Pennsylvania Learning Standards
for Early Childhood
KINDERGARTEN
Office of Child Development
and Early Learning
2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
The Learning Standards Continuum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
The Learning Standards for Early Childhood Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
KEY LEARNING AREA: Approaches to Learning through Play – Constructing, Organizing, and
Applying Knowledge
Standard Area AL.1: Constructing and Gathering Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Standard Area AL.2: Organizing and Understanding Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Standard Area AL.3: Applying Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Standard Area AL.4: Learning through Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Approaches to Learning Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
KEY LEARNING AREA: Language and Literacy Development – English Language Arts
Standard Area 1.1:
Foundational Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Standard Area 1.2:
Reading Informational Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Standard Area 1.3:
Reading Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Standard Area 1.4:
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Standard Area 1.5:
Speaking and Listening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Language and Literacy Development Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
KEY LEARNING AREA: Mathematical Thinking and Expression – Exploring, Processing, and
Problem-Solving
Standard Area 2.1:
Numbers and Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Standard Area 2.2:
Algebraic Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Standard Area 2.3:
Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Standard Area 2.4:
Measurement, Data, and Probability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
KEY LEARNING AREA: Scientific Thinking and Technology – Exploring, Scientific Inquiry, and
Discovery
Standard Area 3.1A: Biological Sciences – Living and Nonliving Organisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Standard Area 3.1B: Biological Sciences – Genetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Standard Area 3.1C: Biological Sciences – Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Standard Area 3.2A: Physical Sciences – Chemistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Standard Area 3.2B: Physical Sciences – Physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Standard Area 3.3A: Earth and Space Sciences – Earth Structures, Processes, and Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Standard Area 3.3B: Earth and Space Sciences – Origin and Evolution of the Universe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Standard Area 4.1:
Environment and Ecology – Ecology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Standard Area 4.2:
Environment and Ecology – Watersheds and Wetlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Standard Area 4.3:
Environment and Ecology – Natural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Standard Area 4.4:
Environment and Ecology – Agriculture and Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Standard Area 4.5:
Environment and Ecology – Humans and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Standard Area 15.4: Computer and Information Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Scientific Thinking Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Environment and Ecology Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Computer and Information Technology Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
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KEY LEARNING AREA: Social Studies Thinking – Connecting to Communities
Standard Area 5.1:
Civics and Government – Principles and Documents of Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Standard Area 5.2:
Civics and Government – Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Standard Area 5.3:
Civics and Government – How Government Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Standard Area 5.4:
Civics and Government – How International Relationships Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Standard Area 6.1:
Economics – Scarcity and Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Standard Area 6.2:
Economics – Markets and Economic Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Standard Area 6.3:
Economics – Functions of Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Standard Area 6.4:
Economics – Economic Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Standard Area 6.5:
Economics – Income, Profit, and Wealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Standard Area 7.1:
Geography – Basic Geographic Literacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Standard Area 7.2:
Geography – Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Standard Area 7.3:
Geography – Human Characteristics of Places and Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Standard Area 7.4:
Geography – Interactions Between People and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Standard Area 8.1:
History – Historical Analysis and Skills Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Standard Area 8.2:
History – Pennsylvania History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Standard Area 8.3:
History – United States History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Standard Area 8.4:
History – World History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Social Studies Thinking Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
KEY LEARNING AREA: Creative Thinking and Expression – Communicating through the Arts
Standard Area 9.1.M: Production and Performance – Music and Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Standard Area 9.1.D: Production and Performance – Dramatic and Performance Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Standard Area 9.1.V: Production and Performance – Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Standard Area 9.2:
Historical and Cultural Context of Works of Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Standard Area 9.3:
Critical Response to Works of Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Standard Area 9.4:
Aesthetic Response to Works of Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Creative Thinking and Expression Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
KEY LEARNING AREA: Health, Wellness, and Physical Development – Learning About My Body
Standard Area 10.1: Concepts of Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Standard Area 10.2: Healthful Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Standard Area 10.3: Safety and Injury Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Standard Area 10.4: Physical Activity – Gross Motor Coordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Standard Area 10.5: Concepts, Principles, and Strategies of Movement – Fine Motor Coordination . . . . . . . . . . 89
Health, Wellness, and Physical Development Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
KEY LEARNING AREA: Social and Emotional Development – Student Interpersonal Skills
Standard Area 16.1: Self-Awareness and Self-Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Standard Area 16.2: Establishing and Maintaining Relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Standard Area 16.3: Decision-Making and Responsible Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Social and Emotional Development Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
KEY LEARNING AREA: Partnerships for Learning – Families, Schools, and Communities
Standard 1:
Families are supported and connected to community resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Standard 2:
School communities and families build partnerships that are affirming,
reciprocal, and respectful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Standard 3:
Families have the knowledge and understanding to encourage and support
their students’ learning and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Standard 4:
Family members have support from other families, empowering and
strengthening the entire school community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Standard 5:
Families are supported by the school community to develop and use
leadership and advocacy skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Standard 6:
Families are supported in times of transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
3
Learning Standards Development
Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood were originally constructed as a joint project of the
Departments of Education and Human Services . The Office of Child Development and Early Learning in collaboration with the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education have overseen revisions to the standards .
Each set of standards has been formulated with help and guidance from practitioners and program specialists who represented early childhood programs, school districts, higher education, family leaders, policy
analysts, and researchers . A group of Pennsylvania educators, in conjunction with the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, created a set of Pennsylvania Core Standards beginning with Pre-Kindergarten .
The Pennsylvania Core Standards start in Pre-Kindergarten and continue through 12th grade . The Pennsylvania State Board of Education adopted the Pennsylvania Core Standards in March 2014 . The 2014 revisions
include updates related to the Pennsylvania Core Standards; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(STEM) supportive practices; and current research trends .
Learning Standards for Early Childhood are used to:
• Inform professionals about curriculum and assessment
• Guide the selection of instructional materials and the design of interactions/goal setting
• Inform families of appropriate expectations for children
• Provide a common framework for community-based birth–grade 3 alignment work
Learning Standards for Early Childhood are NOT used as:
• A specific curriculum
• A means to prohibit children from moving from one grade or age level to another
• A specific assessment of the competence of children or teachers
C
INTRODUCTION
hildren are born with an incredible capacity and desire to
learn . More than 40 years of research confirms the foundational importance of early education and care for children’s
school and life success . It is essential that children’s first experiences
are robust ones, steeped in activities that develop critical thinking and
problem-solving skills, a deep understanding about themselves in a
social society, and age-appropriate content .
web-based portal including more information and resources related to
these elements is accessible at www .pdesas .org .
STANDARDS ALIGNED SYSTEM (SAS)
STANDARDS
Instructional practices must embed the domains of development—
cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical—with approaches
to learning that enable children to explore, understand, and reach
beyond the “here and now” to challenge themselves, experiment, and
transform information into meaningful content and skills .
SAFE AND
SUPPORTIVE
SCHOOLS
Professionals interacting with young children have the critical task of
providing rich information and experiences . Such experiences build
skills and understanding in the context of everyday routines and within
intentionally-designed play opportunities that capture children’s interests and curiosity . Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood are designed to support and enhance the learning environment;
responsive relationships; age, cultural, and linguistically-appropriate
curriculum; and practices being used to assess children, classrooms,
and programs .
The Department of Education and the Office of Child Development and
Early Learning use a Standards Aligned System . The Standards Aligned
System is a collective body of research that identifies six elements
which, when used together, provide a framework for program improvement and child success . The elements identified are standards,
assessments, curriculum framework, instruction (including interventions), safe and supportive schools, and materials and resources . A
ASSESSMENT
STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT
MATERIALS
AND
RESOURCES
CURRICULUM
FRAMEWORK
INSTRUCTION
4
1. Standards
at birth is supported by research in neuroscience and other developmental sciences . This research shows that the basic architecture of a
child’s brain is constructed through an ongoing process that begins
before birth and continues through adulthood . Research also confirms
that the brain is predominantly receptive to learning math and logic
between the ages of 1 and 4, and that early math skills are the most
powerful predictors of later learning . Providing children with opportunities to have early experiences in STEM supports children in their
academic growth, develops early critical thinking and reasoning skills,
and enhances later interest in STEM careers . The foundations of STEM
learning lie in the natural inquiry and exploration of young children,
as well as intentionally-designed activities which build scientific and
mathematical concepts, and the effective use of available technologies .
Positive interactions early in life, in an environment intentionally
designed to provide STEM experiences where children explore, ask
questions, and receive support from educators, will help to lay this
foundation . Early-learning STEM experiences are based on the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood for infants and
toddlers, prekindergarten, and kindergarten through grade 2 . STEM
subjects are supported within these standards and are noted by the
symbol
throughout the supportive practices . Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math are not separate subjects broken down into their
own time slots . These topics of study are incorporated and encouraged
within all activities throughout the day . In addition, laying this early
foundation will help to bridge the educational gap between birth to age
5 and K-12 educational programs .
Learning standards provide the framework for learning . They provide
the foundational information for what children should be able to know
and do . Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood build on
information learned previously, creating a continuum of learning that
assures consistent and linked learning that begins in infancy, increasing in complexity as it extends through graduation .
Pennsylvania also uses program standards that assure children’s
experiences are being offered in high-quality settings . Pennsylvania’s
state-funded programs all offer similar sets of standards that provide
guidance on program operation that exhibit best practices .
2. Assessments
Professionals must use both informal and formal assessments to
understand children’s progress . In early childhood, formative assessments that provide information about how children are progressing
allow professionals to make adaptations or adjustments in the individualized learning plans for every child . Early childhood professionals
observe and assess children using the materials that are found in the
learning environment . Professionals must use the information they
have documented during observation, along with information from the
family, to identify goals and next steps for children’s learning .
3. Curriculum framework
A curriculum framework reminds us what information should be
taught to young children within each of the Key Learning Areas . It
assures the continuum of learning that begins at birth and continues
through graduation . Pennsylvania’s curriculum framework includes
big ideas, essential questions, concepts, and competencies that further
define the learning standards .
Interventions
• Early Childhood Special Education
Early childhood classrooms should be inclusive ones where children
with disabilities and developmental delays are enjoying learning
experience alongside their typically developing peers . Professionals
may need to adapt or modify the classroom environment, interactions,
and/or materials and equipment to help children with disabilities fully
participate .
4. Instruction including interventions
Instruction in the early years often looks different than instruction in
the older grades . Learning occurs within the context of play and active
learning strategies where children are engaged in concrete and handson discovery; experimentation; and interaction with materials, their
peers, and nurturing adults .
Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood are designed to
be used for all children . The content within these standards provides
the breadth of information from which to create goals and experiences
for all children that will help them reach their highest potential while
capturing their interests and building on what they already know .
Professionals must emphasize and celebrate all children’s accomplishments and focus on what all children can do .
Professionals help construct knowledge during these active learning
times by designing activities that build on children’s prior knowledge
to create new understandings and information . Direct instruction
should be combined with child-initiated play to produce optimal conditions for young children’s learning . Adults become facilitators who
interact with children throughout the day . Adults ask open-ended questions that encourage children to think about what comes next . With
this approach, adults support children’s creativity, problem-solving,
intuition, and inventiveness (approaches to learning) by challenging
and encouraging them . Professionals design focused instruction that
is based on the identified individual needs of every child and assure
these experiences encompass their interests, abilities, and culture .
• English Language Learners/Dual Language Learners
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education is an
intentional, integrative approach to teaching and learning, in which
students uncover and acquire a comprehensive set of concepts,
competencies, and thinking skills of science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics that they transfer and apply in both academic and
real-world contexts .
Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math beginning
5
Children develop language much the same way they acquire other
skills . Children learn native and second languages using an individual style and rate. Differences among English Language Learners/
Dual Language Learners such as mixing languages or a silent period
are natural . Each child’s progress in learning English needs to be
respected and viewed as acceptable and part of the ongoing process of
learning any new skill . Children can demonstrate proficiency in most
of the standards using their dominant language . Use of home language
in the classroom environment, and in simple phrases, validates a
child’s place in the classroom, encouraging the child to see him/
herself as a learner . Working alongside English-speaking adults and
peers in authentic learning experiences which respect home language
is an effective means of learning English . Similar to all young children,
English Language Learners/Dual Language Learners benefit from use
of visuals, props, and realia (objects from real life used in classroom
instruction to improve children’s understanding of other cultures and
real life situations) . The skills needed for young English Language
Learners/Dual Language Learners to become proficient in English
are fully embedded in the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early
Childhood .
a program . Classroom assessment instruments that help providers
assess the arrangement of indoor space, the provision of materials
and activities, and their development of class schedules are useful in a
sharing best practice implementation and alignment to Pennsylvania
Learning Standards for Early Childhood . The academic environment
is the climate set within a program that values and promotes learning
and self-fulfillment . Wellness within a program supports good physical
and mental health, including the promotion of a proper diet, exercise,
and healthy habits .
5. Materials and resources
Every early-learning setting, whether it is in a home atmosphere or
center-based classroom, must be a comfortable, safe, and nurturing
environment where children can learn through their play . Children
discover and understand science, social studies, and math information when they actively explore materials and ideas that are guided by
professionals who intentionally design activities that engage children
in critical thinking and processing . Children also learn about their own
abilities and learning styles, how to get along with others, and how to
appreciate others’ contributions in classrooms that include a diverse
set of materials and experiences .
EARLY CHILDHOOD CONNECTIONS
High-quality early care and education programs also promote connections that assure children’s school success . Programs that build
relationships with children and families and coordinate their work
with other early-learning programs and school districts create strong
partnerships for success .
1. Connections to children
School environments should be linked to a child’s home environment,
incorporating cultural and ethnic materials and children’s home
language, and provide experiences that are inclusive for all children,
regardless of ability, socio-economic status, or family background .
Well-designed environments demonstrate a commitment to the whole
child by offering materials and activities that promote social, physical, cognitive, and language learning . Resources provided within the
Standards Aligned System (SAS) portal include Pennsylvania educatorcreated lesson plans, instructional strategies, digital media resources,
and other valuable information .
Relationships are the key to successful connections between the adult
and the child . Professionals must take time to know every child, to
understand the way in which each child learns best, and to identify the
special talents and skills each child possesses . Adults who work with
young children must be students themselves . They must learn about
children’s home experiences and culture so they can design learning
environments that support the home-school connection and expand
prior learning into new knowledge .
2. Connections to families
6. Safe and supportive schools
Families of young children have much to offer in the learning process .
When a partnership is formed between professional and family, the
connection has been strengthened, assuring that children receive
consistent messages about learning and skill development . Families
should be given opportunities to learn about their children’s day at
school, to provide input into the information they want their children
to learn and master, and to understand what they can do at home to
enhance the learning experience . To assure effective family engagement strategies, professionals can reference the Partnerships for
Learning Standards .
The safe and supportive schools element found on the Standards
Aligned System portal showcases resources and exemplars that promote active child engagement in a safe and positive learning environment . The three areas of focus within safe and supportive schools are:
Engagement—Program engagement is essential for child success and building a positive program climate . Engagement within a
program is a process of events and opportunities that lead to children
gaining the skills and confidence needed to cope and feel safe within
their environment . These events and opportunities include relationships, respect for cultural diversity, and family participation . Relationships are the connection between two or more people or groups and
their involvement with and behavior toward one another . Respect for
diversity shows an understanding, appreciation, and response to differences in individuals or groups . Family participation includes the active
involvement within classroom and school events .
At-home resources for families such as Kindergarten, Here I Come;
Kindergarten, Here I Am; Learning Is Everywhere; Building Blocks
for Babies; Every Day I Learn through Play; and Recipes for Readiness provide professionals and families tools to share age-appropriate
expectations and to connect learning experiences .
Family ethnicity and culture must be interwoven into the life of an
early childhood program and classroom . Professionals must embrace
all children’s heritages and provide activities, materials, and experiences that help children become aware of and appreciate their own
culture while learning about and appreciating the similarities and differences of others . Families can provide authentic cultural experiences
and resources that support cultural awareness and appreciation . Such
opportunities foster family and school relations and partnerships .
Communications with families should be made in the home language .
Professionals in high-quality, early education programs know and
understand their own attitudes and biases and are culturally sensitive
and supportive of diversity .
Safety—Program safety refers to the security of the setting and
program-related activities as perceived and experienced by all stakeholders, including families, caregivers, children, school staff, and the
community . Program safety encompasses both emotional and physical
safety, and is influenced by positive and negative behaviors of children
and staff . Emotional safety focuses on the feeling of connection, comfort, and acceptance within a secure setting . Physical safety ensures
children are free from danger or threatening circumstances .
Environment—Program environment refers to the extent to which
program settings promote child safety and health . Environment is
inclusive of all aspects of a program—academic components, its
physical and mental health supports and services, and its physical
building and location within a community . The physical environment
looks at the external surrounding and physical conditions within
3. Connections with other early-learning programs
Children and families often have other needs and priorities in addition
to participation in high-quality early care and education programs .
6
4. Connections for learning
Families may need to coordinate their early care and education
program services with health services or early intervention services, as
well as with their other children’s school experiences . Programs within
a community that support families’ single point of contact or help to
coordinate services for children demonstrate a strong understanding
and respect for families . Providers that reach out to neighborhood
schools to facilitate transition into the public school or who have developed a working relationship with their intervention provider assure
linkages that support children’s school readiness and ongoing success .
To assure effective family engagement strategies, professionals can
reference the Partnerships for Learning Standards .
W
Young children make learning connections through authentic handson experiences . Professionals that allow children time to explore
and discover both inside and outside, optimize children’s capacity to
internalize and generalize content by making their own connections
to prior knowledge . All children, regardless of age and ability, need
opportunities to engage in practice activities and experiences that are
steeped in play . Adults should design learning experiences with connections among multiple domains . Integrated learning experiences
support both content and social and cultural learning .
THE LEARNING STANDARDS CONTINUUM
ithin all Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood, the Key Learning Areas define the domains or areas
of children’s learning that assure a holistic approach to
instruction . All children, regardless of age and ability, should be exposed to experiences that build their skill development in approaches
to learning, social and emotional development, language and literacy
development, health wellness and physical development, creative
expression, and the cognitive areas of mathematics, science, and social
studies . The Standards within each Key Learning Area provide the
information that children should know and the skills children should
be able to do when they leave the age level or grade .
and young toddlers may be exploring mathematical estimation as
they interact with materials, but intentional instruction would not be
appropriate for that age . Adults should continue to introduce these
concepts whenever appropriate for the individual child without expectation of mastery .
Learning Standards for Pre-Kindergarten
Professionals will find the skills that pre-kindergarteners (ages three
to five) are practicing and mastering within the pre-kindergarten
standards . Younger preschoolers will be learning the content, while
older children will be mastering the skills and showing proficiency .
Classroom environments, materials, and activities that are developed
for this age will be appropriate for both three- and four-year-olds;
expectations for mastery will be different .
Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood are connected
through a continuum of learning and link to the 3rd grade academic
standards . Some skills will not emerge in a noticeable way until a child
is older . These standards will be intentionally blank or identified as
emerging .
Learning Standards for Kindergarten
Students who complete kindergarten should demonstrate mastery
of the skills within the kindergarten standards . This document is
designed for full-day kindergarten classrooms . Half-day kindergarten
teachers will need to modify the amount of content that is introduced
to children during the kindergarten year, but the cognitive processing
that children must develop and the holistic instruction will remain
constant regardless of the length of the kindergarten day .
Professionals who view children’s skill development across ages and
grades will be able to understand the sequential way children learn
and become familiar with the way in which teachers at higher grade
levels support learning .
AGE GROUPING IN PENNSYLVANIA
LEARNING STANDARDS FOR EARLY
CHILDHOOD
It is critical that kindergarten instruction occurs through an active
learning approach where teachers use differentiated instructional
strategies and focus on learning centers and play as key elements of
the daily schedule . Child-initiated investigation should be predominant
with supportive direct instruction in content areas infused throughout the day . Kindergarten children should be given opportunities to
develop social and emotional skills, physical skills, and their creative
expression within the course of a kindergarten day .
Learning Standards for Infant-Toddler
The Infant-Toddler Standards are divided into three age levels: infant
(birth through 12 months), young toddler (9 months–27 months),
and older toddler (24 months through 36 months) . These age divisions are arbitrary as a means for organizing the content; very young
children’s development is uneven and may span two or all three of the
age levels in different Key Areas of Learning . This is reflected by the
overlap of the age 9 months–27 months in younger toddlers .
Learning Standards for Grades 1 and 2
Students who complete grades 1 and 2 should demonstrate mastery
of the skills within the grades 1 and 2 standards . It is critical that
grades 1 and 2 instruction occurs through an active learning approach
where teachers use differentiated instructional strategies and focus on
hands-on experiential learning that is meaningful to young learners .
Child-initiated investigation should be coupled with supportive direct
instruction in content areas infused throughout the day . Students
should be given opportunities to develop social and emotional skills,
physical skills and their creative expression within the course of a
typical day .
The Standards in each Key Area of Learning are displayed on an InfantToddler continuum with the content within one strand presented
together . Practitioners can look down each level to determine the skills
that best match their children’s current development, identifying additional concepts and competencies, and supportive practices to scaffold
children’s learning .
When strands include “emerging,” these concepts are beginning to
emerge but are not expected to be mastered . For example, infants
7
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
H
skills, and concepts children need to make progress socially and academically . High-quality early care and education programs maintain
high developmentally achievable expectations for all children using
clear performance standards with a continuous cycle of assessment
understood and used by staff, children, and families .
igh-quality early care and education programs offer learning
opportunities that have a significant impact on the success of
all children . A warm, responsive relationship with a highlytrained teaching staff is foundational . It is expected that teachers will
intentionally integrate developmental knowledge with the attitudes,
1
2
6
High-quality early care and education programs
have a significant impact on children’s future
successes .
7
All children can learn and deserve high expectations that are age-, individually-, and culturallyappropriate .
Children’s learning development and opportunities are supported when their teachers are
trained in early childhood development and
education, including professional training and
ongoing professional development, and are
intentional in their relationships and work with
children and families .
Early care and education programs must
address the individual needs of a diverse
population of children, e .g ., children with
special needs, children from diverse cultural
backgrounds, children from all socio-economic
groups .
3
Young children learn best when they are able to
construct knowledge through meaningful play,
active exploration of the environment, and
thoughtfully planned activities .
8
Early care and education programs are defined
by a set of comprehensive standards that maximize a child’s growth and development across
cognitive and non-cognitive domains .
4
The learning environment for young children
should stimulate and engage their curiosity of
the world around them and meet their physical
and emotional needs so that they feel safe and
secure .
9
There must be a system of research-based
assessments that documents children’s growth
and development in relationship to a defined set
of standards and is used to inform instruction .
5
10
Language and early literacy development must
be supported and integrated throughout all
aspects of early care and education programs .
8
Children’s learning is enhanced when families,
schools, and communities work together .
THE LEARNING STANDARDS FOR
EARLY CHILDHOOD FORMAT
Scientific Thinking and Technology
Exploring, Scientific Inquiry, and Discovery
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS – Linked to the BIG IDEAS and
provides the questions that support children’s inquiry
BIG IDEAS – Describes the information that
children should acquire across all age levels
TAG LINE
STANDARD AREA – Organizes
the content within KEY LEARNING
AREAS into smaller topics
KEY LEARNING
AREA – The
domains of
learning that
assure child’s
holistic
development
3.1 Biological Sciences
BIG IDEAS: Living things have unique characteristics which differ from nonliving things . The characteristics of living things can be
observed and studied .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: In what ways do living and nonliving things differ? What are similarities, differences, and patterns of living
things?
A. LIVING AND NONLIVING ORGANISMS
1. Common Characteristics of Life
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
3.1 K.A.1
Recognize the
difference
between living
and nonliving
things.
The learner will:
• Sort objects by living and nonliving.
• Categorize common living things into
plants and animals .
The adult will:
• Include live animals and plants along with models, stuffed animals,
plastic animals and plants, and pictures/posters in the classroom.
• Display worm farms, bird feeders, or ant hills for observation.
• Read books about living and nonliving things.
• Set up a science table or exploration area, stock with both living and
nonliving things .
STRAND
CONCEPTS AND COMPETENCIES – Skills that
help to define the construct of the STANDARD
SUPPORTIVE PRACTICES – Practitioners can employ these strategies
to help children learn or make progress with particular skills
2. Energy Flow
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
3.1 K.A.2
Identify basic
needs of plants
(water and light)
and animals
(food, water, and
light).
The learner will:
• Categorize common living things into
plants and animals .
• State that living things need air, food,
and water to survive .
• Observe the effect of darkness and
light on growing plants .
The adult will:
• Display worm farms, bird feeders, or ant hills for observation.
• Provide living things within the classroom that children actively care
for . (e .g ., nontoxic plants, classroom pet)
• Explicitly discuss what living things need to survive.
STANDARD – A specific skill a
child should know by the end of
the developmental age range
9
Approaches to Learning through Play
Constructing, Organizing, and Applying Knowledge
AL.1 Constructing and Gathering Knowledge
AL.2 Organizing and Understanding Information
AL.3 Applying Knowledge
AL.4 Learning through Experience
A
taking, pleasure, knowledge construction, absorption in the moment, and the desire to return to
this state of mind, which is what we
call play . Therefore, play is a powerful learning tool that enables the
child to grow and develop a lifelong
love of learning . Play is the child’s
natural state of mind and therefore
influences all of the child’s domains of development including physical, cognitive, language,
social, aesthetic, and emotional .
And equally as important, play as a
focused state of mind provides the
child with a context and positive
attitude in which to develop their
Approaches to Learning skills, which are
shown to lead to lifelong success .
pproaches to Learning
through Play Standards
describe the essential
life skills that enable a child to
grow, learn, develop, and become a
successful member of the community . The use and development
of these skills begin at birth and
continue across the human life
span . Approaches to Learning
through Play Standards
addresses how a child gathers
and constructs knowledge,
organizes and understands
information, applies that knowledge, and transfers the selfconstructed learning beyond the
immediate moment . The child must
develop these imperative capacities to understand
and use the content of literacy, mathematics, science, and social
studies, as well as necessary emotional well-being and lifelong
success . It is essential to provide children with optimal learning
opportunities that feature the development of these skills as the
key component of 21st century classrooms across our state .
T
Play, Play, and
Play Some More!
he best way to support children’s learning in the early
years is to provide hands-on, active learning experiences
that include play activities . Play enables children to
weave together past knowledge and new information to acquire
new understanding and skill development . A child who discovers the characteristics of apples through manipulating, investigating, and exploring them understands the depth of apples
better than a child who colors a worksheet picture of an apple .
Children can cooperate in the block area to determine how
many blocks can be added to a structure before it falls . This
type of play enhances children’s social and creative thinking
sequences . Play sequences and activities expand across all Key
Areas of Learning and can build social, cognitive, and physical skill development when they are intentionally planned and
facilitated by teachers who interact with children, asking openended questions to scaffold children’s thinking and problemsolving .
F
rom the moment of birth, healthy children are in a continuous state of exploring, discovering, and constructing
meaningful relationships with the world around them .
These innate qualities support children as they venture out
to connect with and understand the world in which they live .
When children are encouraged to follow their innate inquisitiveness, they develop processes that enable them to succeed
in answering important self-constructed “how” or “I wonder”
questions . While children follow their own self-directed leads,
they may be unsure of the outcome but are willing to take that
risk to find out what will happen next . This outlook provides
children with great pleasure as they interact successfully to
understand their world; therefore, they desire to return to this
preferred state of mind again and again . Children enjoy learning
that includes active self-direction, positive anticipation, risk10
APPROACHES TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: CONSTRUCTING, ORGANIZING, AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
AL.1 Constructing and Gathering Knowledge
BIG IDEAS: Children actively construct knowledge through routines, play, practices, and language . Children use a variety of strategies
to gather information based upon their own individualized approach to learning .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What strategies can be used to gather information? What can I learn from my everyday experiences,
including play?
A. CURIOSITY AND INITIATIVE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.1 K.A
Explore and ask
questions to
seek meaningful
information about
a growing range
of topics, ideas,
and tasks.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Use senses to explore and learn from
Stimulate students’ curiosity using “provocation” strategies
the environment .
when introducing new topics or ideas . (e .g ., ask students to
guess what an unfamiliar object might be used for, place new
• Show interest and inquire about others’
materials in sensory table and encourage exploration, ask “I
work .
wonder” questions)
• Ask questions to understand something.
Provide real objects that can be manipulated or explored to
(e .g ., “How does that work?”)
understand a concept .
• Use play to practice new skills and
Respond to students’ questions (inquiry) with explanations .
knowledge .
Model and encourage use of vocabulary within context of play/
• Demonstrate interest in new materials
learning
experience .
and experiences that are introduced
into the classroom . (e .g ., use play to
Encourage students to discuss, inquire, engage in learning
practice new skills and knowledge, use
experiences, and research answers to questions on topics .
vocabulary words or concepts learned in
Provide a classroom with clearly defined interest areas and
class during play)
materials that invite students to explore, discover, and create .
• Watch others engaged in a task and ask
Provide ample time to practice new skills and knowledge
to join in .
through playful experiences .
Regularly rotate classroom materials and formally introduce
new objects and activities into the classroom by showing
excitement . (e .g ., “Look what I brought for us to do today!”)
B. RISK-TAKING
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.1 K.B
The learner will:
The adult will:
Demonstrate a
• Actively explore new materials that are
Introduce materials and activities by explaining what they are
willingness to
introduced into the classroom .
and providing instructions on use .
participate in new • State discomfort at trying something
Support students when activity becomes challenging . (e .g .,
and challenging
new, but make attempts to try with
active listening, encouragement, offer specific feedback)
experiences.
encouragement .
Engage students in “what if” scenarios to discuss potentially
• Listen attentively to learn proper
dangerous or inappropriate responses to situations .
techniques for a new skill, and follow
Rotate materials in the classroom often to provide a variety of
through using the learned technique .
diverse experiences .
• Deal with success in a positive way and
Demonstrate enthusiasm when introducing new materials
view challenges as growing experiences .
and challenges .
• Differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate methods for learning
information . (e .g ., understand that
jumping from a high wall is a dangerous
way to discover its height)
11
APPROACHES TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: CONSTRUCTING, ORGANIZING, AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
C. STAGES OF PLAY
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.1 K.C
Engage in
elaborate,
interactive play
sequences that
include acting
out roles and
negotiating play
themes.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Use materials and props to support an
Observe and explicitly point out when students are
ongoing play experience .
referencing prior learning in their play scenarios .
Observe play scenarios for use of new vocabulary, knowledge,
• Initiate and sustain play scenarios
related to prior learning . (e .g ., rainforest
and/or for misconceptions/interests that can be addressed
theme, space theme)
through instruction .
• Extend play scenarios over more than
Provide props and materials to support play experiences .
one day .
Join in pretend play scenarios with students .
• Engage in simple games containing
Understand the stages of play (solitary, parallel, associative,
rules demonstrating the ability to plan
and cooperative) and recognize that students will engage in all
ahead and to develop strategies .
stages at various times .
• When appropriate, allow structures or scenario props to stay in
location for several days without clean-up .
• Engage students in game play with peers.
AL.2 Organizing and Understanding Information
BIG IDEA: Strategies for filtering and organizing information are important to the learning process .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: How do I decide what information/task to attend to? What strategies do I use to organize information?
A. ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENTION
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.2 K.A
Complete a
task, despite
interruptions
or classroom
disruptions.
The learner will:
• Complete simple activities or tasks from
beginning to end with independence .
• Follow multi-step directions.
• State when frustrated by a challenge.
• Ignore distractions to complete a task.
The adult will:
Save students’ work for later completion if transition to a new
activity is necessary .
Encourage students to complete tasks that are challenging .
Allow ample time for students to complete tasks and activities
in which they are engaged .
• Give clear and simple directions or explanations.
• Minimize interruptions and disruptions for students who are
concentrating on a specific task or activity .
• Offer help to students who are demonstrating difficulty
completing a task or activity .
• Differentiate based on student needs.
• Model self-monitoring behaviors.
12
APPROACHES TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: CONSTRUCTING, ORGANIZING, AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
B. TASK ANALYSIS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.2 K.B
Complete multistep tasks with
independence.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Attend and follow through with threeAsk students to describe the steps required to complete a
step directions .
certain task .
• Explain the steps necessary to complete
Model goal-setting and breaking tasks into steps using explicit
a task .
vocabulary . (e .g ., first, next, last)
• Share the desired outcome or end goal
Encourage students to explain the sequence, steps, and
of a task or activity .
desired outcomes of self-initiated tasks and activities .
• Break task into smaller components and • Use clear and concise directions (visual and/or verbal) for the
complete one at a time .
completion of tasks .
• Review steps of a task with students prior to asking them to
complete the task and give them time to complete the task
without reminders .
• Differentiate based on student needs.
C. PERSISTENCE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.2 K.C
Accomplish
challenging tasks
by employing
familiar and new
strategies as
needed.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Determine alternative ways to complete
Model and discuss a variety of strategies that can be used to
a task when the first attempt is
follow through on a challenging task . (e .g ., using materials in
unsuccessful . (e .g ., using materials in
new ways, trial and error, breaking tasks into steps, asking for
new ways, trial and error, breaking tasks
help from a competent peer or adult)
into steps, asking for help)
Encourage students to develop alternative solutions to
• Implement familiar and new strategies
accomplish a task .
independently .
Ask students open-ended questions to help develop alternative
• Stick to a task after experiencing
solutions without giving them the answer .
frustration .
• Offer constructive feedback on students’ efforts to work through
• Show pride in completion of a
challenging tasks .
challenging task .
• Acknowledge students’ completion of a challenging task.
D. PATTERNING
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.2 K.D
Recognize and
create simple
patterns.
The learner will:
• Identify patterns in the environment.
(e .g ., decode or read common signs or
logos)
• Identify patterns in literacy. (e.g., word
families)
• Recognize, describe, extend, and
transfer a two- and three-element
pattern . (e .g ., AB, ABC)
• Reproduce an existing pattern and
verbalize the pattern .
The adult will:
• Engage students in finding patterns. (e.g., in the environment,
literacy, mathematical, scientific, arts)
• Model creating patterns.
• Provide opportunities to create and extend patterns.
• Discuss patterns. (e.g., “Why do you think that is a pattern?”
“What is missing from this pattern?”)
13
APPROACHES TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: CONSTRUCTING, ORGANIZING, AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
E. MEMORY
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.2 K.E
Retain and recall
information
presented over
a short period of
time.
The learner will:
• Recall information and/or experiences
from the past .
• Engage in use of mnemonic devices.
(e .g ., sing songs to remember the days
of the week)
• Recall details from stories, events, and
experiences .
• Share family experiences using stories,
pictures, photos, and/or videos.
The adult will:
Encourage students to talk about past experiences and events .
Ask questions which challenge students to recall the details of
experiences they are relating .
Maintain documentation of past events through pictures,
photos, videos, and/or quotes from students. Post and explore
this documentation with the students over time .
Make connections between previous learning and new
information .
• Introduce mnemonic devices as a strategy to promote recall.
• Encourage families to make and share memory books
highlighting student’s past experiences .
AL.3 Applying Knowledge
BIG IDEA: Prior knowledge and experiences can be used to express and create new understandings .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: How do I use what I already know to understand new things? How do I represent new understandings?
A. CREATIVITY
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.3 K.A
Use music, art,
and/or stories to
express ideas,
thoughts, and
feelings.
The learner will:
• Use a variety of materials to explore and
express ideas and emotions .
• Recognize imagination and creativity in
others .
• Communicate own ideas.
See also 9.1.M K.E; 9.1.D K.E;
9.1.V K.E; 1.4 K.M; 1.5 K.E
The adult will:
Provide opportunities to use materials in uncommon ways .
Provide a variety of materials to use in creating .
Use “I wonder” statements to encourage creativity with use of
objects .
Model how to elaborate, refine, evaluate, and communicate
ideas, thoughts, and feelings .
Reference 9.1.M K.E; 9.1.D K.E;
9.1.V K.E; 1.4 K.M; 1.5 K.E
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.3 K.B
Create an
object to serve
a functional
purpose.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Explore different ways to use everyday
Provide opportunities to engage in creative activities .
objects .
Encourage children to pre-plan their creative efforts .
• Describe plan to create a functional
Provide opportunities to present and describe creations .
object . (e .g ., develop a blueprint prior to • Ask questions about students’ creations. (e.g., “How did you
building a block structure)
make that?” “What is that used for?”)
• Answer questions to explain the purpose • Offer specific feedback on students’ creative efforts.
of a creation .
• Show pride in a creation.
B. INVENTION
14
APPROACHES TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: CONSTRUCTING, ORGANIZING, AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
C. REPRESENTATION
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.3 K.C
Use materials
and objects to
represent new
concepts.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Combine different types of materials to
Provide a variety of loose parts that can be combined to create
represent a scenario or situation . (e .g .,
an end-product .
represent a community using a variety
Provide opportunities for children to use materials in nonof objects)
conforming ways .
• Use real life objects to represent makeUse “I wonder” statements to encourage children’s creativity
believe or fantasy objects . (e .g ., paper for
with use of objects .
money, magazine for a menu)
AL.4 Learning through Experience
BIG IDEA: Experiences provide the context in which learning is constructed .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: In what ways does an experience in one setting influence my learning and experiences in another setting?
How do I learn from my mistakes and/or from challenging situations?
A. MAKING CONNECTIONS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.4 K.A
Relate knowledge
learned from
one experience
to a similar
experience in a
new setting.
The learner will:
• Relate personal (e.g., home, cultural,
community) experiences during school
activities .
• Connect information and/or experiences
from the past .
• Understand differences in activities and
events from home to school .
• Share new skills or tasks learned or
practiced outside of school setting in the
classroom .
• Practice skills learned in whole group
demonstration or role-play during
center exploration .
• Apply a skill to multiple tasks. (e.g., use
measuring cups in science activity, math
exploration, and cooking)
The adult will:
• Encourage families to continue school activities at home.
• Provide families regular updates about activities that are
occurring in school . (e .g ., message boards, newsletters,
classroom websites, journals)
• Talk with families about what students are working on at home
and incorporate those goals in the school day .
• Ask students to describe out-of-school activities they participate
in and show what they are learning .
• Provide “take home” activities that connect material learned
that day to home environment . (e .g ., after practicing patterns in
the classroom, identify patterns at home)
• Acknowledge, value, and use diversity that students bring to the
classroom . (e .g ., culture, family structure, community)
• Provide materials, including text, in centers that encourage
practice of skills demonstrated during instruction .
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
B. RESILIENCY
Standard
AL.4 K.B
Recognize that
everyone makes
mistakes and that
using positive
coping skills
can result in
learning from the
experience.
Reference 16.1 K.C
Reference 16.1 K.C
15
APPROACHES TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: CONSTRUCTING, ORGANIZING, AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
C. PROBLEM-SOLVING
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
AL.4 K.C
Use problemsolving strategies
to achieve a
positive outcome.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Try new ways to complete an unfamiliar
Explicitly discuss and present/model a variety of strategies
task .
that can be used to solve problems . (e .g ., using materials in
new ways, trial and error, breaking tasks into steps, asking for
• Attempt to complete a task in more than
help
from a competent peer or adult)
one way (e .g ., using materials in new
ways, trial and error, breaking tasks into
Create and provide opportunities for students to engage in
steps) before asking for help or stopping
problem-solving activities . (e .g ., role-play)
due to frustration .
Encourage students to use a variety of materials to solve
• Ask questions to clarify problems.
problems or complete a task . (e .g ., “I wonder if we could use
this box to catch the worm?”)
• Discuss the different ways used to
accomplish a task or to solve a problem .
Engage students in interactions that use known strategies in
new situations .
• Recall and use a previously successful
strategy .
Display a variety of materials and ask students to complete a
task, allowing them to choose the materials that best suit the
• Change plan if a better strategy presents
activity .
itself .
Ask open-ended questions that require thought and creative
thinking (e .g ., “What is another way you could solve this
problem?”) to facilitate problem-solving .
Observe how students solve problems in the classroom and
offer assistance when needed .
16
APPROACHES TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: CONSTRUCTING, ORGANIZING, AND APPLYING KNOWLEDGE
Approaches to Learning through Play
Glossary
Associative Play—A form of play in which a group of children
participate in similar and/or identical activities without formal
organization, group direction, group interaction, or a definite
goal; children may imitate others in a group but each child acts
independently .
Parallel Play—A form of social play where children play with
toys like those the children around them are using, but the child
is absorbed in his/her own activity; usually play beside rather
than with one another .
Pattern—The regular and repeated way in which something
happens or is done .
Attention—An ability to focus; take all stimuli in environment
and focus on one thing .
Persistence—The steady continuance of an action in spite of
obstacles or difficulties .
Competence—The ability to perform a task, action, or function
successfully .
Play—A self-selected activity that may or may not have a specific
purpose .
Cooperative Play—Any organized recreation among a group of
children in which activities are planned for the purpose of achieving some goal .
Pretend Play—Using an object to represent something else
while giving it action and motion; actively experimenting with
the social and emotional roles of life; can build skills in many
developmental areas .
Culture—The way of life of a particular social, ethnic, or age
group of people which includes beliefs, arts, customs, and
behaviors .
Provocation Strategies—strategies which promote thoughtful practices that enhance the teaching and learning of young
children within and across diverse communities .
Curiosity—A desire to learn or know about something;
inquisitiveness .
Engagement—Ability to express oneself physically, cognitively,
and emotionally during an activity; to feel a connection or a
strong bond to work .
Resilience—The ability to cope with and bounce back from
all types of challenges . A person thrives, matures, and increases
competence by drawing on biological, psychological, and environmental resources .
Extrinsic Motivation—Motivation that comes from factors
outside an individual .
Solitary Play—A form of play among a group of children
within the same room or area in which each child engages in an
independent activity using toys that are different from the toys of
others; shows no interest in joining in or interfering with the play
of others
Initiative—A readiness and ability to be eager to lead an action .
Intrinsic Motivation—Motivation that comes from inside an
individual rather than from any external or outside rewards .
Invention—An act of devising, creating, or producing using
imagination (art, music) .
Task Analysis—A process of breaking down complex behaviors
into smaller, discrete, specific sub-behaviors to be performed in a
certain order for maximum success .
Memory—The mental capacity or faculty of retaining and retrieving facts, events, impressions, etc ., or of recalling or recognizing previous experiences .
Temperament—The combination of mental, physical, and
emotional traits of a person; natural predisposition .
Mnemonic Device—a mind memory and/or learning aid. Commonly, mnemonics are verbal—such as a very short poem or a
special word .
17
Language and Literacy Development
English Language Arts
1.1 Foundational Skills
1.2 Reading Informational Text
1.3 Reading Literature
1.4 Writing
1.5 Speaking and Listening
C
ommunication occurs
in different ways . It is
a way to share one’s
ideas and understand the ideas
of others . Reading involves the
use of pictures, symbols, and
text to gain information and
derive meaning, and writing is
used for a variety of purposes .
Children should be exposed to
a variety of books to acquire
new information and for personal fulfillment . Children apply a wide range of strategies
to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate text .
Children draw meaning from their prior knowledge and
experience, their interactions with others, their knowledge of word meaning, and their word identification
strategies . Children vary their use of the spoken and
written language to communicate effectively with others .
One of the first building blocks of reading is phonemic
awareness; this is one of the best predictors of early
reading achievement . Children should be developing
this awareness in the early years by listening to rhyming
stories and songs and engaging
in word play activities .
Diversity and
Culture
T
oday’s early childhood
programs include
increasingly diverse
groups of children, families,
and teachers who represent
many cultures, values, and
lifestyles . Providers have a
unique opportunity to create
welcoming environments that emphasize respect for
diversity and support families’ cultural and linguistic
differences . Teachers must help assure the preservation
of home language while supporting the acquisition of
Standard English . Programs should create experiences
and opportunities that honor all children’s cultures and
values by developing creative strategies for including and
expanding home-to-school connections and by providing
students with varied ways to demonstrate their learning .
Such experiences and opportunities assure all students’
success in school .
18
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
1.1 Foundational Skills
BIG IDEA: Emerging reading involves the use of pictures, symbols, and text to gain information and derive meaning .
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do I acquire and practice pre-reading skills?
A. BOOK HANDLING
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.1 K.A
Use bookhandling skills.
The learner will:
• Orient a book properly.
• Turn pages from left to right, one page
at a time .
• Track print from top to bottom and left
to right .
The adult will:
• Model appropriate book handling practices.
• Read to students daily.
• Provide daily opportunities to look at and read books and
magazines .
• Provide hands-on experience (e.g., small groups, independent,
learning stations) with texts .
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
B. PRINT CONCEPTS
Standard
1.1 K.B
The learner will:
Demonstrate
• Follow words left to right, top to bottom,
understanding of
and page by page .
the organization • Recognize that spoken words are
and basic features
represented in written language by
of print.
specific sequences of letters .
• Understand that words are separated by
spaces in print .
• Recognize and name all upper and
lower case letters of the alphabet .
The adult will:
• Model print concepts while using different forms of text and
genre . (e .g ., big books, names, poems)
• Read to students daily.
• Provide opportunities to sort words and letters.
• Provide hands-on experience (e.g., small groups, independent,
learning stations) with text .
• Use print and digital-text materials for functional purposes.
C. PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.1 K.C
Demonstrate
understanding
of spoken
words, syllables,
and sounds
(phonemes).
The learner will:
• Recognize and produce rhyming words.
• Count, pronounce, blend, and segment
syllables in spoken words .
• Blend and segment onsets and rimes of
single-syllable spoken words .
• Isolate and pronounce initial, medial
vowel, and final sound (phonemes) in
the three phoneme (CVC) .
The adult will:
• Provide oral practice with counting words, syllables, and
phonemes .
• Provide oral practice with identifying beginning and ending
sounds .
• Use pictures to identify rhyming words.
• Provide opportunities to identify and produce rhyming words.
D. PHONICS AND WORD RECOGNITION
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.1 K.D
Know and apply
grade-level
phonics and word
analysis skills in
decoding words.
The learner will:
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-toone letter-sound correspondence .
• Associate the long and short sounds with
common spellings for the five major
vowels .
• Read grade-level high-frequency sight
words with automaticity .
• Distinguish between similarly spelled
words by identifying the sounds of the
letters that differ .
The adult will:
• Ask students to verbally identify the letters out of sequence.
• Ask students to identify the sound for each letter out of
sequence .
• Model and practice segmenting and blending.
• Provide learning centers that focus on letters, sounds, words,
and creating simple sentences .
• Use print and digital-text materials for functional purposes.
19
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
E. FLUENCY
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.1 K.E
Read emergentreader text with
purpose and
understanding.
The learner will:
• Identify and use high-frequency words
to read emergent-reader text .
• Decode and encode unknown words in a
text .
• Choose text based on identified need
and purpose .
The adult will:
• Include self-selected reading opportunities.
• Provide a variety of emergent-reader text.
• Provide daily opportunities to practice reading emergent-reader
text and high-frequency words .
• Post high-frequency words in the classroom. (e.g., word wall)
• Incorporate high-frequency words into meaningful context.
1.2 Reading Informational Text
BIG IDEAS: Effective readers use appropriate strategies to construct meaning . Critical thinkers actively and skillfully interpret,
analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information . An expanded vocabulary enhances one’s ability to express ideas and information .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What is the text really about? How does interaction with the text promote thinking and response? Why
learn new words? What strategies and resources does the learner use to figure out unknown vocabulary?
A. KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS – MAIN IDEA
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.A
With prompting
and support,
identify the main
idea and retell
key details of text.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Identify the main idea.
• Know the details of a text can be used to
support a topic or main idea .
• Provide relevant details from a text
which support the main idea .
The adult will:
Provide and read a variety of informational text .
• Model identifying main idea and supporting details.
• Provide multiple opportunities to identify main idea and
supporting details .
• Model retelling of key details.
B. KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS – TEXT ANALYSIS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.B
With prompting
and support,
answer questions
about key details
in a text.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Use specific details from the text to
answer questions .
• Answer “who” or “what” the text is
about .
• Answer “how” and/or “why” questions
using specifics from the text .
The adult will:
• Provide purposeful and playful exposure to a variety of
informational text . (e .g ., nonfiction text, recipes, web pages,
menus, phone books, maps, etc .)
• Provide peer-to-peer opportunities to discuss informational text.
• Ask students to identify facts from text.
• Ask “who,” “what,” “how,” and “why” questions.
• Provide verbal prompts and picture cues to assist in recall.
C. KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.C
With prompting
and support,
make a connection
between two
individuals,
events, ideas,
or pieces of
information in a
text.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Find similarities and differences
between two individuals, events, ideas,
or pieces of information in a text .
• Answer cause-and-effect questions about
events, ideas, and information in a text .
The adult will:
• Model making connections.
• Provide learning centers and a classroom library where students
can interact independently with text .
• Ask prompting questions.
20
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
E. CRAFT AND STRUCTURE – TEXT STRUCTURE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.E
Identify parts
of a book (title,
author) and
parts of a text
(beginning,
details, and end).
The learner will:
• Relate that text is organized in a
predictable format .
• Identify title and author.
• Identify the beginning, details, and end
of a text .
The adult will:
• Identify and discuss parts of a book.
• Ask students to identify parts of a book.
• Model identifying parts of an informational text.
F. CRAFT AND STRUCTURE – VOCABULARY
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.F
With prompting
and support,
ask and answer
questions about
unknown words
in a text.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Recognize that a word is unknown.
• Ask “What does this word mean?”
• Connect prior knowledge to unknown
words .
• Participate in discussions about
unknown words .
The adult will:
Introduce vocabulary in the context of topics when using a
variety of informational text . (e .g ., nonfiction text, recipes,
web pages, menus, phone books, maps, etc .)
• Model own connections to new vocabulary.
• Model how use of picture cues can help determine the meaning
of new words .
• Respond with interest and support when students demonstrate
interest in an unknown word .
G. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS – DIVERSE MEDIA
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.G
Answer questions
to describe the
relationship
between
illustrations and
the text in which
they appear.
The learner will:
• Retell a simple sequence in a text using
picture support .
• Describe pictures in a text in detail to
answer specific questions in a text .
The adult will:
Provide various experiences to engage with picture/text
connections . (e .g ., cooking, dramatic play, construction,
gardening, posting picture schedule)
• Ask questions to prompt students to relate illustrations to the
text in which they appear .
• Model and provide practice connecting illustrations with a text.
H. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS – EVALUATING ARGUMENTS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.H
With prompting
and support,
identify the
reasons an author
gives to support
points in a text.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Identify the evidence an author uses.
• Answer prompts using specific text
details .
The adult will:
• Model and provide practice identifying text supports. (e.g.,
illustrations)
• Prompt students to refer back to text.
21
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
I. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS – ANALYSIS ACROSS TEXTS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.I
With prompting
and support,
identify basic
similarities
and differences
between two texts
(read or read
aloud) on the
same topic.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Recognize that texts have similar
components that can be compared and
contrasted . (e .g ., main ideas, details)
• Participate in strategies that provide
opportunities to compare and contrast
texts and/or components of texts. (e.g.,
Venn diagrams, T-charts)
The adult will:
• Provide opportunities to engage with a variety of text on the
same topic .
• Ask questions regarding similarities and differences after
reading two or more texts on the same topic .
• Use structural supports (e.g., graphic organizers) to compare
and contrast texts .
• Model and provide practice with a variety of texts on similar
topics .
J. VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND USE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.J
Use words
and phrases
acquired through
conversations,
reading, and
being read to,
and respond to
texts.
The learner will:
• Talk about pictures and text using new
vocabulary words or phrases .
• Use new vocabulary in the context
of dramatic play, daily routines, and
classroom conversations .
• Use new vocabulary when asking
questions or describing situations or
objects .
• Use new vocabulary when answering
questions or describing situations or
objects .
The adult will:
Use Tier III vocabulary daily and throughout different
contexts .
Provide concrete materials in learning centers to assist
students in connecting prior knowledge to new words or
phrases .
• Read appropriate informational text.
• Provide opportunities for oral language practice.
• Respond with interest and support when children seek
clarification of a word or phrase .
K. VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND USE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.K
With prompting
and support,
determine
or clarify the
meaning of
unknown or
multiple-meaning
words and
phrases based
upon grade-level
reading and
content.
The learner, with prompting and
The adult will:
support, will:
Model researching unfamiliar words in a text .
• Recognize words or phrases that are
• Introduce vocabulary in the context of topics when using a
unfamiliar to them .
variety of informational text . (e .g ., nonfiction text, recipes, web
pages, menus, phone books, maps, etc .)
• Connect prior knowledge to unfamiliar
words .
• Model how use of picture cues can help determine the meaning
of new words .
• Make predictions about word meanings.
• Use strategies to look up unfamiliar
words .
• Talk about connections between familiar
and unfamiliar words or phrases that
mean similar things . (e .g ., grass, lawn)
• Participate in discussions about
unfamiliar words .
22
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
L. RANGE OF READING
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.2 K.L
Actively engage
in group reading
activities with
purpose and
understanding.
The learner will:
• Ask and answer questions about text
being read aloud .
• Share relevant prior knowledge about
text being read aloud .
• Respond to and build on comments
from other children .
• Use ideas gained in group reading
activities in other daily routines,
learning centers, and activities .
The adult will:
• Provide opportunities for group reading activities.
• Teach and model appropriate active listening skills.
• Use strategies prior to reading to involve children in the text
being read . (e .g ., predict the topic of the text using front cover
and/or illustrations, picture walk)
• Attend to students’ questions and comments during reading.
• Provide learning center materials and activities that extend the
ideas explore in group reading .
1.3 Reading Literature
BIG IDEAS: Effective readers use appropriate strategies to construct meaning . Critical thinkers actively and skillfully interpret,
analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information . An expanded vocabulary enhances one’s ability to express ideas and information .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What is the text really about? How does interaction with the text promote thinking and response? Why
learn new words? What strategies and resources does the learner use to figure out unknown vocabulary?
A. KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS – THEME
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.A
With prompting
and support,
retell familiar
stories including
key details.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Retell story in sequential order.
• Recall key details of a story.
• Use a variety of strategies to retell a
story . (e .g ., picture cards, dramatic play,
illustration)
The adult will:
• Select appropriate literary text.
• Model retelling with key details.
• Provide multiple opportunities to practice retelling.
• Provide students digital media opportunities to reinforce
sequencing skills .
• Ask questions that support the use of sequencing. (e.g., “What
was the first thing that happened?” “What happened after?”)
B. KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS – TEXT ANALYSIS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.B
Answer questions
about key details
in a text.
The learner will:
• Respond to questions and discuss key
details from literary text .
• Use specific details from story to answer
questions .
• Answer “who” or “what” the story is
about .
• Answer “how” and/or “why” questions
using specifics from the story .
The adult will:
• Select appropriate literary text.
• Ask probing questions about literary text.
• Provide verbal prompts and picture cues to assist in recall.
23
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
C. KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS – LITERARY ELEMENTS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.C
With prompting
and support,
identify
characters,
settings, and
major events in a
story.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Identify narrative elements. (e.g.,
characters, setting, major events)
• Demonstrate understanding that the
“setting” is where the story takes place .
• Demonstrate understanding that
“characters” are people or animals who
have a role in the story .
• Respond to questions and prompts
about characters, settings, and events .
The adult will:
• Select appropriate literary text.
• Provide opportunities to identify narrative elements of a text.
D. CRAFT AND STRUCTURE – POINT OF VIEW
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.D
The learner will:
Name the author • Understand that an author writes the
and illustrator of
story .
a story and define • Understand that the illustrator draws the
the role of each in
pictures .
telling the story.
The adult will:
• Explicitly use the terms “author” and “illustrator” along with
their definitions .
• Credit students as “author” and “illustrator” of their own works
(drawings and dictations) .
• Provide opportunities to discuss the roles of the author and
illustrator in telling the story .
E. CRAFT AND STRUCTURE – TEXT STRUCTURE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.E
Recognize
common types of
text.
The learner will:
• Engage with a variety of text. (e.g., fables,
folklore, fairy tales, nursery rhymes,
tall tales, dramas, poetry, picture books,
storybooks, nonfiction text, recipes, web
pages, menus, phone books, maps)
• Understand that different types of text
are used for different purposes .
• Understand that a storybook has
characters, setting, and actions
associated with words and, most often,
illustrations .
• Understand that a poem consists of
words arranged in patterns of sound .
(e .g ., rhyming words, alliteration)
The adult will:
• Provide purposeful and playful exposure to a variety of texts.
(e .g ., fables, folklore, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, tall tales,
dramas, poetry, picture books, storybooks, nonfiction text,
recipes, web pages, menus, phone books, maps)
• Explicitly use the labels for different genres. (e.g., “storybook,”
“poem,” “fiction,” “nonfiction)
• Model how to determine a fiction or nonfiction text by
comparing books on the same topic .
F. CRAFT AND STRUCTURE – VOCABULARY
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.F
Ask and answer
questions about
unknown words
in a text.
The learner will:
• Ask “What does this word mean?”
• Connect prior knowledge to unknown
words .
• Participate in discussions about
unknown words .
The adult will:
• Introduce vocabulary in the context of topics when using
storybooks, finger plays, songs, or poems .
• Model own connections to new vocabulary.
• Provide multiple opportunities for practice with unknown words.
• Model how use of picture cues can help one determine the
meaning of new words .
24
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
G. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS – SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
1.3 K.G
The learner will:
Make connections • Retell a simple sequence in a text using
between the
picture support .
illustrations and • Describe pictures in a text in detail to
the text in a story
answer specific questions in a text .
(read or read
aloud).
Supportive Practices
The adult will:
• Provide a variety of literary texts.
• Provide opportunities to interact with literary text.
• Model how to make text to illustration connections.
H. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS – TEXT ANALYSIS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.H
Compare and
contrast the
adventures and
experiences of
characters in
familiar stories.
The learner will:
• Understand that characters within the
same story or characters from different
stories can be compared and contrasted .
• Participate in strategies that provide
opportunities to compare and contrast
the experiences of characters . (e .g .,
Venn diagrams, T-charts, dramatic roleplay)
The adult will:
• Provide purposeful and playful exposure to a variety of fictional
texts . (e .g ., fables, folklore, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, tall tales,
dramas, poetry, picture books, storybooks)
• Model finding similarities and differences between familiar
stories .
• Introduce strategies (e.g., Venn diagrams, T-charts) using
concrete materials (e .g ., hula hoops, strings) to compare and
contrast texts and components of texts in teacher-led, small
group, and individual activities .
I. VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND USE – STRATEGIES
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.I
Determine
or clarify the
meaning of
unknown or
multiplemeaning words
and phrases
based upon
grade-level
reading and
content.
The learner will:
• Recognize words or phrases that are
unfamiliar to them .
• Connect prior knowledge to unfamiliar
words .
• Make predictions about word meanings.
• Use strategies to look up unfamiliar
words .
• Talk about connections between familiar
and unfamiliar words or phrases that
mean similar things . (e .g ., grass, lawn)
• Participate in discussions about
unfamiliar words .
The adult will:
• Introduce vocabulary in the context of topics when using
storybooks, finger plays, songs, or poems .
• Model own connections to new vocabulary.
• Provide multiple opportunities for practice with unknown words.
• Model how use of picture cues can help one determine the
meaning of new words .
25
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
J. VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND USE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.J
Use words
and phrases
acquired through
conversations,
reading, and
being read to,
and respond to
texts.
The learner will:
• Recognize words or phrases that are
unfamiliar to them .
• Connect prior knowledge to unfamiliar
words .
• Make predictions about word meanings.
• Use strategies to look up unfamiliar
words .
• Talk about connections between familiar
and unfamiliar words or phrases that
mean similar things . (e .g ., grass, lawn)
• Participate in discussions about
unfamiliar words .
The adult will:
Use vocabulary daily and throughout different contexts .
Model use of newly learned words or phrases .
Support and acknowledge children’s use of new words or
phrases .
• Provide opportunities for oral language practice.
• Scaffold the definition of words when introducing them before
a story, being certain to provide several examples that help to
demonstrate the meaning .
• Encourage students to listen for new vocabulary words within
the context of the story .
K. RANGE OF READING
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.3 K.K
Actively engage
in group reading
activities with
purpose and
understanding.
The learner will:
• Ask and answer questions about text
being read aloud .
• Share relevant prior knowledge about
text being read aloud .
• Respond to and build on comments
from other students .
• Use ideas gained in group reading
activities in other daily routines,
learning centers, and activities .
The adult will:
• Provide opportunities for group reading.
• Teach and model appropriate active listening skills.
• Attend to students’ questions and comments during reading.
• Ask questions about a story during reading.
• Provide learning center materials and activities that extend the
ideas explored in group reading .
1.4 Writing
BIG IDEAS: Audience and purpose influence a writer’s choice of organizational pattern, language, and literary techniques . Effective
research requires the use of varied resources to gain or expand knowledge .
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What makes clear and effective writing? Why do writers write? Who is the audience? What will work best
for the audience? Where can one find information to answer questions?
A. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.A
Use a combination
of drawing,
dictating,
and writing
to compose
informative/
explanatory texts.
The learner will:
The adult will:
• Create a picture about a nonfiction topic
Model writing using a combination of drawing and writing .
and talk about it .
Provide frequent opportunities to dictate and/or write.
• Use illustration/dictation to convey
Provide opportunities to engage in shared, interactive, and
meaning about a particular topic .
independent writing .
• Use phonetic spelling when writing.
Use journals where students can write about specific topics of
interest .
• Encourage students to draw and talk about topics of interest.
26
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
B. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY – FOCUS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.B
Use a
combination
of drawing,
dictating, and
writing to focus
on one specific
topic.
The learner will:
• Respond to writing prompts on a
specific topic .
• Choose a specific topic to write about.
The adult will:
Provide opportunities for whole group or small group
discussion on a topic before writing .
Provide opportunities to engage in shared, interactive, and
independent writing .
Create charts of students ideas about topics of interest to
facilitate students choice of a particular topic .
• Model writing on a single topic.
C. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY – CONTENT
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.C
With prompting
and support,
generate ideas
and details
to convey
information that
relates to the
chosen topic.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Brainstorm main ideas on a chosen
topic . (e .g ., topic—bats, ideas—helpful,
mammal, scary)
• Choose a main idea to focus writing on
topic .
• Generate relevant details that support
the chosen topic .
The adult will:
• Create a list of topics brainstormed by the students.
• Facilitate discussion between small groups of students interested
in a similar topic to organize thoughts and ideas .
• Model how to differentiate between relevant and irrelevant ideas.
D. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY – ORGANIZATION
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.D
Make logical
connections
between drawing
and dictation/
writing.
The learner will:
• Understand that words are connected to
print .
• Work with adult to create words or
sentences that relate to drawings .
The adult will:
• Write the students’ words on the picture and read it out loud.
• Encourage students to read their dictations.
• Model making connections between drawings and dictation/
writing .
• Provide frequent opportunities for writing and dictating stories.
• Provide opportunities to engage in shared, interactive, and
independent writing .
E. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY – STYLE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.E
With prompting
and support,
illustrate using
details and
dictate/write
using descriptive
words.
The learner, with prompting and
support, will:
• Add details to illustrations.
• Use descriptive words in dictation and
writing .
The adult will:
Model adding details to illustrations and writing .
• Provide frequent opportunities for writing and dictating stories.
• Provide opportunities to engage in shared, interactive, and
independent writing .
27
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY DEVELOPMENT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
F. INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY – CONVENTIONS OF LANGUAGE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.F
Demonstrate
a gradeappropriate
command of the
conventions of
standard English
grammar, usage,
capitalization,
punctuation, and
spelling.
The learner will:
• Capitalize the first word in a sentence
and pronoun I .
• Recognize and use ending punctuation.
• Spell simple words phonetically.
The adult will:
• Model using grade-appropriate conventions.
• Model using grade-appropriate proofreading skills.
• Provide frequent opportunities for writing and dictating stories.
• Provide opportunities to engage in shared, interactive, and
independent writing .
G. OPINION/ARGUMENTATIVE
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.G
Use a
combination
of drawing,
dictating, and
writing to
compose opinion
pieces on familiar
topics.
The learner will:
• Participate in discussions about fact and
opinion .
• State an opinion.
• Create a picture about an opinion and
talk about it .
• Use illustration/dictation to convey
meaning about an opinion .
• Use phonetic spelling when writing.
The adult will:
• Facilitate discussions about fact and opinion.
• Model writing an opinion piece using a combination of drawing
and writing .
• Provide frequent opportunities for students to dictate and/or
write .
• Provide opportunities to engage in shared, interactive, and
independent writing .
H. OPINION/ARGUMENTATIVE – FOCUS
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
1.4 K.H
The learner will:
Form an opinion • Choose between two topics.
by choosing
• State an opinion.
between two given
topics.
Supportive Practices
The adult will:
• Model choosing between two topics.
• Model forming an opinion about a given topic.
• Provide frequent opportunities for writing and dictating stories.
• Provide opportunities for learners to engage in shared,
interactive, and independent writing .
I. OPINION/ARGUMENTATIVE – CONTENT
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4 K.I
Support the
opinion with
reasons.
The learner will:
• Participate in discussions supporting
opinions .
• Generate relevant reasons that support
the opinion .
The adult will:
• Model how to support an opinion.
• Provide frequent opportunities for writing and dictating stories.
• Provide opportunities to engage in shared, interactive, and
independent writing .
J. OPINION/ARGUMENTATIVE – ORIENTATION
Standard
Concepts and Competencies
Supportive Practices
1.4...
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