The primary mission of the Thun Library’s Curriculum Collection is to enrich the learning of pre-service teachers enrolled in the Penn State Berks Elementary and Early Childhood Education (EECE) program and prepare them for their future teaching positions by providing professional curricular materials for the elementary school teacher, including children’s books, visual aids and realia for the program’s course work, class presentations, and student teaching practicums.   

In accordance with the program’s focus, the collection seeks to encompass materials designed for PreK--4th grade students in the program’s main subject areas, including reading, mathematics, science, social studies, ​the arts, and social emotional development, and also materials related to assessment and classroom management.   

The collection intends to support curricular needs of pre-service teachers as they are placed in all of the EECE’s partner schools. Because of the EECE program’s MOU and strong student teacher program with the Reading School District, a special effort is made to acquire materials relevant to public school students in an urban environment and their specific learning characteristics and needs.  

The Library acquires materials in English, Spanish, and other languages for the collection.  These materials include books with parallel English and Spanish texts that support new readers learning either language.   

In addition to supporting the EECE, the Curriculum Collection also serves children visiting the campus.  Most of the materials are also available to students, faculty, and staff at other Penn State campuses through the book float program. 

Formats Collected: 

The collection includes the following types of physical formats: 

• Juvenile Books 
• Big Books 
• Levelled Reading Sets (Mondo, Fountas & Pennell, Scholastic) 
• Posters and Flipcharts 
• Assessment measures and kits (e.g., Curriculum Based Measures)
• Lesson Plans 
• Teaching Kits 
• Realia (puppets, musical instruments, flash cards, blocks, toys, games) 
• Curriculum kits (e.g., Everyday Math)

The collection also features online teaching materials on the EECE library guide at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/berkseducation 

Loan Periods: 

Loan periods are in accordance with those of the Penn State Libraries system and are available on the Libraries’ web site. 

Assistance: 

Patrons needing help with the collection are encouraged to ask at the Circulation Desk or at any of the librarians’ offices.