PRE-KINDERGARTEN - Pre-K Competencies
Many of these competencies will begin to emerge in the Pre-Kindergarten year and continue to develop in Kindergarten. We will work on these, using our emergent approach, through playful and meaningful activities, small group times, projects, transitions, and outdoor time. Remember: Development is not a race!
Language and Literacy view
- Enjoy being read to and follow a story in words and pictures
- Can retell basic elements of a simple story
- Pretend read to classmates
- Invent and tell own story
Preparation for Reading view
- Recognize, and write the letters in their own name
- Recognize some letter / sound correspondences
- Recognize some familiar words in the classroom
- Recognize and experiment with rhyming words in songs and poems
- Recognize phonemes and syllables through language games and songs
Mathematics view
- Count to ten
- Use one to one correspondence to determine if small quantities are the same or different.
- Use an invented unit of measurement to measure
- Recognize shapes and patterns
- Sort by more than one criteria (ie color and shape)
- Order objects by size
- Understand spatial words such as, under, over, above, below
- Understand ordinal concepts such as before and after
- Participate in creation of graphs and charts
Science view
- Disposition to be curious
- Can observe and describe objects and phenomena in their immediate experience
- Can make predictions based on experience
- Can engage in experiments to test predictions
- Can generate questions they would like to answer.
- Begin to develop concept of cause and effect.
Art view
- Use paint, markers, collage materials, dough, clay, etc to create
- Use drawing and modeling to represent objects or ideas
- Appreciate the importance of works of art – their own and those of others
- Participate in performance as a participant and as member of the audience
Music Education view
- Respond rhythmically to music through creative movement and instrumental expression
- Can march or step to a steady beat
- Sing along with others
- Play simple instruments that do not require fine motor skills
- Develop attentive listening habits
Physical Development view
- We know that children’s physical and motor development influences, and is influenced by, all other aspects of development: cognitive, language, social and emotional.
Fine Motor Skills view
- Show increasing eye-hand coordination, strength and control
- Manipulate two small objects at the same time (e.g., stringing beads)
- Use tools with growing precision (e.g. scissors, hammer, hole punch, pencil)
- Zip zippers
- Fasten buttons
Gross Motor Skills view
- Show greater balance and control
- Able to speed up and slow down
- Able to run and stop quickly
- Can jump, skip and dance
- Able to avoid obstacles
- Can climb stairs without holding onto railing
- Can pedal a tricycle
- Kick a ball
Pre-K Daily Schedule view
- Children experience several special periods during their day (and evening), no matter what
Schedule view
- Circle Time, the children come together in a small group to hear what is planned for the day, sing songs, create music or dance.
- Small Group Time, when teachers invite a small group of children to work together on a project or teacher-planned activity in the morning and afternoon. (See Emergent Curriculum and Project)
Work view
- Work Time, when the various learning centers around the classroom are available to the children to work alone or in small groups. Teachers station themselves around the room to help children find the materials they need to accomplish their goals, to help them negotiate with other children during play and to surprise the children with ideas they may not have considered. The learning centers include the library, dramatic play, art and construction, computer, blocks, manipulatives and puzzles, science and natural history, language and music.
- Outside Play several times during the day for really active play.
