can be made for students who are seeking to better their grade in the course. In order to qualify for extra credit opportunities, you must first complete all regular course assignments. EC must be completed in a timely manner to be considered.

 

Early Childhood Program Requirements

Basic laboratory experience is required or optional in many early childhood courses within the program. Specific tasks preformed in the lab setting will vary according to skills, interests and course requirements. Prior to initiating lab assignments and projects, Early Childhood Students must meet requirements for staff in early childhood/ child care facilities as outlined by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services Child Care Facility Regulations: (1) High School diploma or its equivalent; (2) Must be able to obtain a DCFS Criminal Background Clearance; (3) a completed health form; and (4) a signed mandated reporter form. It is a student’s responsibility to make sure all requirements are current and on file with the program coordinator.

 

Clinical Experience

Students planning to enroll in the Clinical Experience should refer to the college catalog for specific eligibility requirements. Clinical applications are due to the Program Coordinator no later than midterm of the semester before the student is planning to student teach. Students submitting late applications will waive consideration for placement with the clinical group for that semester, unless space is available.

College Policies

 

Withdrawals
When it is necessary to withdraw from a course or from the college, a student may do so on or before the withdrawal date without receiving a punitive final grade. Students should use Change of Schedule forms which are available in Student Services. Students may submit Change of Schedule forms to Student Services or through the mail, but they must be postmarked no later than the withdrawal date. No withdrawals are allowed by phone.To determine the last date to withdraw with a grade of “W” in this course, log into KCConnect and click on “my registration statement” under Academic Profile.

 

Code of Conduct

Students need to adhere to the Code of Conduct located in the college catalog.

Email Policy

To ensure a student's privacy under all applicable education laws and to facilitate timely interactions, two College-authorized methods of electronic communication exist: KCC-issued student email accounts (using the domain name of student.kcc.edu) and the Canvas Learning Management System. Students are expected to regularly check their KCC email accounts and Canvas for important incoming communication from the college or from individual instructors. Students understand that emails they send from personal email accounts (other than those listed above) may not be delivered to the KCC recipient, and students should have no expectation that such messages will be answered.

Non-Attendance/Non-Participation

KCC complies with state law and federal financial aid policy. If you receive an attendance grade of F or are institutionally withdrawn from a course, it will affect your eligibility for financial aid. (1) You must attend at least one class, or participate at least once for an online course (logging in without participation is not attending), by the 10th day of 16 week courses or within the first 10% of shorter term classes. Non-attendance will result in an attendance grade of F. (2) If you have excessive absences and no reasonable chance of passing the course at midterm (or after), your instructor may give you a WX grade and have you institutionally withdrawn from the course.

College Resources

Office of Disability Services

KCC offers advisement and special instructional support for students who are physically and learning disabled, as well as those with academic deficiencies. Students will receive appropriate academic instructional support, including preparatory courses, tutorial assistance, study skills assistance, and self-instructional programs. For disability services, go to room D234, Tel: 815-802-8632.

 

Miner Memorial Library

The Harold & Jean Miner Memorial Library collection includes books relating to the curriculum, magazine and journal subscriptions, audiobooks, DVDs and videos, children’s, young adult, and adult fiction books, and access to a variety of online databases. The library also offers group and quiet study rooms, as well as access to computers and printing. The Student Success Center, on the upper level of the Miner Memorial Library, is home to Tutoring Services. Tutoring Services offers assistance in most core subjects, including writing for any course, math, accounting, and some sciences. In-person tutoring services are located in the Student Success Center, and online tutoring services offer a way to get help without having to leave home.

 

Tutoring

Tutoring Services can be found in the Student Success Center, on the upper level of the Miner Memorial Library. Schedules for specific subjects can be found below. Please check in on arrival – no appointment is necessary. Tutors are available to answer questions through online chat and video conference during their regularly scheduled hours, as well as during any campus closures due to weather, etc. Access these services at www.kcc.libguides.com/tutoringhelp.

Copyright

The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further Information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at http://www.kcc.edu/copyright.

Syllabus Disclaimer

At the instructor’s discretion, this syllabus may be altered or revised according to instructional needs or time constraints.

Course Calendar

Date

Topics

Assignments Due- Wednesdays-

(check canvas for times)

Week 1

8/19

Introductory Activities

Syllabus review

  • Review Syllabus and Course Information
  • Introduction Discussion
  • Don’t Be Afraid of Failure Discussion
  • Read Chapter 1
  • Ch 1 Discussion
  • Chapter 1 Reflection

Week 2

8/26

Ch 1- The Concept of Creativity
  • Read Chapter 2
  • Aesthetic Potential Discussion
  • Art is Everywhere Discussion
  • Great Art Discussion

Week 3

9/2

Ch 2- Aesthetics: Definition, Theories, and Importance in the Early Childhood Environment

In-Class Assignments:

  • Art Observation Sheet & Value of Art
  • Read Chapter 3
  • Flexible Thinking
  • Maturation, Brain Development, & Critical Periods

Week 4

9/9

Ch 3- Arts and Physical-Cognitive Development

In-Class Assignments: Art Lesson Plans

  • Read Chapter 4
  • Artistic Observations
  • Connecting Standards- Lesson Plans and 2D Art

Week 5

9/16

Ch 4- Arts and Creative Development
  • Read Chapter 5
  • Children’s Response to Art Activities
  • Children’s Art Expression

Week 6

9/23

Ch 5- Arts and Social–Emotional Development

In-Class Assignments: Art Activity Evaluations

  • Read Chapter 6
  • Watch Ch 6 Video
  • Individual Differences

Week 7

9/30

No In-Person Class- Work Online

Ch 6- Foundations of Creative Activities

  • Complete Classroom Evaluation
  • Complete Art- Area Presentation
  • Read Chapter 7 & 8
  • Classroom Evaluation
  • Play Memories

Week 8

10/7

Ch 7- Foundations of Creative Environments

Ch 8- Play, Development, and Creativity

  • Read Chapter 10
  • Adapting Creative Activities
  • Art Area Presentation

Week 9

10/14

Ch 10- Program Basics: Goals, Setting Up, Materials, and Strategies

In-Class Assignments: Art Goals Rotation

  • Read Chapter 11
  • Read Chapter 12
  • 3D Models
  • Making Models

Week 10

10/21

Ch 11- Two-Dimensional Activities

Ch 12- Three-Dimensional Activities

  • Read Chapter 13
  • Creative Puppet Making
  • Dramatic Play Area Creation

Week 11

10/28

Ch 13-Performing Arts

Importance of Music in Early Childhood

In-Class Assignments: Dramatic Play Experiences

  • Read Chapter 14
  • Why Music Matters in Early Childhood
  • Dramatic Play Presentation
  • Favorite Children’s Book

Week 12

11/4

Ch 14- Creative Language Experiences

Creative Movement & Music

In-Class Assignments: Book Review

  • Read Chapter 9
  • E-Learning Art
  • Website Tour
  • Music Area Presentation

Week 13

11/11

No In-Person Class- Work Online

Ch 9- Technology and Creativity

  • Read Chapter 15
  • Read Chapter 16
  • Loose Parts Discussion
  • Math is Everywhere

Week 14

11/18

Ch 15- Creative Science

Ch 16- Creative Mathematics

  • Read Chapter 17
  • Art Fair Explanation & Discussion
  • Family Banners
  • Food Experiences

Week 15

11/25

 

No In-Person Class- Work Online

Ch 17- Creative Social Studies

Creative Food Experiences

  • Art Fair Preparation

Week 16

12/3

ART FAIR Presentations

  • Study For Final

Week 17

12/9

Final Exam- Online

College Policies, Resources and Supports

College Policies

For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide. 

Resources

KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:

  • Clubs and organizations
  • Counseling and referral services
  • Office of disability services
  • Student complaint policy
  • Transfer services
  • Tutoring services, etc.