This 5th Edition, Volume I helps teachers at all levels of experience build the comprehensive knowledge base necessary for preparing all children to succeed in school and in life. In Volume I teachers are provided with the research, theory, and knowledge to help them answer questions that are essential for setting up a classroom and planning the year. The book presents the research behind the curriculum and translates research and theory into practice. It discusses the five central components of teaching preschool children effectively; how children develop and learn, the learning environment, what children learn, caring and teaching and partnering and family.