galileo pre-k online curriculum guidebook

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Galileo® Pre-K Online Curriculum Guidebook

Kerridan A. Kawecki, B.A.

Margaret A. Johnson, M.Ed.

Michelle C. Larson, M.P.H.

Assessment Technology, Incorporated

6700 E. Speedway Boulevard Tucson, AZ 85710

1.800.367.4762 www.ati-online.com [email protected]

http://www.ati-online.com/

mailto:[email protected]

Galileo® Pre-K Online

©2018 Assessment Technology, Incorporated

Revised as of 05.01.18


Revised as of 05.01.18 i

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum Guidebook

Table of Contents

Section 1: Overview ................................................................................... 1 Welcome to Galileo Pre-K Online ................................................................... 1 Scientific Basis Underlying Galileo ................................................................. 2 Integrating Curriculum and Assessment: Early Intervention Educational Cycle .. 3

Lesson Planning and Implementing Interventions ......................................... 4 Enhancing Your Observations ..................................................................... 4

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum .................................................................... 5 Defining Curriculum ................................................................................. 6

Section 2: Goals for Child Development and Learning ................................ 7 Positive Approaches for Preschool Learning ..................................................... 7

Classroom Rules ...................................................................................... 8 Scaffolding .............................................................................................. 9

Providing Constructive Feedback ................................................................ 10 Feedback ............................................................................................... 11 Use Age Appropriate Language and Analogies ............................................ 11 Communicating with Families ................................................................... 11

Encouraging Family Engagement ................................................................. 13 Playtime: Indoors and Outdoors .................................................................. 15 Classroom Organization and Interest Centers .............................................. 16

Environment is Key ................................................................................. 16 Practical Considerations .......................................................................... 18 The Teacher’s Role ................................................................................. 21 Center Construction Ideas and Suggested Materials .................................... 22 Basic Classroom Supplies ........................................................................ 35

Developmental Sequences and Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum ....................... 35 Developmental Assessment ........................................................................ 36

Path-Referenced Assessments .................................................................. 36 State Alignment ........................................................................................ 37 Scope and Sequence.................................................................................. 39

Approaches to Learning ........................................................................... 39 Creative Arts ......................................................................................... 42 Cognitive Development & General Knowledge ............................................ 44 Early Math ............................................................................................. 47 English Language Acquisition ................................................................... 49 Language, Communication, Reading and Writing ........................................ 50 Language Development ........................................................................... 53 Literacy Development ............................................................................. 54 Logic and Reasoning ............................................................................... 57 Nature and Science................................................................................. 58 Physical Development & Health ................................................................ 61 Social and Emotional Development ........................................................... 67 Social Studies ........................................................................................ 72



ii Revised as of 05.01.18

School Readiness ................................................................................... 73

Section 3: Plans for Activities & Experiences ........................................... 74 Curriculum Content ................................................................................... 74

Galileo G3 Lesson Plans and Activities ....................................................... 74 Storyteller ............................................................................................. 80

Daily Activity Schedule ............................................................................... 81

Section 4: Special Student Populations .................................................... 84 Dual Language Learners ............................................................................. 84

Working with DLLs .................................................................................. 85 Children with Disabilities ............................................................................ 87 Special Needs ........................................................................................... 89

Visual Impairment .................................................................................. 89 Hearing Impairment ............................................................................... 90 Cognitive Challenges ............................................................................... 91 Motor Delays ......................................................................................... 91 Speech/Language Delays ........................................................................ 92 Social and Emotional Issues ..................................................................... 92

Section 5: Roles and Responsibilities ....................................................... 93 Curriculum Implementation ........................................................................ 93

Curriculum Maps .................................................................................... 93 Creating a Galileo Calendar ..................................................................... 95

Section 6: Materials ................................................................................. 96 Recommended Storybooks for Activities ....................................................... 96 Recommended Materials for Activities .......................................................... 96

Storyteller G3 Activities Materials ............................................................. 97

Section 7: Resources ................................................................................ 97 Suggested Additional Resources for Teachers ................................................ 97

Manuals ................................................................................................ 97 Toolkits ................................................................................................. 98 Online Help Files .................................................................................... 98 State Scale Alignment ............................................................................. 98 Professional Development Opportunities .................................................... 99

Section 8: Appendices ............................................................................ 100 Appendix A: Curriculum Getting Started Checklist ...................................... 101 Appendix B: Galileo Calendar Example ...................................................... 102 Appendix C: Galileo G3 Activity Materials List............................................. 103

Purpose ............................................................................................... 103 Materials Checklist ................................................................................ 103 Search Activities by Materials ................................................................. 107

Appendix D: Galileo G3 Storybook List ...................................................... 108 Purpose ............................................................................................... 108 Storybooks for Activities and Activity Enrichment ..................................... 108 Storybooks .......................................................................................... 109



Revised as of 05.01.18 iii

Suggested Storybooks for Supplementing Activities .................................. 112 Search for an Activity Related To A Specific Storybook .............................. 128

Appendix E: Glossary of Terms ................................................................ 129

Works Cited ............................................................................................. 134



iv Revised as of 05.01.18



Revised as of 05.01.18 1

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

WELCOME TO GALILEO PRE-K ONLINE Galileo Pre-K Online from Assessment Technology Incorporated provides a data-

driven, standards-aligned approach to curriculum and assessment for preschools.

All programs using Galileo Pre-K Online receive access to the full package including:

• Model weekly lesson plans for three to five year-olds, customized lesson

plans for children ages eighteen months to five years.

• Over 800 classroom activities for children ages 18 months to five years.

• Assessment tools.

• Multiple options for teacher support resources.

• Parent engagement tools including the Pre-K Parent Center and activities for

families to share at home.

One of the first to offer educators curriculum and assessment tools online, Galileo is

built on the principles of science, supported by a commitment to research, and guided by a vision that all young learners can reach their full potential through individualized, developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. This vision is

realized through a fully integrated assessment, curriculum, and reporting system

that links assessment, planning, individualization, and program progress.

ATI’s patented technology offers innovative, research-based, multi-method, curriculum and assessment tools which are aligned to local, state, and federal

requirements. Galileo Pre-K Online allows for assessment through observation in the child’s learning environment, one-on-one observation, samples of children’s

work, and parent input. This broad range of formats accommodates the ways children from diverse backgrounds express their competencies and helps provide a meaningful portrait of each child’s development to ensure individualized,

developmentally appropriate learning opportunities are provided. The individualization possible through utilizing observational assessment to inform

classroom activities makes Galileo an optimal curriculum and assessment tool for teachers working with English Language Learners (ELL) and children with disabilities. Ongoing assessment and monitoring allows teachers to provide

consistently appropriate learning opportunities for their children based on the

unique developmental paths of each child.

Galileo Online connects all aspects of the educational process. For example, in Galileo, assessment information is automatically linked to educational goals and

standards. Goals and standards are automatically linked to activities and lesson plans, which are connected to the monitoring of child progress. All of the teaching

and learning that takes place has a purpose that can clearly be documented. The circle is complete, the flow of information is continuous, and current data is always

accessible for future decision-making.



2 Revised as of 05.01.18

At ATI we want to help preschool teachers meet the needs of the children in their classes and provide learning opportunities which will lead to Kindergarten

readiness. Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum will help programs achieve these goals

by enhancing teachers’ ability to:

• Observe and understand how children develop.

• Plan individualized learning opportunities.

• Gather data showing teachers make a difference in the lives of children.

• Implement developmentally appropriate curriculum.

• Communicate with families about children’s development and encourage

family engagement.

• Define school readiness goals consistent with state and local expectations.

• Monitor children’s progress towards valued educational goals.

SCIENTIFIC BASIS UNDERLYING GALILEO Galileo is based on a program of research carried out over more than 20 years. The

research has focused on the assessment of children’s cognitive, social, and physical development. As part of this research, ATI has collected assessment and learning

data on well over one million children across the United States over several decades. This effort has made it possible for ATI to develop a standards aligned,

research based curriculum which reflects children’s growth.

The capabilities that children acquire when they are young have a profound effect on their future. The experiences provided to them at this time have a tremendous

influence on the development of these capabilities. For these two reasons, it is vital that teachers and parents are provided with information that helps them to

understand how children learn and develop. The most effective way to gather this information is through developmental assessment which is easy to do when you are

using Galileo Pre-K Online.

When you enter assessment information on the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales,

Galileo creates a developmental level score (DL score) which is used as a quantitative measure of what the child knows. The child will receive a unique DL score in each domain. When we know a child’s developmental level, we know the

kinds of things that the child has already learned and the things that s/he is ready to learn next. This information provides the basis for planning effective learning

opportunities. The score begins when a child is born and will increase throughout his or her life. At the time an infant is first assessed, they already will have a DL

score because babies are born with some intrinsic ability. A preschool child with no capabilities checked off in a given Galileo G3 Assessment Scale will also still have a DL score, because of prior knowledge that he or she brings to the preschool

environment.




The DL score is automatically created in Galileo Pre-K Online using psychometric techniques based on Item Response Theory (IRT). Psychometrics involves the

theory and technique of measuring knowledge, abilities and educational achievement. Preschool teachers using

the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum need not understand the statistical calculation inherent in the psychometrics behind the DL score. There is no good or bad DL score, the

Developmental Level score is simply an individualized measure of what the child knows based on the

observational data that the teacher has entered on the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales. The DL score is used by Galileo to create the readiness levels which teachers can

use to tailor instruction for the children in class. While there is no “right” DL score for any child it is expected that

a child’s DL score will increase over the course of the program year. In this way the

DL score can be used to track the progress in children’s learning.

INTEGRATING CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT: EARLY INTERVENTION EDUCATIONAL CYCLE Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum offers lesson plans and activities directly articulated

to the Head Start Child Development and Learning Framework and state early learning standards. For example, the integrated set of goals established through

the Framework are intended to help Head Start programs establish school readiness goals for children, monitor children’s progress, and align curricula and conduct program planning in ways that promote all aspects of child development and early

learning. The Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is uniquely designed to facilitate these Framework and state early learning goals through the implementation of a

systemic approach to educational decision-making and curriculum implementation

leading to positive outcomes for children.

In this regard, implementation of Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum occurs within a continuous problem solving, early intervention cycle making the effective

management of early childhood education possible.

The central components of the Early Intervention Cycle include:

1. Goal setting

2. Assessment

3. Planning and implementation

4. Monitoring and management

5. Evaluation

By using this model of continuous assessment, areas of need can be identified early so that

appropriate intervention can be provided. Planning specific interventions for a child may be as simple as providing additional review of particular skills or providing

Readiness Level guides

teacher to

tailor

instruction.




enrichment opportunities during specific activities. In other cases, interventions may need to include working closely with program specialists and supervisors to

maximize your program’s resources. Preschool is an essential stage in a child’s developmental path, identifying areas of need and providing additional support

during this time may significantly improve a child’s achievement in the long-term.

LESSON PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS

As a teacher you will be responsible for planning developmentally appropriate learning opportunities for the children in your class. This can be a unique challenge

as you work to provide individualized activities which will meet the needs of each child. Individualization can be provided through planning activities which meet the readiness levels of most of the children in your class, then providing scaffolding and

enrichment opportunities for individual children as indicated by their readiness

levels and as specified in Galileo activities.

Once you have entered observations on the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales you will refer to Galileo reports to view the readiness levels of the children in your class.

Your program may provide recommendations for which reports they would like you to use to inform your weekly lesson plans, often programs select the Development

Profile Report.

For more information on this and other Galileo reports please refer to the Fundamentals of Galileo: Reports manual.

To achieve the goal of individualized and developmentally appropriate learning opportunities, child observations must be made accurately and data must be

entered on the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales frequently.

ENHANCING YOUR OBSERVATIONS

Here are some ways you can enhance your observations while using Galileo:

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Have a good sense of the progression of capabilities for each area of development you wish to observe. When you know what comes before and what comes next in

development, you know what to look for when observing children. You will also

know what to plan next!

HAVE A PURPOSE Having a purpose means that you conduct your observations with a goal in mind.

Your purpose may be to make a weekly activity plan, determine how to individualize, or revise an activity. Always ask yourself, “What do I hope to learn

from observing? How will I use what I’ve learned?”

HAVE A FOCUS

Having a focus means you know what you wish to observe, which children will be observed, and where the observation will occur. Ask yourself, “What do I want to

observe? Whom will I be observing? Where will I observe?”




TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MOMENTS TO OBSERVE Observation of children can occur at any time and in any place. For example, during

an outdoor activity you may observe children learning to share playground equipment or learning a physical skill, such as catching a ball. You may observe

children learning about colors, trying out new ideas, and using their fine motor

skills during an art activity.

USE REPRESENTATIVE WORK You can learn about development by observing things children make. Artifacts work

such as writing, drawings, art, projects, block constructions, and other work

samples can provide insights about development.

USE NARRATIVES Narratives or anecdotal notes help you to describe what children do and how they

do it. They are also very useful for recording your concerns, goals, plans, and successes. Please remember that when using narratives to be objective, accurate

and brief.

INVOLVE FAMILIES Children often display capabilities in one setting that may not be readily observed in

another. A child may be quite verbal at home and talk very little at school. Insights provided by parents can assist you in adjusting the curriculum to more closely meet

the needs of individual children.

The Assessment Kit 3 Through 5 Years “Observation, Scoring, and

Interpretation Using Galileo Pre-K Online” includes tips to enhance observations, olds goal examples, guide for recording and reporting

data, and information on how to interpret assessment results and plan learning opportunities.

GALILEO PRE-K ONLINE CURRICULUM In Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum, the lesson plans and activities are stored electronically. Content stored and classified in this way can be continuously updated and adapted to meet the changing educational needs of children. Moreover,

online curriculum provides the potential to access and share the curriculum throughout your agency. All parts of the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum can easily

be printed from any computer, or ordered from ATI in a printed format. Teachers implementing these in the classroom may find it helpful to work from a printed

format.

This Guidebook is a complete guide to Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum which is a

full early childhood curriculum including scope and sequence, development and learning theory, interest areas and room preparation, and instructional content. The Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum content includes the most current research on what

and how children learn. This Guidebook also offers basic pedagogy and best

practices for preschool teachers.

The Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum:

• Is easy to access and simple to use because of the online format.




• Provides access to over 800 classroom and home activities filed electronically

and based on curriculum goals for children ages 18 months to five years.

• Includes access to Galileo Lesson Plans aligned to all 11 Head Start domains

and state early learning standards for 3-5 year-olds.

• Allows teachers to create custom activities and lesson plans linked to

outcome goals and assessment data for children ages of all ages. While this is option is available, the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is a complete

curriculum for 3-5 year-olds without the need for creating custom content.

• Allows teachers to create individual lesson plans for children or groups of

children.

Incorporates Storyteller computer-based instructional activities,

assessments, and lessons plans for 3-5 year-olds. Storyteller components are focused on language and literacy and may be used as an addition to the

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum for programs who wish to include computer

based activities.

For more information including step-by-step instructions for accessing Galileo G3 Lesson Plans can be found in the Fundamentals of Galileo Curriculum manual.

DEFINING CURRICULUM

A curriculum is a research-based, written plan which aligns with child development principles which incorporates goals for development and learning, plans for

activities and experiences, a plan for staff members and a list of materials needed to support the learning plan (Head Start National Center on Quality Teaching and

Learning, 2012). Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum provides a framework within which teachers, children, parents, and administrators can form a shared understanding of each child’s development and needs. The value of a curriculum

rests on the theory, research and beliefs that underpin its design and the degree

to which the curriculum is responsive to the individual needs of the learner.

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is based on the concept that children will progress developmentally when they

are provided with learning opportunities that are related to educational goals appropriate to their developmental needs. Goals, then, form an inherent part of the

curriculum. They drive the lesson planning process and the planning of learning activities designed to promote

children’s development. They provide the foundation for organizing, customizing and classifying lesson plans and

learning activities. The goals in Galileo G3 Scales are developmentally sequenced within knowledge and content areas. For example, literacy goals are sequenced within knowledge areas such as phonological awareness, book knowledge and

Goals drive

lesson planning

process.




appreciation, print awareness, early reading skills, early writing skills, and alphabet

knowledge.

The developmental sequences in Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum provide an

overall picture of the order in which learning is likely to occur while the Galileo reports can provide a guide for instruction specific to the developmental pathway of a child or an entire class. For example, for children in the early stages of

development, teachers may choose to provide learning opportunities related to the easier skills in a developmental progression. As development progresses, the

more difficult skills may be targeted for instruction. To assist lesson planning, a teacher can view Galileo reports which will outline the specific goals the children in a class have learned and are ready to learn now. As development progresses,

teachers may afford opportunities to acquire skills reflecting even higher levels of development. The availability of dynamic electronic content offers the kind of

planning flexibility needed to adapt curriculum to meet the varying needs of

individual learners.

Additional information on developmental sequences is found in the Developmental Sequences and Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum section, page 35.

SECTION 2: GOALS FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING

POSITIVE APPROACHES FOR PRESCHOOL LEARNING Human beings learn by doing, by observing, and with help from others. Therefore Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum provides a mix of activities featuring combinations

of these approaches, some child-initiated and some teacher-facilitated, that can

be most effective in meeting the learning needs and interests of children.

Preschoolers can, and do, learn by doing, through play or guided instruction. Children’s active learning will result in cognitive development. Engaged children

are invited to explore, experiment, and to actively create meaning for themselves via their interactions with their environment in a variety of hands-on, minds-on activities (Hein, 1991) included in the Galileo G3 Activity Library.

These activities allow children to construct rules and knowledge for themselves based on their own experiences. Moving forward from this constructivist approach,

it is important to provide learning opportunities where the child is free to form

hypotheses of his/her own, and then given the tools to test them.

Children learn by watching as well as by doing. Modeling is a powerful tool for learning. In fact, it is the way all of us learn to communicate through speech or

signing. Parents are often surprised to hear children use vocabulary that the parent never realized a child knew. For example, a child may learn a parent’s first name and call the parent by it, because that’s the name he hears others




use. Modeling, rather than constant correction, is also recommended as the

preferred way to guide a misspeaking child to more correct speech.

Teachers act as models of behavior, of speech, of conflict resolution, and as a

direct model when they show a child how to do something, and then let the child try for herself. Teachers may model how to use art materials, how to use a computer mouse, or how to sing a new song. As you observe the children,

they are also observing you, and learning from your example.

ATI encourages teachers to maintain a language rich classroom taking every opportunity to model the use of vocabulary, grammar, syntax and pronunciation. Engaging the children in conversation will challenge children to build their language

skills as well as develop learning related to the topics of discussion. Ask children open ended questions and encourage extended conversation whenever possible.

This gives children a chance to develop their cognitive skills and general knowledge as well as their language abilities as they are challenged to express their ideas and justify their thinking. Take the time to support vocabulary development throughout

daily activities. Every activity is an opportunity to expand vocabulary and

communication skills.

A child may learn a behavior but may not perform it until there is an incentive to do so. For example, a young child might have watched his elder brother climb up

on a chair to get to the counter, but may not do it himself until the cookies he

wants are there.

As children can learn by observing each other, it is useful for teachers to include many opportunities for collaborative learning in the classroom, such as small

group activities and the creation of centers that promote cooperative play.

CLASSROOM RULES

Establishing a set of consistent classroom rules is important to maintaining a positive classroom environment. Classroom rules will help the children learn about

self-control, following rules, and accepting consequences. It is recommended that classroom rules be few in number, stated in positive language and easy to

understand (Hester, Hendrickson, & Gable, 2009).

The first step in helping children follow classroom rules in ensuring they are aware

of the rules and your expectations. Posting a printed version of the rules is valuable, even when you have children with limited literacy skills. Posted rules should be written in positive language using short, age-appropriate words and

pictures to show the children what behavior you are looking for.

It is common for teachers to think that because the language skills of the children in the class are limited, reviewing the rules with them is not helpful, however, research indicates that taking the time to review the rules with children at the

beginning of the program year will establish the rules, help them to follow these

rules and accept consequences later in the year.

Keep in mind you will want to review the rules with children throughout the year as it with take some time for your children to integrate classroom expectations into




their daily interactions.. Many teachers take a few minutes each day to review the rules to keep them fresh in the minds of their children. It is important that you

model good rule following behavior and demonstrate the consequences for not

following the rules.

Ms. Cary wants to establish a no hitting rule in her classroom. Instead of writing “No Hitting” on her rules poster, Ms. Cary writes

“Be Kind” and includes a picture of two children hugging. She has stated this rule in positive language and included a picture to show

the children the behavior she is expecting, instead of showing them the behavior she wants to avoid. Each morning when she reviews the rules she will use this positive language. One day as

she sees a Maria, Olivia and Mark engaging in a disagreement. She knows that Mark is likely to hit Maria because he is frustrated,

Olivia on the other hand is talking to Maria to settle the disagreement over the stuffed animal. Ms. Cary takes this as an opportunity to model the good behavior, “Olivia and Mark I can see

that you are both frustrated right now. Olivia thank you for being kind to Maria and talking about how you feel.” By praising Olivia

for her problem solving strategies she has modeled this behavior, she also incorporated the same language, “be kind,” that is used in her rules poster.

SCAFFOLDING Although children construct meaning through their own experiences, it does not mean that the teacher’s role is diminished. Rather, it is changed to that of a facilitator, a mentor, a safety net for children as they learn. In order to facilitate

effectively, teachers must be aware of the current level of a child’s ability. This is achieved via observation of the child, and providing learning activities that are

just beyond what children can do on their own.

Galileo assessment goals assist you in determining what a child is ready to learn,

and helps you to create learning opportunities geared to the child’s current level, or a little above. As teachers aim to teach children in the zone of proximal

development, they walk the fine line between too easy and too difficult. Therefore, you can create a scaffold of assistance as a child learns a new task via a variety of tools, such as language, hints, visual aids, physical assistance and

guidance, and manipulatables. As children grow in ability, you can lessen the scaffolding until the child is finally completing the task independently. For

example, when a child learns to ride a bike, the parents provide scaffolding by putting training wheels on the bike and holding on to it as the child rides. As the child’s skill increases, the training wheels come off. A dutiful, but exhausted

parent runs beside the child, steadying the seat while the child pedals. As the child gains confidence, the parent releases the bike. Then the child is riding all

alone, and it’s a great feeling. The same thing happens when teachers provide scaffolding in the classroom. The enrichment opportunities and notes sections of the Galileo G3 Activities provide suggestions for scaffolding activities for children

at different places along their developmental path.




PROVIDING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK Working with young children requires consistency and a supportive, positive approach to providing feedback. Young learners are not only working to grasp the

early academic concepts presented in the classroom but also learning basic life skills. Preschool is a unique time for many children when they may, for the first time, are separated from their families, interacting with other children and expected

to maintain boundaries different than those in their home environment.

Maintaining boundaries in the classroom is key to creating a positive learning

environment. Be consistent with your classroom management, structures, and procedures. This will not only provide order to the daily routine but will also give

you a standard by which to direct the behavior of a child. When the rules are simply understood, putting a stop to inappropriate behavior may be as simple as an up-

beat reminder, “Remember the classroom rules!”

You may find that assigning jobs to the children and establishing a “helper” will

curb behavior challenges as this will provide a positive direction for children’s energy. Assigning children with challenging behavior as your “helper of the day” will redirect the negative behavior (Gebbie, Ceglowski, Taylor, & Miels, 2012). The jobs

he or she performs that day will provide a definitive and positive way to interact

with you and the other children.




You as the teacher have an important role in setting each child up for success in the preschool learning environment which may create good habits of mind and body

which, in turn, will help each child succeed in the long-term. Providing feedback to a child at this young and impressionable age requires an open mind and an ever

positive attitude. The children in your class are constantly looking to you as a teacher and a model of good behavior. At this age most children will aim to please

the important adults in their life, you being one of them!

FEEDBACK

The following may serve as a guideline as you develop your personal style for classroom communication and the provision of constructive feedback. Examples are

provided to illustrate these guidelines in practice.

Feedback should:

• Be Positive: Provide positive examples and redirect the behavior you would like to change in a child. Try to never elicit a negative emotion in a child.

Remember that his or her experience in your classroom is helping to shape their feelings about school and learning. If he or she links school with negative emotional experiences this may impact his or her success

throughout their academic career. There will be times when it is unavoidable, that a young child will be upset or feel embarrassed, as a teacher you can

simply try to minimize these experiences by being mindful of your tone of

voice, body language (including facial expression) and word choices.

• Be Immediate: Young children will need to be redirected as quickly as possible to ensure they understand the behavior change you are seeking.

Don’t expect a child to remember what he or she was doing previously. Be sure to provide feedback both on following the established rules and breaking the rules. Praising a child for following the rules is just as important as

immediately redirecting behavior you do not want to see in the classroom.

• Redirect When Possible: Instead of simply telling a child what not to do, show him or her what to do instead. This corrective feedback may provide ample opportunities for positive interactions with your children. Once the

child has following your redirection and is exhibiting the behavior you want to

see, be sure to praise the child for this good behavior.

USE AGE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE AND ANALOGIES Use language that the child will understand and provide analogies or stories to help

the child comprehend what you are saying. Young children love stories which makes stories a wonderful teaching tool! Try reading a story which models

something you are trying to teach, this will help a child understand the concept and

provide an analogy you can draw on in the future.

COMMUNICATING WITH FAMILIES Due to the large body of research which indicates a correlation between academic

success and family engagement, preschool teachers are encouraged to communicate regularly with families. Communication with families should be used to share constructive feedback for areas of potential improvement and to share




positive feedback about the child’s accomplishments. This will not only help to keep the families aware of the child’s progress but also give the families the opportunity

to support what you are doing in the classroom.

If there are behaviors you are working to change in the classroom, enlisting the help of families may prove very beneficial. Discuss your concerns with the family in a positive and supportive way. Often families can provide you with additional

information which may help you redirect this behavior. You may also be able to

create a cohesive plan to reinforce positive behavior at home and in the classroom.

As an early childhood education teacher, you may be able to share important information with families about working with their child at home. Consider

suggesting key phrases or specific activities that families can use at home with their

children to reinforce your classroom lessons.

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum offers over 200 activities for families to share with their children at home in the Times for Learning G3 Parent Activities Library1. You

can print these activities for families or you can provide families with access to the Galileo Pre-K Parent Center where they can access and print the activities at home. For more information on encouraging family engagement see the Encouraging

Family Engagement section on page 13.

Ms. Mary sees Dave and Jason in the art center with the box of crayons sitting in front of Jason. Dave has his paper in front of him but cannot reach the crayons. Dave reaches over and grabs

the blue crayon from Jason’s hand and starts to color with it. Ms. Mary sees this as an opportunity to redirect the two boys and

encourage a positive social interaction and sharing. Ms. Mary walks over to the two boys and says, “I see that you two boys are both coloring very nice pictures. But it looks like Dave can’t reach

the crayon box. Jason, would you please move the crayon box to the middle of the table so that you can share the box of crayons?”

Jason pushes the crayon box in between the two boys. “Thank you Jason, that will be very helpful so Dave can reach the crayons. Dave, let’s give Jason back the blue crayon so he can finish using

it, together we can find another color you can use now. When Jason is finished with the blue one, you can use it,” Ms. Mary

helps Dave pick out another crayon and give the blue one back to Jason.

In this example Ms. Mary does not punish Dave for taking the crayon from Jason, she recognizes that he may not have understood the concept of sharing, or taking

turns. Also, she recognizes that she can make this a positive learning experience for both boys by encouraging them to work together. This example illustrates

providing a positive redirection.

1 The Times for Learning G3: Momentos para Aprender Activity Library contains the Spanish

version of the Times for Learning G3 Parent Activities.




Some children may have difficulty with verbal directions. It may be helpful to use visual cues as well (Hester, Hendrickson, & Gable, 2009). Visual cues can be used

to indicate both positive and redirecting feedback. For example flashcards of different colors may be used to show a child or a group of children that you

appreciate their behavior or would like them to stop what they are doing. If you have a child who struggles with following verbal cues you may establish that a green flashcard means you are appreciative of her behavior and a red flashcard

means you would like her to change her behavior. When you see her following the rules, give her the green flashcard, when you see her doing something that you

would prefer she didn’t do, give her the red card.

Mr. Frank has planned to take his class outside to collect fall

leaves. He has asked the children in his class to find their coats so they can prepare to leave the classroom. While he

is helping some children put on their coats he sees two of his children, Jill and Sam, are not getting their coats but instead are pulling out costumes in the dramatic play area.

Mr. Frank says, “Maryann, Louise, Billy, Julian, thank you for getting your coats. It will be fun for everyone to go

outside to get leaves for our art project and we won’t be able to go until everyone has their coats on.” Jill and Sam hear Mr. Frank praising the other children and put down the

costumes to go find their coats. When Sam and Jill have their coats Mr. Frank says, “Jill and Sam thank you for

getting your coats! Now we can all go outside!” In this example Mr. Frank identified that Jill and Sam were off task and redirected

their behavior without “pointing fingers.” Instead he provided positive feedback to the other children which created a model of the behavior he was looking for. This

two-fold approach gave Maryann, Louise, Billy and Julian verbal reinforcement and provided a positive redirection for Sam and Jill who modified their behavior in hopes

of also receiving praise from Mr. Frank.

ENCOURAGING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT The Individual Child Development Plan is a document that can be printed from the Reports tab in Galileo which is designed to be used in family-teacher conferences to

promote teacher-family communication and shared goal-setting for the child. There is a place for the teacher to include her/his goals, another for families to include

their input, and fields for both to include signatures.

The Individual Child Development Plan can be used as a focused observation record

for both teachers and families, where date and data source for the focus goals can be documented. This worksheet helps you document family input when planning for

a child’s progress in your

For more information including step by step instructions for generating an Individual Child Development Plan visit the Galileo Pre-K Online help files or refer to the Galileo Pre-K Online Reports

Manual.




The Pre-K Parent Center is a secured internet area within Galileo Pre-K Online where parents can access up-to-date information about a child’s learning and

classroom experiences. The Pre-K Parent Center offers a unique way for teachers to communicate with parents regarding their child’s development, and share upcoming

lesson plans and activities designed to promote their child’s learning.

Through the Pre-K Parent Center families can remain continually engaged in their

child’s education. The Center serves as a platform through which two-way communication is facilitated and a family’s involvement in, and monitoring of, their

child’s developmental progress is encouraged.

The Pre-K Parent Center offers the following resources to families:

1. At-Home Activities: These activities are designed to facilitate fun educational experiences for families to share with their children. Each activity

aligns to one or more of the knowledge areas identified within the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales. These activities (available in English and Spanish) will help children achieve key capabilities that may increase school readiness

leading to a more successful educational path. Teachers may also post their own custom activities for families. While these activities are mapped to the

G3 3-5 years scales, many of these activities are simplistic enough to be

appropriate for use with younger children.

2. Computer-Based Activities: These activities are a collection of developmentally appropriate computer-based educational language and

literacy activities designed for 3-5 year-olds. These activities are based on the Galileo Storyteller curriculum and are available to all families with access

to the Galileo Pre-K Parent Center.

3. Lesson Plans: Educators may post lesson plans for families to stay up-to-

date on what skills their child will be learning throughout the program year. Families may select to print the published lesson plans the teacher is

focusing on, creating a holistic approach to their child’s learning.

4. Class Notes and Child Notes: Teachers can post announcements or notes which can be made available to families of all children in a program, center

or class. Additionally, teachers may post personal notes to parents which are specific to an individual child. This gives the teacher a simple way to stay in

touch with the families in your class.

5. Reports: The reports available in the Galileo Pre-K Parent Center include:

a. The Individual Observation Record worksheet guides parents through

observing their children’s development at home by providing a checklist to record the new capabilities being demonstrated. You may suggest that parents use this record in the weeks before parent/teacher conferences

and bring their records to your meeting. This will provide you with

valuable feedback about the child’s home experiences.




b. The Individual Development Profile Report outlines what a child has learned and is ready to learn now based on observations you enter. You

can also print the Individual Development Profile Report for families and may choose to do so before parent/teacher conferences. This report may

also be generated in Spanish to help you communicate the child’s

progress to a Spanish speaking family.

For more information including step by step instructions for using the Galileo Pre-K Parent Center visit the Galileo Pre-K Online help files.

PLAYTIME: INDOORS AND OUTDOORS Playtime is an important part of a preschool child’s day. There is a large body of research supporting the importance of engaging preschool children in structured

and unstructured play in both indoor and outdoor environments on a daily basis (Ginsburg & Health, 2007). These studies show that play is essential for the healthy

cognitive, social, emotional and physical development of children.

Unstructured play time provides children with opportunities to learn through

experience to solve problems, face challenges, explore independently and engage in preferred activities which support their strengths and which builds self-esteem and

confidence.

Time should be provided on a daily basis for children to engage in independent

exploration and free play in the classroom. Children may select to work on structured activities you designed for independent work in interest centers, or create their own unique games throughout the classroom, in either case they will

be learning valuable life skills.

Outdoor play time and physical activity are also very important on a daily basis. Preschool children are building lifelong habits for their mind and body. Opportunities to participate in physical activity both through teacher-led and child-

initiated activities will help influence the child to make healthy lifestyle choices long into adulthood. This is one of the first steps in fighting the ever increasing obesity

pandemic (Dyment & Coleman, 2012).

If weather does not permit outdoor activities on a daily basis it is recommended

that you arrange your classroom in such a way that physical activities can be performed indoors. This can include activities interspersed throughout the daily

schedule such as dancing in the music interest center, or acting out animal characters in an open space of the classroom. Be creative as you plan your daily schedule, keeping in mind the importance of physical activity for the cognitive,

social, emotional and motor development of the children in your class.

To guide you in planning your daily routines and lesson planning the National Association for Sport and Physical Education publishes the following guidelines for

Preschoolers (National Association for Sports and Physical Education, n.d.):




• Guideline 1. Preschoolers should accumulate at least 60 minutes of

structured physical activity each day.

• Guideline 2. Preschoolers should engage in at least 60 minutes -- and up to

several hours -- of unstructured physical activity each day, and should not be

sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.

• Guideline 3. Preschoolers should be encouraged to develop competence in fundamental motor skills that will serve as the building blocks for future

motor skillfulness and physical activity.

• Guideline 4. Preschoolers should have access to indoor and outdoor areas

that meet or exceed recommended safety standards for performing large-

muscle activities.

• Guideline 5. Caregivers and parents in charge of preschoolers’ health and well-being are responsible for understanding the importance of physical

activity and for promoting movement skills by providing opportunities for

structured and unstructured physical activity.

CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION AND INTEREST CENTERS

ENVIRONMENT IS KEY The creation of a positive educational environment is a powerful tool for learning.

Preschool teachers have long been aware of this fact, as is evidenced by a visit to their classrooms. Bright colors, child-sized furniture, and children’s work displayed on every wall tell children that the classroom is their place, and that good things

are about to happen there. The classroom ecology, design of the classroom, and the resources made available to children, provide the foundation for the learning

experience. As with all foundations, they need to be carefully and soundly built. A rich learning environment leads to rich learning opportunities. As a preschool

teacher, you are challenged to create a learning environment that provides both flexible learning opportunities and the structure and routine preschool children thrive on. Learning

occurs in multiple contexts, in large groups and small, one-on-one with you or in an informal peer

teaching situation, indoors and outdoors. It occurs during quiet, individual activities or noisy group activities, and is affected by the five

senses, by learning styles, and by inclination. How should you accommodate all of these

demands simultaneously in a single classroom? The answer is in a particular kind of learning

center – the interest center.

Interest centers provide a flexible learning environment, accommodating groups of

all sizes, individual interests, and needs. When you design quality interest centers for children you are able to provide a variety of meaningful learning experiences simultaneously for children to choose from within a structured environment. By




building meaningful learning experiences directly into the classroom environment, you will make learning a natural, comfortable, and fun part of the school day.

Learning opportunities abound, and surround the children.

Interest centers can be filled with activities and materials that support large group, small group and independent child activities. Throughout the year you can create various themes and encourage multiple types of activities in the same interest

center.

Teacher-led activities are those that you directly introduce and guide the individual child or group of children through. These activities are valuable for children to

practice following directions and participating in a structured activity.

Child-initiated activities are those that children discover and guide on their own. For example, you may place a box of silverware and a sorting tray in the House and

Dramatic Play interest center for children to practice sorting. You may encourage the children to explore what they can do with the silverware and provide scaffolding

as needed to help the child build their sorting skills as they guide their own learning

experience.

Designing your classroom environment around different centers where children can work alone or in groups of different sizes also provides the social context in which

children can learn not only in academic knowledge areas, but also develop their interpersonal skills. As children play together, they often learn from one another. The preschool years, in particular, are marked by a significant increase in social

interaction. While playing can sometimes produce conflict, it also can encourage cooperation. You can promote cognitive development during the preschool years by

providing children with many opportunities for social interaction and cooperative learning. The number and kind of interest centers you choose is limited only by

your imagination. Some examples of centers are:

• Art

• Computer

• Cooking

• Cultural Heritage

• House and Dramatic Play

• Library

• Music and Movement

• Nature and Science

• Sand and Water

• Table Toys/Blocks and Building

• Writing




Each center can be designed to promote not only cognitive development, but also social, physical, and self-help skills. Tips for creating interest centers in your

classroom, as well as some helpful materials lists to get you started are found in

Center Construction Ideas and Suggested Materials section, page 22.

The center may be portable, housed in folders or boxes that children use at certain times during the day.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS The first major step is planning the interest centers that will support your lesson

plans during the program year. Initially, you will be guided by the:

1. required domains of learning 2. space available

3. resources on hand

Furthermore, your choice of centers and their contents will be informed by the:

1. children in your class

2. thematic elements you intend to address 3. age-appropriateness 4. safety concerns

Once you’ve made some decisions about the centers you wish to create, you may

want to evaluate them before unveiling them to the children, and you’ll want to

continue to reevaluate them as time goes on. Consider the following questions:

• Does the center reflect cultural diversity?

• Is the center accessible to my students with disabilities? Are there

accommodations I need to make to support these students?

• What are the developmental levels of the children who will be using the

centers?

• What are goals will be explored by children in each interest center?

• Can the children handle the materials?

• Will the materials interest the children?

• Will the projects and materials in the center challenge them?

• In what ways will I participate in the center along with the children?

MATERIALS

Materials and activities in the centers should reflect different cultural backgrounds and should be appropriate to the developmental levels of the children. Be sure the materials and activities are multi-culturally appropriate and respect diversity.

Consider arranging an interest center to feature the different cultures represented




in your classroom or greater community. Families can be a wonderful resource for providing culturally representative materials and activity ideas. If you would like to

feature cultures which are not represented in your classroom community reach out to cultural organizations in your area or find online resources to help you learn

about appropriate ways to bring that specific culture into your classroom.

To decrease the risk of disagreements between children, stock your interest centers

with multiple sets of materials so that more than one child can participate in an activity. Also, as you are placing materials and activities in the centers arrange

these so that the adjacent activities are complimentary to each other. Consider not just the arrangement of individual centers but how the interest centers relate to each other. Be sure to provide enough space between centers and try not to place

materials or activities that could potentially lead to disagreements between

children.

Activities having a narrow range of difficulty (either too easy or too difficult) are likely to bore some children and frustrate others. Provide activities and projects

that allow each child to participate comfortably, complete the activity, and

experience a feeling of success and self-confidence.

SAFETY As you create your interest centers, keep health and safety in mind. Make sure

materials in your interest centers are in good condition and are safe and strong enough to be used on a regular basis by the children. Consider including toys that

are easy to clean and disinfect regularly. Keep an eye out for toys that have become dangerous through disrepair— sharp edges and loose parts that may be

swallowed...

CLASSROOM ECOLOGY Multiple interest centers in a single classroom can be created by defining the

separate areas using signage and physical boundaries. Physical boundaries can be created with shelves, furniture, floor coverings of different textures, and even

different colored tape. It’s important to be mindful of the placement of the centers within the room to provide the most conducive environment for the learning activity. For example, it would be distracting to a child trying to read in the library

center if the music and movement center right next to it is filled with three other children banging on tambourines and drums. Therefore, it’s best to separate the

quieter activities from the noisy, so that each can be engaged in without infringing on other children’s needs. It is important to arrange your classroom in such a way

to minimize conflicts between children; placing interest centers in such a way that the activities do not infringe on each other is an effective step towards minimizing potential conflicts. Activities requiring water or clean-up should be located closer to

the sink. Consider designing each center as an oasis where the child has the resources, space, and ambience best suited to the maximum exploration and

enjoyment of the activity.

Interest centers should be inviting, cozy, and easy to find and use. It is important

that learning be a natural and comfortable process for children, and interest centers should reflect that. How? Interest centers should accommodate children’s size,




hands, interests, backgrounds, and level of development. Interest centers are a wonderful way to support diversity and a multicultural classroom. Consider

incorporating the cultural practices and diverse family structures represented in your classroom population into the activities and materials presented in your

interest centers.

Materials should be reachable and easily manipulated. Each center should have a

variety of materials, and should be neatly organized. Storage boxes should be labeled with a word and a picture, and clear plastic boxes are even better, as

children can see what is inside. Including written labels introduces children to written language and provides an additional opportunity for literacy development. This is especially helpful for your Dual language learning (DLL) children. If you have

DLL children in your class you may create a unique learning opportunity for the entire class by including classroom signs and labels in the home language of your

DLL children.

Children’s work should be posted at their eye-level, rather than the teacher’s. It is

important to preschoolers to be able to “do it themselves;” therefore, consider the furnishings and materials you provide from their perspective. Children are more

likely to take learning initiative and to explore, if you make it easy for them to do

so.

Interest centers can also be setup outside (weather permitting). Incorporating the outside environment in your learning opportunities is a wonderful way to provide

variety in your interest centers, give the children opportunities for fresh air and build interest centers to facilitate activities in a larger space. This can be great for

messy activities which are better outdoors.

LEARNING STYLES The children in your class will represent many different learning styles. The Galileo

Pre-K Online Curriculum introduces learning opportunities targeting the same or similar skills each week across multiple interest centers. This is done to foster

learning in each child through supporting the many learning styles which may be represented in your classroom. Well-designed interest centers with an integrated curriculum, such as the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum, will support you in

providing learning opportunities in a variety of approaches to learning which will

allow each child to thrive.

All children should be provided with a balanced selection of learning opportunities which facilitate learning through multiple learning styles. It can be helpful to

understand different learning styles as you develop your lesson plans. This can ensure you are preparing a weekly lesson plan which will provide balanced learning

opportunities.

The following represent learning styles which you may see in the classroom.

Auditory Auditory learners will learn well during activities utilizing music and sound.




Kinesthetic

Kinesthetic learners may also be called physical learners. These children will gravitate towards activities which use their body, hands, and senses.

Logical

Logical learners use logic and reasoning in their learning activities.

Social

A social learner will do well in small and large group activities where they have the chance to work with other children. This is often called the

interpersonal learning style.

Solitary

The solitary learning style is also known as

intrapersonal. Intrapersonal learners tend to like to work on individual activities and be self-directed.

Verbal

Children who gravitate toward verbal learning

opportunities may prefer using words, both spoken and written.

Visual

Visual learners may prefer activities using pictures, images and spatial activities.

THE TEACHER’S ROLE Once the children begin using the centers your evaluation process will continue as

you monitor the children’s use of the centers.

• Are the children using each center for the purpose you intended?

• Is there enough space available for each center?

• Would you like to add additional materials or take away current materials?

• Do you see any problems children consistently face as they participate in

each center?

• Do you see any consistent successes in each center?

• Are there some centers the children prefer over others? Why? Could

modifying the layout or location of a center make it more appealing to the

children?

You may find that your house corner is just as often becoming a store, and you would like to add more resources to the “store” theme. Just as you are constantly

observing the children and adjusting learning opportunities to meet their needs, you will be observing how they interact in the learning environment, and making

changes to the interest centers.

Learning is facilitated when teachers are available to scaffold activities for children,

to provide assistance when needed, to model skills, behaviors, and appropriate




ways of dealing with others. Teachers can offer encouragement of all kinds as children expand their horizons. Be active and interactive. Children need more from

you than simply organizing the room, letting them play, and trouble-shooting. You are their teacher. They want you to learn with them, help them, and take pride in

their accomplishments. Take time to talk with children during activities. By being available to children as they learn, teachers can help them feel increased confidence in new situations. This allows them to learn and practice independent

learning skills with a supportive teacher presence.

Encourage cooperation in the centers. No doubt the material resources available to you are not as unlimited as your imagination. Consequently, it is important that children learn to share materials and take turns. Cooperation is easier for children

when the number of children in the center at any given time is small, when they know each other’s names, and when they are familiar with each other. If you are

assigning children to interest center groups, try to maintain the group composition for at least a week before changing it. You can encourage cooperation by providing children with projects to complete together. Also, when you model sharing and

turn- taking, children come to know what is expected of them.

CENTER CONSTRUCTION IDEAS AND SUGGESTED MATERIALS The construction of interest centers and the selection of their contents are crucial. You are designing the learning environment. You may find it helpful to relate some

of the centers to a common theme each week. Themes might relate to a holiday; an aspect of the community; a knowledge area such as plants, animals,

storytelling, and so on. Having real material examples that children could encounter brings the learning closer to a child’s real-life experiences, making the classroom activities more meaningful, and therefore, more valuable. If you build centers

based on thematic elements, you will probably want to change the theme on a regular basis. Your observations of children’s development will help you determine

when to change the theme or knowledge area. Below are a variety of common interest centers, materials lists for each, and helpful hints to get you started. However, interest centers may grow and evolve based on many factors, not the

least of which is your interest, and that of the children. Experiment with different resources, placement, and themes until you find what is comfortable for you and

the children.

Additionally, the Galileo G3 Curriculum Activities and Storyteller Activities are

designed to be easily implemented within an interest center design. The majority of the activities are small-group and large-group activities, many of which lend

themselves to children’s individual exploration within the various centers after their introduction. If the classroom interest centers are supplied with the materials listed below, teachers will have the materials necessary to complete most of the Galileo

G3 Activities. Some activities will require perishable materials or specific storybooks

which are not included in this document.

Teachers are encouraged to inventory their classroom using the Galileo G3 Activity Materials Checklist prior to implementing the

Galileo G3 Curriculum. A checklist to aid programs in implementing




Galileo Pre-K Online is provided on Appendix A: Curriculum Getting Started Checklist, page 101.

A complete list of storybooks included either as required or

suggested readings for any of the Galileo G3 Activities is provided Appendix D: Galileo G3 Storybook List on page 108.

ART INTEREST CENTER The Art Interest Center should include a variety of resources that allows children to create a variety of different art projects. Art

activities in the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum encourage the development of not only the skills included in the Visual Arts

knowledge area of the Galileo G3 Creative Arts Scale, but across the curriculum. You can encourage curiosity and creativity by providing many opportunities to produce art, and a non-judgmental environment in which to display

it. Art activities offer children opportunities to learn about shape, color, texture, composition, most importantly, self-expression. You can use the art center to help

children learn important skills in multiple domains, for example, cause and effect (mixing colors to make a new one), naming and labeling objects, making up stories, planning ahead, and math (such as counting paintbrushes to hand out among

children).

The art center should include tables and chairs located near a sink and away from

carpet if possible.

ART INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Art books

Butcher paper Cellophane paper in blue and green (colored cling wrap is not a good

substitute)

Chalk, Chalkboards Collage materials

Colored pencils Coloring books Construction paper in a variety of sizes and colors

Cotton swabs, cotton balls Crayons

Decorative materials: sequins, feathers, confetti, googly eyes, glitter, felt scraps, ribbon, lace, tissue paper

Drawing paper

Easels Easter grass

Egg cartons Glue, glue sticks Hole punch

Index cards Large pencils




Magazines, catalogs, newspaper or pictures printed from online sources to use for collage

Modeling clay Newspapers, including advertisements

Packing peanuts Paint supplies including brushes, trays, paint holders, paint (tempura or

watercolor, finger paints).

Paper bags Paper for painting

Paper towels Plastic cups for storing Play dough

Play dough Polystyrene cups

Popsicle sticks Ribbon of various colors and textures Rubber bands

Safety scissors Sewing items

Smocks Sponges

Stamps, Stamp pads (black, red, blue) Stapler Star Stickers

Straws Streamers

Styrofoam Tape: Masking tape, double sided tape, packing tape Thread

Tinsel Tooth picks

Water-based markers Wrapping paper Yarn

COOKING INTEREST CENTER Cooking is something children see adults do every day and it makes

them feel grown up to do it themselves. Children can learn helping, sharing, fine motor coordination, counting, sorting, measuring, classification, and prediction, among other skills represented in the

Galileo G3 Assessment Scales, when they cook. Be aware that some children may have severe food allergies, always obtain confirmation from families

that none of the children in your class are allergic to the ingredients you intend to use in the classroom. It’s a good idea to limit cooking activities to small groups and prepare ahead of time to be sure you have all the ingredients and tools you will

need. It is also helpful to discuss health and safety issues with the children before you begin a cooking activity. Be extremely cautious when using stoves or hotplates,




and always turn pot handles toward the backs of burners and turn stoves and

hotplates off as soon as you are done using them.

If you prefer not to use stoves or hotplates with children, or if your center does not

have a kitchen, there are still many food preparation activities available for children to enjoy, such as sandwiches and no-bake cookies. By keeping recipes simple, you can engage the children in many enjoyable cooking activities without using a

kitchen. Simple cooking activities such as peeling bananas, tearing lettuce, or scrubbing potatoes in preparation for a meal or snack can allow children to feel a

sense of accomplishment in helping.

COOKING INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Aluminum foil Apple peeler

Aprons Baking pans, baking sheets Cookie cutters

Cream of tartar Crock pot

Dish cleaning brush Egg beater Flower vase

Food coloring Jars

Kitchen timer Knives, forks, spoons Large metal or wooden spoons

Liquid dish soap Measuring cups in a variety of sizes (e.g., ¼, ½, ¾, 1, 1½ cup) and

materials (e.g., plastic and metal) Mixing bowls in a variety of sizes and materials (e.g., plastic and metal) Muffin pans

Napkins Plastic forks, spoons, knives

Plates Potato masher

Pots and pans Recipe cards with pictures and words Rolling pins

Rubber scrapers Small plastic pitchers

Small table and chairs Soup pot Spatulas

Tongs Utensils (e.g., spoons, forks) in a variety of sizes and materials (e.g., plastic

and metal) Vegetable peelers




Optional: cooking element for teacher’s use only (toaster oven, microwave, hotplate)

CULTURAL HERITAGE INTEREST CENTER Interest centers can be a wonderful way to highlight the unique

cultures represented in your classroom. By creating a Cultural Heritage interest center you can spotlight different cultures over the course of a

chosen month, observation period or the entire program year!

As you decide which cultures to include, be inclusive of all cultures represented by

the families in your classroom. Talk with families to recruit their assistance and support in creating an area which will appropriately and accurately represent their

culture at a level that the children can appreciate.

Families can be a valuable resource for stocking your interest center with pictures,

cultural items, recipes, music and more. You may want to include a photo of the children in your class from the selected culture in the interest center. If you have the technology available, ask someone in the family to record a few simple words

for you in their home language, this may be a simple, “Hello” and “Goodbye.” This will expose the children to different greetings and will delight the DLL children as

they share their home language with their peers.

As a culture is being highlighted in the Cultural Heritage interest center invite the

family or families in your classroom who are a part of this culture to come in and share with the children. Suggest that they could bring in photos to show, teach the

children a traditional dance from their culture, sing a traditional song, share a special food from their culture or teach the children a few simple words in their

language.

In addition to stocking this interest center with cultural items, you may include a map that shows what country this culture comes from, and signs with the name in

English and in the home language. As you rotate this interest center you will be creating a wonderful learning opportunity for the children to gain knowledge about

specific cultures and to learn respect and appreciation for all cultures.

House and Dramatic Play Interest Center

The learning possibilities for children in a house corner or other dramatic play area are endless. Dramatic play addresses learning across all

domains via the curricular goals of the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales. Dramatic play can help children learn about sorting materials, problem-solving, and cooperation and sharing. By imitating what they see in their

world, they practice what they might do in different situations, such as what it might be like to visit the dentist. In this way, children can work out any anxiety

these experiences might induce in a safe environment. Dramatic play provides real-life experience in secure surroundings. Additionally, dramatic play invariably involves cooperative play between children, and it provides many opportunities to

try out and expand their social skills.




HOUSE AND DRAMATIC PLAY INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Broom and dustpan and mop

Cash register Chairs, table

Dishes Dolls and doll accessories Dress-up clothes

Food labels Grocery or store products/wrappers/empty packages

Paper and pencils Paper grocery bags

Plastic flowers Plastic vases Play money

Play-food (plastic, empty food containers) Pots/pan

Purses, wallets Silverware Stuffed animals

Toy phones Additional materials as needed for special thematic Dramatic Play areas, such

as Doctor/Dentist Office, Garden Shop, Pet Shop, Grocery Store, Post Office, Fire House, etc.

LIBRARY INTEREST CENTER

Young children love stories just as they love songs. They will often implore you to read their favorite stories over and over. If you try to

skip ahead so that you can go on to another activity, you can be sure they will notice. It is important to encourage this interest in words, books, and literacy in general; the continuing exercise of literacy skills,

and ultimately, the ability to read, is one of the key determinants of later school success, and it all starts during story time in school and on the lap of a parent with

a favorite book. Children may learn many things during story time that will help them to learn to read later on. For example, a child will learn to distinguish print from scribble and to know that you can read print. The child may also learn to hold

a book right-side-up, that we read from top to bottom, and that we read English from left to right. The knowledge areas of the Galileo G3 Language Development

and the Galileo G3 Literacy Development Scales are addressed directly by the

experiences children have in the Library Center.

Storytelling is a wonderful activity for helping children develop higher-order thinking skills, such as making predictions. It is fun for them to use their

imaginations in this way, and it helps them to learn to anticipate possible future occurrences. Children can also learn about cause and effect relations in a story

activity.

One of the best ways for children to learn about stories is to create their own.

Initially, storytelling often takes the form of relating a personal experience. You can




build on children’s desire to share their experiences by encouraging them to make a picture story. Always encourage each child to share what happened in the

beginning, what happened next, and how the story ends.

Making picture stories teaches children many things. For example, they develop their artistic skills. In addition, they may learn that stories have a beginning, middle, and end. Most importantly, they learn to take pride in their creative

accomplishments. It is important to teach children to write stories as well as to tell them. Scribbling is one of the first ways in which children learn that you can

communicate through writing. As development progresses, the child may learn to make letters and to associate them with letter sounds. In this way writing can play an important role in the future development of reading skills. Giving children lots of

different kinds of opportunities to write can further promote literacy. For example, children may write thank you notes, grocery lists, or cards. By writing for different

purposes, children learn the many ways in which writing can be used to

communicate.

A complete list of storybooks included either as required or suggested readings for any of the Galileo G3 Activities is provided

Appendix D: Galileo G3 Storybook List on page 108. This list includes storybooks which may be used in the Galileo G3 Activities or which have been reviewed by Galileo and are recommended for

the preschool classroom.

LIBRARY INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Books on a variety of topics Books with simple plots and lots of pictures

Crayons Flannel board

Good lighting Large pillows Music player (mp3, cd, tape or record player)

Open shelves that show the front cover of books Paper

Pencils Puppets, especially those with mouths that open and close Rotating selection of children’s literature

Small table and chairs Soft flooring

Stuffed animals Wall decorations

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT INTEREST CENTER

Music and movement are important avenues for expression, which is why the Galileo G3 Activity Library includes many activities to promote

children’s development in this area. Music in particular helps children develop their listening skills, learn new words, and understand cause and effect. Typically, you will want children to sing as a group. Many




children are just learning to carry a tune at this age; when they sing together, they will have the opportunity to learn to sing on pitch in a setting where off-pitch

sounds may not be conspicuous. Choosing songs that tell a story will help children learn that music expresses thoughts and feelings. For example, you may wish to

have children talk about the feelings that the music brings up for them. You will find that the children enjoy songs that have movement associated with them. These songs help children not only to express themselves but also provide a way to

develop a sense of rhythm and to learn to follow directions. You may want the children to play as well as sing. Playing a simple musical instrument helps children

acquire the knowledge that they can perform. Moreover, it may stimulate later

interest in learning to play an instrument.

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Bells

Musical instruments such as percussion (drums, rhythm sticks, bells, other noisemakers), strings, woodwind, and brass

Hula hoops

Full-length unbreakable mirror Books of children’s songs and dances

Recordings of different types of music Music and songs from different cultures and countries

Music player (mp3, CD, tape or record player) Earphones

NATURE AND SCIENCE INTEREST CENTER

A young child is a natural scientist, constantly experimenting to learn more about the world. The skills of a scientist — observation, prediction,

classification, explanation, and hypothesis testing — are used by the child in all aspects of learning and in all learning centers. You can assist young children to develop their knowledge of the world by encouraging them to

use the scientist’s tools, the tools of scientific method that make up the

knowledge areas of the Galileo G3 Nature and Science Scale.

The most basic of these is observation. Observation provides the facts that the scientist tries to explain. You can encourage observations skills by elaborating on

the children’s responses to questions that you ask about the physical and natural

world in ways that promote attention to detail.

Another important tool of science is classification. Classification enables the child to interpret what s/he sees. You can have children classify things based on their size,

texture, color, shape, use, and composition.

The ability to predict helps us to explain why things happen and gives us a degree

of control over the future; prediction is a higher-order thinking skill you want to encourage. You can encourage children to make predictions by asking “What will

happen if/next?” questions. In addition to prediction, explanation of those predictions is important as well. Give children opportunities to explain their predictions as well as events in general. When they do, be sure to show respect and

support for what they say. This will encourage them to tell you what they really




think. You can encourage children to explain things by asking “Why do you think this happened?” and “What happened?” questions. Whenever possible, give children

the opportunity to test their predictions. Testing hypotheses, a key component of scientific method, is one of the child’s most important ways of acquiring new

knowledge. As children test and confirm or disprove their hypotheses they reshape their thinking and develop a deepening understanding of the world in which they

live.

NATURE AND SCIENCE INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Abacus Balance scale Balls, red, green and blue

Beans Board games

Bubbles and bubble wands Clock Different kinds of plants

Display shelves for science projects Dominos

Leaves Magnets

Materials that can be stacked, such as blocks of different sizes Measuring tools Picture books on nature and science

Puzzles with 4-6 pieces Rocks

Scent jars filled with different scents Seeds Shapes and weights for sorting

Shells Small table and chairs

Tape measure Things to measure Toys with moveable parts that can be taken apart

Writing materials

SAND AND WATER PLAY INTEREST CENTER

Children of all ages love to play in the sand, creating mighty fortresses or mud pies. A place to play with sand and water as they fill, dump, pour, and learn about textures is probably best created

outside. Children learn basic measurement and estimating skills as they mix, mold, and modify their sand sculptures. Cleaning up after sand and water

play offers opportunities to engage in self-care practices as well. Children develop fine motor skills as they physically manipulate both tools and their physical

environment.

In cases of space limitations, or for a specific activity, teachers sometimes prefer an

indoor sand tray, which can be created with a deep tray that includes sand or other




alternative materials and searching tools. This indoor tray should not include water play, especially if you’re using a sand alternative. Teachers might use a sand table

for a letter treasure hunt, a pretend archaeological dig, or children can practice writing with their fingers in the sand. Several activities in the Storyteller activities

library involve sand/salt trays.

SAND AND WATER PLAY INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Pails Pans

Plastic shovels Plastic spoons Pouring materials

Sandy area or sandbox Sponges

Toy vehicles Trickling garden hose Variety containers for filling

For a sand/salt tray indoors

Deep tray, like a dish pan enough to bury small objects in Hand strainer/sifter

Salt, sand, birdseed, or rice deep Slotted spoons Spoons

Tongs Tweezers

STORYTELLER CLASSROOM Although the Storyteller curriculum activities can take place in many different centers, a few more items are needed in order to make your

materials list complete, and facilitate the easy implementation of the activities in this library. In addition, you will find that many materials have

already been created for you, and are available as downloads attached to each individual activity (noted by a paperclip). All you need to do is click, print, and

copy what you need, whenever you need it.




Storyteller curriculum activities assist teachers to implement instructional activities designed to promote the development of language and literacy skills in preschool

children. Research indicates that children who have acquired early literacy skills will have many fewer reading problems in elementary school than children who do not

have these skills. Research also indicates that failing to give children literacy experiences until they are school age can severely limit the reading and writing levels they ultimately attain. Research on learning to read indicates that the

combination of letter knowledge and phonological awareness is critical to the development of fundamental decoding skills necessary for reading. Research has

also shown that a language-rich environment providing opportunities for challenging verbal interactions between children and adults promotes the development of language skills necessary for literacy development. We also know

that young children develop an awareness of print concepts and knowledge of

words through early attempts at writing.

STORYTELLER BASIC MATERIALS Bingo markers (16 for each child) such as plastic counters, bottle caps,

pennies, etc. Classic nursery rhymes, or clusters of rhyming words

Fabric bag that is not transparent (such as a small, dark-colored pillow case) Fishing pole with interchangeable ends: a magnet on the end of the string

and a metal end Flannel cloth squares (5") for erasing slates (or child- size old socks) Flashlights

Large question mark (approx. 18" long) cut from poster board or laminated construction paper

Large rubber band Large spinner with an arrow in the middle Letter Sets: magnetic plastic letters; upper or lowercase alphabet letters

(plastic, magnetic, sturdy laminated cardboard letters, or sponge letters) cones or other movable obstacles

Medium-size soft rubber or foam ball Name card with each child's first name on heavy card stock or on a writing

strip

Object Sets: For each letter of the alphabet, you will need a small number of items that begin with the letter sound and that fit into the letter box; Items

to place inside the jars such as jellybeans, jacks, marbles, sand, etc.; objects from school or home that all begin with the same letter sound, rhyming objects picture cards--multiple sets (matching, rhyming, activity, simple sight

words) Pegboards

Pictures of the children in the class (optional) Plastic bags to hold name card and individual letters Real jar of an easily recognizable food item - children should be able to read

the label (e.g., peanut butter or jelly) Shaving cream (optional)

Shoe boxes covered in paper (or diaper-wipe containers) clearly marked with the upper and lower case of the each letter




Small plastic jars Three sorting containers clearly labeled with a 1, 2 and a 3

Two 12-14 foot jump ropes (optional) Unbreakable hand mirrors (four or more) or a long unbreakable wardrobe

mirror mounted sideways

TABLE TOYS/BLOCKS AND BUILDING INTEREST CENTER A Table Toys/Blocks and Building Interest Center provides children with

a variety of experiences to use their small motor skills as they explore, experiment, and discover on their own. (Some teachers prefer to have a

block and building center separate from table toys, but we will deal with them as a single entity.) It is important to provide an assortment of

toys and other materials that are interesting to children, durable, and safe (no

small parts or sharp edges). Ideally, the toys and materials included in the center should be able to be used in more than one way, and encourage children to be

creative. For example, blocks could be a house, a castle, a raceway for toy cars; a jack-in-the-box is just a jack-in-the box. While playing with small toys promotes the development of fine motor skills, the table toys area can also be a tool to

improving language and literacy skills, as children learn to recognize the labels of the containers holding the toys. Working together to build a tower or sharing toys

also gives children opportunities to grow in the social domain. Working individually allows children to develop their personal initiative, goal-setting, and self-monitoring

abilities which are addressed in the Galileo G3 Approaches to Learning Scale.

TABLE TOYS/BLOCKS & BUILDING INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Beads and yarn Blocks

Books Buttons Colored cubes

Containers for filling Cookie-sheet-type tray or shallow box lid for sorting

Doll house Dominos Farm set

Fasteners Felt boards

Finger puppets Flannel board Lacing

Legos or other building toys Magnets

Matching games Paper, coloring materials Pea pods to shell

Pegboards Picture cards

Plastic cookie cutters




Plastic magnifying glass Play dough

Puzzles Rocks

Sea shells Sewing cards Shape sorters

Snapping, lacing, Stacking toys

Thematic groups of felt cut-outs Toy cars, trucks Wooden cylinders

Zipping, buttoning materials

TECHNOLOGY INTEREST CENTER

Technology abounds in our homes, schools, and work. No one doubts that being able to use a computer is an important skill, and many teachers like to provide children with the opportunity to use the

computer or a mobile device at school while learning important skills. There is a variety of high-quality children’s educational software available for

teachers to make available to children. Teachers can access children’s educational software via the internet or use stand-alone programs. The advantage to

downloading internet software is that both the software and the updates are available through the internet, eliminating the need for software installation. This allows independent and self-paced exploration of math concepts and literacy skills,

among others. The use of the mouse or touch screen interaction encourages the development of fine motor control as well. It is recommended that teachers preview

carefully all software that they intend for children to use and monitor children carefully as they utilize the computer or mobile device. For teachers who have a single computer or mobile device in their classroom, one for their use and that of

the children, it is important to train children as to what is for their use and what is not. Additionally, software exists that allows teachers to toggle between a specially

created child profile and their own work programs to allow for maximum security of data and files and minimum frustration of children trying to navigate an adult

profile on their own.

With ATI’s Storyteller, the computer center becomes a greater learning tool.

Computer-based instructional activities that can be utilized by children alone or by the teacher with a single child or a group of children, teach focused language and literacy lessons that are directly geared to developing the skills included in the

knowledge areas of phonological awareness, story reasoning and storytelling, print awareness and concepts, early reading and writing, alphabet knowledge, listening

and understanding, and receptive vocabulary. Additionally, children can engage in computer-based assessment activities, the performance information from which is entered directly into the Galileo G3 Language Development and Galileo G3 Literacy

Development Scales.




TECHNOLOGY INTEREST CENTER BASIC MATERIALS Computers, or laptops, or mobile devices available to children (one to three

units) Internet connection (high-speed recommended)

MP3 player, tablet or other technology devises which children can use with supervision

Optional: display equipment, via connection hardware to a TV, multiple

monitors, or a computer projector Small tables, chairs

Variety of children’s educational software

BASIC CLASSROOM SUPPLIES

As you know, many preschool activities require the same materials in different arrangements. A list of basic classroom materials along with additional materials and storybooks needed to complete the Galileo G3 Activities is provided in Section

6: Materials on page 96.

DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCES AND GALILEO PRE-K ONLINE

CURRICULUM The developmental sequences in the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum are empirically validated through observations of thousands of children across the

nation. Practical validation makes it possible to determine a child’s position on a path of development comprised of an ordered progression of skills. When path

position is identified, the teacher will know what the child has learned, what the child is ready to learn, and what the child will be ready to learn later on. The teacher can use this information to provide learning opportunities that are

appropriate to the child’s developmental needs.

Each child learns at his or her own pace, passing milestones at different rates depending on ability, interest, and the kinds of learning opportunities provided. As might be

expected, the progression of development will generally involve a movement from simple skills to more complex

skills. For example, if you view the knowledge area below taken from the Galileo G3 Literacy Development Scale for 3-5 year-olds, you will see that the ability to listen and attend

to stories and follow a simple one-step direction occurs before more difficult capabilities. As the child develops in this area, though, they

begin to get involved in stories by asking questions, and can follow multiple-step instructions. Ultimately, they become storytellers themselves, moving from an

audience role to a performing role.

Teachers will pinpoint a child’s position on a given path at the beginning of the

program year, and then follow up with regular observations of new learning in order to have up-to-date knowledge of a child’s position on a learning path at all times. If you know a child’s current developmental level, and you have an

understanding of the developmental sequence (what comes next), you can provide appropriate learning opportunities to promote growth. Developmental assessment




takes the guess-work out of lesson planning by allowing you to focus teaching and classroom

activities at a level that each child will find

challenging without being frustrating.

The scales in Galileo use path-referenced assessment. Path-referenced assessment helps us

view the child in terms of her/his progress along a developmental path. The path can be in language,

math, science, art, motor, social or emotional development. The construction of each path in Galileo is based on research about how children construct knowledge. For more information about the research behind

Galileo please see the technical manual The Galileo Pre-K Online Education Management System (Callahan, 2013) found on the Galileo Pre-K Online

Publications page (www.ati-online.com).

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENT Developmental assessment is the process of discovering what children can do and

how they do it. It is used to:

• Document growth in terms of a child’s level of development, interests, needs,

strengths, and pace of learning.

• Provide a portrait of the whole child with regard to her/his social, cognitive,

and physical development.

• Help develop curriculum and plan learning opportunities that are purposeful

and have goals.

• Share a child’s accomplishments and readiness for new opportunities and

experiences with parents and families.

It is important to keep in mind that developmental assessment is quite different

from other types of assessment. Here are some examples:

• Screening Assessment: Used to identify children who may have learning difficulties, handicapping conditions, or who may be at risk for developmental

delays.

• Diagnostic Assessment: Used to identify specific learning and adjustment

disorders so that decisions such as referral and placement can be made.

PATH-REFERENCED ASSESSMENTS The scales in Galileo use path-referenced assessment. Path-referenced

assessment helps us view the child in terms of her/his progress along a developmental path. The path can be in approaches to learning, art, language, literacy, logic and reasoning, math, nature and science, physical development and

health, social and emotional development, social studies, and technology. The construction of each path in Galileo is based on research about how children

construct knowledge.

Lesson planning guess

work is no longer

needed by using the developmental

assessments.





Each path in Galileo is like a map, displaying capabilities from concrete to abstract, easy to difficult, and simple to complex. We can look at the map and find out where

we are, where we want to be, and how to get there. The scale, which is developmentally sequenced, will tell us where the child is currently, and what skills

she/he needs to learn next to advance. Below is an example of a path from the Literacy Development Scale for 3-5 year-olds. As you can see, there are many steps on the road to having early writing skills, starting with simple scribbles and

ending with writing complete words.

• Uses scribble on paper to communicate a message.

• Communicates by scribbling and with some letter-like shapes.

• Draws figures and shapes to convey meanings.

• Draws horizontal and vertical lines.

• Holds pencil with thumb and forefinger.

• Uses a variety of writing tools and materials to communicate with others.

• Copies her/his name from a sample.

• Writes some letters.

• Writes using inventive spelling.

• Write her/his name, without assistance.

• Communicates by writing complete words.

For more information about developmental assessment see the

Fundamentals of Galileo: Developmental Assessment manual.

STATE ALIGNMENT In a wonderfully diverse country the content of curriculum must reflect the educational goals and values of the many cultures represented in our communities

while maintaining a standard of educational excellence. Growing concerns for accountability in our society have eventuated in the establishment of federal and state standards that affect curriculum content. Local educational needs and

priorities also may affect content. Efforts to establish standards can be and generally are based on advances in the scientific knowledge base regarding

children’s learning. Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is designed to reflect what research tells us about children’s learning and to accommodate the rapid changes in priorities and standards that shape curriculum. Galileo Pre-K Online provides a

detailed alignment of the assessment and curriculum goals to early childhood learning state standards. Alignments are continually updated as changes are made.

Alignment documents can be found by clicking the Help link in Galileo Pre-K Online.




Currently the content for Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum for 3-5 year-olds reflects

ten content domains:

• Approaches to Learning • Nature and Science • Creative Arts • Physical Development and Health

• Language Development • Social and Emotional Development • Literacy Development • Social Studies

• Logic and Reasoning The Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum for 18-36 month-olds includes classroom

activities which reflect the following domain contents:

• Approaches to Learning • Physical Development and Health

• Cognitive Development and General Knowledge

• Social and Emotional Development

• Language, Communication, Reading and Writing

In addition to the domains above, Galileo Pre-K Online offers a reporting tool for school readiness which combines capabilities reflected in the domains in the G3 00-

08 months, 08-18 months, 18-24 months, 2-3 years, and the 3-5 years

Assessment Scales.

The Galileo G3 Assessment Scales cover each of these areas with an additional assessment scale for school readiness and English language acquisition. The

integration of the curriculum with assessment scales provides a seamless approach to monitoring children’s progress and providing appropriate classroom learning opportunities. What follows is a discussion of the rationale for each of the included

content areas and a grid that includes the skills typically learned by children at different points during a two-year preschool program. Please keep in mind that the

skills listed reflect those typically learned by children at certain ages and should serve as a reminder of the developmental sequence of skills as you plan learning

opportunities rather than as an age-based mandate that has the potential to deny

the individuality of each child.

For a more in-depth look at each content area, please see ATI’s technical manual, “The Galileo Pre-K Online Education Management

System” (Callahan, 2013) found on the Galileo Pre-K Online Publications page (www.ati-online.com).





SCOPE AND SEQUENCE The tables in each of the following sections provide a listing of what capabilities the average preschoolers had learned their first year and their second year in a

program.

This guidebook addresses the scope and sequence for 18-24 months, 2-

3 years, and 3-5 years. For the scope and sequence for 00-08 months and 08-18 months, please refer to the Galileo online help files.

APPROACHES TO LEARNING Approaches to Learning is a key domain contained in the Head Start Development and Early Learning Framework (US Department of Health

and Human Services, 2010), the National Education Goals (National Education Goals Panel, 2000) and many state’s early learning standards.

While Approaches to Learning is a new addition to the bank of research in early learning it is often considered one of the most critical domains as a child’s

progress in Approaches to Learning may directly affect their mastery of the content

in all other areas of learning.

Approaches to Learning refers to the motivation and behavioral aspects associated with the way a child approaches knowledge acquisition (McDermott, Rikoon, Waterman, & Fantuzzo, 2012). Because of the wide scope of development children

experience during their preschool years, the child’s individual approach to gaining knowledge may directly impact their learning outcomes across multiple domains.

Aspects of a child’s approach to learning may be related to inborn predispositions

and experiences in early life (National Education Goals Panel, 2000).

Because of the significant role Approaches to Learning play in a child’s developmental path it is important to recognize areas of need in this area at an

early age to provide additional support as needed. This can be done most effectively by using a psychometrically sound and developmentally appropriate assessment tool such as Galileo Pre-K Online (Bulotsky-Shearer, Fernandez,

Dominguez, & Rouse, 2011).

The 18-24 months and 2-3 years Galileo G3 Assessment scales for Approaches to Learning include knowledge areas related to Eagerness and Curiosity, Persistence, and Creativity and Inventiveness. The 3-5 years Galileo G3 Assessment Scale for

Approaches to Learning provides a tool for assessing a child’s knowledge acquisition by measuring their progress in representative knowledge areas including Taking

Initiative and Exhibiting Curiosity, Developing Creativity and Inventiveness, Goal

Setting and Planning, and Learning Cooperation.

Age September to November December to February March to May

18-24 months

1. Shows interest in new experiences (e.g., reaching out to touch the rain, stopping play to watch a garbage truck). 2. Plays side-by-side with another child using the same or similar toys.

3. Imitates adult activities such as reading a magazine or helping to set the table. 4. Points to an unfamiliar picture in a book and looks at adult to provide the name for the object.

8. Shows interest in sorting (e.g., sorting colored pegs into single-color piles, putting the small buttons in one container and the big buttons in another). 12. Plays the same music and movement activity over and over.




Age September to November December to February March to May 5. Begins to explore the

environment independently. 9. Explores most areas of the classroom. 10. Participates in back-and-forth sound play with adults by imitating their words, sounds, and inflections. 11. Remembers the location of and searches for a favorite object. 15. Insists on feeding self (e.g., eating finger foods, using utensils, pouring juice).

6. Eagerly seeks and takes

pleasure in learning new skills. 7. Tries new art materials such as play dough or finger painting, musical instruments, or other new toys. 13. Tries various shapes in a shape-sorting toy until the shape finally fits. 18. Uses tools to retrieve items that are out of reach (e.g., using a string to pull a toy toward self). 19. Engages in pretend play (e.g., feeds baby doll with bottle, pretends to lock/unlock door.) 22. Views objects from all sides. 23. Participates in sand and water activities.

14. Insists on completing a task

even when assistance is needed. 16. Requests that a favorite book be read over again. 17. Repeats activities or games over and over, such as building a block structure, taking it apart, and rebuilding it. 20. Scribbles on a piece of paper to communicate (e.g., makes a "shopping list"). 21. Uses a variety of materials during play to represent objects and events (e.g., uses pegs with play dough as candles for cake). 24. Models everyday activities and pretends to take on the roles of other people (e.g., mommy, daddy, baby, teacher). 25. Stomps feet to loud music and tiptoes to soft music. 26. Uses objects together as tools. 27. Finds solutions to simple problems (e.g., riding toy is stuck on another toy so the child backs up and drives around the toy).

2-3 years

1. Tries new art materials such as play dough, finger painting, musical instruments, or other new toys. 2. Imitates adult activities such as reading a magazine or helping to set the table. 5. Explores new toys to see how they work. 6. Plays beside other children,

imitating the play of another child. 8. Explores most areas of the classroom. 10. Tries various shapes in a shape-sorting toy until the shape finally fits. 12. Insists on feeding self (e.g., eating finger foods, using utensils, pouring juice). 14. Listens closely and turns the pages of a storybook that is being read by a parent, caregiver, or teacher.

4. Enjoys opportunities to help parents, caregivers, and teachers (e.g., assisting with setting the table or folding the clothes). 7. Looks at insects, leaves, or other things from nature, examines and watches them move or grow. 9. Participates independently in

an increasing variety of experiences. 11. Insists on completing a task even when assistance is needed. 13. Requests that a favorite book be read over again. 15. Repeats activities or games over and over, such as building a block structure, taking it apart, and rebuilding it. 16. Shows interest in completing simple puzzles, stringing beads successfully, and repeating attempts to use scissors. 18. Uses a variety of materials during play to represent objects and events (e.g., uses pegs with play dough as candles for cake). 20. Uses objects together as tools. 26. Reorganizes objects to solve a problem (e.g., stacking so blocks don't fall).

3. Shows interest in sorting (e.g., sorting colored pegs into single-color piles, putting the small buttons in one container and the big buttons in another). 17. Maintains concentration in an activity despite distractions or interruptions. 19. Models everyday activities and pretends to take on the

roles of other people (e.g., mommy, daddy, baby, teacher). 21. Scribbles on a piece of paper to communicate (e.g., making a shopping list). 22. Acts out familiar life scenes (e.g., picking up a bag or lunch box and saying, “I go to work”). 23. Finds solutions to simple problems (e.g., riding toy is stuck on another toy so the child backs up and drives around the toy). 24. Experiments with a variety of strategies to solve a problem or complete a task. 25. Combines materials, objects, equipment in new ways to produce multiple uses.





3 – 4 years

1. Explores most areas of the

classroom. 2. Participates in an increasing variety of experiences independently. 4. Selects activities or objects from a choice of at least two in a daily routine. 6. Initiates preferred purposeful activities when playing in interest centers. 12. Maintains interest in an activity for an appropriate period of time. 13. Completes a simple self-selected activity or task. 17. While playing, says what s/he wants to accomplish, when asked. 22. Shares part or all of something with an adult. 23. Shares part or all of something with a peer. 24. Takes turns playing with a toy or object. 28. Establishes proximity to peers during an unstructured child-directed activity.

5. Selects activities that are

within her/his capabilities, most of the time. 18. Sets a goal prior to beginning of an activity or a project. 29. Maintains proximity to peers during an unstructured child-directed activity. Review of Skills 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 13, 17, 22, 23, 24, 28

15. Persists with a difficult or

non-preferred activity. 19. Says, signs, or gestures whether or not a simple task has been completed. 20. Sets a goal, and with adult help, plans a small number of steps to achieve it. 26. Voluntarily helps a peer. 27. Says, signs, or gestures when it is her/his turn in a game or activity. Review of Skills 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29

3-4

years

Supple

ment

and e

nrich w

ith:

8. Uses a variety of materials during play to represent objects and events (e.g., uses pegs with play dough as candles for cake). 11. Maintains concentration in an activity despite distractions or interruptions. 16. Checks to see if a simple task has been completed, without being asked.

9. Finds solutions to simple problems (e.g., riding toy is stuck on another toy so the child backs up and drives around the toy). 30. Completes a task (e.g. art project, assignment, drawing, skit) with a partner. Review of Skills 8, 11, 16

3. Combines materials, objects, equipment in new ways to produce multiple uses. 7. Asks questions to find out about topics presented in the classroom (e.g. who, what, where, why, or how). 10. Experiments with a variety of strategies to solve a problem or complete a task. Review of Skills 8, 9, 11, 16, 30

4 – 5 years

2. Participates in an increasing variety of experiences independently. 18. Sets a goal prior to beginning of an activity or a project. 25. Is helpful to an adult when prompted. Review of Skills 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26,

27, 28, 29

5. Selects activities that are within her/his capabilities, most of the time. 15. Persists with a difficult or non-preferred activity. 19. Says, signs, or gestures whether or not a simple task has been completed. 20. Sets a goal, and with adult help, plans a small number of steps to achieve it.

26. Voluntarily helps a peer. 27. Says, signs, or gestures when it is her/his turn in a game or activity. 29. Maintains proximity to peers during an unstructured child-directed activity. Review of Skills 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

14. Corrects her/his own mistakes, some of the time. Review of Skills 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29




Age September to November December to February March to May 4-5

years

Supple

ment

and

enrich w

ith:

Review of Skills 8, 9, 11, 16, 30 Review of Skills 8, 9, 11, 16, 30 21. Revises, with adult help, a

plan that has not produced the intended result. Review of Skills 8, 9, 11, 16, 30

CREATIVE ARTS Most children enjoy art activities. From scribbling to drawing with crayons to finger painting to sculpting, art gives children the

opportunity to explore their feelings and experiment with forms and materials. Through their art, young children use symbols that have

primary and universal meaning. Like true artists, they seem to possess an innate sense of design and composition. Their charming, honest expressions are

a way of experiencing and understanding their world.

Enjoyment is not the only thing children gain from their experiences with art. Art

including music, movement, and visual arts can be more broadly useful to a child’s education outside of the art activities themselves. Children’s drawing, including their early scribbling, has been linked to many aspects of development, including

social and emotional as well as cognitive functioning. The significance of the artistic intelligence domain in human development has been well acknowledged in the field

of educational psychology (Gardner, 1995). In fact, research has shown a positive crossover relationship between the benefits of art and other academic areas of learning such as language acquisition, reading, writing, math, and science

(Lorenzo-Lasa & Ideishi, 2007) (Gromko & Poorman, 1998).

The capabilities in the Galileo G3 Creative Arts Scale for 3–5 years reflects a balance between process and product, protecting against an overemphasis of process art experiences found in many preschools. The 3-5 years Galileo G3

Creative Arts Scale knowledge areas include Enjoying Music and Movement,

Creating Visual Art, and Participating in Dramatic Play.


3 – 4 years

1. Shows an interest in using musical instruments to produce sounds. 2. Shows an interest in listening to short musical selections. 3. Sings or hums familiar songs

or tunes. 5. Talks about the kinds of music enjoyed (e.g., favorites). 15. Works with other children on a cooperative art project (e.g., mural). 16. Takes care of art materials/supplies (e.g., washes brushes, covers paint). 17. Creates collages with various materials and textures (e.g., fabrics, pictures). 19. Creates 3-dimensional masks (e.g., clowns, animals) with various materials.

4. Uses movement to express what is being felt/heard in various songs or tunes. 6. Experiments with singing/humming in different ways (e.g., loud/soft,

fast/slow). 18. Draws representations of human and animal figures. 32. Acts out stories or situations during a dramatic play activity. 33. Describes the story or situation that will occur during dramatic play. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 5, 15, 16, 17, 19, 30, 31

7. Identifies the names of familiar instruments (e.g., drum, horn, guitar, etc.). 8. Matches the type of sound to a particular instrument. 20. Draws recognizable

environmental objects (e.g., house, trees, ball). 23. Draws some details in representations of animals, people, or objects. 26. Recombines and experiments with art materials to see what happens. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 30, 31, 32, 33




Age September to November December to February March to May 30. Uses dramatic play to

express feelings (e.g., fear). 31. Acts out a real or make-believe character during dramatic play.

3-4

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11. Uses instruments/songs to express feelings (e.g., happy, sad, angry, scared). 21. Participates in various art activities (e.g., paint, sculpture, collage, masks).

24. Describes a self-made art project (tells what it is about) to a child or adult. 25. Uses various tools to create art projects (e.g., rollers, string, straws). 29. Draws a series of pictures that depict a story. Review of Skills 11, 21

13. Uses instruments or songs to represent events (e.g., thunder, animal sounds). 28. Uses a variety of colors to create moods or feelings in artwork. 34. Uses dramatic play to practice cooperation (e.g., who sets table, cooks). 35. Practices "working out" new situations (e.g., going to doctor, new baby, trip). Review of Skills 11, 21, 24, 25, 29

4 – 5 years

1. Shows an interest in using musical instruments to produce sounds. 2. Shows an interest in listening to short musical selections. 3. Sings or hums familiar songs or tunes. 4. Uses movement to express what is being felt/heard in various songs or tunes. 5. Talks about the kinds of music enjoyed (e.g., favorites). 6. Experiments with singing/humming in different ways (e.g., loud/soft, fast/slow). 15. Works with other children on a cooperative art project (e.g., mural). 16. Takes care of art materials/supplies (e.g., washes brushes, covers paint). 17. Creates collages with various materials and textures (e.g., fabrics, pictures). 19. Creates 3-dimensional masks (e.g., clowns, animals) with various materials. 30. Uses dramatic play to express feelings (e.g., fear).

31. Acts out a real or make-believe character during dramatic play. 32. Acts out stories or situations during a dramatic play activity. 33. Describes the story or situation that will occur during dramatic play.

7. Identifies the names of familiar instruments (e.g., drum, horn, guitar, etc.). 8. Matches the type of sound to a particular instrument. 18. Draws representations of human and animal figures. 20. Draws recognizable environmental objects (e.g., house, trees, ball). 23. Draws some details in representations of animals, people, or objects. 26. Recombines and experiments with art materials to see what happens. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 19, 30, 31, 32, 33

12. Identifies differences in tempo, tone, and volume, most of the time. 22. Selects materials that will be needed for a self-initiated art project. 27. Describes the steps/plan for constructing a self-initiated art project. 36. Uses dramatic play to ask questions to gain new knowledge from others. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, 30, 31, 32, 33





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Review of Skills 11, 13, 21, 24,

25, 28, 29, 34, 35

9. Synchronizes movements to

different patterns of beat/tempo, most of the time. Review of Skills 11, 13, 21, 24, 25, 28, 29, 34, 35

10. Invents songs or tunes

using voice or musical instruments. 14. Matches pitch and tempo during a singing activity most of the time. Review of Skills 9, 11, 13, 21, 24, 25, 28, 29, 34, 35

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE The Galileo G3 Cognitive Development and General Knowledge scales for infants and toddlers incorporates the precursor skills to the G3 3-5

Years Early Math, Nature and Science, and Logic and Reasoning scales. The scope and sequence for the 18-36 month and 2-3 years Cognitive

Development and General Knowledge scales are included in the following tables. The knowledge areas reflected in these scales include Exploration and Discovery, Concept Development and Memory, and Problem-Solving and

Creative Expression.


18-36 months

1. Places items in containers and then pours them out, repeatedly. 2. Drops a toy or a bottle on the floor and watches to see what happens. 3. Responds to familiar words (e.g., bottle, blanket, teddy bear) by looking at, pointing to, or reaching for objects. 5. Follows two-step directions. 18. Pretends to call familiar people on a play phone. 36. Points, gestures, and makes sounds to indicate what she/he wants.

9. Pulls on the hand of adults when wanting to communicate. 11. Explores the contents of cabinets and drawers. 12. Stacks blocks and knocks them down. 17. Enacts familiar events or household chores. 20. Finds hidden objects. 21. Associates spoken words with familiar objects or actions. 22. When she/he spills a liquid (e.g., milk), says “uh-oh”. 28. Pulls/pushes a wagon or cart around the play area possibly putting toys in it. 34. Laughs at funny things. 37. Enjoys messy activities, such as finger painting. 38. Chooses to solve simple tasks (e.g., attempting a simple

puzzle). 39. Identifies her/his own clothing items. 40. Begins to develop her/his own likes and dislikes. 42. Demonstrates some movement to rhythms. 45. Uses cups and other containers when playing with sand and water. 49. Uses a spoon to get food into her/his mouth.

15. Verbalizes observations, such as “Milk gone!” or “Daddy here!” 44. Demonstrates assertiveness by saying “No!” or “Me Do it" when adults try to help with self-care tasks. 4. States clear preferences regarding colors, foods, and clothes. 6. Describes activities, such as “Me eat”. 7. Speaks in short sentences (of one to three words) using and misusing plurals (e.g., saying “feets” for “feet”). 8. Begins to take care of her/his

hair using a comb or brush.

10. Plays "dress-up", imitating the behaviors of familiar adults. 13. Successfully completes simple inset puzzles. 14. Verbalizes “mine” when showing a favorite object. 16. Explores objects by taking things apart, stacking sorting, tracing, etc. 19. Makes a detour to retrieve an object. 22. Matches sounds to pictures of animals. 24. Repeats words over and over. 25. Begins to identify with children of the same age and gender.





26. Insists that most objects are “mine”. 27. Occasionally asks about a favorite adult when the adult is not present. 29. Pokes, drops, pushes pulls, and squeezes things to see what will happen. 30. Places items back in their “correct” place. 31. Searches for removed or lost objects. 32. Asks to hear her/his favorite song over and over. 33. Participates in rearranging areas of the room. 35. Wants to tell her/his age to a familiar adult. 41. Uses trial and error to fit different shapes into holes or to stack things in order. 43. Tries out various ways to get her/his arms into the sleeves of a jacket/sweater. 46. Uses negotiation and language, with the help from adults, to solve problems when playing with peers. 47. Wants to get her/his own way even if it conflicts with adults. 48. Uses objects for other than their intended purposes. 50. Threads beads by coordinating a string into the bead opening. 51. Uses materials such as pencils, paints, and play dough in different and varied ways. 52. Takes an adult’s hand, leads the adult to the block area, and gives the adult a block. 53. Begins to enjoy small-group activities facilitated by an adult. 54. Points to pictures that represent feelings and names the emotions. 55. Brings others into their play (e.g., “Let’s go on a bus ride. Here are the seats, and you be the driver”). 56. Demonstrates some persistence and creativity in solving a problem (e.g., turns puzzle pieces in various directions to complete the puzzle).

2-3 years

3. Verbalizes observations, such as “Milk gone!” or “Daddy here!” 1. Successfully completes simple inset puzzles. 2. Successfully hooks toys

together.

8. Finds details in a favorite picture book. 10. Makes play dough creations. 12. Sometimes says “Please” and “Thank you” without

prompting.

6. Labels or describes “drawings” or scribbles. 9. Chooses toys or activities based on who is playing.




Age September to November December to February March to May 4. Explores objects by taking

things apart, stacking sorting, tracing, etc. 5. Asks for help when needed. 7. Washes hands or picks up toys when directed to do so. 16. Places items back in their “correct” place. 21. Laughs at funny things. 35. Uses a spoon to get food into her/his mouth. 38. Wants to get her/his own way even if it conflicts with adults. 39. Begins to enjoy small-group activities facilitated by an adult.

13. Repeatedly does the same

puzzles. 14. Inspects/manipulates moving parts of toys (e.g., wheels). 17. Searches for removed or lost objects. 18. Pokes, drops, pushes, pulls, and squeezes objects to see what will happen. 19. Participates in rearranging areas of the room. 24. Sings several songs, poems, or finger plays with adults. 25. Puts an object “on top of” or “under” the table, upon request. 33. Completes three-or four-piece puzzles. 36. Threads beads by coordinating a string into the bead opening. 37. Uses materials such as pencils, paints, and play dough in different and varied ways 43. Joins in or tries to sing songs and finger plays without encouragement. 44. Demonstrates the ability to move in time with music. 49. Claps to express appreciation or joy. 52. Takes toys/materials from one area to another area for play (e.g., takes toys from the dress-up corner to the block area).

11. Asks questions while a book is being read by a familiar adult. 15. Persistently asks “Why?”. 20. Asks to hear her/his favorite song over and over. 22. Wants to tell her/his age to a familiar adult. 23. Wants to be assigned a “job”. 26. Identifies a "best friend". 27. Understands that some family/friends may live far away. 28. Uses words to describe feelings (e.g., “happy”). 29. Lines objects up in one-to-one relationships (e.g., shoe/sock, fork/plate). 30. Asks questions that include “How many?” or “How much?”. 31. Sorts objects (e.g., beads) by color or by size. 32. Pretends to be a character from a story or show. 34. Answers questions about prior events. 40. Points to pictures that represent feelings and names the emotions. 41. Brings others into their play (e.g., “Let’s go on a bus ride. Here are the seats, and you be the driver”). 42. Takes on roles during pretend play. 45. Persists with objects, or with frustrating toys. 46. Imitates other children’s play or begins to play with others in associative play. 47. Comforts crying peers. 48. Initiates interactions with playmates. 50. Names parts of her/his pictures. 51. Begins to locate/select materials for an activity (e.g., gets out art supplies for a project but may forget things or not get enough). 53. Finds solutions basic everyday problems (e.g., peels paper off a crayon to continue coloring). 54. Demonstrates some persistence and creativity in solving a problem (e.g., turns puzzle pieces in various directions to complete the puzzle). 55. Makes up words to describe objects, events, emotions.




EARLY MATH Research indicates that children who begin building their mathematic

capabilities before entering kindergarten may be more successful throughout their educational careers (Methe, Hintze, & Floyd, 2008).

To foster opportunities for children to develop these skills Early Math is one of the developmental areas in the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales

for 3-5 years. The capabilities included in this scale build on the inherent interest

and ability of young children to engage in mathematical thinking and learning

(Clements, Samara, & DiBiase, 2004) (Gelman, 2006).

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has played a major role reforming mathematics education. The Council has developed curriculum and

evaluation standards for school-aged children that have had a significant impact on instruction in the nation’s schools (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics,

2000). The work of the Council has had a significant impact on preschool curriculum development. The standards for pre-kindergarten through grade 2 (Pre-K-2) include but are not limited to topics such as understanding numbers and operations,

computation fluency, patterns, relations and functions, algebra, geometric shapes and relationships, spatial relationships, and measurement (National Council of

Teachers of Mathematics, 2000). These topics are among those known to be appropriate for promoting the development of young children (Methe, Hintze, & Floyd, 2008). The work of the National Council has had a significant influence on

the kinds of mathematical learning opportunities provided through the Galileo G3 Early Math Scale for 3-5 years. The mathematical content covered in the Galileo G3

Early Math Scale for 3-5 years is designed to evaluate a child’s understanding of mathematics concepts, particularly as they apply to problems encountered in day-

to-day life.

The 3-5 years Galileo G3 Early Math Scale includes the following knowledge areas:

Counting and Comparing, Identifying Numerals, Adding, Subtracting, Understanding Fractions, Sorting, Ordering, Comprehending Spatial Concepts, Learning About

Shapes, Noticing Patterns, and Measuring.


3 – 4 years

1. Uses one-to-one correspondence when counting objects. 2. Counts to find how many are in a group up to 5. 15. Adds one to a small group, when asked. 24. Matches objects to an example. 25. Sorts diverse objects based on a physical attribute (e.g., shape). 28. Identifies the shorter or taller of two persons or things. 32. Understands object directionality concepts (e.g., right, left, up, down). 33. Understands object position concepts (e.g., under, top, bottom, inside, behind).

3. Counts forward from a number > 1 to find how many are in a group. 35. Places a circle, square, or triangle appropriately on a foam board. 38. Repeats alternating movement patterns (e.g., up/up/down, up/up/down). Review of Skills 1, 2, 15, 24, 25, 28, 32, 33, 34

16. Indicates that a small group has more after some have been added. 18. Indicates that a small group has less after taking some away. 26. Sorts diverse objects by one attribute, then by another (e.g., size, then shape). 29. Identifies the shortest or tallest in a group. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 15, 24, 25, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38





34. Identifies familiar shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle, diamond) by name.

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12. Identifies numerals 0 to 5. 21. Shows where to divide a whole object to make two halves. 22. Exchanges two halves for a whole.

10. Answers questions about two sets of items using comparison terminology (e.g., more, less, greater than, fewer than, equal to). 11. Separates a group into two sets and identifies the number of items in both sets. 13. Identifies numerals 6 to 10. Review of Skills 12, 21, 22

14. Identifies numerals 11 to 20. 17. Adds two small groups by combining the groups and counting all the objects. 23. Separates a group of objects in half. 41. Extends a number series (e.g., 1,2,3 blocks to 4 blocks). Review of Skills 10, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22

4 – 5 years

1. Uses one-to-one correspondence when counting objects. 2. Counts to find how many are in a group up to 5. 3. Counts forward from a number > 1 to find how many are in a group. 15. Adds one to a small group, when asked. 18. Indicates that a small group has less after taking some away. 24. Matches objects to an example. 25. Sorts diverse objects based

on a physical attribute (e.g., shape). 28. Identifies the shorter or taller of two persons or things. 29. Identifies the shortest or tallest in a group. 32. Understands object directionality concepts (e.g., right, left, up, down). 33. Understands object position concepts (e.g., under, top, bottom, inside, behind). 34. Identifies familiar shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle, diamond) by name. 35. Places a circle, square, or triangle appropriately on a foam board. 38. Repeats alternating movement patterns (e.g., up/up/down, up/up/down).

4. Counts to find how many are in a group up to 10. 5. Counts to find out how many are in a group greater than 10. 16. Indicates that a small group has more after some have been added. 26. Sorts diverse objects by one attribute, then by another (e.g., size, then shape). 39. Repeats an alternating visual pattern (e.g., red/green/red/green). Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 15, 18, 24, 25, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35,

38

19. Indicates that one was taken away from a small group. 20. Indicates how many are left after taking one from a small group. 27. Sorts diverse objects based on multiple attributes (e.g., size and shape). 30. Arranges objects in order by size. 40. Repeats an alternating auditory pattern (e.g., loud/soft claps). 44. Uses non-standard unit (e.g., cut-out paper squares) to measure area.

45. Uses non-standard units (e.g., paper cups) to measure volume. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 16, 18, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39





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Review of Skills 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 21, 22, 23, 41

6. Counts backward to find how many are left. 7. Writes numerals to indicate 6 or less objects. 37. Identifies the sides and corners in a shape. 46. Uses non-standard units (e.g., paper clips) to measure length. Review of Skills 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 21, 22, 23, 41

8. Writes numerals to indicate between 7 and 10 objects. 9. Writes numerals to indicate between 11 and 20 objects. 31. Places an object in its proper position in a group ordered by size. 36. Creates new shapes from familiar shapes by folding, cutting, or twisting. 42. Creates an alternating visual pattern using art or play materials. 43. Repeats a pattern alternating numbers of objects (e.g., 1 cup/2 spoons). 47. Uses a familiar measuring device (e.g., ruler, scale, measuring cups). Review of Skills 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 21, 22, 23, 27, 41, 46

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION In the year 2000 the Department of Health and Human Services

reported 18 percent of Head Start children spoke a language other than English at home, by 2009 this number had jumped to 26

percent (Hulsey, et al., 2011). These statistics are representative of a nationwide trend which is bringing more Dual Language Learners (DLL) into the preschool classroom each year. Working with these

children and families poses a challenge to programs as teachers and administrators work to provide them with culturally sensitive and appropriate learning activities

which will allow them to build English proficiency while maintaining their home

language.

While DLLs are faced with the challenge of learning their home language and English at the same time it is still very important for them to reach developmental

milestones in preschool to ensure they begin kindergarten ready to continue their education in English. Children entering kindergarten already behind their classmates in cognitive development and knowledge are at a high risk for lower

academic achievement throughout their education, and often have higher grade-repetition and drop-out rates (Farver, Lonigan, & Eppe, 2009). The Galileo G3

English Language Development Scale allows programs to track a child’s English language acquisition along a developmental continuum including steps along the paths of Comprehending Spoken Language for English Learners, Speaking for

English Learners and Participating in Literature for English Learners. When a program is able to identify potential areas of need in a child’s English language

acquisition early intervention can be provided which may significantly improve the

child’s outcomes.

It is important for programs to utilize this scale to track a dual language learning child’s English language skills while continuing to use the other 3-5 years Galileo G3

Assessment Scales to track development in other domains. It is also important for




programs to note that a child may be demonstrating certain skills in their home language which appear on other Galileo G3 Assessment Scales, this should be

considered an appropriate demonstration of these skills as children are often able to directly translate their skills from their home language to English once their English

language acquisition has progressed (Farver, Lonigan, & Eppe, 2009). If a teacher or program staff marks a capability as learned which was demonstrated in the child’s home language, an anecdotal note may be entered to illustrate that the

capability was demonstrated in a language other than English.

Agencies that have children who are DLLs, that is the child speaks a language other than English at home, they may utilize this scale. It is still recommended that children be assessed on each of the other 3-5 years Galileo G3 Assessment Scales

in addition to the English Language Acquisition Scale.

Level September to November December to February March to May

Begin

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1. Plays with English-speaking children. 2. Follows teacher directions by listening and copying the actions of peers. 3. Waves or shows nonverbal response when teacher says "hello" and “good-bye”. 5. Communicates nonverbally in response to words (e.g., snack, lunch, bathroom, juice). 6. Shakes head “yes” or “no” to answer questions appropriately. 11. Responds to greeting with “hello” or “good-bye”. 12. Gives one word answers to questions. 22. Points to and identifies pictures using one word descriptions. 23. Puts thumb up or thumb down to answer question in

circle time.

4. Appropriately moves hands and feet during finger plays (e.g., hokie pokie, itsy-bitsy spider). 9. Follows a simple direction (e.g., open the door, hang up your jacket). 24. Answers the question with one word, “What is this book about?” Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 22, 23

7. Identifies objects, colors, or body parts by pointing. 13. Sings or repeats single words during conversations and songs. 14. Asks for items in English (e.g., water, toy, pencil, book). 15. Uses a verb and noun together. 16. Participates/talks with peers during free play. 19. Talks in complete sentences. 20. Tells/talks about a personal experience in English. 25. Puts pictures in sequence to retell a story. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 22, 23, 24

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10. Follows multi-step directions. 17. Answers teacher’s questions during structured class time. 21. Expresses emotions (e.g., happiness, sadness, anger) with English words. 26. Recites a learned English poem or song. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25

8. Responds to questions (e.g., who, what, where, why, when, and how). 28. Talks about a story read in English. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26

18. Asks questions (e.g., who, what, where, why, when, and how). 27. Answers questions in English during circle time. 29. Answers questions about a story (e.g., who, what, where, when, and how). 30. Identifies the beginning, middle, and end of a story.

Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28

LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION, READING AND WRITING The Galileo G3 Language, Communication, Reading and Writing knowledge area for infants and toddlers includes the precursor skills to those found on the Galileo G3 Language and Literacy scales for 3-5 year

olds. The scope and sequence for the 18-24 month and 2-3 years scales




are listed in the tables below. Listening and Understanding, Communicating and Speaking, Early Reading and Print Awareness, and Early Writing are the knowledge

areas represented in these scales.


18-36 months

1. Looks in the likely location when asked by an adult where an object/person might be (e.g., “Where is the kitty?”). 2. Uses some sign or body language to indicate a need (e.g., “more” “eat”). 3. Points to body parts when asked. 4. Follows a one-step direction from an adult. 6. Finds her/his shoes when it is time to get dressed. 9. Uses sounds to name people, such as dada and mama. 10. Uses one-word utterances or short phrases to influence the actions of others (e.g., "mine"). 11. Says a few basic words (e.g., "mama," "dada"). 8. Listens to the reading of a short picture book (e.g., 10

pages). 25. Picks out their favorite book from several choices. 27. Brings books over to adults to read. 39. Moves toward the door when parents get ready to leave.

5. Identifies objects in the environment (e.g., picture of a dog in a book) when asked by an adult. 7. Reacts to funny portions of a story by smiling or laughing. 12. Repeats words heard or gestures seen. 13. Names pictures in books. 15. Uses negative words (e.g., "no"). 21. Talks on a toy telephone in pretend play. 26. Points to pictures in books as they are named by an adult. 28. Recognizes specific books by their covers. 33. Pretends to read a book or story. 40. Shows scribbling or markings to others. 41. Attempts to feed, dress, or

cuddle their dolls and stuffed animals. 44. Uses a toy telephone to “talk to Grampa.” 45. Scribbles spontaneously often using circular motions. 47. Uses a variety of writing tools (e.g., pencils, crayons, markers, paints).

14. Uses two-word sentences to share ideas, feelings, or needs. 16. Uses question words (e.g., "why" and "what"). 17. Invents new words for fun and experimenting. 18. Practices conversational skills during pretend play. 19. Repeats or tries different words/sentences to get another child or adult to respond. 20. Asks questions to obtain information or assistance. 22. Engages in short conversation with other children and/or adults. 23. Recognizes that a pause means that it is his/her turn to talk. 24. Combines words to create meaningful short sentences. 29. Requests having a favorite

book read over and over. 30. Asks adults to repeat favorite rhymes, fingerplays, or stories. 31. Uses words to label and describe pictures/objects in books. 32. Points to appropriate picture in a book when asked by an adult. 34. Repeats portions of familiar books and rhymes. 35. Makes connections between her/his own experiences and those presented in books/stories. 36. Comments on characters in books. 37. Demonstrates basic book knowledge (e.g., holding book upright, turning pages right to left). 38. Engages in "pretend" reading with other children during play activities. 42. Crawls around on hands and knees, pretending to be a dog or cat. 43. Climbs into a box and making motor sounds. 46. Makes purposeful marks on paper. 48. Draws horizontal and vertical lines. 49. Asks adult to write words on her/his drawings or paper. 50. Uses scribbles on paper to communicate a message.




Age September to November December to February March to May 51. Holds pencil with thumb and

forefinger. 52. Recognizes the first letter in her/his first name.

2-3 years

1. Identifies objects in the environment (e.g., picture of a dog in a book) when asked by an adult. 2. Finds her/his shoes when it is time to get dressed. 4. Reacts to funny portions of a story by smiling or laughing. 5. Sings simple songs or finger plays with help from an adult. 7. Practices conversational skills during pretend play. 10. Enjoys repeating rhymes and songs. 3. Listens to the reading of a short picture book (e.g., 10 pages). 34. Pretends to cook food using housekeeping props.

6. Responds appropriately to questions about a picture book being read. 8. Repeats or tries different words/sentences to get another child or adult to respond. 9. Combines words to create meaningful short sentences. 13. Asks questions to obtain information or assistance. 14. Uses words to describe activities (e.g., playing catch) or functions of objects (e.g., spoon for eating). 15. Participates in conversations at snack and play times. 16. Initiates conversations with others using toys, experiences, books, or pretend play. 21. Repeats portions of familiar books and rhymes 23. Smiles as they ask questions and repeat stories, songs, and rhymes. 25. Requests rereading of favorite books. 26. Demonstrates basic book knowledge (e.g., holding book upright, turning pages right to left). 32. Draws horizontal and vertical lines. 37. Shows scribbling work to others.

11. Uses descriptive words with objects (e.g., "pretty flowers"). 12. Uses basic rules of grammar in speech (e.g., personal pronouns, plurals, position words). 17. Asks questions to get the attention of an adult. 18. Recognizes that a pause means it is his/her turn to talk. 19. Asks questions to keep a conversation going. 20. Responds to comments or questions from others during a conversation. 22. Makes connections between her/his own experiences and those presented in books/stories. 24. Retells a familiar story, poem, or song in his/her own words. 27. Recognizes that a spoken word/speech can be written and read. 28. Engages in "pretend" reading with other children during play activities. 29. Uses “reading” in play activities. 30. Asks adults to read printed information such as signs, labels, advertisements. 31. Selects books, sometimes, over other activities when given

a choice. 33. Asks adult to write words on her/his drawings or paper. 35. Brings a “cake” from the sand area and asks familiar adults to “eat it”. 36. Stacks several blocks and then calls it “my house”. 38. Holds pencil with thumb and forefinger. 39. Draws figures and shapes to convey meaning. 40. Communicates by scribbling with some letter-like shapes. 41. Recognizes the first letter in her/his first name. 42. Child asks adult to write a story told by the child. 43. Use scribbles on paper to communicate a message.




LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT There is a large body of research focusing heavily on the

correspondence between the sounds of language and the visual symbols used to represent those sounds. The development of phonological

awareness has been a particularly active area of research. Evidence now exists indicating the importance of phonological awareness for the

development of reading skills (National Research Council, 1999). Developments in

the scientific knowledge base regarding literacy and the psychological processes that influence its development have guided the construction of the language and

literacy scales in the Galileo system. The 3-5 years Galileo G3 Language Development Scale knowledge areas include Listening and Understanding, Speaking

and Communicating, and Appreciating Literature.


3 – 4 years

1. Listens attentively to a conversation, story, poem, or song. 2. Follows a simple one-step direction. 4. Asks questions and/or makes comments about a story, poem, or song. 7. Understands nouns commonly found in books for young children. 8. Understands action words (e.g., give, run). 9. Understands negative words (e.g., not, no). 10. Understands positional words (e.g., top, bottom, on, in). 15. Uses appropriate words or gestures to share information or experiences. 31. Recalls story events using some spoken dialogue. 32. Draws pictures or uses dramatic play or music to tell a story.

17. Uses appropriate words or gestures to relate feelings, needs, or opinions. 18. Takes turns being a speaker. 24. Uses negative words (e.g., not, no). Review of Skills 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 31, 32

3. Follows a small set of step-by-step directions, without prompts. 5. Retells a familiar story, poem or song in his/her own words. 12. Understands words that describe the qualities of objects (e.g., color, soft, cold). Review of Skills 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 17, 18, 24, 31, 32

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16. Asks questions to obtain information or assistance. 22. Uses basic rules of grammar in speech (e.g., personal

pronouns, plurals, position words).

6. Reacts appropriately to an exclamation (e.g., stop, look up, freeze). 14. Repeats or tries different

words/sentences to get another child or adult to respond. 27. Uses pronouns to refer to people and things (e.g., she, he, it). Review of Skills 16, 22

23. Combines words to create meaningful short sentences. 28. Uses past and future tenses (e.g., went, will).

29. Uses possessive endings (e.g., Jose's, Emma's). Review of Skills 6, 14, 16, 22, 27

4 – 5 years

1. Listens attentively to a conversation, story, poem, or song. 2. Follows a simple one-step

direction. 3. Follows a small set of step-by-step directions, without prompts.

5. Retells a familiar story, poem or song in his/her own words. 11. Understands pronouns (e.g., she, he, it).

12. Understands words that describe the qualities of objects (e.g., color, soft, cold).

19. Responds to comments or questions from others during a conversation. 20. Adjusts conversation to

changes in topic. 21. Changes inflection during a conversation to communicate meaning. 25. Uses descriptive words with objects (e.g. pretty flowers).





4. Asks questions and/or makes comments about a story, poem, or song. 5. Retells a familiar story, poem or song in his/her own words. 7. Understands nouns commonly found in books for young children. 8. Understands action words (e.g., give, run). 9. Understands negative words (e.g., not, no). 10. Understands positional words (e.g., top, bottom, on, in). 12. Understands words that describe the qualities of objects (e.g., color, soft, cold). 15. Uses appropriate words or gestures to share information or

experiences. 17. Uses appropriate words or gestures to relate feelings, needs, or opinions. 18. Takes turns being a speaker. 24. Uses negative words (e.g., not, no). 31. Recalls story events using some spoken dialogue. 32. Draws pictures or uses dramatic play or music to tell a story.

Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 24, 31, 32

33. Makes up a story from beginning, to middle, to end. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 24, 31, 32

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Review of Skills 6, 14, 16, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29

13. Understands past and future tense (e.g., went, will). Review of Skills 6, 14, 16, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29

26. Takes apart and puts together compound words. 30. Uses compound sentences (e.g., sentences joined by and, but, or). Review of Skills 6, 13, 14, 16, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29

LITERACY DEVELOPMENT In the early part of the twentieth century, the term reading held a more independent place in the vocabulary of educators than it does

today. The tying of reading to literacy has been accompanied by a change in educational goals as well as significant changes in

assumptions about children’s learning. With the advent of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation issues pertaining to early literacy have taken on more profound social implications, as some groups of students are at greater risk of

being left behind due to difficulties in language and literacy. For example, it has been documented that students who are living below poverty move more slowly

through the increasingly complex stages of literacy development than their peers who are living above poverty. By the end of first grade, 87 percent of the students

living above poverty were at the early word reading level or higher, whereas only 30 percent of their peers who were living below poverty had achieved the same status (Kaplan, 2005). The 3-5 years Galileo G3 Literacy Scale provides the




necessary tools to monitor language and literacy development in preschool in order

to identify children in need of remediation.

The skills presented in the 3-5 years Galileo G3 Literacy Development Scales are

particularly important for ensuring early success in reading (National Research Council, 1999). Children need to have many opportunities to acquire phonological awareness skills during the course of a program year. While language skills develop

naturally when children are around other speakers (or signers, for that matter), literacy skills, which take the concrete spoken word and represent it with an

abstract symbol (letters), require more advanced cognitive development and direct instruction. For this reason, we can expect that children will demonstrate learning

of these skills later in their preschool careers.

The Galileo G3 Literacy Development Scale outlines developmental progressions in

seven knowledge areas: Recognizing Sounds–Phonological Awareness, Increasing Book Knowledge and Appreciation–Story Reasoning, Expanding Book Knowledge and Appreciation–Interest in Books, Developing Print Awareness and Concepts,

Building Early Reading Skills, Building Early Writing Skills, and Developing Alphabet

Knowledge.


3 – 4 years

10. Uses picture cues to tell what is happening in a story. 11. Predicts story events using picture or verbal cues. 13. Selects books, sometimes, over other activities when given

a choice. 39. Uses a variety of writing tools and materials to communicate with others. 45. Identifies all the letters in her/his name.

2. Distinguishes between some beginning consonant sounds in spoken language. 16. Handles books and other reading material with care. 22. Recognizes that a spoken

word/speech can be written and read. 27. Recognizes his/her name in print. Review of Skills 10, 11, 13, 39, 45

35. Communicates by scribbling and with some letter-like shapes. 47. Points to and names the first letter in familiar words.

Review of Skills 2, 10, 11, 13, 16, 22, 27, 39, 45





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1. Recognizes matching and

dissimilar sounds of consonants and vowels. 8. Puts sounds together to make short words (e.g., k-a-t, cat). 9. Segments short words into their component sounds (e.g., trick, t-r-i-k).

4. Recognizes rhymes in poems,

readings, or conversation, most of the time. 14. Request rereading of favorite book. 21. Demonstrates basic book knowledge (e.g., holding book upright, turning pages right to left). 29. Recognizes that words are separated by spaces. 34. Uses scribble on paper to communicate a message. 36. Draws figures and shapes to convey meanings. 37. Draws horizontal and vertical lines. 38. Holds pencil with thumb and forefinger. 49. Identifies 1 or more sounds to corresponding letters. Review of Skills 1, 8, 9

3. Says both syllables of a two-

syllable word, with distinct separation. 6. Creates rhyming words in play activities. 7. Distinguishes between some vowel sounds in spoken language. 15. Makes connections between her/his own experiences and those presented in books/stories. 26. Asks adults to read printed information such as signs, labels, advertisements. 30. Identifies familiar short words in print, some of the time. 41. Writes some letters. 42. Writes using inventive spelling. 48. Names 10 or more letters. 50. Identifies 10 or more sounds to corresponding letters. Review of Skills 1, 4, 8, 9, 14, 21, 29, 34, 36, 37, 38, 49

4 – 5 years

2. Distinguishes between some beginning consonant sounds in spoken language. 10. Uses picture cues to tell what is happening in a story. 11. Predicts story events using picture or verbal cues. 13. Selects books, sometimes, over other activities when given a choice. 16. Handles books and other reading material with care. 22. Recognizes that a spoken word/speech can be written and read. 27. Recognizes his/her name in print. 35. Communicates by scribbling and with some letter-like shapes. 39. Uses a variety of writing tools and materials to communicate with others. 45. Identifies all the letters in her/his name. 47. Points to and names the first letter in familiar words.

2. Distinguishes between some beginning consonant sounds in spoken language. 23. Knows that print conveys information to the reader (e.g., a message, facts, how to do something). 35. Communicates by scribbling and with some letter-like shapes. 46. Names 1 or more letters. 47. Points to and names the first letter in familiar words. Review of Skills 10, 11, 13, 16, 22, 27, 39, 45

5. Distinguishes between some ending consonant sounds in spoken language. 12. Makes guesses about why things happen or change in a story. 17. Views reading materials one page at a time (front to back), most of the time. 18. Engages in pretend reading with other children, doll, or toy animal. 19. Requests a favorite book by title, author, or illustrator. 40. Copies her/his name from a sample. 43. Write her/his name, without assistance. Review of Skills 2, 10, 11, 13, 16, 22, 23, 27, 35, 39, 45, 46, 47





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Review of Skills 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8,

9, 14, 15, 21, 26, 29, 30, 34, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 48, 49, 50

24. Recognizes that pages are

read from top to bottom. 25. Recognizes that sentences are read from left to right. Review of Skills 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 21, 26, 29, 30, 34, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 48, 49, 50

20. Initiates conversation with a

peer or an adult about a story, book or poem. 28. Predicts what word might come next in a familiar story, some of the time. 31. Reads a printed label or a sign on a familiar object, some of the time. 32. Tracks by moving his/her finger along text as it is read by an adult. 33. Reads familiar words in a sentence from a book/poem, with assistance. 44. Communicates by writing complete words. Review of Skills 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 21, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 48, 49, 50

LOGIC AND REASONING Any educator, parent, or researcher will not only confirm that children strive to solve problems, but that children often generate

problems just to have the opportunity to reason and solve them. When a child is learning to problem solve and reason through a situation he or she is learning how to learn as well as learning about

the world around them which will contribute many important life skills and in the case of the preschool age child, increase school readiness (Greenwood, Walker,

Carta, & Higgins, 2006). A child’s approach to learning, including learning style, competencies, perceptions and expectations of the outcomes of learning, determine

what is learned, and how; and those learning experiences in turn affect a child’s

future efforts at learning (Gale Group, 2001).

The Galileo G3 Logic and Reasoning Scale for 3–5 year olds assesses a child’s progression along the path of developing these critical skills with capabilities broken out into the categories of Using Symbols in Pretend Play, Reasoning and Problem

Solving, Sorting and Classifying, Examining Cause and Effect, and Solving Puzzles.


3 – 4 years

15. Seeks assistance from an adult when attempting to solve a problem.

9. Acts out different roles (e.g., child, adult) in dramatic play situations. 16. Seeks assistance from peers when attempting to solve a problem. 31. Puts a simple puzzle together, without assistance. Review of Skill 15

Review of Skills 9, 15, 16, 31





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1. Decides on a scene to act

out. 3. Uses objects to represent characters (e.g., stuffed animal as the dad). 30. Uses trial and error to solve a problem or puzzle.

2. Mimics a movie, book, or past

experience. 4. Assigns parts to self and peers to act out scene. 5. Uses body to act out pretend scene. 7. Talks to peers in pretend character. 8. Reacts to peers remaining in pretend character. 10. Uses dramatic play to make-believe with objects (e.g., cooking an egg). 21. Acts out a simple word problem using objects (e.g., shows 3 toy lizards takes one away). 27. Observes the effects of an action. 32. Uses solution from a basic puzzle to solve a more difficult puzzle. Review of Skills 1, 3, 30

6. Uses drawings to embellish

scene. 17. Reorganizes objects to solve a problem (e.g., stacking so blocks don't fall). 18. Uses concrete materials to solve a problem (e.g., blocks to count). 19. Tries out new ideas to see if they will work. 28. Predicts the effects of an action. 29. States the cause of an effect (e.g., what caused the tricycle to stop). 33. Places 2 to 3 pictures in sequential order. 34. Describes the sequential steps to perform a basic activity. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 21, 27, 30, 32

4 – 5 years

9. Acts out different roles (e.g., child, adult) in dramatic play situations. 16. Seeks assistance from peers when attempting to solve a problem. 31. Puts a simple puzzle together, without assistance. Review of Skills 15, 16

Review of Skills 9, 15, 16, 31 11. Uses materials in inventive/creative ways (e.g., table/chairs become airplane). 14. Practices building relationships with other children (offering direction, help). 24. Describes the similarities/differences between two events (e.g., day/night). 25. Provides rationale for sorting objects into specific groups (e.g., all flat). Review of Skills 9, 15, 16, 31

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pattern when shown an AB pattern (e.g., green, red, green, red). 36. Creates an original AB pattern when shown an AB pattern (e.g., circle, square, circle, square). Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 19, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34

12. Acknowledges a difference between pretend game and the reality of the classroom. 13. Identifies parts of a story that could be real or make-believe (e.g., blue people, flying pigs). 22. Draws a picture of a simple word problem (e.g., draws three dogs and then draws three more). 23. Identifies which object does

not belong in a group. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 19, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36

20. Suggests an alternative solution to solve a problem, without assistance. 26. Associates events/experiences with their intent(s) (e.g., school: learning). Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36

NATURE AND SCIENCE As science is interwoven in to our everyday lives it is vital that children develop a positive association with science and an interest in scientific exploration (AAAS, 2009) at an early age. Children should enter

kindergarten knowing that science is for everyone (National Academy Press, 1996) and that science is a fun and exciting exploration of our




natural world (AAAS, 2009). Learning science, like mathematics, poses unique challenges as it requires the integration of both domain specific content knowledge

as well as the development of problem solving skills and other abstract capabilities

(Li & Klahr, 2006).

The concept of scientific literacy describes the importance of developing these skills for application throughout our lives. Scientific inquiry is “the knowledge and

understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs and economic productivity”

(National Academy Press, 1996). The 3-5 years Galileo G3 Scale capabilities related to nature and science in each age category were selected to provide an accurate

gauge of a child’s progress along the path to developing scientific literacy.

Scientific literacy includes specific types of abilities which develop over a lifetime,

with the baseline skills developing in early infancy. When infants begin to explore their world, utilizing their five senses, they are laying the foundation for observing,

gathering information and predicting outcomes.

The Galileo G3 Nature and Science Scale for 3-5 years continues to support the acquisition of scientific skills including classification, advancing observation and

prediction, and the application of those skills in the child’s everyday life to enhance understanding of plant/animal processes and physical phenomena. This scale

reflects the view that science education should be made available to all young children and overwhelmingly emphasizes the view that young children should be

“gaining experience with natural and social phenomena and … enjoying science”

(AAAS, 2009).

The knowledge areas included in the 3-5 years Galileo G3 Nature and Science Scale are: Using Senses and Scientific Devices to Learn, Observing and Describing Living Things, Observing and Describing Physical Phenomena, Classifying Living Things,

Classifying Physical Phenomena, Predictions about Living Things, Predicting Physical Phenomena, Gathering and Presenting Data, Explaining Events and Outcomes, and

Questioning and Developing Hypotheses.

Observation, classification, and prediction are all fundamental to scientific literacy.

The National Science Education Standards (NSES) proposed by the National Research Council present a vision of scientific inquiry in which children are able to

actively combine comprehension of the facts of science with the scientific process to

develop their understanding (National Academy Press, 1996).


3 – 4 years

1. Uses senses (e.g., touch, smell) to learn about the natural and physical world. 4. Describes what an animal is doing as it is being observed. 12. Draws/talks about different weather conditions (e.g., sunny, rainy). 17. Distinguishes plants from animals.

5. Talks about characteristics of living things (e.g., leaf is soft). 18. Distinguishes between land and water animals. 35. Predicts which way a scale will tip when a weight is added to one side. 41. Uses observation as a way to gather data about an object or an event.

6. Describes the typical behaviors/habits of a familiar animal. 19. Classifies animals into groups by the way they move (e.g., flying, running). 22. Classifies objects by their state (e.g., liquid, solid, gas). 36. Predicts direction of an object when acted upon directly (e.g., thrown, pushed).




Age September to November December to February March to May 27. Predicts what might come

next in a life cycle sequence (e.g., seed to plant). 34. Predicts that it is likely to rain when dark clouds come. 40. Participates in simple investigations to answer questions. 54. Asks "Why" questions to learn more about a current/past event.

48. Shares ideas/thoughts when

observing the natural world/physical phenomena. 49. Provides an explanation for why an event/outcome occurred (e.g., flower wilted). Review of Skills 1, 4, 12, 17, 27, 34, 40, 54

53. Describes the functions of

objects (e.g., containers hold things). 55. Asks "What will happen if" questions to help predict a future event. Review of Skills 1, 4, 5, 12, 17, 18, 27, 34, 35, 40, 41, 48, 49, 54

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8. Describes/draws the type of shelter used by familiar animals.

9. Draws/talks about what living things need to survive (e.g., plants need water). 14. Draws/talks about patterns in the physical world (e.g., seasons, day/night). 15. Associates objects/events with different temperatures (e.g., ice-low temp.). 29. Predicts that an animal will seek shelter in bad weather. Review of Skill 8

16. Draws/talks about aspects of Earth (e.g., soil, trees, mountains, ocean). 56. Asks "How" objects and events are different/same. Review of Skills 8, 9, 14, 15, 29

4 – 5 years

1. Uses senses (e.g., touch, smell) to learn about the natural and physical world. 4. Describes what an animal is doing as it is being observed. 5. Talks about characteristics of living things (e.g., leaf is soft). 12. Draws/talks about different weather conditions (e.g., sunny, rainy). 17. Distinguishes plants from animals. 18. Distinguishes between land and water animals. 27. Predicts what might come next in a life cycle sequence (e.g., seed to plant). 34. Predicts that it is likely to rain when dark clouds come. 35. Predicts which way a scale will tip when a weight is added to one side. 40. Participates in simple investigations to answer questions. 41. Uses observation as a way

to gather data about an object or an event. 48. Shares ideas/thoughts when observing the natural world/physical phenomena. 49. Provides an explanation for why an event/outcome occurred (e.g., flower wilted). 54. Asks "Why" questions to learn more about a current/past event. 55. Asks "What will happen if" questions to help predict a future event.

6. Describes the typical behaviors/habits of a familiar animal. 22. Classifies objects by their state (e.g., liquid, solid, gas). 28. Predicts that a plant will die if it does not receive water. 50. Provides two explanations for why an event/outcome occurred (e.g., birds left). 53. Describes the functions of objects (e.g., containers hold things). Review of Skills 1, 4, 5, 12, 17, 18, 27, 34, 35, 40, 41, 48, 49, 54, 55

2. Attempts to learn about objects by taking them apart and rebuilding (puzzles, Legos). 13. Draws/talks about physical changes observed in objects (e.g., ice melting). 23. Classifies objects into living and non-living categories. 42. Confirms observations with another child/adult. 43. Repeats a procedure/action several times to confirm outcomes/patterns. 51. Attempts to explain why living things change (e.g., leaves turn brown). Review of Skills 1, 4, 5, 6, 12, 17, 18, 22, 27, 28, 34, 35, 40, 41, 48, 49, 50, 53, 54, 55





Review of Skills 1, 4, 5, 12, 17, 18, 27, 34, 35, 40, 41, 48, 49, 54, 55

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26. Classifies objects based on whether or not they require electricity/battery. Review of Skills 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 29, 56

7. Draws/talks about changes in her/himself over time. 20. Classifies animals into those that are domestic and those that are wild. 21. Classifies animals based on their habitat (e.g., ground vs. tree dwelling). 37. Predicts changes in objects when heat/cold is applied (e.g.,

ice melts). Review of Skills 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 26, 29, 56

3. Uses tools to measure materials and make comparisons (e.g., scales, rulers). 10. Draws/talks about observed life cycle changes in a familiar plant. 11. Draws/talks about observed life cycle changes in a familiar animal.

24. Classifies objects based on whether they are found in nature or made by people. 25. Classifies objects based on their physical composition (e.g., metal, rock, soil). 30. Predicts that a plant will die if it does not receive sufficient light. 31. Predicts that human activity may threaten animal habitat/survival (e.g., logging, mining, introducing invasive species). 32. Predicts that extreme weather (drought, freeze) will injure plants/wildlife. 33. Predicts that plants may be destroyed when an animal population increases. 38. Predicts changes in objects when liquid is added (e.g., sand, paper). 39. Predicts that the steeper the incline, the faster an object will move. 44. Describes her/his data to other peers/adults. 45. Uses more than one approach to gather data/answer a question (e.g., book, adult). 46. Presents observations in a variety of ways (e.g., drawings, charts, maps). 47. Generalizes data findings to similar situations (e.g., all seeds grow in soil). 52. Tries to explain results of an experiment (e.g., bigger sponge holds more water). Review of Skills 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 26, 29, 37, 56

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT & HEALTH Many health and social problems affecting adults have their origins in

the behaviors and habits that are embraced in early childhood years. Essential health knowledge and skills should be taught in the early

educational years to influence attitudes and behaviors for a healthy and




safe life in the future. Research demonstrates that even very young children are ready to learn about food, nutrition, exercise, and health (Singleton, Achterberg, &

Shannon, 1992). Knowledge of nutrition, health and safety, when combined with self-help skills of feeding, grooming, dressing and toileting, and natural physical

development helps to give children autonomy and independence as a growing

person.

The capabilities within the knowledge areas in the Galileo G3 Physical Development and Health Scale for 3-5 year olds is designed to not only teach concepts, but to

actively engage children in participating and practicing them. Capabilities in this scale encourage children to participate in a variety of activities in a variety of settings including indoors and outdoors. Comprehensive school health education

commencing at the preschool level and extending through high school is necessary to promote the development of health knowledge, health-related skills, and positive

attitudes toward health in our society. Furthermore, having healthy children in an educational setting allows them the capacity to focus on and actively engage in

learning experiences across the board in any subject area.

The ability to move and control objects is the means by which we can explore our

surroundings, increase sensory information, and thereby gain understanding of the world in which we live. Perceptual-motor development is inextricably linked to cognitive development. Recent brain research examining ways in which motor and

cognitive development are intertwined suggests that the cerebellum is important

not only for motor functions, but also for cognitive functions (Diamond, 2000).

Young children have a strong drive to gain autonomy. Learning to feed, dress, and groom themselves is a source of great pride. For example they may learn to use

Velcro® fasteners or to button or zipper their clothing. They take a more active role in feeding themselves by using utensils and drinking from a cup. They are also

eager to show their independence by washing their hands and brushing their teeth.

The Galileo G3 Physical Development and Health Scale for 3-5 year olds contains

capabilities related to Obtaining Nutrition, Practicing Hygiene, Exercising, Dressing, Toileting, Understanding of Health and Safety Practices, Developing Gross Motor Control and Balance, Developing Gross Motor Coordination, Developing Fine Motor

Dexterity, and Control and Developing Hand-Eye Coordination. The 18-24 months and 2-3 years scales include Gross Motor Development, Fine Motor Development,

Self Help, and Health knowledge areas.


18-24 months

1. Shows independence as she/he moves around in a safe environment. 2. Actively participates in everyday health routines (e.g., washing hands). 3. Approaches or stands next to other children and adults in play situations. 4. Climbs up and walks down stairs with adult assistance. 5. Walks to a destination without help.

10. Tries to turn the key on a wind-up toy. 12. Imitates the hand motions of finger plays (e.g., “Where is Thumpkin?”). 22. Takes off an open shirt or coat without help. 24. Helps adults with dressing her/him (e.g., giving a matching sock, holding out a shoe after socks are on.)

18. String large beads into a piece of yarn. 23. Unzips zippers. 26. Helps set the table. 39. Sings simple songs and finger plays.




Age September to November December to February March to May 6. Pushes and pulls large

objects. 7. Stands on tiptoes to reach for an object. 8. Runs although she/he may have difficulty stopping and turning. 9. Puts objects in a box. 11. Searches visually when she/he drops a small object on the floor. 13. Builds a tower of two to four cubes. 14. Uses two objects together (e.g., putting a spoon in a cup and moving the spoon around). 15. Empties and fills containers. 16. Scribbles using a variety of materials (e.g., chalk, finger paints, crayons). 17. Hold book firmly with two hands. 19. Cooperates with dressing and undressing (e.g., poking arm into sleeve and pulling off sock). 20. Provides assistance in picking up toys. 21. Eats with a spoon with some assistance. 27. Helps feed self. 30. Brushes teeth with help. 31. Consumes a variety of healthy foods from all food groups when offered by an adult. 32. Feeds her/himself first using hands and then with a spoon. 35. Participates in listening and vocalizing activities (e.g., finger plays and songs). 36. Begins to imitate words and word sounds. 40. Looks at the adult giving directions and then follows the directions.

41. Participates in the daily cleaning of teeth. 42. Chooses a cup over a bottle or pacifier.

25. Participates in sleeping

routines, such as listening to a story before a nap. 28. Participates in bathing/washing routines (e.g., using a washcloth or towel). 29. Participates in “getting ready for” routines (e.g., going to sink to look for toothbrush or choosing a book to read). 33. Makes personal food choices from several healthy options. 34. Takes age-appropriate amounts of food with encouragement from adults. 37. Smiles upon hearing the names of familiar objects and people. 38. Begins to use language, such as two-word phrases, to communicate with others.

2-3 years

1. Approaches or stands next to other children and adults in play situations. 2. Actively participates in everyday health routines (e.g., washing hands). 4. Begins to put away toys when clean-up is announced. 5. Runs although she/he may have difficulty stopping and turning. 6. Walks to a destination without help. 7. Jumps in place and off low objects, such as a step.

3. Develops self-care skills, such as helping to dress him/herself. 9. Walks up and down stairs independently, using alternating feet, and without holding rail. 11. Sorts basic shapes (e.g., triangles and squares). 16. Pulls apart large pop-it beads and tries to push them together again. 18. Watches lines and squiggles appear as they move a writing tool (marker, paint brush) over a piece of paper.

12. Properly uses corrective and assistive visual devices consistently (e.g., glasses). 13. Sort objects by a dimension, such as size or color. 27. Participates in bathing/washing routines (e.g., using a washcloth or towel). 33. Expands understandable vocabulary.




Age September to November December to February March to May 8. Stops and turns while

running. 10. Imitates the hand motions of finger plays (e.g., “Where is Thumpkin”). 14. Strings large beads onto a piece of yarn. 15. Empties and fills containers. 17. Uses one hand to turn the pages of a book. 19. Unzips zippers. 20. Helps adults with dressing her/him (e.g., giving a matching sock, holding out a shoe after socks are on). 21. Insists on washing and drying his/her own hands. 23. Helps with toileting by pulling her/his pants down and up. 24. Begins to use a fork. 25. Participates in “getting ready for” routines (going to sink to look for toothbrush or choosing a book to read). 26. Brushes teeth with help. 29. Feeds his/herself without help. 30. Sings simple songs and finger plays. 31. Looks at the adult giving directions and then follows the directions. 32. Uses language to communicate with parents, caregivers, teachers, and peers. 36. Chews all food completely prior to swallowing. 37. Begins to independently brush their teeth with supervision. 39. Washes and dries hands with some supervision. 40. Has calm and settled rest periods. 41. Makes use of inside and

outside environments to play in.

22. Dresses him/herself with

help for difficult steps (e.g., getting their arms into sleeve holes). 28. Participates in sleeping/napping routines by getting and arranging comfort items. 34. Responds to instructions during group time. 35. Uses assistive audiological devices, such as hearing aids, if appropriate. 38. Cooperates by opening mouth for quick visual exam.

3 – 4 years

2. Feeds his/herself without help. 3. Independently selects and eats a variety of food types. 6. Washes and dries hands with some supervision. 11. Covers mouth with hand/tissue when coughing or sneezing. 15. Exercises large muscles (e.g., running, swinging, hopping, throwing). 16. Participates actively in outdoor group games (e.g., kickball). 20. Unfastens clothing (e.g., snaps, Velcro, buttons, zippers), without assistance.

10. Disposes of tissues appropriately in a container. 12. Brushes teeth in a correct fashion, without assistance. 13. Uses tissues properly to blow/wipe nose, without assistance. 21. Fastens clothing (e.g., snaps, Velcro, buttons, zippers), without assistance. 61. Kicks a ball a short distance with accuracy, most of the time. 69. Cuts with scissors along a curved line. Review of Skills 2, 3, 6, 11, 15, 16, 20, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35,

4. Serves self an appropriate amount of food. 17. Identifies a variety of games/exercises that help enhance fitness. 22. Puts on front-opening garment, without assistance. 53. Jumps forward several times, maintaining balance most of the time. 57. Jumps backward without losing balance. 62. Catches a ball thrown underhand from 3 to 5 feet, most of the time. 70. Uses scissors to cut out a pre-formed simple shape.




Age September to November December to February March to May 26. Uses bathroom, without

assistance. 27. Initiates a trip to the bathroom, without being prompted. 28. Completes bathroom activities (clothing up/down, wiping, flushing) independently. 29. Disposes of toilet paper/paper towels appropriately. 30. Remains dry and unsoiled between bathroom trips. 35. Understands that parents and teachers are helpful resources. 47. Moves around obstacles with balance and direction. 49. Walks along a line on the floor, most of the time. 50. Climbs up and down stairs. 51. Walks along a wide beam, most of the time. 60. Throws a ball a short distance with accuracy, most of the time. 66. Eats with a fork and a spoon, or other appropriate utensils. 67. Correctly holds a pencil or crayon. 68. Cuts with scissors along a straight line. 72. Builds short structures with blocks or other materials (e.g., 3 blocks high).

47, 49, 50, 51, 60, 66, 67, 68,

72

Review of Skills 2, 3, 6, 10, 11,

12, 13, 15, 16, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 47, 49, 50, 51, 60, 61, 66, 67, 68, 69, 72





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prior to swallowing. 7. Insists on washing and drying own hands. 19. Unzips zippers. 31. Has calm and settled rest periods. 45. Walks to a destination without help. 46. Jumps in place and off low objects, such as a step. 65. Begins to use a fork.

24. Puts on shoes correctly,

without assistance. 25. Ties own shoes, without assistance. 42. Tells why classroom rules are important (e.g., walk in the classroom, keep hands and feet to oneself). 48. Stops and turns while running. Review of Skills 1, 7, 19, 31, 45, 46, 65

8. Brushes teeth with help.

18. Talks about ways exercise keeps us healthy, with assistance. 32. Cooperates by opening mouth for a quick visual exam. 33. Properly uses corrective and assistive visual devices consistently (e.g., glasses). 34. Uses assistive audiological devices, such as hearing aids, if appropriate. 39. Describes basic traffic safety rules, without assistance. 40. Identifies nonedible/poisonous substances, without assistance. 43. Tells why basic health practices are necessary (e.g., why people have to brush teeth, wash hands). 44. Tells why people need to go to the doctor and dentist. 58. Skips with direction and control, most of the time. 59. Gallops maintaining direction and control, most of the time. 71. Strings large beads on a piece of yarn. Review of Skills 1, 7, 19, 24, 25, 31, 42, 45, 46, 48, 65

4 – 5 years

10. Disposes of tissues appropriately in a container. 12. Brushes teeth in a correct fashion, without assistance. 13. Uses tissues properly to blow/wipe nose, without assistance. 21. Fastens clothing (e.g., snaps, Velcro, buttons, zippers), without assistance. 61. Kicks a ball a short distance with accuracy, most of the time. 69. Cuts with scissors along a curved line. Review of Skills 2, 3, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 57, 60, 61, 62, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 72

4. Serves self an appropriate amount of food. 22. Puts on front-opening garment, without assistance. 23. Puts on pull-over garment, without assistance. 36. Follows fire safety/fire drill rules, without assistance. 53. Jumps forward several times, maintaining balance most of the time. 55. Pedals a tricycle, steers and makes turns around obstacles and corners. 57. Jumps backward without losing balance. 62. Catches a ball thrown underhand from 3 to 5 feet, most of the time. 70. Uses scissors to cut out a pre-formed simple shape. Review of Skills 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 47, 49,

50, 51, 53, 57, 60, 61, 62, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 72

5. Identifies examples of foods that are healthy. 14. Requests or initiates hand washing when needed (e.g., before eating). 37. Follows outdoor and indoor play rules, without prompts. 38. Knows to stay away from harmful objects (e.g., broken glass, holes, rusty iron). 52. Climbs a short ladder (e.g., on playground toys). 56. Hops with direction and control, most of the time. 63. Dribbles a large ball several times with both hands. 73. Builds tall structures with blocks or other materials (e.g., 10 blocks high). Review of Skills 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 36, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 55, 57, 60, 61, 62, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 72





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brush his/her teeth with supervision. 54. Balances on one foot for five seconds. Review of Skills 1, 7, 8, 18, 19, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 58, 59, 65, 71

74. Uses computer

keyboard/mouse for writing/drawing, without assistance. Review of Skills 1, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 54, 58, 59, 65, 71

41. Identifies potentially

dangerous situations/activities, without assistance. 64. Dribbles a large ball several times with one hand. Review of Skills 1, 7, 8, 9, 18, 19, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 54, 58, 59, 65, 71, 74

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Social development involves the acquisition of capabilities that promote effective interactions with others and that assist individuals to regulate their own behavior. Social development

plays an important role in children’s success in school, peer acceptance, ability to communicate with others, and

understanding of cultural diversity (Bierman, et al., 2008) (Fantuzzo, et al., 2007) (Hemmeter, Ostrosky, & Fox, 2006). Promoting social development has been a fundamental outcome goal of early childhood programs for decades. The Social

Development scale includes knowledge areas related to Learning About Self, Learning Cooperation, Resolving Conflicts, Discovering Independence in Daily

Activities, and Building Social Relationships. The knowledge areas in the 18-24 months and 2-3 years Social and Emotional Development scales include Trust and

Emotional Security, Self-Regulation, and Self- Concept.


18-24 months

1. Shows affection, such as hugs and kisses. 2. Begins to enjoy and initiate humor, such as laughing in response to games. 5. Participates in parallel play. 9. Explores a new food with all their senses. 10. Uses familiar objects in new and different ways (e.g., a shoe as a telephone). 14. Begins to use a book appropriately (e.g., opens it and looks at the pictures rather than banging it on the floor). 15. Tries out new games and toys. 16. Recognizes the smiles on familiar adults' faces. 18. Demonstrates the ability to be comforted by familiar adults when frightened. 19. Seeks comfort from familiar adults when hurt or frightened. 24. Looks to their parents, caregivers, and teachers when a loud sound scares them. 26. Stops and looks at familiar adults when her/his name is called. 27. Follows directions with adult assistance.

3. Seeks help from trusted parents, caregivers, and teachers. 4. Shows empathy for familiar others, especially those perceived to be hurt or sad. 6. Exhibits emerging social play (e.g., seeks out familiar adults to help dress a doll). 7. Insists on routines for transitions (e.g., when parents drop-off the child at the center). 8. Seeks support from familiar

adults to resolve conflicts with

peers.

11. Demonstrates increasing ability to move around in the environment (e.g., leaving the sandbox to pull a duck toy across the play area). 12. Uses adults as tools, as in asking to be picked up to reach the toy on the shelf. 13. Demonstrates increasing ability to manipulate objects (e.g., bouncing up and down on objects). 16. Plays with toys meaningfully (e.g., preparing food in housekeeping).

23. Engages in reassuring self-talk or changing goals when frustrated or frightened. 51. Uses “I” ,“mine”, and “me” often. 54. Notices that another child has features (e.g., brown hair) similar to her/his own. 55. Identifies other children as “boys” and “girls”. 60. Attempts to engage in independent activities (e.g., taking off an open coat) and not giving up immediately if having difficulty. 63. Shows interest in wanting to dress her/himself. 64. Shows increased interest in toileting.




Age September to November December to February March to May 28. Begins to attend during

short, focus activities (e.g., listening to simple stories being read). 30. Uses words or crying to get someone’s attention. 33. Moves nearer to a familiar adult when noticing a stranger entering the room. 34. Uses emotional expressions to obtain desired objects, such as pouting, whining, and crying. 35. Seeks comfort from parents, caregivers, and teachers when hurt or frightened. 40. Recognizes the name of a friend. 41. Shows preferences for familiar adults when hurt or needing comfort. 47. Moves their body to fit inside a tunnel toy with a peer or sibling. 48. Pays attention to her/his reflection in the mirror. 56. Initiates simple games and chooses things to explore. 57. Cooperates with dressing and undressing activities.

20. Pats a crying child on the back as their parents, caregivers, and teachers help the hurt child. 21. Begins to recognize that others smile when they smile, and others look unhappy when they cry. 22. Begins to end tantrums with some redirection. 25. Responds positively to redirection by familiar adults. 29.Look to their parents, caregivers, and teachers for help when unable to complete a task. 31. Listens to and follows simple rules in small group activity. 32. Waits to take her/his turn. 36. Calls for help from a familiar adult to intervene in a dispute with another child (e.g., grabbing toys away). 37. Moves around another child that is in her/his way (e.g., going up a slide). 38. Puts away toys when asked by a familiar adult. 39. Stands up for her/his ownership rights (e.g., says “mine” to a child who takes her/his toy). 42. Looks across the room to familiar adults periodically when playing with peers. 43. Acknowledges the presence/arrival of familiar adults when they see them (e.g., says "hi"). 44. With the help of teachers, begins to effectively handle separation from parents when they leave her/him at the early care/education setting. 45. Plays away from familiar adults with occasional trips to touch them. 46. Initiates play with a familiar peer. 49. Indicates ownership of an object when it is taken by another child (e.g., says “Mine, mine!”). 50. Shows particular interest in a special book, music selection, or other object, event, or activity. 52. Points to and names several of their own body parts. 53. Points to her/himself in a photograph. 58. Continues to engage in a performance activity (e.g., dance) as familiar adults applaud.





59. Shows “drawing” or scribbling to a familiar adult. 61. Seeks help from familiar adults after unsuccessfully attempting to complete a task. 62. Uses words to get her/his needs met (e.g., “More juice.”).

2-3 years

1. Participates in parallel play. 2. Exhibits emerging social play (e.g., seeks out familiar adults to help dress a doll). 3. Insists on routines for transitions (e.g., when parents drop-off the child at the center). 4. Engages in positive social play alongside, and occasionally with, other children. 10. Demonstrates increasing ability to manipulate objects (e.g., bouncing up and down on objects). 11. Begins to use a book appropriately (e.g., opens it and looks at the pictures rather than banging it on the floor). 12. Tries out new games and toys. 14. Plays with toys meaningfully (e.g., preparing food in housekeeping). 17. Begins to recognize that others smile when they smile, and others look unhappy when they cry. 22. Follows directions, with adult assistance. 23. Uses words or crying to get someone’s attention. 24. Plays beside another child for short periods of time. 28. Moves around another child that is in her/his way (e.g., going up a slide). 29. Stands up for her/his ownership rights (e.g., says “mine” to a child who takes her/his toy). 32. Puts away toys when asked by a familiar adult. 34. Acknowledges the presence/arrival of familiar adults when they see them

(e.g., says "hi"). 40. Points to and names several of their own body parts. 41. Points to her/himself in a photograph.

5. Seeks support from familiar adults to resolve conflicts with peers. 6. Takes on the role of an adult figure in pretend play. 8. Starts to imitate adult social behaviors such as using words like “please” and “thank you". 9. Verbally or nonverbally invites a

peer to play.

13. Starts becoming more

comfortable when entering new

environments.

15. Uses play materials in the intended way (e.g., building with blocks). 16. Plays without disrupting or destroying the work of others. 18. Begins to end tantrums with some redirection. 25. Listens to and follows simple rules in small group activity. 26. Waits to take her/his turn. 30. Seeks help from familiar adults when another child takes her/his toy. 31. Tells another child “No. Stop!” when her/his toy is taken. 33. Shares occasionally with other children. 35. With the help of teachers, begins to effectively handle separation from parents when they leave her/him at the early care/education setting. 36. Initiates play with a familiar peer. 37. Seeks help from familiar adults after unsuccessfully attempting to complete a task. 38. Enjoys an activity of interest (e.g., art) with a friend. 39. Approaches a new person after familiar adults have talked with that person for a while. 46. Insists on doing thing on her/his own (e.g., carrying own plate to the table).

50. Shares successes at independent accomplishments with adults (e.g., opens her/his own lunchbox and showing how they did it). 7. Responds to another child’s or

adult’s distress with efforts to

assist.

19. Engages in reassuring self-talk or changing goals when frustrated or frightened. 20. Begins using emotionally charged words (e.g., "I’m mad”) to get needs met, as opposed to simply acting out needs. 21. Feels badly and expresses concern about breaking established rules. 27. Continues to use comfort objects such as blankets and stuffed animals to calm her/him self. 42. Notices that another child has features (e.g., brown hair) similar to her/his own. 43. Identifies other children as “boys” and “girls”. 44. Talks about her/his family. 45. Refers to her/himself by positive characteristics (e.g., “smart” or “strong”). 47. Talks about the neighborhood, city, or area in which she/he lives. 53. Gets materials needed for an activity, without prompts.





48. Continues to engage in a performance activity (e.g., dance) as familiar adults applaud. 49. Demonstrates growing competence and confidence during activities (e.g., climbs higher and higher on a playground structure). 51. Shows interest in wanting to dress her/him self. 52. Shows increased interest in toileting.

3 – 4 years

1. Knows his/her own first and last names. 2. Knows his/her age. 3. Knows his/her gender. 5. Describes his/her physical attributes (what I look like). 19. Expresses wants and needs in conflict situations. 20. Says, signs, or gestures to a child who is being offensive to stop the behavior. 21. Suggests strategy (e.g., sharing) to resolve a dispute over an object/play thing. 26. Gets materials needed for an activity, without prompts. 28. Comforts self by engaging in calming/soothing activities some of the time. 29. Accepts arrival and departure transitions as routine parts of the day. 31. Responds appropriately to greeting by familiar peers. 32. Initiates greeting of familiar peers. 36. Says, signs, or gestures the names of friends.

41. Recognizes the impact of his/her actions on others' feelings. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 5, 19, 20, 21, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32, 36

23. Uses negotiation to reach a solution. 38. Joins a cooperative play activity using appropriate verbal/nonverbal strategies. 44. Recognizes inappropriate behavioral choices of self most of the time. 45. Usually recognizes that inappropriate behavior leads to consequences. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 5, 19, 20, 21, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32, 36, 41





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10. Begins using emotionally

charged words (e.g., "I'm mad") to get needs met, as opposed to simply acting out needs. 11. Answers the question, “How do you feel?” with a feeling word (e.g., angry, happy, mad, sad, alone).

17. Moves around another child

that is in her/his way (e.g., going up a slide). 43. Chooses to express self to others safely/respectfully in difficult situations. Review of Skills 10, 11

8. Talks positively about a

recent accomplishment. 9. Engages in reassuring self-talk or changing goals when frustrated or frightened. 16. Seeks support from familiar adults to resolve conflicts with peers. 18. Stands up for her/his ownership rights (e.g., says "That's mine" to a child who takes her/his toy). 24. Maintains a negotiated plan. 25. Uses passive strategies to manage escalating conflicts (e.g., avoids, disengages). 34. Begins to recognize that others smile when they smile, and others look unhappy when they cry. 35. Plays without disrupting or destroying the work of others. 40. Expresses encouragement in a variety of ways (e.g., clapping, cheering). 42. Respects the rights of others. Review of Skills 10, 11, 17, 43

4 – 5 years

30. Carries out a classroom routine, without prompts (e.g., putting coat in cubby). 33. Verbally or nonverbally invites a peer to play. 37. Chooses to express self to others safely/respectfully in calm situations. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 5, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 28, 29, 31, 32, 36, 41, 44, 45

6. Talks about his/her interests (what I like to do). 12. Follows established rules and routines in the classroom. 13. Makes transitions between activities with minimal assistance. 22. Shows the ability to compromise in conflict resolution. 23. Uses negotiation to reach a solution. 44. Recognizes inappropriate behavioral choices of self most of the time. 45. Usually recognizes that inappropriate behavior leads to consequences. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 5, 19, 20, 21, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 41

7. Says positive things about his/her appearance. 14. Comfortably accepts guidance and directions from a familiar adult. 15. Uses classroom materials safely and for their intended purpose. 39. Sustains a cooperative participation with others. 47. Accepts the consequences for own inappropriate behavior most of the time. Review of Skills 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 41, 44, 45

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27. Insists on routines for transitions (e.g., when parents drop-off the child at the center). Review of Skills 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 34, 35, 40, 42, 43

24. Maintains a negotiated plan. Review of Skills 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 25, 27, 34, 35, 40, 42, 43

4. Refers to her/himself by positive characteristics (e.g., "smart" or "strong"). 46. Expresses empathy or caring for others by consoling, comforting, or helping. Review of Skills 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 34, 35, 40, 42, 43




SOCIAL STUDIES Social studies is a broad domain which incorporates the knowledge areas

essential to becoming a good citizen (National Council for the Social Studies, 2008). While a preschool aged child is not ready to fully

understand their role as a citizen, the child is at an important developmental stage to begin laying the foundation for later understanding the complexities inherent in the ever changing field of social studies. Social

studies include the study of history, economics, geography, political science, sociology, anthropology, archaeology and psychology. The

capabilities measured in the 3-5 years Galileo G3 Social Studies Scale are the precursors to a child’s success in these subjects later in their educational career. The 3-5 years Galileo G3 Social Studies Scale incorporates seven knowledge areas:

Discovering Family, Participating in the Classroom Community, Exploring the Greater Community, Looking at Spatial Representation and Map Skills, Examining

the Environment, Conserving Resources; and talking about the Past, Present and

Future.


3 – 4 years

1. Shares personal family stories and traditions. 2. Identifies family members and relationship to each.

Review of Skills 1, 2 35. Begins to use or respond to the language of time such as related to daily routines or schedules. Review of Skills 1, 2

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10. Tells why cars and people need to stop at red lights. 19. Identifies road by pointing. 20. Identifies school building by pointing. 21. Recognizes and names the immediate surroundings of home following supervised explorations (e.g., water to drink, dirt to plant). 22. Identifies trees and flowers in real world or in pictures. 23. Identifies land formations around school yard (e.g., mountains, hills).

4. Demonstrates cooperative behaviors such as helping, turn-taking, sharing, comforting, and compromising. 5. Demonstrates increasing ability to make independent choices. 6. Engages in problem-solving behavior with diminishing support from adults (e.g., negotiating roles in play). 24. Names animals that live in neighborhood (e.g., birds, ants, raccoons, coyotes, snakes). Review of Skills 10, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

27. Throws trash in garbage can. 28. Points out recycling container in the classroom. 29. Tells what goes into the recycling container in the classroom. 41. Shows recognition of and respect for differences between genders. 45. Tells one way a classmate is like him/herself (e.g., we both have brown eyes). Review of Skills 4, 5, 6, 10, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

4 – 5 years

35. Begins to use or respond to the language of time such as related to daily routines or schedules. Review of Skills 1, 2

Review of Skills 1, 2, 35 9. Describes or illustrates the roles/responsibilities of community workers. 13. Signs, gestures, or talks about neighborhood resources (library, post office). 34. Begins to use the language of time (e.g., day, night, yesterday, today, tomorrow). Review of Skills 1, 2, 35





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3. Tells each family member's

duties or responsibilities in the household. (e.g., who cooks, who does laundry). 8. Demonstrates awareness of the outcomes of one's own choices. 11. Identifies landmarks to describe location of residence or school (e.g., school is by the store). 14. Demonstrates and uses terms related to location, direction, and distance. 15. Demonstrates an understanding of how to get around in familiar environments such as home, neighborhood, or school, under supervision. 16. Describes and represents the inside and outside of familiar environments such as home, school, or playground. 25. Identifies that animals live in plants (e.g., birds nest in trees or cacti). 37. Labels days by function (e.g., school day, field trip day). 40. Predicts future career or what life will be like as an adult (e.g., "I will be a fireman when I grow up."). Review of Skills 4, 5, 6, 10, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 41, 45

7. Demonstrates increasing

ability to follow through on plans. 17. Demonstrates the ways that streets and buildings can be identified by symbols, such as letters, numbers or logos (e.g., addresses, street signs). 18. Demonstrates how maps can be useful to finding places such as streets, homes, and places to visit. 26. Draws/talks about plants, animals, and people who live or use a specific place (e.g., ocean, forest, desert). 42. Shows respect for those with special needs. 43. Shows respect for members of different cultures. 44. Shows respect for varying family structures. Review of Skills 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 37, 40, 41, 45

12. Differentiates the United

States flag from other flags by pointing. 30. Makes use of used materials when possible (e.g., scratch paper, uses both front and back of paper). 31. Describes what recycling is. 32. Tells why recycling is important (e.g., saves trees, trash doesn't take up space in dumps). 33. Tells adult why putting trash in garbage cans is good for the environment (e.g., trash can hurt animals, trash can clog streams). 36. Identifies events that might occur in the future. 38. Shares episodes of personal history from birth to present, through personal memorabilia or connected to stories. 39. Arranges sequences of personal and shared events through pictures, growth charts, and other media. Review of Skills 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45

SCHOOL READINESS Research shows that the social, physical, and cognitive environments that a

child is exposed to in the first years of life have a lasting impact on a child’s academic achievement long-term (Furlong & Quirk, 2011). To help programs target these valued educational goals, ATI has created the Galileo

School Readiness Scale.

The Galileo School Readiness Scales are a set of reporting tools that consist of capabilities from the essential areas of learning and development reflected in the Galileo G3 assessment scales. The capabilities on these scales reflect valued school

readiness goals that programs may use to report the progress their children are making in getting ready for successful entry into kindergarten. There are five

Galileo School Readiness Scales which create a continuum for monitoring the progress of children from birth through five years. There is one Galileo School Readiness Scale for each of the Galileo G3 assessment scale age ranges; Birth to 08

months, 08 to 18 months, 18 to 24 months, 24 to 36 months, and 3 through 5

years.

The Galileo School Readiness Scales are organized into five knowledge areas: Cognition and General Knowledge, Language and Literacy, Approaches to Learning,

Social and Emotional Development, and Physical Development and Health. These




knowledge areas are aligned to the Five Essential Domains outlined in the Head

Start Child Development and Learning Framework.

In choosing which capabilities to include on the Galileo School Readiness Scale for

3- through 5-year-olds, ATI analyzed the specific goals in the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework, various state early learning standards, and Common Core Kindergarten Standards. Those capabilities that were common

among the Framework and standards were identified as the agreed-upon essential

performance objectives for preschool-age children transitioning into kindergarten.

Once these standards were identified and analyzed, the developmentally sequenced capabilities that a child must learn to achieve these valued goals were determined

and then included as school readiness goals in the Galileo School Readiness Scale

for 3- through 5-year-olds.

Early childhood development experts at ATI then identified the precursor skills for these school readiness skills which appear on the multiple age range Galileo G3

assessment scales for birth to 3 years. The appropriate precursor skills were then included on the Galileo School Readiness Scales for birth to 3 years to create the integrated set of Galileo School Readiness Scales which will allow programs to

report on a child’s developmental progression from birth through 5 years of age.

The end result are scales that can serve as a reporting tool for focusing educators’ attention on essential standards and for benchmarking children’s progress in attaining these essential capabilities in the process of getting ready for school. The

scales seamlessly document children’s kindergarten-readiness progress from birth

through 5 years of age.

The Galileo School Readiness Scales do not have a separate scope and sequence as the goals contained in this scale appear on the other Galileo G3 Scales and are

therefore included in the course and sequence documentation for the original

scales.

SECTION 3: PLANS FOR ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCES

CURRICULUM CONTENT

GALILEO G3 LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum provides 32 model lesson plans, while leaving four weeks available for teachers to plan special instruction. These plans contain

goals at multiple levels of difficulty so that they may be used for children in the age range of 3-5. They can be copied and adjusted to the particular needs of the children in the class. The lesson plans and activities are purposely not segregated

by age for just 3-year-olds, or just 4-year-olds. Although age can be used a general guide when assessing children’s skills and creating lessons, it does not

allow for the wide variability of skills, talents, and interests between individual

children.




In addition to lesson plans, over 500 ready-to-use activities for 3-5 year olds and over 300 ready-to-use activities for toddlers are available in Galileo Pre-K Online

for use in the classroom. Galileo activities provide learning opportunities for

children in eleven major areas of development: For:

• 3-5 year-olds: Approaches to Learning, Creative Arts, Early Math, English Language Acquisition, Language, Literacy, Logic and Reasoning, Nature and

Science, Physical Development and Health, Social and Emotional

Development, and Social Studies.

• 18-36 month-olds: Approaches to Learning; Cognition and General Knowledge; Language, Communication, Reading and Writing; Physical

Development and Health; and Social and Emotional Development.

The content covered in these areas of development meet the Head Start

Framework indicators set out in the Central Domains.

• Approaches to Learning

• Cognition

• Language and Literacy

• Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development

• Social and Emotional Development

Many of the goals covered in these activities are also recognized as critical skills

for school readiness.

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum recognizes that activities that provide a rich

variety of learning opportunities in different developmental areas offer children many chances to acquire new capabilities. Accordingly, model activities contain

multiple goals related to multiple developmental areas. Model activities reflect a balance between child-initiated activities and teacher-facilitated activities on a daily basis. Child-initiated activities provide children with a variety of options, which

encourage exploration and new learning. Teacher-facilitated activities offer

opportunities for teacher guidance to promote learning.

Galileo model content includes additional activities in the Times for Learning G3 Activity Library2 which were designed for families to use at home with their

children. In this way Galileo offers resources to encourage family engagement. The following will cover the classroom activities and lesson plans, more information

about the activities for families can be found in Encouraging Family Engagement

section, page 13.

2 The Times for Learning G3 Parent Activities library contains the English version of the

activities. The Times for Learning G3: Momentos para Aprender contains the Spanish

version of the English-version of the activities.




Each of the Galileo G3 Activities contains:

• description of activity goals,

• list of the materials needed for the activity,

• setup guidelines,

• procedures required to implement the activity,

• suggestions as to appropriate centers in which to perform the activity and

changes to the environment, and

• enrichment suggestions when appropriate. (The majority of the 3-5 years Galileo G3 Activities will include enrichment suggestions to assist teachers

in preparing tiered learning opportunities.)

The sequence of learning, upon which Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is based,

does not necessarily dictate the sequence of teaching. For example, a child can learn the earlier skills they need to master a more advanced skill simultaneously

with the teaching of that advanced skill. In a lesson focused on learning numbers, with special emphasis on six to 10, children may learn the other numbers from one to five on the way to 10,

because they come earlier in the developmental sequence. Teachers are encouraged to provide an

appropriately challenging environment sensitive to the needs of each child. The Galileo G3 Assessment Scales and the Galileo G3 Activity Libraries reflect this

philosophy. The scales address the full range of goals and allow a teacher to assess each child’s abilities. The

lesson plans and activities are appropriate for all learners, including Dual Language Learners, allowing a teacher the flexibility necessary to plan a curriculum applicable to children of varying abilities and

backgrounds. Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is not a rigid set of rules by which to make all decisions, but rather a guide to providing an effective and innovative

education to preschoolers.

Use the Galileo

Curriculum as a

guide.




GALILEO LESSON PLAN LAYOUT

(Lesson plan layout continues on next page.)




GALILEO G3 ACTIVITIES LAYOUT




STORYTELLER ATI’s Storyteller is a computer application comprised of assessment and curriculum

tools designed to assist teachers and parents to promote learning designed for use with 3-5 year-olds. Storyteller activities are available to all parents with access to

the Galileo Pre-K Parent Center. The Storyteller for assessment and lesson planning

are also available to teachers in Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum.

Storyteller provides children with interactive learning opportunities to acquire the essentials skills of language and literacy. Being a computer based instructional

application, Storyteller is designed to help children acquire knowledge and

communicate information through the use of technology.

LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES The Storyteller Lesson Plans and Activities are aligned with the 3-5 years Galileo G3

Assessment Scale for Language Development and the 3-5 years Galileo G3 Assessment Scale for Literacy Development. The Storyteller Lesson Plans can easily be integrated with the Galileo G3 Lesson Plans to provide additional focus in

language and literacy development. Teachers may also select to substitute Storyteller activities and lesson plans for those available in the G3 Activity and

Lesson Plan libraries.

Numbered plans cover 27 weeks of language and literacy instruction for 4- and 5-

year- old children aimed primarily at:

• Phonemic awareness

• Expressive and receptive vocabulary development

• Alphabetic principles

• Early reading skills

• Early writing skills

Storyteller Lesson Plans are:

• Detailed step-by-step teaching instructions for introducing letters and sounds found in five regular appearing weekly activities for the Spotlight Letter of

the Week.

• 26 original animated stories incorporating rhyme, alliteration, humor, and

fun. The teaching instructions cover goals ranging from comprehension to

concepts of print.

• 26 illustrations to accompany the alliterative stories. These illustrations include a two line alliterative rhyme that goes with the story. There are also

accompanying activity suggestions for these illustrations.

• 26 download files for letter picture cards in two sizes, 8½”x11” and 4”x5½”. These can be used as teaching cards as well as a wall mural of the alphabet

in series.




• Four additional weekly activities, each associated with a Storyteller animated character, build on the instruction and offer child directed opportunities for

practice and experimentation of newly acquired knowledge at each child’s

level of readiness.

• Various teaching tools that can be downloaded to assist in the instruction of early writing and connect to specific teaching activities within the Storyteller

Activity Library.

• Over 120 additional language and literacy activities incorporated into the lesson plans and tied directly to the Galileo Language and Literacy Outcomes

for 3-5 year-olds and the Galileo electronic record-keeping system.

The activities are designed to make each phoneme memorable while teaching alphabetical principles and letter recognition. Learning styles are a strong

consideration in Storyteller Lesson Plans. Both direct instruction and child directed activities use several modes of learning such as kinesthetic, auditory, visual, tactile,

and musical. For example, within the Storyteller G3 Activity Library, the activity titled “Trixie’s Touchable Letters” involves tactile and visual learning in which children recognize letter shapes and use art supplies beginning with that letter

sound. The activity “Argus’ Action Alphabet Chant” reinforces letter names and sounds for children who tend to be more kinesthetic and musical. For some

children, visual and auditory repetitions are the keys to learning. Storyteller aims to

utilize many different modes of learning to reach many different learners.

Storyteller Lesson Plans and Activities are designed to address the need in preschool curriculum for proficient and comprehensive teaching of language and

literacy. The curriculum advocates that teachers use instructional strategies specifically designed for young children and involve experiences with the multiple

aspects of language, reading, and writing.

In addition to language and literacy skill acquisition Storyteller provides children

with an opportunity to practice basic technology skills. Because of our society’s reliance on technology, children who are not exposed to technology from an early age may fall behind their peers in developing an inherent understanding of

computers. Currently many states have included early learning standards targeting technology skills and computer use in their state requirements for Pre-K learners.

The use of Storyteller in the preschool classroom may provide opportunities for programs to integrate these required early learning standards in to their classroom

routines.

DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE Once you have planned which learning opportunities you will provide to the children in your class, you may schedule those activities. Scheduling the day’s activities

provides the teacher an opportunity to formalize the day’s plan, and print and

display this plan for parents and administrators.




When creating a daily schedule for your classroom consider the following

recommendations:

1. Establish routines in your classroom to provide stability for young children.

Predictability in the learning environment allows children to build confidence

and independence in a familiar and comfortable environment.

2. Schedule a variety of activity types (i.e. small group, large group, independent activities), in multiple areas of the classroom. This variance of

opportunities provides young children sensory stimulation, rest, fresh air and independent exploration. Because young children are known to be experiential learners, small group and independent exploration activities

should comprise the majority of the daily schedule.

3. Include both teacher-led and child initiated activities. Teacher-led activities

allow children to practice following directions and develop new skills with direct instruction from the teacher. Child-initiated activities allow children to

learn through discovery and exploration. As a teacher you can still provide scaffolding and support to a child participating in a child-initiated activity but it is important to respect the child’s exploratory process and allow the child

to guide their work during the activity.

4. When weather permits, provide children with opportunities to participate in

both indoor and outdoor activities on a daily basis.

5. Consider the accommodations you may need to make for special needs children in your class. The unique needs of the children in your class impact

the planning, such as the order in which you schedule your activities, and which interest centers you use for different activities. Keep in mind the

Galileo G3 Activities were designed to be flexible and customized.

6. Use daily care routines as opportunities for learning.

On the following page is a sample schedule. Notice the variety of activity types and

locations included in the daily schedule.

(Image on next page.)




SECTION 4: SPECIAL STUDENT POPULATIONS

Preschools serve the needs of a large and diverse population of children and

families. In serving the needs of preschool children programs will create service and learning plans for a variety of special student populations including children with

disabilities, dual language learners, and migrant children. Special accommodations will often need to be made to ensure that these children are included in classroom activities and that the children’s unique needs are being met. Galileo Curriculum

provides teachers with tools to customize and individualize the activities and lesson plans that make up the curriculum. Additionally, the scaffolding present in Galileo

activities allows a teacher to include children at multiple levels of development in the learning opportunities. Crafting inclusive learning opportunities provides developmental support for children with special needs while teaching other children

appreciation of children from various backgrounds. Inclusive activities provide positive modeling opportunities for children to learn acceptance and respect for all

people.

In addition to the customizability of the curriculum, the Galileo assessment and

reporting areas offer support for working with special student populations. The Galileo G3 Assessment Scales are a tool for

conducting observational assessments on all children, including special student populations. The comprehensive natures of the skills reflected in the

scales, allow teachers to assess children at varying levels of development. In additional to the

developmental assessment tool, Assessment Technology, Incorporated offers the Acuscreen screening tool which may be included with Galileo

Pre-K Online, at an additional price. When reporting assessment data, programs often desire reports

which target specific sub-groups of children within the program. By entering child information in Galileo forms, programs may analyze the progress and needs of specifics groups of children in their program. This

analysis can be used to make curriculum decisions for specific groups of children.

DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS As communities continue to expand in diversity we welcome

children to our preschools with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, family structures and languages. The role of the

preschool teacher is to be open minded and open hearted while providing rich learning opportunities for their children. This being

the case, the challenges of working with children from these diverse backgrounds

should not be overlooked. One of the primary challenges a teacher may face is that

of working with English Language Learners (ELL) or Dual Language Learners (DLL).

All children in preschool are developing their language skills. Children with a home language other than English will not receive the same level of exposure to English

as those children with English speaking families and thus, these children face a

Identify special

children group with

Acuscreen and populating a child

form.




unique challenge as they learn both languages. These children are referred to as Dual Language Learners because they are learning two languages at the same time.

ELLs commonly refers to a child who has already mastered one language and is

now learning English, many preschool age children do not fall into this category.

WORKING WITH DLLS The following guidelines will help you work with the DLL children and families in

your class.

• Cultural sensitivity: Be mindful to honor the unique and special qualities of each culture represented in your classroom without creating emphasis on the differences. Often the unique aspects of each culture can be highlighted

in a special way or represented in activities in tandem with American cultural

practices.

• Don’t make assumptions: Just as each culture is very different, so is each family. Being aware of the basic cultural practices of the diverse families in

your class may be helpful but be aware not to allow this knowledge to be

used as a judgment.

• Provide assistance in the home language whenever possible: Many DLL preschoolers will develop skills in both languages without demonstrating

the same skills in both languages. Whenever possible try to have an assistant in the classroom who speaks the child’s home language. This will help you accurately assess what the child knows based on their demonstration of

capabilities both in English and their home language.

For the purposes of assessment, if the child demonstrates capabilities in a language other than English, this should be considered an appropriate demonstration of the skills

and therefore it can be checked off in the appropriate Galileo G3 Assessment Scale. Galileo does have the

English Language Acquisition assessment scale for ELLs which will help you monitor the progress of the child’s English language skill development.

• Involve families: Involving a child’s family in their classroom experiences may facilitate learning in all domains, including the child’s acquisition of English. The following are examples of the ways in which you may engage

the child’s family in their learning process.

o Invite families to share about their language and culture with you or with

the class (if appropriate).

o Ask families for suggestions of activities which represent their culture to share with the children in class. These activities may incorporate culturally specific things such as food, dance, music, games or stories. For example,

many cultures have unique dances and musical instruments, planning




activities which incorporate these dances and instruments will introduce

other children to the culture.

o If the family is also working on their English skills, provide the family with

information about community resources for ELLs.

o Provide the family with a list of book titles which you will be reading in the

classroom in English which are also available in their home language. Families may then read the same title in their home language at home.

This will help to tie the classroom and home experiences together.

The Galileo G3 Storybook List provides suggested

storybooks which can be used in the classroom. Given that the most common home language of DLLs in the US is Spanish, ATI included many titles

which are also available in Spanish or as a dual language book (see Appendix D: Galileo G3

Storybook List, page 108).

• Galileo Pre-K Online allows you to generate reports in Spanish for Spanish speaking families which will help you communicate their child’s progress.

Parents are also able to generate reports in Spanish through the Galileo Pre-

K Parent Center.

• Incorporate cultural diversity into classroom activities whenever possible. For

example:

o Offer clothing and items in the dramatic play area representative of the different cultures present in your classroom (multicultural families can be

a wonderful resource here!).

o On “Hat Day” encourage children to bring in hats which represent the

traditional dress of their cultures.

o Consider creating a special interest center to highlight the unique cultures represented in your class. Families can help you stock this with appropriate materials and activities. This center may be a dedicated

multi-cultural center rotating between all of the cultures in your class over

the course of the program year.

• Be patient: Be patient with yourself and the child. A calm voice and kind smile will go a long way with any child, whether they understand your

vocabulary or not! Often comprehension and speech are not developed at the same rate, children may understand much more than they verbalize.

Through listening to your direction and following the behavior you and their peers model young DLLs are constantly learning and developing their English

language skills.




• Use the buddy system: If there isn’t an adult available to assist in your classroom with familiarity in the child’s home language yet there is another

child with more advanced dual language skills, consider pairing these children as classroom buddies. This may give the child an opportunity to express him

or herself and receive help from a peer in his or her home language. This will also give the buddy the social reward of helping his or her classmate and teacher. This creates an opportunity for social development for both children

as they are able to communicate and collaborate in their home language.

• Support learning of both languages: Dual language learning children are posed with the challenge and wonderful opportunity to learn two languages at one time. Multilingualism is of tremendous benefit to children and adults

as it supports cognitive development for children, and may open up greater

education and career opportunities in adulthood.

o Children should be encouraged to continue mastery of their home language. Be careful not to discourage dual language learning children

from using their home language. At times a child may try to communicate in the classroom using her home language; however, as

she learns that you and/or her peers don’t understand this language she will naturally transition to speaking English. Encourage the child to communicate and participate in the classroom environment. In fact, this

may provide you with a teachable moment as you introduce the other

children to unique vocabulary in a new language.

o If possible, provide a DLL with signs or labels in their home language to support their learning of both English and the home language. Families

may delight in the opportunity to help you create labels and signs for

your classroom in their home language.

CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES As a preschool teacher you will likely encounter children with a variety of disabilities throughout your career. The guidelines for working with each child will vary greatly

depending on their unique needs. Always be aware to follow

the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the child.

Your agency likely provides you with documentation of their specific policies and procedures regarding working with children with disabilities, including a list of the

available resources for you as a preschool teacher.

The following guidelines are meant to be used as general suggestions for working with children with special needs. Specific considerations for each child may vary

widely.

• Be inclusive: A child may not be able to participate in an activity in the

same way as other children due to a variety of unique situations, but remember that doesn’t mean they will not benefit from the activity. All classroom activities can be modified to include children with special needs.




The following examples may help to guide you in considering

accommodations:

Ms. Julie is practicing numbers with her children. Each

time she writes a number on the dry erase board the children are supposed to jump that many times. Dillon has a significant impairment in gross motor function and won’t

be able to jump. Ms. Julie doesn’t want him to feel left out so gives Dillon a bean bag to toss up and catching his

instead of jumping. This allows Dillon to participate in the physical activity and feel included in the classroom activity.

Mr. Steven is working with his class in the music area. They are setting up a “musical parade” as they dance in a

line through the classroom. Lillian is a student in his class who is in a wheelchair with significant speech and motor impairments. Mr. Steven wants Lillian to be able to

participate in the classroom activity. Mr. Steven gives Lillian a tambourine which she can hold and rattle, telling

Lillian that she will be the leader of the parade. He then pushes her wheelchair in the front of the parade as the other children dance in a line behind them. In this example

Lillian can physically participate in the activity by rattling the tambourine and can participate in the parade as Mr.

Steven pushes her wheelchair.

• Be encouraging: Encourage the child to try new things and support his or

her efforts, even when he or she don’t meet this or her goals.

• Encourage a cohesive class: The other children in the class may be aware that this child is differently abled which often creates curiosity and potentially

confusion in the minds of a preschool child. You can use this as an opportunity for everyone to learn about the unique needs of others and the

special qualities of the individual. Be sure that this child is included in the classroom routines and activities as much as possible; this will be a model for

positive inclusive behavior for the other children.

• Using the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales: All children will make

developmental progress at their own rate. If you have a child in your class with impairments which affect his or her ability to acquire knowledge in any or all of the domains included in the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales you may

not able to chart their progress on the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales for 3-5 year olds. It is still important that you monitor the child’s developmental

progress and record your observations. In these cases you may ask your program’s Galileo administrator to assign the appropriate Galileo G3 Assessment Scales for a younger age range to your class. The younger age

range scale may reflect the skills the child is capable of demonstrating and




will allow you to document his or her progress and provide developmentally

appropriate learning opportunities.

• Work with the child’s family: Working with a child with special needs,

requires a collaborative approach where input should be sought by parents in an effort to identify short-term goals, and long-term outcomes. With assistance from the family choses short-term goals and put a plan into place

to achieve these short term goals. As agreed-upon plans are implemented provide support to parents, by updating them on your ongoing assessment of

their child and explaining how you are adapting and individuals to promote

the development of their child.

A 4-year-old child with significant cognitive impairment may not be ready yet to demonstrate the capability on the Galileo

G3 Early Math Assessment Scale; instead, you may find that utilizing the Galileo G3 Cognition and General Knowledge Scale for 2-3 year olds is more appropriately aligned to their

capabilities. In this case, selecting the younger age range scale is recommended.

SPECIAL NEEDS There are six broad categories of special needs which will be covered in this manual: visual impairments, hearing impairments, motor delays, cognitive challenges, speech/language delays, and

behavior/emotional issues. The information presented here is meant to provide a general understanding of each category, and provide

some general suggestions of the types of adaptations that can be

made in the classroom.

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT Visual impairment indicates that a person has a functional loss of vision. Within the

spectrum of visual impairments there are a few terms you may encounter:

• Partially sighted: The child has decreased vision which will require

adaptation, this may include a wearing glasses.

• Low vision: The child has limited vision beyond that of a “partially sighted” child. The child’s condition requires adaptation beyond the use of glasses

such as changes in light or size of print.

• Legally blind: The child has less than 20/200 vision or has a very limited

field of vision.

• Totally blind: The child has little to no vision.

Visually impaired children will depend on their other senses for learning, relying more on hearing than other senses. Ensure that the child can hear you during

activities and while you are providing instructions. When possible provide the child with an opportunity to touch and feel objects or materials while you describe them.

This will engage the child’s sense of touch in addition to hearing.




A 4-year-old child with low vision may not be able to see the

alphabet chart you have posted at the front of the classroom. While you are discussing the letters of the alphabet, give the child

a large print flashcard showing each letter as you discuss it. This way the child may be able to both see the letter and trace it with

their fingers as you talk about the letter.

When you have a visually impaired child in your class you will also need to consider your classroom arrangement and the setup of activities. Visually impaired children

may rely on the routine classroom arrangement to safely move around the room and access interest center and activity areas. Be sure to make the child aware of any changes you make in the classroom arrangement by walking them through the

space and orienting them to the new arrangement.

Be cautious not to place items in the walking paths or work spaces which the child may trip over or could cause injury. Visually impaired children, like all children, are learning how to interpret their environment and safely navigate the space. While

visually impaired adults will have developed strategies for moving around in an environment young children will be developing these skills and will need assistance

from you.

HEARING IMPAIRMENT

Diagnosis of hearing loss includes a definition of the type of hearing loss the child is experiencing and the severity. The type of hearing loss often includes a description

of the impacted structure. The severity of hearing loss is usually defined as mild,

moderate, severe or profound.

A child with mild or moderate hearing loss will likely be able to use hearing as a pathway for learning with adaptations such as hearing aids, or being positioned

near the teacher during instructional activities.

A child with moderate to profound hearing loss will need supplemental materials

and may have significant difficulty learning through hearing. These children may

need additional visual prompts and materials.

Children with hearing impairments will rely on their visual skills to help them compensate for their decreased hearing. Ensure that the child can easily see your

face while you are talking and avoid using exaggerated mouth movements while you speak as this may lead to the child comprehending less of what you are saying as they will be watching your face and lip movements. It is not uncommon for a

hearing impaired child to nod as if they understand what you are saying, even when they have not understood you. Be sure you always check in with the child one-on-

one to ensure they understand what you have said. For example, if you are introducing new vocabulary, be sure you encourage the child to use the new word

in a sentence or describe the word for you to demonstrate comprehension.

If you have a child in your classroom that is using sign language try to learn a few

basic signs yourself. This may help the child feel more comfortable in communicating their basic needs to you. Make learning simple sign language a part




of your class for the year, this will help support the hearing impaired child and provide a wonderful learning opportunity for the other children. The child’s family

may have suggestions for appropriate signs to share with the class.

As you are working on bathroom skills with the children show them the American Sign Language (ASL) sign for “toilet” as an appropriate way to

indicate that they need to use the bathroom. This is a simple sign using the ASL letter ‘T’ with the

right hand and moving the hand back and forth. The children will delight in learning “a special language” and enjoy using this sign to indicate they need to use the bathroom.

Create a signal for the class which is used to draw their attention to you. This signal

may be used during classroom activities to gain their attention when needed or to capture their attention in an emergency. If you usually use a clapping pattern to gain your children’s attention consider changing this to a whistle pattern with a

hand wave, or precede and follow your clapping pattern with a hand wave. This will give the hearing impaired child a visual cue to gain his or her attention while still

providing an auditory cue for the other children.

COGNITIVE CHALLENGES

There is a wide spectrum of cognitive challenges a child may be faced with. Many children with cognitive challenges have coexisting conditions such as social and

emotional issues or motor impairments.

These children will have difficulty understanding new concepts and will become

easily frustrated. You may find that you need to repeat instructions and instructional material multiple times. Try breaking your activities into small steps

which will be easier for the child to follow and remember that they may not be able to transfer information from one situation to the next. Be patient and clear with

your instructions and be ready to repeat yourself when needed.

Children with cognitive challenges may become upset when the classroom routine changes. Try to create a consistent routine in the classroom by including the daily

schedule and provide signals to indicate for a classroom transition. When routines will be changing talk with the child about what to expect so they are prepared for

the change.

MOTOR DELAYS

Children with motor delays may present with a wide variety of physical challenges. It is important to learn about each child’s individual case to appropriately plan

adaptations. Most children will be able to participate either partially or fully in activities with adaptation. Remember that children with motor delays may tire more quickly, and movement may be more of a challenge for them, but mentally these

children are just like other children. A motor delay does not impact a child’s

cognitive functions.




Job sharing is a wonderful way to adapt a physical activity for a child with motor delays. If you have asked the children to

help you fill a bucket of water, assign the child with motor delays to work with another child to fill the bucket using the

faucet. The child with motor delays may be able to turn on and off the faucet while the other child can carry the bucket. This will promote team work and give the child with motor

delays an important role to play in the activity.

SPEECH/LANGUAGE DELAYS This is the most common category of special needs you will encounter as a preschool teacher. Often children will have trouble with forming words or specific

sounds, or understanding language. It is not uncommon for these children to have difficulty communicating as well as understanding what is being said. This is often

very frustrating for the child and may decrease their motivation for participation in

classroom activities.

Look for ways to help the child participate in activities and understand the language being used in the classroom. Using picture queues or body language can be very

helpful both for increasing the child’s comprehension of language and for

encouraging the child to communicate.

If a child has difficulty communicating provide him or her with signals to use when answering questions and communication. A thumbs up or thumbs down sign are a

commonly used example for a way a child can communicate yes or no answers.

When working in a large group activity a child with speech

delays may feel frustrated and upset if she doesn’t understand the activity or does not have the language skills to ask for help. By providing the child ”Stop” and “Go” flash

cards, the child can hold up the sign to ask for help or signal that she is ready to ‘go.”

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ISSUES Social and emotional issues can have many etiologies and presentations.

Remember that while these children are sometimes challenging to work with they

are still important members of the class.

It is common for these children to react with anger or violent outbursts when overwhelmed or frustrated. One of the first considerations when working with these

children is limiting their frustration and supporting them in their accomplishments

with praise for all successes.

When experiencing failure many children will resort to not trying future activities to avoid feeling “stupid.” If you provide instructions in small segments, and break

things into manageable steps it will limit frustration and support a child in feeling successful. Praise and success will encourage children with Social and emotional

issues t to try new activities.




If you notice the child becoming frustrated, redirect this energy in a positive way to something which is less stressful. Some children respond very well to being given a

“safe place” in the classroom to sit when they need to calm down. This should not be phrased as a time out punishment, but instead as a coping strategy to manage

their emotions. You may ask a child to go sit in their “safe place” when you see

them acting out.

Many of these children will also respond well to being assigned clear, definitive roles in the classroom, such as being a “helper” for the day.” By providing the child with

specific tasks this will allow him or her to model good behavior, support positive self-esteem and give the child structured ways to interact positively in the

classroom community.

SECTION 5: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION The implementation of an integrated assessment system and research-based

curriculum requires careful planning and teamwork across a program. A checklist to aid programs in implementing Galileo Pre-K Online is provided in Appendix A:

Curriculum Getting Started Checklist on page 101.

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is implemented through

the Galileo Pre-K Online website, www.ati-online.com. The use of a web based system has a number of benefits. The first is flexibility. Curriculum is subject to

continual evolution based on changing societal needs and changes in the population. This is more difficult to

accomplish with a paper-based curriculum. Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is well suited to the task of accommodating this kind of change. In order for

change to be effective in promoting learning, it is necessary to ensure that the goals that the curriculum is intended to promote

are being achieved. The classification of plans and activities in terms of goals, knowledge areas, and developmental areas in Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum provides a basis for examining scope and sequence as it is implemented in the

classroom. The integration of the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum with the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales enables easy monitoring of children’s developmental

progression and learning achievement. This integration provides tools to ensure that the implementation and development of the curriculum can be informed by

data on the extent to which curricular goals are actually attained.

CURRICULUM MAPS

Evaluation of the curriculum regarding its ability to teach toward the attainment of specific goals is accomplished through Curriculum Maps. Using Curriculum Maps, it is easy to determine whether you are selecting activities and plans that

correspond to developmental goals and whether additional materials are needed. Curriculum Maps are available for each of the developmental areas in Galileo to

Curricula integrated with

assessments.





illustrate which activities and lesson plans are available to help children achieve

each goal within the selected developmental area.

Curriculum maps are available in the online system for the G3 Lesson Plans (3-5

years only) and activities (18-36 months and 3-5 years) as well as the Storyteller lesson plans (3-5 years) and activities (3-5 years). Curriculum maps are also

available for any user-created lesson plans are also available.

LESSON PLAN MAPS




ACTIVITY MAPS

CREATING A GALILEO CALENDAR

The advantage of the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum is the opportunity for seamless integration between children’s developmental progress and classroom instruction. This powerful feature can only be realized through regularly entering

observational data in to Galileo and using Galileo reports to inform lesson plans. Some programs create a Galileo Calendar which provides a timeline for observing

children in specific domains and providing lesson plans to administrators. This is done outside of Galileo and is not associated with the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum Calendar. Recommendations about creating a Galileo Calendar are

provided to assist programs in outlining staff responsibilities and communicating these across the program. As explained in the Daily Activity Schedule section, page

81, an educator place scheduled activities on their calendar.

Each program should prepare a general sequence for instruction at the beginning of

the program year while keeping in mind that teachers will need to be modifying lesson plans and preparing tiered instructional opportunities based on the readiness

levels of the children in their classrooms. For this to occur, programs are encouraged to create a calendar which will outline when new observations need to be entered in each of the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales and therefore when lesson




plans should be updated. If your program doesn’t have a Galileo Calendar it would

be advisable to create your own. ATI recommends that the calendar includes:

1. Date by which all baseline observations need to be entered. It is

recommended this be within the first few weeks of child enrollment.

2. Ongoing observations using the Galileo assessment scales for data entry.

Remember, each assessment scale needs to be updated regularly. Providing teachers guidance as to which scales to update each week can ensure

observations are kept up-to-date.

3. Target dates for updating lesson plans as needed.

An example of what a Galileo Calendar might look like is provided in Appendix B:

Galileo Calendar, page 102.

SECTION 6: MATERIALS

RECOMMENDED STORYBOOKS FOR ACTIVITIES Storybooks not only bring joy and excitement to young children they also provide

priceless opportunities for learning. Children can develop language and literacy skills, build social and emotional intelligence, learn about problem-solving, and much more all through the use storybooks at home or in the classroom. Reading

storybooks aloud can create the foundation for this learning which can be built upon

through classroom discussion and activities related to the selected storybook.

Many of the Galileo G3 Activities incorporate storybooks either in a primary role in the activity, as an enrichment opportunity, or as a suggested supplement. The

Galileo G3 Activity Storybook List (Appendix D: Galileo G3 Storybook List, page 108) provides a list of storybooks which appear in the Galileo G3 Activities in one of

these three roles. To support programs serving English and Spanish speaking children, recommended texts which are available in both English and Spanish, or in

a bilingual English/Spanish version, are indicated as such.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS FOR ACTIVITIES The Galileo G3 Activities were designed to utilize materials which are common within preschool centers in the hopes of providing engaging, educational

experiences for children with ease of implementation by teachers. A complete a list of materials recommended within the Galileo G3 and Storyteller G3 Activities is

available in the form of the Galileo G3 Activity Materials Checklist (Appendix C: Galileo G3 Activity Materials List, page 103). This list is provided to help educators to look ahead at the materials which may be used during Galileo G3 Activities.

Educators should consider substituting materials which are currently available in

their classrooms before purchasing new materials.

Each activity will include a list of required materials. Prior to scheduling an activity, educators should carefully read through the activity to check the materials list to

ensure the suggested materials or appropriate substitutions are available. Some activities do require perishable materials which will need to be purchased within the




week of the activity. Other activities will require preparation of materials prior to

beginning the activity with the children.

Teachers are encouraged to inventory their classroom using the Galileo G3 Activity

Materials Checklist (Appendix C: Galileo G3 Activity Materials List, page 103) prior

to implementing the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum.

STORYTELLER G3 ACTIVITIES MATERIALS The Storyteller classroom activities can often take place in any interest center.

Some of the classroom activities provided come with additional resources such as name tags, labels, and worksheets, which teachers may print and add to their

materials list.

For more information including step by step instructions for accessing the Galileo G3 Activities in Galileo Pre-K Online see the Galileo online help files or the “Fundamentals of Galileo:

Curriculum” manual.

SECTION 7: RESOURCES

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

MANUALS The following manuals provide step-by-step instructions for using the computer-based features of the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum and assessment tools. These

manuals should be considered essential references for teachers and program

administrators.

• Fundamentals of Galileo: Developmental Assessment

• Fundamentals of Galileo: Curriculum

• Fundamentals of Galileo: Reports

All manuals are provided at no charge to Galileo Pre-K Online programs. They are

provided to participants during an ATI on-site professional development session or

by contacting your program’s dedicated ATI Field Services Coordinator.




TOOLKITS Documenting assessments on a regular basis in Galileo Pre-K is important since the

Planning Levels identified during the observation and assessment documentation can influence curriculum. ATI has available in the online help files the following

toolkits:

• Galileo Pre-K Online Assessment Kit 3 Through 5 Years. Observations,

Scoring, and Interpretation Using Galileo Pre-K Online: A Brief Guide

• Galileo Pre-K Online Assessment Kit 3 Through 5 Years. Galileo Pre-K Online

Class Observation Records

ONLINE HELP FILES All teachers and program staff using Galileo Pre-K Online are encouraged to utilize the online help files which provides 24/7 access to additional resources including

manuals, quick reference guides, and instructional videos related to all aspects of using Galileo Pre-K Online. Access to the help files is available from every page

within Galileo Pre-K.

STATE SCALE ALIGNMENT

It is highly recommended the teachers and administrators in your program refer to the Galileo G3 Assessment Scales Alignment document for your state for detailed

information on the alignment of the Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum to your state’s early learning standards. These documents can be found on the ATI website,

www.ati-online.com and in the online help files.





PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES Galileo Pre-K Online offers multiple options for professional development to help

educators become familiar with using Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum and

assessment tools. Available options include:

1. Embedded support and professional development

• Galileo Pre-K Online Help files are available from all pages in Galileo Pre-

K Online.

2. Other support and professional development options:

• Phone support is always available at no charge through your program’s dedicated ATI Field Services Coordinator, you are welcome to call as often

as you like!

• Electronic support is always available at no charge through ATI’s Technical

Support team ([email protected]).

• On-site professional development. (Additional fees may be applied.

Contact [email protected] for details.)

• Live complimentary webinar sessions on a variety of Galileo Pre-K Online

topics. Flyer of current offerings is at http://bit.ly/LODFlyerPreK.

• Pre-recorded webinar sessions and tutorials are available on a variety of Galileo Pre-K Online topics. A list of the current recordings is at

http://bit.ly/VideosPreK.

• Online Tutorials including the Fundamentals of Galileo Pre-K Online,

Galileo Pre-K Online Curriculum, and Inter-rater Reliability. Details of these and other online tutorials is at http://ati-

online.com/galileoPreschool/prek-professional-development.php.



http://bit.ly/LODFlyerPreK

http://bit.ly/VideosPreK

http://ati-online.com/galileoPreschool/prek-professional-development.php

http://ati-online.com/galileoPreschool/prek-professional-development.php




• Professional Development Series Five module video series with

accompanying manuals.

SECTION 8: APPENDICES

Appendix A: Curriculum Getting Started Checklist – page 101

Appendix B: Galileo Calendar Example – page 102

Appendix C: Galileo G3 Activity Materials List – page 103

Appendix D: Galileo G3 Storybook List – page 108

Appendix E: Glossary of Terms – page 129




APPENDIX A: CURRICULUM GETTING STARTED CHECKLIST This checklist is designed to be used by agency administrators in planning for implementation of Galileo. It is included in this manual as a general reference for

teachers to understand the broader process of implementing Galileo Pre-K Online. Electronic version of this form is found at: http://www.ati-online.com/pdfs/profdevelopment/pre-K/forms/Getting_Started_Curriculum_

Checklist.pdf.

http://www.ati-online.com/pdfs/profdevelopment/pre-K/forms/Getting_Started_Curriculum_Checklist.pdf






APPENDIX B: GALILEO CALENDAR EXAMPLE




APPENDIX C: GALILEO G3 ACTIVITY MATERIALS LIST

PURPOSE The Galileo G3 Activities were designed to utilize materials which are commonly found in preschool interest centers. The following is a checklist for materials required to implement the Galileo G3 Activities. This checklist is provided to assist

teachers who wish to complete all of the Galileo G3 Activities in inventorying their classroom to ensure all necessary materials are available. Teachers should feel free

to substitute materials which are currently available in their classrooms before

purchasing new materials.

Each activity will include a list of required materials. Prior to scheduling any activity educators should check the activity materials list to ensure the suggested materials

or appropriate substitutions are available. Some activities do require perishable materials which will need to be purchased within the week of the activity. Other activities will require preparation of materials prior to beginning the activity with

the children.

A copy of the Galileo G3 Activity Materials List is available in the Galileo Pre-K Online online help files.

MATERIALS CHECKLIST

GENERAL CLASSROOM MATERIALS Bean bags

Blocks, building Blocks, wooden

Bulletin board Classroom toys, various Dolls

Dry erase board, markers and eraser (or chalk board) Felt board with felt pieces to cut shapes according to the specific activity

Magnetic letters Music player (CD, tape, MP3) and various music (some activities will specify

specific types of music based on the activity)

Nap time items (mat, blanket, pillow) Notebook

Number Cards Puppets (3-4) Sand and water table with sand, rice or birdseed

Stuffed animals Tables and chairs

Toy vehicles: trucks, dump trucks, fire engine, etc.




DRAMATIC PLAY AREA Camera

Cash register Clothes: glasses, sunglasses, vest, jacket, shirts, shoes, hats, coats

Clothesline and clothes pins Food boxes or cartons, empty (i.e. cereal boxes, soda bottles) Play money including bills and coins

Shoes (adult and baby size, at least one pair with laces) Socks, red

Telephone

MUSIC CENTER Bells Musical instructions such as jingle bells, tambourines, rainsticks, cymbals,

drunks, kazoos, horns, shakers Recording of "Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show Record" Rhythm sticks

KITCHEN ITEMS Aluminum Foil

Apple Peeler Baking pans Baking sheets

Cookie cutters of various geometric shapes or shapes of objects Cream of Tartar

Crock pot Dish cleaning brush Empty two liter plastic bottle (such as a soda bottle)

Flower vase Food coloring

Jars Kitchen timer Knife

Liquid dish soap Mixing bowls

Muffin pans Napkins

Plastic forks, spoons and knives Plates Rolling pins

Soup pot Spatula

PERISHABLE MATERIALS These materials are required during some activities and therefore may need to be

purchased the week of the activity.




Apples (or other fruit) Eggs (some activities may ask you to prepare the eggs by hard boiling prior to

the activity beginning) Graham crackers

Marshmallows Nuts with shells Peanut butter

Pretzel sticks Sugar

Water is used in many of the activities.

ART MATERIALS Black, red and blue stamp pads and a variety of rubber stamps

Brown paper bags (grocery size and lunch size bags) Butcher paper

Cellophane paper in blue and green (colored cling wrap is not a good substitute) Cotton balls Crayons

Construction paper of various colors (some activities will ask you to prepare different shapes or sizes of construction paper before the activity begins)

Decorative materials: sequins, feathers, confetti, googly eyes, glitter, felt scraps, ribbon, lace, tissue paper.

Easels Easter grass Egg cartons

Envelopes Fabric pieces

Finger paint Hole punch Index cards

Magazines, catalogs, newspaper or pictures printed from online sources to use for collage

Markers Packing peanuts Paint brushes

Paint trays Pencils

Pens Play dough Polystyrene cups

Popsicle sticks Ribbon of various colors and textures

Rubber bands Scissors for kids and scissors for adults Scrap paper

Sidewalk chalk Smocks

Stapler




Star Stickers Straws

Streamers Tape: Masking tape, double sided tape, packing tape

Thread Tinsel Tooth picks

Yarn Washable paint

OUTDOOR MATERIALS Basketball, baseball, golf ball, football, soccer ball

Birdseed Bucket

Fresh leaves Garden gloves Red Frisbee

Seeds Soil of various types

Watering can

MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS Adhesive bandages

Artificial flowers and plants Balance beam or substitute Beans

Binoculars Box of Tissue

Bubbles and bubble wands Buttons Cardboard boxes of various sizes

Fabric bag Marbles

Nail brush Non-edible poison items or containers from items such as detergents, household

cleaner, bug spray

Non-latex gloves Plastic bags (including garbage bags and closable bags such as sandwich size zip

locks) Red, blue, green balls Sandpaper of different grit strengths

Scale (balance scale or another type) Set of 42 Dominoes

Shaving Cream Small baskets

Small plastic containers with lids of various sizes (i.e. Tupperware, film canisters)




Sponges Toothbrushes

Towels (bath size and wash cloth size)

SEARCH ACTIVITIES BY MATERIALS Using the keyword search function on the Galileo Pre-K Online Activity Build and

Select page you can search the Galileo G3 Activity Library for activities which use

specific materials.

For more information on searching activities refer to the Accessing Model Content document located in the Galileo Pre-K Online help

files or the Fundamentals of Galileo: Curriculum manual.




APPENDIX D: GALILEO G3 STORYBOOK LIST

PURPOSE Storybooks not only bring joy and excitement to young children they also provide priceless opportunities for learning. Children can develop language and literacy skills, build social and emotional intelligence, learn about problem solving, and

much more all through the use of storybooks in the classroom. Reading storybooks aloud can create the foundation for this learning which can be built upon through

classroom discussion and activities related to the selected storybook. The story book list below includes books which are referenced in the toddler and

prekindergarten activities.

Many of the Galileo G3 Activities incorporate storybooks either in a primary role in

the activity, as an enrichment opportunity or as a suggested supplement. This document provides a list of storybooks which appear in the Galileo G3 Activities in one of these three roles. To support programs serving English and Spanish

speaking children, recommended texts which are available in both English and

Spanish, or in a bilingual English/Spanish version are indicated as such.

STORYBOOKS FOR ACTIVITIES AND ACTIVITY ENRICHMENT These books are directly related to an activity or are used as enrichment in an

activity in the Galileo G3 Activity Library for 18-36 month-olds and 3-5 year-olds.




STORYBOOKS Spanish? Storybook Related Activity

A Field Full of Horses a Read and Wonder book by Peter Hansard

3-5 years: Gallop and Graze (Enrichment)

A Gardener's Alphabet by Mary Azarian 3-5 years: Story: Gardener's Alphabet

Ah-Choo! by Mercer Mayer 3-5 years: Story: Ah Choo!

Alphabet City by Stephen Johnson 3-5 years: Story: Alphabet City

Andrew's Loose Tooth by Robert N. Munsch

3-5 years: Story: Andrew's Loose Tooth

¡Sí!

Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett, illustrated by

Ron Barrett, Also available in Spanish, Los animales no se visten

3-5 years: Story: Animals Definitely

Should Not Wear Clothing

Apples, Apples, Apples by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

3-5 years: Story: Apples, Apples, Apples

Barn Dance by John Archambault and Bill Martin Jr.

3-5 years: Story: Barn Dance

Barnyard Banter by Denise Fleming 3-5 years: Story: Barnyard Banter

Bearobics: A Hip-Hop Counting Story by Victoria Parker

3-5 years: Story: Bearobics

Bubbles, Bubbles (A Growing Tree Book) by Kathi Appelt, Fumi Kosaka (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Bubbles Bubbles

Bumblebee, Bumblebee, Do You Know Me?: A Garden Guessing Game by Anne

F. Rockwell

3-5 years: Story: Bumblebee, Bumblebee,

Do You Know Me?

Counting on the Woods by George Ella

Lyon, Ann W. Olson (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story:

Counting on the Woods

Dear Fred by Susanna Rodell, Kim Gamble

(Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Dear

Fred

Dinosaurs, Beware!: A Safety Guide by

Marc Tolon Brown, Stephen Krensky

3-5 years: Story:

Dinosaurs, Beware!

¡Sí!

Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? by

Eric Carle, also available in Spanish El canguro tiene mama?

3-5 years: Story: Does

a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?

Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Fall is Not Easy

Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall 3-5 years: Story: Fall Leaves Fall

Firefighters A to Z by Chris L. Demarest 3-5 years: Story: Firefighters A to Z

Firehouse Dog by Amy Hutchinson, Richard Hutchings (Photographer)

3-5 years: Story: Firehouse Dog




Spanish? Storybook Related Activity

Fireman Small by Wong Herbert Yee 3-5 years: Story: Fireman Small

Firetruck by Peter Sis 3-5 years: Story: Firetruck

Hanukkah Lights, Hanukkah Nights by Leslie Kimmelman

3-5 years: Story: Hanukkah Lights, Hanukkah Nights

Hats! Hats! Hats! by Ann Morris 3-5 years: Story: Hats Hats Hats

Hello! Good-Bye by Aliki 3-5 years: Story: Hello! Goodbye

I Feel Orange Today by Patricia Godwin, Kitty Macaulay (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: I Feel Orange Today

I Love You So Much by Carl Norac 3-5 years: Story: I Love You So Much

I Read Signs by Tana Holban 3-5 years: Story: I Read Signs

In My Garden: A Counting Book by Ward Schumaker

3-5 years: Story: In My Garden Counting Book

In the Woods: Who's Been Here? by Lindsay Barrett George

3-5 years: Story: In the Woods: Who's Been

Here?

Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg 3-5 years: Story:

Recycling Just a Dream

Kwanzaa Celebration by Nancy Williams 3-5 years: Story:

Kwanzaa Celebration

Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni 3-5 years: Story: Little

Blue and Little Yellow

Max Found Two Sticks by J. Brian Pinkney 3-5 years: Story: Max Found Two Sticks

Mice Squeak, We Speak by Arnold L. Shapiro, Tomie De Paola (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Mice Squeak, We Speak

Mother, Mother, I Feel Sick, Send for the Doctor Quick, Quick, Quick by Remy

Charlip and Burton Supree

3-5 years: Story: Mother, Mother I Feel

Sick

¡Sí!

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Also available as a Bilingual Boardbook Mouse Paint/Pintura de raton

3-5 years: Marble

Painting (Enrichment)

¡Sí!

Mr. Sugar Came to Town by Harriet

Rohmer; Also available as a Bilingual book, Mr. Sugar Came to Town/La Visita del Sr. Azúcar

3-5 years: Story: Mr.

Sugar Came to Town

Music from the Sky by Denise Gillard, Stephen Taylor (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Music from the Sky

My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell 3-5 years: Story: My Spring Robin





Never Mail an Elephant by Mike Thaler 3-5 years: Story: Never Mail an Elephant

Next! Please by Christopher Inns 3-5 years: Story: Next, Please

Nuts to You by Lois Ehlert 3-5 years: Story: Nuts to You

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (Caldecott Medal Book, 1996)

3-5 years: Story: Officer Buckle and Gloria

Once Upon MacDonald's Farm by Stephen

Gammells

3-5 years: Animal

Sorting (Enrichment)

Over in the Meadow by Jane Cabrera

(Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Over

in the Meadow

Parade by Donald Crews 3-5 years: Story:

Parade

Puddles by Jonathan London 3-5 years: Story:

Puddles

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert 3-5 years: Story: Red

Leaf, Yellow Leaf

Round the Garden by Omri Glaser 3-5 years: Story:

Round the Garden

Salsa by Lillian Colon-Vila, Roberta

Collier-Morales (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Salsa

Sidewalk Trip by Patricia Hubbell 3-5 years: Story:

Sidewalk Trip

Sky Tree by Thomas Locker 3-5 years: Story: Sky

Tree

Stop That Ball! by Mike McClintock,

illustrated by Fritz Siebel (A Dr. Seuss book)

3-5 years: Story: Stop

That Ball!

Sunflower House by Eve Bunting 3-5 years: Story: Sunflower House

¡Sí!

Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews Also available in a Bilingual version Ten Black Dots / Diez puntos negros

3-5 years: Story: Ten Black Dots

Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins 3-5 years: Story: Ten Red Apples

¡Sí!

Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang Also available in Spanish, Diez, Nueve,

Ocho

3-5 years: Story: Ten, Nine, Eight

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall, Shari

Halpern (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: The

Apple Pie Tree

The Crocodile and the Dentist by Taro

Gomit


Crocodile and the Dentist

The Hat by Jan Brett 3-5 years: Story: The Hat





The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel

3-5 years: Story: The Jacket I Wear In the Snow

The Mitten by Jan Brett 3-5 years: Story: The Mitten

The Snowman by Raymond Briggs 3-5 years: Story: The Snowman

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle 3-5 years: Story: The Tiny Seed

The Tooth Book by Theo Lesieg, Roy McKie (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: The Tooth Book

The Wheels on the Bus by Maryan Kovalski

3-5 years: Story: The Wheels on the Bus

The World Is So Big and I'm So Small by William Kotzwinkle

3-5 years: Story: The World Is So Big and I'm

So Small

There Were Ten in the Bed by Pam Adams 3-5 years: Story: There

Were Ten in the Bed

This Is the Rain by Lola M. Schaefer 3-5 years: Story: This

Is the Rain

What is a Square? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich

and Maria Ferrari

3-5 years: Story: What

Is a Square?

What Will I Do If I Can't Tie My Shoes? by

Heidi Kilgras; illustrated by Dana Regan


Will I Do If I Can't Tie My Shoes?

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood? published by Sesame Street

3-5 years: Song: People in Your Neighborhood

Who Took the Farmer's Hat? by Joan L. Nodset

3-5 years: Story: Who Took the Farmer’s Hat?

Who Uses This? by Margaret Miller 3-5 years: Story: Who Uses This?

Worksong by Gary Paulsen, Ruth Wright Paulsen (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story: Worksong

SUGGESTED STORYBOOKS FOR SUPPLEMENTING ACTIVITIES There are also many activities within the Galileo G3 Activity Library which recommend that educators select a storybook based on the theme of the activity from their current library but do not call for a specific book to be used. Below is a

suggested storybook list to aid in book selection.

(Image on next page.)




Spanish? Storybook Activity

A Hat for Minerva Louise by Janet Morgan Stoeke

3-5 years: Story: Hats for My Head Theme

A Seed Grows: My First Look at a Plant's Life Cycle by Pamela Hickman

3-5 years: Plant Parts Poster & Story: Watch My

Garden Grow Theme

A Three Hat Day by Laura Geringer;

pictures by Arnold Lobel

3-5 years: Story: Hats

for My Head Theme

A Tree for Me by Nancy Van Laan and

illustrated by Sheila Samton

3-5 years: Story: So

Many Trees Theme

A Tree Is Growing by Arthur Dorros 3-5 years: Story: So

Many Trees Theme

A Winter Day by Douglas Florian 3-5 years: Story:

Winter Carnival Theme, & Winter Word Wall and Story

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (Flip Up Fairy Tales) by Claudia Venturini

(Illustrator)

18-36 months: Story: Ali Baba and the Forty

Thieves

An Apple Tree Through the Year by Claudia

Schnieper

3-5 years: Story: A is

for Apple Theme

Animagicals: Music by Carol Diggory

Shields

3-5 years: Story: Let's

Make Music Theme

Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft

and Richard G. VanGelder

3-5 years: Bird Feeders

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell 3-5 years: Story: A is

for Apple Theme

Applesauce by Shirley Kurtz, Cheryl Benner 3-5 years: Story: A is

for Apple Theme Story: The Apple Pie

Tree

Archaeologists Dig for Clues (Let's-Read-

and-Find-Out Science 2) by Kate Duke

18-36 months:

Archeology Dig

¡Sí! Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott;

Flecha al Sol (Spanish Edition)

18-36 months: Story:

Arrow to the Sun

Aunt Flossie's Hat by Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Howard


for My Head Theme

Autumn Acrostic by Stephen Schnorr 3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme

Autumn by Colin McNaughton 3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme

Autumn by Nicola Baxter 3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme

Autumn Story by Jill Barklen 3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme





¡Sí!

Autumn/Otono (Seasons of the Year/Las Estaciones del Ano) (bilingual book) by JoAnn Early Macken

3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme

Barney Says, Play Safely by Margie Larsen, Mary Anne Dudko

3-5 years: Story: Safety First Theme

Bear Says “Thank You" (Hello Genius) by Michael Dahl(Author),Oriol

Vidal(Illustrator)

18-36 months: Thanks Giving

¡Sí! Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson; Oso No

Para De Romcar (Spanish Edition)


Bear Snores On

Bonk! Goes the Ball (Rookie Readers) by

Philippa J. Stevens, et. al.

3-5 years: Story:

Sports & Exercise Theme

Bringing The Rain To Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema illustrated by Beatriz Vidal

18-36 months: Story: Bringing Rain to Kapiti Plain

Building A House by Byron Barton 3-5 years: Story: Homes We Build Theme

C is for Clown by Stan Berenstain 18-36 months: Clown Parade

Calico Cat at the Zoo by Donald Charles 18-36 months: Story: Calico Cat at the Zoo

¡Sí! Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina, also available in Spanish Se venden gorras


Career Day by Anne F. Rockwell 3-5 years: Story: What is Your Job? Theme

Cars & Trucks Cartwheel Books/Scholastic Inc.

3-5 years: Building Roads for Cars &

Trucks, & Story: Let's Go for a Ride Theme

¡Sí!

Chica Chica Bum Bum ABC by Bill Martin, John Archambault and Lois Ehlert, also

available in Spanish

3-5 years: Library Center: Print

Awareness

Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Book of

Colours by Ifeoma Onyefulu

3-5 years: Story:

Shades of Blue and Green Theme

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis 18-36 months: Story: Chugga Chugga Choo Choo

Clara Anne Cookie by Harriet Ziefert 3-5 years: Story: Clothes for My Body

Theme

¡Sí!

Clifford Makes the Team by Norman

Bridwell, also available in Spanish, Clifford juega beisbol

3-5 years: Story:






¡Sí!

Clifford's First Snow Day by Norman Bridwell also available in Spanish, La Primera Nevada De Clifford

3-5 years: Story: Winter Carnival Theme

¡Sí!

Clifford's Sport Day by Norman Bridwell, also available in Spanish, El Dia Deportivo

De Clifford

3-5 years: Story: Sports & Exercise

Theme

Color Dance by Ann Jonas 3-5 years: Story:

Shades of Blue and Green Theme

¡Sí! Colores Everywhere!: Colors in English and Spanish by San Antonio Museum of Art

3-5 years: Story: Shades of Blue and

Green Theme

¡Sí!

Colors and Shapes / Los colores y las

figuras (English and Spanish Foundations Series) by Gladys Rosa-Mendoza, Carolina Cifuentes and Michele Noiset

3-5 years: Story:

Shapes and Sizes Theme

Colors Everywhere by Tana Hoban 3-5 years: Story: Shades of Blue and

Green Theme

Come Play With Us by Anne Sibley 18-36 months: Be Right

Back Baby

Community Helpers from A to Z

(AlphaBasiCs) by Bobbie Kalman, Niki Walker


is Your Job? Theme

Community Helpers Series published by Bridgestone Books

3-5 years: Story: What is Your Job? Theme

¡Sí!

Curious George Plants a Seed by Erica Zappy, also available in Spanish/English Bilingual Edition Jorge el curioso siembra

una semilla

3-5 years: Story: Watch My Garden Grow Theme

Curious George Rides a Bike 3-5 years: Story: Let's

Go for a Ride Theme

Dear Annie by Judith Caseley 3-5 years: Story:

Moving the Mail Theme

Demi's Dragons and Fantastic Creatures by

Demi (Author)


Dragons and Fantastic Creatures

Disney's Pooh's Mailbox by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

3-5 years: Story: Moving the Mail Theme

Do Pirates Take Baths? by Kathy Tucker 18-36 months: Pirates

¡Sí!

Doctor De Soto by William Steig Fall

Changes by Ellen Senisi, also available in Spanish


Dentist's Office Theme

¡Sí! Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems; ¡No Dejes Que la Paloma Conduzca el Autobus! (Spanish Edition)

18-36 months: Story: Don't Let the Pigeons Drive the Bus





¡Sí! El Autobus Escolar (SPANISH) by Donald Crews

3-5 years: Library Center: Print Awareness

¡Sí! El Otono (Four Seasons) (Spanish Edition) by Núria Roca


¡Sí! El Paseo de Rosie (Rosie's Walk) (Spanish Edition) by Pat Hutchins and Alma Flor Ada


Awareness

¡Sí! El sombrero del tío Nacho / Uncle Nacho's

Hat by Harriet Rohmer and Mira Reisberg


for My Head Theme

Elephants Aloft by Kathi Appelt, illustrated

by Keith Baker


Elephants Aloft

Fall Leaves Fall by Zoe Hall 3-5 years: Story: Fall is

Fun Theme & Story: Fall Leaves Fall

Felix's Hat by Catherine Bancroft; illustrated by Hannah Coale Gruenberg


Firehouse Sal A Rookie Reader Book by Larry Dane Brimner

3-5 years: Story: Firehouse Dog

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting, et. al. 3-5 years: Story: Watch My Garden Grow Theme

¡Sí! Freight Train by Donald Crews, also available in Spanish, Tren de carga


Awareness

Fresh Fall Leaves by Betsy Franco 3-5 years: Story: Fall is

Fun Theme & Story: So Many Trees Theme

¡Sí! Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London, also available in Spanish, Froggy se viste

3-5 years: Story: Clothes for My Body

Theme

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons 3-5 years: Plant Parts

Poster, & Story: Watch My Garden Grow Theme

Fuzzy Bear Gets Dressed illustrated by Krisztina Nagy

18-36 months: Fuzzy Bear Gets Dressed

Get Ready for Kwanzaa (Celebrations ) by JoAnne Winne

3-5 years: Story: Kwanzaa Celebration

¡Sí!

Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin

and pictures by Betsy Lewin; Jaja, jiji, cuac/Giggle, Giggle, Quack (Spanish

Edition)


Giggle, Giggle, Quack

¡Sí! Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown,

Buenas Noches, Luna (Spanish Edition)


Good Night Moon





Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker (Author),Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)

18-36 months: Story: Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site

Grandpa's Garden by Shea Darian 3-5 years: Story: Watch My Garden Grow

Theme

Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement,

Illustrator



Great Things to Be: Blue's Book About

Jobs (Blue's Clues) by Michael T. Smith


is Your Job? Theme

¡Sí!

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert,

also available as a bilingual boardbook A sembrar sopa de verduras /Growing

Vegetable Soup

3-5 years: Story:

Watch My Garden Grow Theme

¡Sí! Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert; A sembrar sopa de verduras/Growing

Vegetable Soup (Bilingual Edition)

18-36 months: Story: Growing Vegetable Soup

¡Sí!

Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi

Ph.D.; Hands Are Not For Hitting/Las manos no son para pega (Bilingual Edition)


Hands Are Not For Hitting

Hello, Bugs! by Smriti Prasadam-Halls 18-36 months: Story: Hello Bugs!

Helpers in Our Community Series published by Pebble Books

3-5 years: Story: What is Your Job? Theme

Henrietta's First Winter by Rob Lewis 3-5 years: Story: Winter Carnival Theme

Ho for a Hat! by William Jay Smith; illustrated by Lynn Munsinger


Housebuilding for Children by Les Walker 3-5 years: Blueprint Language Experience, &

Story: Homes We Build Theme

How a House Is Built by Gail Gibbons 3-5 years: Blueprint Language Experience, & Story: Homes We Build

Theme

¡Sí!

How Are You Peeling? Foods With Moods by

Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers, Vegetal Como Eres: Alimentos con sentimeientos

(Spanish Edition)


How Are You Peeling? Foods With Moods

How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro 3-5 years: Story: A is

for Apple Theme

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by

Jane Yolen


How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night





¡Sí!

How Do You Know It's Fall? by Allan Fowler, available in Spanish, English and bilingual, Como Sabes Que Es Otono?


How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long 18-36 months: Pirates

How Leaves Change by Sylvia Johnson 3-5 years: Story: So Many Trees Theme

How Many Trucks Can a Tow Truck Tow? by C. Pomerantz

3-5 years: Story: Let's Go for a Ride Theme

How We Work Series most are authored by

Douglas Florian


is Your Job? Theme

Howdi Do by Woody Guthrie, Vladimir

Radunsky


Make Music Theme

Hug by Jez Alborough 18-36 months: Story:

Hug by Jez Alborough

I Found a Leaf by Sharon Lerner 3-5 years: Story: So

Many Trees Theme

I Like Sports: What Can I Be? by Muriel L.

Dubois

3-5 years: Story:


I Read Signs by Tana Hoban 18-36 months: Story: I Read Signs

I Spy Pirate Treasure by Jean Marzollo 18-36 months: Pirates

In a Nutshell a Sharing Nature With

Children Book by Joseph Anthony

3-5 years: Story: So

Many Trees Theme

In a People House by Theo LeSieg 3-5 years: Story:

Homes We Build Theme

Is That You Winter? by Stephen Gammell 3-5 years: Story:

Winter Carnival Theme

Jack's Garden by Henry Cole 3-5 years: Story:

Watch My Garden Grow Theme

Jenny's Hat by Ezra Jack Keats 3-5 years: Story: Hats for My Head Theme

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy Carlstrom

3-5 years: Story: Clothes for My Body Theme

Jolly Snow by Jane Hissey 3-5 years: Story: Winter Carnival Theme

Jonathan Goes to the Post Office by Susan K. Baggette, William J. Moriarty


Joshua's Book of Clothes by Alona Frankel 3-5 years: Story: Clothes for My Body

Theme

K is for Kwanzaa: A Kwanzaa Alphabet

Book by Juwanda S. Ford

3-5 years: Story:

Kwanzaa Celebration





Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton


Kwanzaa (A Rookie Read About Holidays book) by David F. Marx


Leaves Are Falling All Around Mini Reader Books


Let's Go to a Construction Site by Janine Amos, illustrated by Neil Reed

3-5 years: Blueprint Language Experience, & Story: Homes We Build

Theme

Let's Play Ball (Get Ready - Get Set - Read!

book) by Kelli C. Foster, Gina Clegg Erickson

3-5 years: Story:


¡Sí!

Little Bear's Visit by Else Homelund Minarik, La visita de osito (Spanish Version)

18-36 months: Story: Little Bear's Visit: Grandmother and

Grandfather Bear

Little Boy with a Big Horn by Jack Bechdolt 3-5 years: Story: Let's

Make Music Theme

¡Sí!

Lizard's Song by George Shannon, Jose

Arvego (Illustrator) and Ariane Dewey (Illustrator), also available in Spanish, La

Cancion del Lagarto


Make Music Theme

Look at the Leaves by Rena K. Look 3-5 years: Story: So

Many Trees Theme

Lost Music: Gustav Mole's War on Noise by

Kathryn Meyrick


Make Music Theme

Make Mine Music! by Tom Walther 3-5 years: Story: Let's

Make Music Theme

Make Your Own Musical Instruments by

Margaret McLean


Make Music Theme

Mama Zooms by Jane Cowen-Fletcher 18-36 months: Story:

Mama Zooms

Martin's Hats by Joan W. Blos; illustrated

by Marc Simont


for My Head Theme

Messages in the Mailbox: How to Write a

Letter by Loreen Leedy

3-5 years: Story:


Mommies at Work by Eve Merriam 18-36 months: Be Right Back Baby

More More More Said The Baby by Vera B. Williams

18-36 months: Story: More More More Said

the Baby

More Simple Signs by Cindy Wheeler 3-5 years: Story: Sign

Language (topic)

Mr. Toad to the Rescue by Kate Petty, Alan

Baker (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story:

Safety First Theme





Mrs. McNosh and the Great Big Squash by Sarah Weeks


Mrs. Toggle's Zipper by Robin Pulver 3-5 years: Story: Clothes for My Body

Theme

Mrs. Wishy-Washy by Joy Cowley,

Elizabeth Fuller

3-5 years: Story:

Puddles

Mud by Mary Lyn Ray 3-5 years: Story:

Puddles

Mud Makes Me Dance in the Spring by

Charlotte Agell

3-5 years: Story:

Puddles

Mud Puddle by Frank Asch 3-5 years: Story:

Puddles

My First Book of Sign Language by Joan

Holub, Illustrator

3-5 years: Story: Sign

Language (topic)

My First Kwanzaa Book by Deborah Newton

Chocolate

3-5 years: Story:

Kwanzaa Celebration

My Grandfather's Hat by Melanie Scheller 3-5 years: Story: Hats

for My Head Theme

My Mud Puddle Ran Away by Valerie Mazza 3-5 years: Story:

Puddles

My Snake Blake by Randy Siegel

(Author),Serge Bloch (Illustrator)

18-36 months: Paper

Plate Snakes

No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids

by Jean Pendziwol

3-5 years: Story:

Safety First Theme

No Mail for Mitchell A Step into Reading

Book by Catherine Siracusa

3-5 years: Story:


Off to School by Ann Schweninger 18-36 months: Be Right Back Baby

Old Hat, New Hat by Stan and Jan Berenstein


One Bean by Anne Rockwell 3-5 years: Story: Watch My Garden Grow

Theme

¡Sí!

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish by

Dr. Seuss; Un Pez, Dos Peces, Pez Rojo, Pez Azul (Spanish Edition)

18-36 months: One Fish

Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller

3-5 years: Story: The Dentist's Office Theme

Opposites: A Beginners's Book of Signs (Board Book) by Angela Bednarczyk, et. al.

3-5 years: Story: Sign Language (topic)

¡Sí! Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (Author), Scott Gustafson (Illustrator); Peter Pan (Spanish

Edition)

18-36 months: Pirates

Pirate School by Cathy East Dubowski 18-36 months: Pirates





¡Sí!

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert, also available in Spanish Como plantar un arco iris


Playtime Is Exercise by Cheri Hayes 3-5 years: Story: Sports & Exercise

Theme

¡Sí!

Pooh and Friends Exercise by Studio Mouse

Editorial, also available in Spanish, Pooh y sus Amigos Ejercio

3-5 years: Story:


Preschool to the Rescue by Judy Sierra 3-5 years: Story: Puddles

Red Are the Apples by Marc Harshman 3-5 years: Story: A is for Apple Theme

Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert 18-36 months: Story: Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

Richard Scarry's Postman Pig and His Busy Neighbors by Richard Scarry


Road Builders by B.G. Hennessy 3-5 years: Story: Let's Go for a Ride Theme

Rolling Along with Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Cindy Meyers (Author), Carol Morgan (Illustrator)

18-36 months: Story: Rolling Along with Goldilocks and the Three

Bears

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson 18-36 months: Story:

Room on the Broom

¡Sí! Ropa by Karen Bryant-Mole (Spanish text) 3-5 years: Story:

Clothes for My Body Theme

Round and Round and Round by Tana Hoban

3-5 years: Story: Shapes and Sizes

Theme

Russ and the Firehouse (Day With Russ) by

Janet Elizabeth Rickert, Pete McGahan (Photographer)

3-5 years: Story:

Firehouse Dog

Sabrina by Martha Alexander 18-36 months: Be Right Back Baby

Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney, et. al.


Shapes by Karen Gundersheimer 3-5 years: Story:


Shapes by Keith Faulkner and illustrated by Jonathan Lambert


Theme





Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban 3-5 years: Story: Shapes and Sizes Theme

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy E. Shaw (Author), Margot Apple (Illustrator)

18-36 months: Sock Puppets

Shoes From Grandpa by Patricia Mullins 3-5 years: Story: What Will I Do If I Can't Tie

My Shoes?

Shoes Shoes Shoes by Anne Morris 3-5 years: Story: What

Will I Do If I Can't Tie My Shoes?

Shopping Spree: Identifying Shapes by Monica Weiss


Theme

Show-Me-How I Can Make Music by Michael Purton

3-5 years: Story: Let's Make Music Theme

Sign Language ABC With Linda Bove by Linda Bove, et. al.


Signing Is Fun/a Child's Introduction to the Basics of Sign Language! by Mickey Flodin


Simple Signs (Picture Puffins) by Cindy Wheeler


Sing, Sophie! by Dayle Ann Dodds, et. al. 3-5 years: Story: Let's Make Music Theme

Ska-tat! by Kimberly Knutson 3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert 3-5 years: Story: Winter Carnival Theme

Snowflake Bently by Jackequeline Briggs Martin

3-5 years: Sensory Center: Water & Ice, &

Story: Winter Carnival Theme

So Many Circles, So Many Squares by Tana Hoban


Theme

So Say The Little Monkeys by Nancy Van

Laan (Author), Yumi Heo (Illustrator)


So Say The Little Monkeys

Someday a Tree by Eve Bunting 3-5 years: Story: So

Many Trees Theme

Sometimes I'm a Bombaloo by Rachel Vail

illustrated by Yumi Heo


Sometimes I’m a Bombaloo

Speedy Delivery by Fred Rogers 3-5 years: Story: Moving the Mail Theme





Squares are Not Bad by Violet Salazar 3-5 years: Story: Shapes and Sizes Theme

Stop Drop and Roll by Margery Cuyler 3-5 years: Story: Safety First Theme

Tan Tan's Hat by Kazuo Iwamura 3-5 years: Story: Hats for My Head Theme

Telephone Time: A First Book of Telephone Do's and Don'ts by Ellen Weiss

3-5 years: Story: Telephone (topic)

Telephones Let's See Library by Darlene R. Stille


Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr. Seuss 18-36 months: Story: Ten Apples Up On Top

¡Sí! Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews, also available in Spanish, Los diez puntos

negros


Awareness

The Ball Book by Margaret Hillert 3-5 years: Story:


The Bear’s Bicycle by Emilie Warren McLeod


The Bear's Toothache by David M. McPhail 3-5 years: Story: The Dentist's Office Theme

The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers by Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain


The Berenstein Bears Ready, Get Set, Go! by Stan & Jan Berenstein

3-5 years: Story: Sports & Exercise

Theme

The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader 3-5 years: Story:


¡Sí! The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins, also

available in Spanish Llaman a la Puerta

3-5 years: Library

Center: Print Awareness

The Dove's Letter by Keith Baker 3-5 years: Story: Moving the Mail Theme

The First Snow by Emily McCully 3-5 years: Story: Winter Carnival Theme

The First Snowfall by Anne and Harlow Rockwell


The First Strawberries by Joseph Bruchac (Author), Anna Vojtech(Illustrator)

18-36 months: Story: The First Strawberries

The Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel (Author), Blair Lent (illustrator)

18-36 months: Story: The Funny Little Woman





The Garden of Happiness by Erika Tamar 3-5 years: Story: Watch My Garden Grow Theme

The Giant Cabbage: An Alaska Folktale by Cherie Stihler (Author), Jeremiah Trammell

(Illustrator)

18-36 months: Story The Giant Cabbage

The Giant Carrot by Jan Peck 18-36 months: Story:

The Giant Carrot

The Happy Man and His Dump Truck by

Miryarn, A First Golden Book


Go for a Ride Theme

The House With the Red Roof by William

Wise

3-5 years: Story:

Homes We Build Theme

The I’m Safe Series by Wendy Gordon,

Paul Gordon (Illustrator)

3-5 years: Story:

Safety First Theme

¡Sí!

The Jolly Postman Or Other People's

Letters by Janet and Allen Ahlberg, also available in Spanish El cartero simpatico de bolsillo

3-5 years: Story:


The Little House by Virginia Burton 3-5 years: Story: Homes We Build Theme

¡Sí! The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, El Lorax (Spanish Edition) by Dr. Seuss and Aida Marcuse

18-36 months: Story: The Lorax

The Musical life of Gustave Mole by Kathryn Meyrick


The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey

18-36 months: Story: The Poky Little Puppy

The Post Office Book: Mail and How It Moves by Gail Gibbons


The Rain Came Down by David Shannon 18-36 months: Story: The Rain Came Down

The Seasons by David Lambert 3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme

The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons

3-5 years: Story: A is for Apple Theme

¡Sí! The Secret Footprints by Julia Alvarez (Author), Fabin Negrin (Illustrator); Las

Huellas Secretas (Spanish Edition)

18-36 months: Story: The Secret Footprints

The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodds 3-5 years: Story:


¡Sí! The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, also available in Spanish, El Dia de Nieve


The Three Friends and the Leaves by Tommie de Paola


The Truck Book by Bill Gere, Golden Books 3-5 years: Story: Let's Go for a Ride Theme





The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin 3-5 years: Story: Watch My Garden Grow Theme

The Walking Coat by Pauline Watson, illustrations by Tomie dePaola

3-5 years: Story: Clothes for My Body

Theme

The Way I Feel Books by Albert Whitman 18-36 months: Feel

Wheel

¡Sí! The Wizard of Oz (Keepsake Stories) by

Carol Ottolenghi(Author),Jim Talbot; The Wizard of Oz: El Mago de Oz (Keepsake

Stories) by Carol Ottolenghi(Author),Jim Talbot

18-36 months: Follow

The Yellow Brick Road

¡Sí! The Wizard of Oz/El mago de oz: Bilingual Fairy Tales (Level 4) (Read It Yourself With Ladybird: Level 4) (Spanish Edition)

18-36 months: Follow The Yellow Brick Road

Things That Go by Anne Rockwell 3-5 years: Story: Let's Go for a Ride Theme

This Is the Hat: A Story in Rhyme by Nancy Van Laan; pictures by Holly Meade


This is Your Garden by Maggie Smith 3-5 years: Story: Watch My Garden Grow

Theme

Thomas' Snowsuit by Robert Munsch 3-5 years: Story:


¡Sí!

Those Icky Sticky Smelly Cavity Causing

But...Invisible Germs by Julie Stricklin (Illustrator), Petronella J. Ytsma, Judith Anne Rice, also available in Spanish Esos

sucios pegajosos olorosos causantes de caries pero . . . invisibles germenes

S3-5 years: tory: The


Toddlecreek Post Office by Uri Shulevitz 3-5 years: Story: Moving the Mail Theme

Toot & Puddle by Holly Hobbie 3-5 years: Story: Moving the Mail Theme

¡Sí! Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry, also available in Spanish, Un arbol es hermoso

3-5 years: Story: So Many Trees Theme

Trucks at Work by Frank Ansley, Little Simon


Trucks by Anne Rockwell 3-5 years: Story: Let's Go for a Ride Theme

Trucks by Byron Barton, Harper Collins Publishers


Trucks, Trucks, Trucks by Peter Sis 18-36 months: Story: Trucks Tucks Trucks





Waiting for Mom by Linda W. Tyler 18-36 months: Be Right Back Baby

Watch Out for Banana Peels and Other Important Sesame Street Safety Tips (Random House Pictureback) by Sarah

Albee


Water Safety by Pati Myers Gross 3-5 years: Story:

Safety First Theme

Water Safety by Sue Barraclough also

available in Spanish, Seguridad Y El Agua

3-5 years: Story:

Safety First Theme

Wear It by Henry Pluckrose 3-5 years: Story:

Clothes for My Body Theme

What a Wonderful World by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele

3-5 years: Story: Shapes and Sizes Theme

What If You Met a Pirate? by Jan Adkins 18-36 months: Pirates

What Instrument is This? by Rosemarie Hausherr


What Was It Like Before the Telephone? A Read All About It Book by Paul Humphrey

3-5 years: Story: Telephone (topic)

When Autumn Comes by Robert Maass 3-5 years: Story: Fall is Fun Theme

When I Grow Up by Mercer Mayer 3-5 years: Story: What is Your Job? Theme

When Winter Comes by Nancy Van Laan 3-5 years: Winter Word Wall and Story

White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt 3-5 years: Winter Word Wall and Story

Who Took the Farmer's Hat? by Joan L.

Nodset


for My Head Theme, & Story: Who Took the

Farmer’s Hat?

Whose Hat Was That? by Brian and

Rebecca Wildsmith


for My Head Theme

Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy

Maestro

3-5 years: Story: Fall is

Fun Theme

Why The Sky Is Far Away: A Nigerian

Folktale by Mary-Joan Gerson (Author), Carla Golembe (Illustrator)


Why The Sky Is Far Away

Willy Bear by Mildred Kantrowitz 18-36 months: Be Right Back Baby

Winter by Richard Allington 3-5 years: Story: Winter Carnival Theme, & Winter Word Wall and

Story





Winter Harvest by Jane Chelsea Aragon 3-5 years: Story: Winter Carnival Theme, & Winter Word Wall and

Story

Wonder Why Book of Building a House by

Brian Read

3-5 years: Blueprint

Language Experience, & Story: Homes We Build

Theme

Wonders of the Season by Keith Brandt 3-5 years: Story: Fall is

Fun Theme

Word Bird's Hats by Jane Belk Moncure;

illustrated by Vera Gohman


for My Head Theme

You Go Away by Dorothy Corey 18-36 months: Be Right

Back Baby

SEARCH FOR AN ACTIVITY RELATED TO A SPECIFIC STORYBOOK Using the search function on the Galileo Pre-K Online Activity Build and Select

page you can locate an activity which uses a specific storybook.

For more information on searching activities refer to the Accessing Model Content document located in the Galileo Pre-K Online help

files or the Fundamentals of Galileo: Curriculum manual.




APPENDIX E: GLOSSARY OF TERMS Activity structures: Patterns of behavior that characterize what teachers do as they teach and what students do as they engage in learning tasks; can be viewed

as the basic unit for planning.

Activity: A learning activity is a building brick in a larger pedagogical scenario.

Artifacts: The products produced by students in problem-based instruction, such

as reports, videos, computer programs.

Assessment: Process of collecting a full range of information about students and

classrooms for the purpose of making instructional decisions.

Best practice: Teaching methods, processes, and procedures that have been

shown to be effective for helping students learn.

Bilingual: The characteristic of being relatively proficient in two languages.

Classroom activities: Things students are expected to do in the classroom, such

as listening, discussing, completing worksheets, and taking tests.

Classroom ecology: A way of looking at classrooms that is concerned mainly with

how student cooperation and involvement are achieved.

Classroom management: The ways teachers organize and structure their classrooms for the purposes of maximizing student cooperation and engagement

and minimizing disruptive behavior.

Classroom meetings: An approach to classroom management in which the teacher holds regular meetings for the purpose of helping students identify and

resolve problem situations.

Classroom structures: The ways classrooms are organized around learning tasks

and participation, and the ways goals and rewards are defined.

Concepts: Ways of organizing knowledge and experiences in categories within

which items have common attributes.

Constructivism: A perspective of teaching and learning in which a learner constructs meaning from experience and interaction with others and the teacher’s

role is to provide meaningful experiences for students.

Corrective feedback: Information given to students about how well they are

doing.

Cueing: A signal from teachers to alert or to set up situations for students in order

to help them get ready to make an appropriate response.

Curriculum: The Head Start Program Performance Standards define curriculum as a written plan that is based on sound child development principles, is consistent




with Program Performance Standards overall, and includes (Head Start National

Center on Quality Teaching and Learning, 2012):

• Goals for children’s development and learning;

• Experiences through which they will achieve the goals;

• Roles for staff and parents to help children to achieve these goals; and

• Materials needed to support the implementation of a curriculum.

Developmental assessment: Is the process of discovering what children can do

and how they do it.

Developmental screening: Developmental screening is a brief check to identify

children who need further evaluation to determine whether they may have disabilities. It provides information in three major developmental areas: visual/motor, language and cognition, and gross motor/body awareness for use

along with observation data, parent reports and home visit information.

Diagnostic assessment: Assessments that precede instruction to check students’ prior knowledge and identify misconceptions, interests, or learning-style preferences. Diagnostic assessments provide information to assist teacher planning

and guide differentiated instruction.

Downtime: Time in classrooms when lessons are completed early or when students are waiting for upcoming events, such as moving to another class or going

home.

Dual Language Learner (DLL): Children and adults learning two (or more)

languages at the same time, as well as those learning a second language while

continuing to develop their first (or home) language.

Engaged Time (Time on Task): The amount of time students actually spend on a

particular subject or learning activity.

ELLs: Children and adults who are learning English as a second or additional language. This term may apply to learners across various levels of proficiency in

English. ELLs may also be referred to as non-English Speaking (NES), limited

English proficient (LEP), and non-native speakers (NNS).

Enrichment : Enrichment is a form of differentiation, as is extension

Expectations: The amount and quality of work and behavior expected of students

in classrooms and schools.

Guided practice: Practice assigned to students to be completed under the

guidance or watchful eye of the teacher.

Home language: The language, or languages, spoken in the student’s home by people who live there. Also referred to as first language (L1), primary language, or

native language.




Individualized Education Plan (IEP) : A learning plan specifying long- and short-term educational goals of disabled students and agreed on by teachers,

parents, and special educators.

Interest Center: These are a particular kind of learning center. Rather than focusing on mastery of required knowledge, information, and skills (as learning centers do), interest centers allow students to explore ideas or topics of particular

interest to them in greater depth and/or breadth than would be possible in the prescribed curriculum. Interest centers can focus on topics derived directly from a

unit of student. They can also address topics outside the curriculum. Teachers can differentiate interest centers by encouraging students to participate in those centers

that address their particular interests, talents, or questions.

Intervention: To come in or between by way of hindrance or modification.

Learning Centers: Learning centers are a collection of materials and activities designed to teach, reinforce, or extend students’ knowledge, understanding, and

skills. Learning centers are often associated with physical spaces in the classroom, as many teachers set up center materials and activities in a particular area of the classroom and ask students to move to that area when it is time to work “at the

center.” However, learning centers can also be more portable – “housed” in boxes or folders students use at designated times, then stored again when not in use.

Students typically keep records of the work they do while at a learning center in order to account for what they have accomplished during each center visit. Learning

centers can be differentiated by having students visit only those centers suited to their needs (compared with having all students move to all centers), by specifying tasks and materials at a given center for particular students based on those

students’ learning needs, and/or by adjusting the time an individual student spends

at a particular center.

Learning environment: The overall climate and structures of the classroom that influence how students respond to and remain engaged in learning tasks; the

context in which teaching acts are carried out.

Learning style: Learning style is one facet of a student’s learning profile and refers

to personal and environmental factors that may affect learning. For example, some students need quiet when they work, while others prefer interaction or some noise.

Some students work best while sitting up at a table or desk; others learn best in a more relaxed position. Differentiation based on a student’s learning style is one

facet of learning profile differentiation.

Lesson Plan: A writing noting the method of delivery, and the specific goals and

time-lines associated to the delivery of lesson content. It helps the teacher to know

what to do in a class (prepared by themselves) with quite specific activities.

Norms: This term is not used in the document; perhaps it can be incorporated. The

shared expectations students and teachers have for classroom behavior.




Observation: A research procedure in which the researcher watches and records behaviors; a procedure for learning to teach by watching, record, and reflecting

about teacher and student behavior in classrooms.

Pedagogy: The study of the art and science of teaching; also refers to the methods

and approaches to instruction.

Praise: Positive verbal and nonverbal statements offered by teachers as reinforcers

to encourage and strengthen desirable student behaviors.

Prior Knowledge: Information and knowledge held by students before they

receive instruction.

Procedures : Systems established by teachers for dealing with routine tasks and

coordinating student talk and movement.

Psychometrics: Psychometrics involves the theory and technique of measuring

knowledge, abilities and educational achievement.

Quiet time: Time during the day that are less active, enabling the children to

settle and calm down. Quiet time may include playing soft classical music, rest,

snack, story reading, looking at books.

Readiness level: Readiness levels are indicators of what a child has learned and is

ready to learn next based on.

Rewards, Social: A social reward will consist of the child receiving positive

attention from adults and peers.

Rewards, Tangible: These are rewards which hold an intrinsic value to the child.

Rewards, Verbal: A verbal reward is someone the child respects providing praise.

Scaffolding : The process in which a learner is helped by a teacher or more accomplished person to master a particular problem beyond his or her current

developmental level.

Skills: Skills are the actions students should be able to perform or demonstrate as

a result of a lesson, a series of lessons, or a unit of student.

Task: A task is a complex assessment challenge that requires the use of one’s

knowledge and skill to effectively perform or create a product to reveal one’s

understanding or proficiency.

Unit: This term is not used in the document; perhaps it can be incorporated An integrated plan for instruction covering several days and including several lessons

aimed at a common set of goals and objectives.

Visual cues: The prompt, signal, gesture that helps a child know what is going on

and prompt them to remember things (e.g., when asking a child to wash their

hands, the teacher models washing by rubbing their hands under a faucet).




Wait Time: Wait-time is the amount of time that elapses between an educator-initiated question and the next verbal behavior (e.g., a child’s response). It is

recommended that the educator waits at least five seconds after asking a question.




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