Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-147).

A year in the life of a child care center -- September staff days - first day: identifying interests and webbing ideas -- September staff days - second day: environment as a source of curriculum -- September visit: keeping a record of our lives together -- October staff meeting: who we are, what we can do - and so the holidays begin -- October visit: pumpkin patch, Lego land, and looking at each other -- November staff meeting: hiding and finding and who's thankful for what? -- November visit: burying dinosaurs and planning a harvest feast -- December staff meeting: lights in the darkness -- December visit: candle time -- January staff meeting: playing birthday and telling our stories -- January visit: dear Martin Luther King, we love you -- February staff meeting: funerals, quilts and families -- February visit: shadows and sign language -- March staff meeting: who's in your family? -- March visit: animals and gardens -- April staff meeting: finding hidden things -- April visit: maps, Batman, and baby bats in the bat cave -- May staff meeting: what have we been teaching the children? -- May visit: families in the center, families on the walls -- June staff meeting: did we have a plan? naming the emergent curriculum -- Epilogue: taking it over.

The book demonstrates how ideas for relevant curriculum activities emerge through the school year in an early childhood education setting.