Grade K2

Domain: Approaches to Learning

Domain: Social and Emotional Development

Domain: Language and Communication

Domain: Literacy

Domain: Mathematics Development

Domain: Scientific Reasoning

Domain: Scientific Reasoning

Domain: Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development

SUB-DOMAIN: EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL SELF-REGULATION

SUB-DOMAIN: COGNITIVE SELF-REGULATION

SUB-DOMAIN: INITIATIVE AND CURIOSITY

SUB-DOMAIN: CREATIVITY

SUB-DOMAIN: RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS

SUBDOMAIN: RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER CHILDREN

SUB-DOMAIN: EMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING

SUB-DOMAIN: SENSE OF IDENTITY AND BELONGING

SUB-DOMAIN: ATTENDING AND UNDERSTANDING

SUB-DOMAIN: COMMUNICATING AND SPEAKING

SUB-DOMAIN: VOCABULARY

SUB-DOMAIN: PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS

SUB-DOMAIN: PRINT AND ALPHABET KNOWLEDGE

SUB-DOMAIN: COMPREHENSIO N AND STRUCTURE

SUB-DOMAIN: WRITING

SUB-DOMAIN: COUNTING AND CARDINALITY

SUB-DOMAIN: OPERATIONS AND ALGEBRAIC THINKING

SUB-DOMAIN: MEASUREMENT

SUB-DOMAIN: GEOMETRY AND SPATIAL SENSE

SUB-DOMAIN: MATHEMATICS DEVELOPMENT

SUB-DOMAIN: SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

SUB-DOMAIN: SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

SUB-DOMAIN: SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

SUB-DOMAIN: SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

SUB-DOMAIN: GROSS MOTOR

SUB-DOMAIN: FINE MOTOR

SUB-DOMAIN: HEALTH, SAFETY, AND NUTRITION

Child manages emotions with increasing independence.

Child follows classroom rules and routines with increasing independence.

Child appropriately handles and takes care of classroom materials.

Child manages actions, words, and behavior with increasing independence.

Child demonstrates an increasing ability to control impulses.

Child maintains focus and sustains attentions wiht minimal adult support.

Child persists in tasks.

Child holds information in mind and manipulates it to perform tasks.

Child demonstrates flexibility in thinking and behavior.

Child demonstrates initiative and independence.

Child shows interest in and curiosuty about the world around them.

Child expresses creativity in thinking and communication.

Child uses imagination in play and interaction with others.

Child engages in and maintains positive relationships and interactions with adults.

Child engages in prosocial and cooperative behavior with adults.

Sustains interactions with other children more often and for increasing periods of time. Demonstrates prosocial behaviors with other children with and without prompting from adults. Likely to show at least some preference for playing with particular children.

Child engages in cooperative play with other children.

Child uses basic problem-solving skills to resolve conflicts with other children.

Child expresses a broad range of emotions and recognizes these emotions in self and others.

Child expresses care and concern toward others.

Child manages emotions with increasing independence.

Child recognizes self as a unique individual having own abilities, characteristics, emotions, and interests.

Child expresses confidence in own skills and positive feelings about self.

Has a sense of belonging to family and community and communicates details about these connections, such as sharing a story about a family gathering, both spontaneously and when prompted by an adult or other child.

Child attends to communication and language from others.

Child understands and responds to increasingly complex communication and language from others.

Child varies the amount of information provided to meet the demands of the situation.

Child understands, follows, and uses appropriate social and conversational rules.

Child expresses self in increasingly long, detailed, and sophisticated ways.

Child understands and uses a wide variety of words for a variety of purposes.

Child shows understanding of word categories and relationships among words.

Child demonstrates awareness that spoken language is composed of smaller segments of sound.

Child demonstrates an understanding of how print is used (functions of print) and the rules that govern how print works (conventions of print).

Child identifies letters of the alphabet and produces correct sounds associated with letters.

Child demonstrates an understanding of narrative structure through storytelling/re-telling.

Child asks and answers questions about a book that was read aloud.

Child writes for a variety of purposes using increasingly sophisticated marks.

Child knows number names and the count sequence.

Child recognizes the number of objects in a small set.

Child understands the relationship between numbers and quantities.

Child compares numbers.

Child associates a quantity with written numerals up to 5 and begins to write numbers.

Child understands addition as adding to and understands subtraction as taking away from.

Child understands simple patterns.

Child measures objects by their various attributes using standard and non-standard measurement. Uses differences in attributes to make comparisons.

Child identifies, describes, compares, and composes shapes.

Child explores the positions of objects in space.

Child observes and describes observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events).

Child engages in scientific talk

Child compares and categorizes observable phenomena.

Child asks a question, gathers information, and makes predictions.

Child plans and conducts investigations and experiments.

Child analyzes results, draws conclusions, and communicates results.

Child observes and describes observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events).

Child engages in scientific talk.

Child compares and categorizes observable phenomena.

Child asks a question, gathers information, and makes predictions.

Child plans and conducts investigations and experiments.

Child analyzes results, draws conclusions, and communicates results.

Child demonstrates control, strength, and coordination of large muscles.

Child uses perceptual information to guide motions and interactions with objects and other people.

Child demonstrates increasing control, strength, and coordination of small muscles.

Child demonstrates personal hygiene and self-care skills.

Child develops knowledge and skills that help promote nutritious food choices and eating habits.

Child demonstrates knowledge of personal safety practices and routines.

Has an expanding range of strategies for managing emotions, both less intense emotions as well as those that cause greater distress. May still look to adults for support in managing the most intense emotions, but shows increasing skill in successfully using strategies suggested by adults.

Expresses emotions in ways that are appropriate to the situation.

Looks for adult assistance when emotions are most intense.

Uses a range of coping strategies to manage emotions with support of an adult, such as using words or taking deep breaths.

Usually follows classroom rules and routines with occasional reminders from adults, such as following an end-of-lunh routine that includes putting away their plate, washing hands, and lining up at the door to go outside.

Demonstrates awareness of classroom rules when asked as is able to follow these rules most of the time.

Follows most of classroom routines, such as putting away backpack when entering the room or sitting on the rug after outside time.

Responds to signals when transitioning from one activity to another.

Usually handles, takes care of, and manages classroom materials, such as using them in appropriate ways and not throwing them from the sensory table onto the floor.

Appropriately handles materials during activities.

Cleans up and puts materials away appropriately, such as places blocks back on correct shelf or places markes in the correct bin.

Manages own actions, words, and behavior with occasional support from adults.

Demonstrates control over actions and words in response to a challenging situation, such as wanting to use the same materials as another child, or frustration over not being able to climb to the top of the structure. May need support from adults.

Manages behavior according to expectations, such as using quiet feet when asked or sitting on the rug during circle time.

Waits for turn, such as waits in line to wash hands or waits for turn on swing.

Refrains from aggressive behavior towards others.

Begins to understand the consequences of behavior, such as hitting leads to an adult giving you quiet time. Can describe the effect their behavior may have on others, such as noticing that another child feels sad when you hit him.

Sometimes controls impulses independently, while at other times needs support from adult.

Stops an engaging activity to transition to another less desirable activity with adult guidance and support.

Delays having desires met, such as agreeing to wait turn to start an activity.

Without adult reminders, waits to communicate information to a group.

Refrains from responding impulsively, such as waiting to be called on during group discussion or requesting materials rather than grabbing them.

With increasing independence, focuses attention on tasks and experiences for longer periods of time, despite interruptions or distractions.

Maintains focus on activities for extended periods of times, such as 15 minutes or more.

Engages in purposedul play for extended periods of time.

Attends to adult during large and small group activities with minimal support.

Frequently persists on preferred tasks. Someitmes persists on less preferred activities with or without adult support, such as working to clean up an activity area.

Completes tasks that are challenging or less preferred despite frustration, either by persisting independently or seeking help from an adult or other child.

Returns with focus to an acitivity or project after having been away from it.

Holds an increasing amount of information in mind in order to successfully complete tasks.

Accurately recounts recent experiences in the correct order and includes relevant details.

Successfully follows detailed, multi-step directions, sometimes with reminders.

Remembers actions to go with stories or songs shortly after being taught.

Demonstrates flexibility in thinking and behavior without prompting at times. Also responds consistently to adult suggestions to show flexibility in approaching tasks or solving problems, such as taking turns to share toys when many children want to use them.

Tries different strategies to complete work or solve problems including with other children.

Applies different rules in contexts that require different behaviors, such as using indoor voices or feet instead of outdoor voices or feet.

Transitions between activities without getting upset.

Frequently shows initiative, particularly when engaged in preferred activities. Demonstrates a willingness and capability to work independently for increasing amounts of time.

Engages in independent activities.

Makes choices and communicates these to adults and other children.

Independently identifies and seeks things to complete activities or tasks, such as gathering art supplies to make a mask or gathering cards to play a matching activity.

Plans play scenarios, such as dramatic play or construction, by establishing roles for play, using appropriate materials, and generating appropriate scenarios to be enacted.

Seeks out new information and explores new play and tasks both independently and with adult support.

Asks questions and seeks new information.

Is willing to participate in new activities or experiences even if they are perceived as challenging.

Demonstrates eagerness to learn about and discuss a range of topics, ideas, and activities.

Communicates creative ideas and actions both with and without prompting from adults.

Asks questions related to tasks or activities that indicate thinking about new ways to accomplish the task or activity.

Approaches tasks, activities, and play in ways that show creative problem solving.

Uses multiple means of communication to creatively express thoughts, feelings, or ideas.

Develops more elaborate imaginary play, stories, and other creative works with children and adults.

Engages in social and pretend play.

Uses imagination with materials to create stories or works of art.

Uses objects or materials to represent something else during play, such as using paper plate of Frisbee as a steering wheel.

Clearly shows enjoyment in interactions with trusted adults while also demonstrating skill in separating from these adults with minimal distress when in a familiar setting. Initiates interactions with adults and participates in longer and more reciprocal interactions with both trusted and new adults.

Interacts readily with trusted adults.

Engages in some positive interactions with less familiar adults, such as parent volunteers.

Shows affection and preference for adults who interact with them on a regular basis.

Seeks help from adults when needed.

Often engages in prosocial behavior with adults and usually responds appropriately to adult requests and directions without significant assistance or prompting. Uncooperative behavior with familiar adults is rare and the child is able to resolve minor conflicts with adults with support, such as being given reminders to use a quiet voice or follow directions.

Engages in a prosocial behaviors with adults, such as using respectful language or greetings.

Attends to an adult when asked.

Follows adult guidelines and expectations for appropriate behavior.

Asks or waits for adult perission before doing something when they are unsure.

Sometimes engages in and maintains interactions with other children without support from an adult, or demonstrates skills in doing this when prompted by an adult. May spontaneously engage in prosocial behaviors with other children, such as sharing and taking turns with materials and in conversations, or may engage in these with prompting from adults.

Engages in and maintains positive interactions with other children.

Uses a variety of skills for entering social situations with other children, such as suggesting something to do together, joining an existing activity, or sharing a toy.

Takes turns in conversations and interactions with other children.

Develops friendships with one or two preferred other children.

Cooperatively plays with other children in an increasingly coordinated way. Works with other children to make plans for what and how they will play together. When given the opportunity, these coordinated play periods get longer.

Engages in joint play, such as using coordinated goals, planning, roles, and games with rules, with at least one other child at a time.

Demonstrates willingness to include others’ ideas during interactions and play.

Shows enjoyment of play with other children, such as through verbal exchanges, smiles, and laughter.

Engages in reflection and conversation about past play experiences.

Often recognizes and describes social problems, suggests solutions to conflicts, and compromises when working or playing in a group. Although simple conflicts may be resolved without adult assistance, may seek out or need adult support in more challenging moments.

Recognizes and describes basic social problems in books or pictures, such as both children wanting the same toy, and during interactions with other children, such as “Why do you think your friend might be sad?”

Uses basic strategies for dealing with common conflicts, such as sharing, taking turns, and compromising.

Expresses feelings, needs, and opinions in conflict situations.

Seeks adult help when needed to resolve conflicts.

Expresses a broad range of emotions and begins to notice more subtle or complex emotions in self and others, such as embarrassed or worried. Uses words to describe own feelings when prompted, and may at times use these words without prompting, such as saying “Don’t be mad” when engaged in play with other children.

Recognizes and labels basic emotions in books or photographs.

Uses words to describe own feelings.

Uses words to describe the feelings of adults or other children.

Consistently pays attention when others are distressed and often responds with care, either by seeking out adult support or providing reassurance or support themselves.

Makes empathetic statements to adults or other children.

Offers support to adults or other children who are distressed.

Has an expanding range of strategies for managing emotions, both less intense emotions and those that cause greater distress. Sometimes looks to adults for support in managing the most intense emotions, but shows increasing skill in managing emotions independently.

Expresses feelings in ways that are appropriate to the situation.

Looks for adult assistance when feelings are most intense.

Uses a range of coping strategies to manage emotions with the support of an adult, such as using words or taking a deep breath.

Describes a larger range of individual characteristics and interests and communicates how these are similar or different from those of other people.

Describes self using several different characteristics.

Demonstrates knowledge of uniqueness of self, such as talents, interests, preferences, or culture.

Enjoys accomplishing a greater number of tasks and sharing these accomplishments with other children and adults. Makes increasing number of contributions to group discussion and may share ideas with or without adult prompting.

Shows satisfaction or seeks acknowledgment when completing a task or solving a problem.

Expresses own ideas or beliefs in group contexts or in interactions with others.

Uses positive words to describe self, such as kind or hard-worker.

Communicates feeling a sense of belonging to family and an emerging sense of connections to other communities through words or other forms of expression, such as drawing a picture of their family or sharing a special object related to their cultural heritage.

Identifies self as being a part of different groups, such as family, community, culture, faith, or preschool.

Relates personal stories about being a part of different groups.

Identifies similarities and differences about self across familiar environments and settings.

Shows acknowledgment of complex comments or questions. Is able to attend to longer, multi-turn conversations, either spoken or signed.

Uses verbal and non-verbal signals appropriately to acknowledge the comments or questions of others.

Shows ongoing connection to a conversation, group discussion, or presentation.

Shows an understanding of complex statements, questions, and stories containing multiple phrases and ideas, and responds appropriately.

Shows an ability to recall (in order) multiple step directions.

Demonstrates understanding of a variety of question types, such as “Yes/No?” or “Who/What/When/Where?” or “How/ Why?”

Shows understanding of a variety of sentence types, such as multi-clause, cause-effect, sequential order, or if-then.

Shows an understanding of talk related to the past or future.

Shows understanding, such as nodding or gestures, in response to the content of books read aloud, stories that are told, or lengthy explanations given on a topic. Children who are DLLs may demonstrate more complex communication and language in their home language than in English.

Uses language, spoken or sign, for a variety of purposes and can typically provide sufficient detail in order to get needs met from a variety of adults.

Usually provides sufficient detail in order to get needs met, such as explaining a point of difficulty in a task or sharing a request from home with the teacher.

Uses language, spoken or sign, to clarify a word or statement when misunderstood.

Children who are DLLs may switch between their languages.

Maintains multi-turn conversations with adults or other children by being responsive to the conversational partner in a variety of ways, such as by asking a question. With increasing independence, varies tone and volume of expression to match the social situation.

Maintains multi-turn conversations with adults, other children, and within larger groups by responding in increasingly sophisticated ways, such as asking related questions or expressing agreement.

With increasing independence, matches the tone and volume of expression to the content and social situation, such as by using a whisper to tell a secret.

Communicates clearly enough to be understood by familiar and unfamiliar adults, but may make some pronunciation errors and some isolated grammatical errors. Uses longer sentences, as well as sentences that are slightly more complex, such as “I need a pencil because this one broke.” Can offer multiple pieces of information on a topic with increasing independence and answer simple questions.

Communicates clearly enough to be understood by adults across a range of situations. Pronunciation errors and grammatical errors are isolated and infrequent. Shows proficiency with prepositions, regular/irregular past tense, possessives, and noun-verb agreement.

Typically, uses complete sentences of more than 5 words with complex structures, such as sentences involving sequence and causal relations.

Can produce and organize multiple sentences on a topic, such as giving directions or telling a story, including information about the past or present or things not physically present, and answer a variety of question types.

Shows a steady increase in vocabulary through the acquisition of words with increasing specificity and variety. Shows repetition of new words offered by adults and may ask about the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Demonstrates the use of multiple (2–3) new words or signs a day during play and other activities.

Shows recognition of and/or familiarity with key domain-specific words heard during reading or discussions.

With multiple exposures, uses new domain-specific vocabulary during activities, such as using the word “cocoon” when learning about the lifecycle of caterpillars, or “cylinder” when learning about 3-D shapes.

With support, forms guesses about the meaning of new words from context clues.

Demonstrates an increasingly sophisticated understanding of words and word categories with support, such as listing multiple examples of a familiar category or identifying a synonym or antonym.

Categorizes words or objects, such as sorting a hard hat, machines, and tools into the construction group, or giving many examples of farm animals.

Discusses new words in relation to known words and word categories, such as “It fell to the bottom when it sank” or “When you hop it’s like jumping on one leg” or “The bear and fox are both wild animals.”

Identifies shared characteristics among people, places, things, or actions, such as identifying that both cats and dogs are furry and have four legs.

Identifies key common antonyms, such as black/white or up/down. Identifies 1–2 synonyms for very familiar words, such as glad or happy.

Shows an ability to distinguish similar words, such as “I don’t like it, I love it!” or “It’s more than tall, it’s gigantic” or “It’s so cold, it’s frosty.”

Demonstrates rhyme recognition, such as identifying which words rhyme from a group of three: hat, cat, log. Recognizes phonemic changes in words, such as noticing the problem with “Old McDonald had a charm.” Is able to count syllables and understand sounds in spoken words.

Provides one or more words that rhyme with a single given target, such as “What rhymes with log?”

Produces the beginning sound in a spoken word, such as “Dog begins with /d/.”

Provides a word that fits with a group of words sharing an initial sound, with adult support, such as “Sock, Sara, and song all start with the /s/ sound. What else starts with the /s/ sound?”

Begins to demonstrate an understanding of the connection between speech and print. Shows a growing awareness that print is a system that has rules and conventions, such as holding a book correctly or following a book left to right.

Understands that print is organized differently for different purposes, such as a note, list, or storybook.

Understands that written words are made up of a group of individual letters.

Begins to point to single-syllable words while reading simple, memorized texts.

Identifies book parts and features, such as the front, back, title, and author.

Recognizes and names at least half of the letters in the alphabet, including letters in own name (first name and last name), as well as letters encountered often in the environment. Produces the sound of many recognized letters.

Names 18 upper- and 15 lower-case letters.

Knows the sounds associated with several letters.

Re-tells 2–3 key events from a well-known story, typically in the right temporal order and using some simple sequencing terms, such as first … and then.

Re-tells or acts out a story that was read, putting events in the appropriate sequence, and demonstrating more sophisticated understanding of how events relate, such as cause and effect relationships.

Tells fictional or personal stories using a sequence of at least 2–3 connected events.

Identifies characters and main events in books and stories.

With support, provides basic answers to specific questions about details of a story, such as who, what, when, or where. With support, can answer inferential questions about stories, such as predictions or how/why something is happening in a particular moment.

Answers questions about details of a story with increasingly specific information, such as when asked “Who was Mary?” responds “She was the girl who was riding the horse and then got hurt.”

Answers increasingly complex inferential questions that require making predictions based on multiple pieces of information from the story; inferring characters’ feelings or intentions; or providing evaluations of judgments that are grounded in the text.

Provides a summary of a story, highlighting a number of the key ideas in the story and how they relate.

Progressively uses drawing, scribbling, letter-like forms, and letters to intentionally convey meaning. With support, may use invented spelling consisting of salient or beginning sounds, such as L for elevator or B for bug.

Creates a variety of written products that may or may not phonetically relate to intended messages.

Shows an interest in copying simple words posted in the classroom.

Attempts to independently write some words using invented spelling, such as K for kite.

Writes first name correctly or close to correctly.

Writes (draws, illustrates) for a variety of purposes and demonstrates evidence of many aspects of print conventions, such as creating a book that moves left to right.

Says or signs more number words in sequence.

Counts verbally or signs to at least 20 by ones.

Quickly recognizes the number of objects in a small set (referred to as “subitizing”).

Instantly recognizes, without counting, small quantities of up to 5 objects and says or signs the number.

Understands that number words refer to quantity. May point to or move objects while counting objects to 10 and beyond (one-to-one correspondence). Understands that the last number represents how many objects are in a group (cardinality).

When counting objects, says or signs the number names in order, pairing one number word that corresponds with one object, up to at least 10.

Counts and answers “How many?” questions for approximately 10 objects.

Accurately counts as many as 5 objects in a scattered configuration.

Understands that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

Understands that the last number said represents the number of objects in a set.

Counts to determine and compare number amounts even when the larger group’s objects are smaller in size, such as buttons, compared with the smaller group’s objects that are larger in size, such as markers. Uses numbers related to order or position.

Identifies whether the number of objects in one group is more than, less than, or the same as objects in another group for up to at least five objects.

Identifies and uses numbers related to order or position from first to tenth.

Understands that written numbers represent quantities of objects, and uses information symbols, such as a tally, to represent numerals. With adult support, writes some numerals up to 10.

Associates a number of objects with a written numeral 0–5.

Recognizes and, with support, writes some numerals up to 10.

Solves addition problems by joining objects together and subtraction problems by separating, using manipulatives and fingers to represent objects.

Begins to add and subtract very small collections of objects with adult support. For example, the teacher says, “You have 3 grapes and get 1 more. How many in all?” Child counts out 3, then counts out 1 more, then counts all 4: “1, 2, 3, 4. I have 4!”

With adult assistance, begins to use counting on from the larger number for addition. For example, when adding a group of 3 and a group of 2, counts “One, two, three…” and then counts on “Four, five!” (keeping track with fingers). When counting back for subtraction such as taking away 3 from 5, counts, “Five, four, three…two!” (keeping track with fingers).

Child understands simple patterns.

Creates, identifies, extends, and duplicates simple repeating patterns in different forms, such as with objects, numbers, sounds, and movements.

Fills in missing elements of simple patterns.

Duplicates simple patterns in a different location than demonstrated, such as making the same alternating color pattern with blocks at a table that was demonstrated on the rug. Extends patterns, such as making an eight block tower of the same pattern that was demonstrated with four blocks.

Identifies the core unit of sequentially repeating patterns, such as color in a sequence of alternating red and blue blocks.

With some adult support, uses measurable attributes to make comparisons, such as identifies objects as the same/different and more/less.

Measures using the same unit, such as putting together snap cubes to see how tall a book is.

Compares or orders up to 5 objects based on their measurable attributes, such as height or weight.

Uses comparative language, such as shortest, heavier, or biggest.

Recognizes and compares a greater number of shapes of different sizes and orientations. Begins to identify sides and angles as distinct parts of shapes.

Names and describes shapes in terms of length of sides, number of sides, and number of angles.

Correctly names basic shapes regardless of size and orientation.

Analyzes, compares and sorts twoand three-dimensional shapes and objects in different sizes. Describes their similarities, differences, and other attributes, such as size and shape.

Creates and builds shapes from components.

Increasingly understands spatial vocabulary. Follows directions involving their own position in space, such as “Move to the front of the line.”

Understands and uses language related to directionality, order, and the position of objects, including up/down, and in front/behind.

Correctly follows directions involving their own position in space, such as “Stand up” and “Move forward.”

Makes increasingly complex observations of objects, materials, organisms, and events. Provides greater detail in descriptions. Represents observable phenomena in more complex ways, such as pictures that include more detail.

Identifies the five senses (smell, touch, sight, sound, taste) and uses them to make observations.

Uses observational tools to extend the five senses, such as a magnifying glass, microscope, binoculars, or stethoscope.

Describes observable phenomena using adjectives and labels, such as lemons taste sour and play dough feels sticky.

Represents observable phenomena with pictures, diagrams, and 3-D models.

Uses a greater number of scientific vocabulary words. Repeats new words offered by adults and may ask questions about unfamiliar words.

Uses scientific practice words or signs, such as observe, describe, compare, contrast, question, predict, experiment, reflect, cooperate, or measure.

Uses scientific content words when investigating and describing observable phenomena, such as parts of a plant, animal, or object.

With increasing independence, sorts objects into groups based on more complex attributes, such as weight, sound, or texture. Uses measurement tools to assess the properties of and compare observable phenomena.

Categorizes by sorting observable phenomena into groups based on attributes such as appearance, weight, function, ability, texture, odor, and sound.

Uses measurement tools, such as a ruler, balance scale, eye dropper, unit blocks, thermometer, or measuring cup, to quantify similarities and differences of observable phenomena.

Asks more complex questions. Uses other sources besides adults to gather information, such as books, or other experts. Uses background knowledge and experiences to make predictions.

Asks questions that can be answered through an investigation, such as “What do plants need to grow?” or “What countries do the children in our class come from?”

Gathers information about a question by looking at books or discussing prior knowledge and observations.

Makes predictions and brainstorms solutions based on background knowledge and experiences, such as “I think that plants need water to grow.” or “I think adding yellow paint to purple will make brown.”

With increasing independence, engages in some parts of conducting complex investigations or experiments. Increasingly able to articulate the steps that need to be taken to conduct an investigation. Uses more complex ways to gather and record data, such as with adult support, makes a graph that shows children’s favorite snacks.

Articulates steps to be taken and lists materials needed for an investigation or experiment.

Implements steps and uses materials to explore testable questions, such as “Do plants need water to grow?” by planting seeds and giving water to some but not to others.

Uses senses and simple tools to observe, gather, and record data, such as gathering data on where children’s families are from and creating a graph that shows the number of children from different countries.

With increasing independence, analyzes and interprets data and draws conclusions. With adult support, compares results to initial prediction and generates new questions or designs. For example, after putting multiple magnets together to create one magnet that is not strong enough to lift 10 paperclips, builds another and tries again. Communicates results, solutions, and conclusions in increasingly complex ways through multiple methods.

Analyzes and interprets data and summarizes results of investigation.

Draws conclusions, constructs explanations, and verbalizes cause and effect relationships.

With adult support, compares results to initial prediction and offers evidence as to why they do or do not work. Generates new testable questions based on results.

Communicates results, solutions, and conclusions through a variety of methods, such as telling an adult that plants need water to grow or putting dots on a map that show the number of children from each country.

Uses the five senses to observe objects, materials, organisms, and events. Provides simple verbal or signed descriptions. With adult support, represents observable phenomena, such as draws a picture.

Identifies the five senses (smell, touch, sight, sound, taste) and uses them to make observations.

Uses observational tools to extend the five senses, such as a magnifying glass, microscope, binoculars, or stethoscope.

Describes observable phenomena using adjectives and labels, such as lemons taste sour and play dough feels sticky.

Represents observable phenomena with pictures, diagrams, and 3-D models.

Begins to use scientific vocabulary words with modeling and support from an adult. Sometimes repeats new words offered by adults.

Uses scientific practice words or signs, such as observe, describe, compare, contrast, question, predict, experiment, reflect, cooperate, or measure.

Uses scientific content words when investigating and describing observable phenomena, such as parts of a plant, animal, or object.

Sorts objects into groups based on simple attributes, such as color. With support, uses measurement tools to quantify similarities and differences of observable phenomena, such as when a child scoops sand into two containers and with adult assistance, determines which container holds more scoops.

Categorizes by sorting observable phenomena into groups based on attributes such as appearance, weight, function, ability, texture, odor, and sound.

Uses measurement tools, such as a ruler, balance scale, eye dropper, unit blocks, thermometer, or measuring cup, to quantify similarities and differences of observable phenomena.

Asks simple questions. Uses adults as primary resources to gather information about questions. With adult support and modeling, makes simple predictions, such as “I think that the golf ball will be heavier than the ping pong ball.”

Asks questions that can be answered through an investigation, such as “What do plants need to grow?” or “What countries do the children in our class come from?”

Gathers information about a question by looking at books or discussing prior knowledge and observations.

Makes predictions and brainstorms solutions based on background knowledge and experiences, such as “I think that plants need water to grow.” or “I think adding yellow paint to purple will make brown.”

With adult support, engages in simple investigations and experiments, such as building a “bridge” out of classroom materials and seeing how many dolls it will hold before it collapses. Records data with teacher assistance, mostly using pictures and marks on a page.

Articulates steps to be taken and lists materials needed for an investigation or experiment.

Implements steps and uses materials to explore testable questions, such as “Do plants need water to grow?” by planting seeds and giving water to some but not to others.

Uses senses and simple tools to observe, gather, and record data, such as gathering data on where children’s families are from and creating a graph that shows the number of children from different countries.

With adult assistance, analyzes and interprets data. Draws conclusions and provides simple descriptions of results. For example, an adult suggests counting how many dolls can be supported by a bridge before it breaks and along with the children counts, “One, two, three dolls. What happened when we put on the next doll?” A child says, “The bridge broke!”

Analyzes and interprets data and summarizes results of investigation.

Draws conclusions, constructs explanations, and verbalizes cause and effect relationships.

With adult support, compares results to initial prediction and offers evidence as to why they do or do not work. Generates new testable questions based on results.

Communicates results, solutions, and conclusions through a variety of methods, such as telling an adult that plants need water to grow or putting dots on a map that show the number of children from each country.

Balances, such as on one leg or on a beam, for longer periods of time both when standing still and when moving from one position to another. Demonstrates more coordinated movement when engaging in skills, such as jumping for height and distance, hopping, and running. Engages in more complex movements, such as riding a tricycle, with ease. Engages in physical activities of increasing levels of intensity for sustained periods of time.

Demonstrates balance in large-muscle movement, such as walking on a log without falling or balancing on one leg.

Performs activities that combine and coordinate large muscle movements, including swinging on a swing, climbing a ladder, or dancing to music.

Demonstrates strength and stamina that allow for participation in a range of physical activities, such as running around playing tag.

Shows increasing awareness of body, space, and relationship to other objects in ways that allow for more coordinated movements, actions, and interactions with others.

Demonstrates awareness of own body and other people’s space during interactions.

Moves body in relation to objects to effectively perform tasks, such as moving body in position to kick a ball.

When asked, can move own body in front of, to the side, or behind something or someone else, such as getting in line with other children.

Changes directions when moving with little difficulty.

Performs tasks that require more complex hand-eye coordination, such as cutting out shapes and drawing letter-like forms, with moderate levels of precision and control.

Easily coordinates hand and eye movements to carry out tasks, such as working on puzzles or stringing beads together.

Uses a pincer grip to hold and manipulate tools for writing, drawing, and painting.

Uses coordinated movements to complete complex tasks, such as cutting along a line, pouring, or buttoning.

Begins to take more responsibility for personal hygiene and self-care skills. Sometimes completes them without adult prompting.

Washes hands with soap and water. Knows to do this before eating, after using the bathroom, or after blowing nose.

Demonstrates increasing ability to take responsibility for participating in personal self-care skills, such as brushing teeth or getting dressed.

Demonstrates an increasing understanding of the ways in which foods and nutrition help the body grow and be healthy. Makes healthy eating choices both independently and with support.

Identifies a variety of healthy and unhealthy foods.

Demonstrates basic understanding that eating a variety of foods helps the body grow and be healthy.

Moderates food consumption based on awareness of own hunger and fullness.

Exhibits increasing independence in following basic personal safety practices and routines. Follows adult guidance around more complex practices.

Identifies, avoids, and alerts others to danger, such as keeping a safe distance from swings.

Identifies and follows basic safety rules with adult guidance and support, such as transportation and street safety practices.