Seattle Kindergarten

Readiness Assessment
Framework
A Culturally and Linguistically
Competent Approach
Seattle Universal Preschool
Assessment & Accountability Work Group
December 2008

Seattle early education collaborative

The Universal Preschool Assessment & Accountability Work Group has
been charged with the task of creating culturally and linguistically
competent kindergarten readiness guidelines to support assessment of
preschool children in the city of Seattle. This framework provides
guidelines for early learning professionals to be able to assess
children’s development in four domains – 1) Cognitive & General
Knowledge, 2) Language, Literacy, & Communication, 3) Physical
Development, and 4) Social & Emotional Development. This draft was
prepared for distribution to constituents — early learning service
providers, community members, and other stakeholders — for a
vetting process to gather feedback in finalizing the assessment
guidelines and recommendations for the UPK Planning Council.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Introduction ................................................................................................... 1

Developmental Domains

I. Cognitive & General Knowledge ......................................................... 3

II. Language, Literacy & Communication ............................................... 8

III. Physical Development ....................................................................... 16

IV. Social & Emotional Development ..................................................... 19

Seattle Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Framework Page 1

Introduction
Dear Early Learning Professional,

On behalf of the Seattle Early Education Collaborative, we would like to present to you a draft of the “Seattle Kindergarten
Readiness Assessment Framework.” It is our hope that you will lend your perspective to help us determine the usability and
relevance of this tool, as a measure of a child’s readiness for kindergarten.

As city-wide early learning activities intensified, it was recognized that the Seattle early childhood community needed a forum
to cultivate our collective vision for early learning. Led by the City of Seattle’s Office for Education and Human Services
Department, a consortium of stakeholders including Seattle area early learning providers, community members, school district
representatives, early learning professional development support organizations, came together to discuss early learning
experiences of the children we serve, and how teachers, agencies and existing support systems may more effectively impact
school readiness.

Members agreed that we need to have standards to help frame and define school readiness. These standards would also
serve to measure success of school readiness efforts by those involved in a child’s early learning experiences.

Such standards would be founded on the following key elements:

• Academic preparedness, including math science and literacy skills as critical to success in school and life
• Cultural relevance, in acknowledgment of serving all children in our multicultural community
• Developmentally appropriate standards and approaches
• Social-emotional skills as key means to school readiness
• Suggestions for teacher practice to foster application of the standards in the classroom
• Utilizing standardized assessment tools that may accurately measure the various components of school readiness,
reflecting a multidimensional view of the child and his or her environment

Please take a moment to share this framework with your colleagues and provide us with feedback on its content, format and
usability. We greatly appreciate your continued work on behalf of the children in our community.

**Code switching as a key to being successful in school

Seattle Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Framework Page 3

I. COGNITIVE & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Mathematics, Numbers and Operations

Goals Suggested Teacher Indicator/Skills

1. Has an awareness of
numbers and counting as
means for solving
problems and
determining quantity.
2. Associates number
concepts, vocabulary,
quantities and written
numerals in meaningful
ways.
3. Compares objects and
quantities with terms
such as more, less,
greater than, fewer,
equal to, and to
 classify, match, talk about
demonstrate knowledge
of size, volume, height,
weight, and length.
 Are there more boys or more
 Create a graph of this data
 Count  (1) Uses variety of
Practices
number of children when methods and tools in
counting outside daily math activities to
 Point numbers out in the compute (e.g.
environment e.g. the manipulatives, mental
numbers on a telephone computation,
in the dramatic play area estimations) for solving
 Setting the table i.e. one- problems and
on-one correspondence determining quantity.
table setting, count the
 (1, 2) Uses of one-to-
number of items on the one correspondence in
plate counting objects and
 Integrating stories that
matching groups of
are quantitative e.g. objects.
Goldilocks and the Three
Bears  (1, 2) Understands
that the last number
counted represents the
size
total quantity of objects
 Count the number of boys
(cardinality).
and girls in the class
 (2) Counts in
girls? sequence to 10 and
beyond.
 (3) Compares,
categorizes, and classifies
objects based on
characteristics e.g. size,
color and shape.
 (3) Describes how and
why objects are arranged
or sorted the way they
I. COGNITIVE & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Geometry and Spatial Relations
Goals Suggested Teacher
1. Recognizes, describes,  Feely box
compares and names Practices
 teacher places
common shapes, their shapes or objects here
parts and attributes. after they are done
2. Understands talking about it
directionality, order and  Child picks it out and
positions of objects, and tries to repeat what
words such as up, down, they remember about
over, under, top, bottom, the object
inside, outside, in front  Use blocks to create
and behind. shapes in the block area
 Use puzzles with different
3. Uses visualization,
shapes
spatial reasoning, and
modeling to solve  Use music, scarves, and
games like “Follow the
problems.
Leader”
 When using blocks, the
teacher can describe what
the child is doing
 “I see you put the
BLUE block on TOP”
 When using legos for
building, ask the child open
ended questions:
 “What will happen
if…?”
 “How many….?”
 “How did you
know…?”
Indicator/Skills
 (1) Puts together and
takes apart two- and
three dimensional
shapes, to make another
shape (e.g., uses two
triangles to make a
rectangle).
 (1, 3) Begins to be
able to determine
whether or not two
shapes are the same size
and shape.
 (1, 2) Describes
familiar geometric and
non-geometric shapes in
environment and
specifies their location
(e.g. circle,
restaurant/store signs,
etc.).
 (2, 3) Describes,
names and interprets
object positions in space
(a car is on the bottom
shelf under a little box;
we went inside and took
the stairs to go down).
 (3) Progresses in
ability to put together
and take apart shapes,
such as puzzles or build
I. COGNITIVE & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Patterns, Measurement, and Relationships
Goals
1. Matches, sorts, puts in a
series and regroups
objects according to one
or two attributes such as
color, shape or size.
2. Recognizes, duplicates
and extends simple
patterns using a variety of
materials.
3. Uses standard and non-
standard measures.
Suggested Teacher
Sensory box:
Practices
 Sort large seashells
based on color, shape
etc.
Wooden beads:
 Lace beads on yarn to
create a simple
pattern or shape
Use stamps to create
patterns for a painting
activity
Line up using a boy, girl, boy,
girl pattern
Use blocks or yarn as a
measurement
Fill paper cups with water to
see how many is needed to
fill a larger unit e.g. a pitcher
Indicator/Skills
 (1, 2) Makes
comparisons between
several objects based on
a single attribute.
 (3) Understands and
uses measurement
vocabulary to describe:
e.g. quantity, length and
size of objects, volume,
height, and/or weight.
 (2) Moves in time to
different patterns of beat
and rhythm.
 (3) Measures sand or
water using a variety of
containers.
 (3) Measures
ingredients for a cooking
project, with guidance.
 (2) Completes a
pattern.
I. COGNITIVE & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Logic and Reasoning
1. Shows aGoals
basic Suggested
Graph the Teacher
methods in
understanding of simple Practices
which the children arrived
mathematical reasoning. to school that day e.g.
bus, walk etc.
2. Has an awareness of
cause and effect.  Nutrition activity:
 Have the children
3. Compares, contrasts, taste fruits and/or
examines, and evaluates
vegetables and graph
experiences, tasks, and
who like what
events. Place ice cubes in the water
4. Uses past knowledge to area and observe-ask the
build new knowledge. children what happens. Then
place water in ice cube trays
5. Uses materials to
and freeze-ask the children
represent objects. what happens
Ask open ended questions
like “why” “how” and “what”
After a field trip, read books
relating to that trip
 If you go to the zoo
read animal books and
ask the children about
the animals that they
saw
 In the block area,
recreate the zoo by
dividing the different
animal areas, placing the
animals in the right cages
etc.
 Indicator/Skills
(1) Can reason through
graphing, measuring,
estimating, and predicting.
 (2) Wonders “what will
happen if” and tests out
possibilities
 (3) Notes and offers reasons
events occurred (e.g. Carlos
isn’t here today because he
got sick yesterday”).
 (1, 3, 4) Uses a variety of
problem solving skills by
finding multiple solutions to
questions, tasks, problems,
and challenges.
 (4) Draws on everyday
experience and applies this
knowledge to similar
situations.
 (4) Applies new information
or vocabulary to an activity
or interaction.
 (3, 4) Generates a rule,
strategy, or idea from one
learning experience and
applies it in a new context.
 (3) Identifies characteristics
for comparison (e.g., size,
color)
 (5) Represents ideas or
objects through drawings,
movement, mime, three-
dimensional constructions.
 (4) Uses physical objects to
I. COGNITIVE & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Scientific Inquiry

1. IdentifiesGoals
and Suggested Teacher
Tasting activity: sweet  (1) Indicator/Skills
Describes and
distinguishes between Practices
vs. sour compares experiences
senses (e.g. tastes,  Assist with the care of through senses.
sounds, tactile). plants and animals e.g.
 (1, 2, 3) Uses non-
2. Uses a variety of tools water the plants, feed the
standard (e.g., blocks,
and devices to gather fish
paper tubes) and
information, investigate  Plant seeds and place standard tools (e.g.
materials and observe them in different magnets, magnifying
processes and elements (more sun, no glass, computer) to
relationships. sun, etc) and water them explore the environment.
regularly-observe what
3. Participates in simple happens.  (2, 3, 4) Observes,
investigations to test  Mix paint colors and collects, describes and
hypotheses, discuss and have the children guess records information
draw conclusions and which color might appear through a variety of
form generalizations. means, including
 Allow them to
4. Understands that objects experiment to make discussion, drawings,
and materials can their own, new colors maps and charts (e.g.
undergo changes (e.g. observes and describes
ice/water, snow/water, characteristics, basic
baking, mixing paint needs, and life cycles of
colors). living things).
 (3, 4) Participates in
experiments and
describes observations
(e.g., mixing vinegar and
baking soda).
 II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Listening and Understanding

Goalsan under-
1. Demonstrates 1. Suggested
Teacher willTeacher
read out Indicator/Skills
 (4,5)Expresses feelings
standing of conversations, Practices
loud to children in groups and emotions.
stories, songs, and and individually at least 3
poems. times a day.  (6)Names some non-
2. Give children directions present objects using
2. Follows simple and and questions that move appropriate words.
multiple-step directions. from simple to more
 (3,4,5)Defines words with
3. Understands varied complex-increase
complexity as the year
assistance.
vocabulary.
goes on.  (2,3,5,6)Follows two-part
4. Uses receptive 3,4. Teacher deliberately uses and three-part directions
vocabulary. new words to extend unfamiliar to the daily
children’s vocabulary routine.
5. Demonstrates
throughout the day.
comprehension and
5. Teacher uses different  (1,4,5)Begins to represent
meaning in language.
tones while reading out a storyline though
6. Understands complex loud to children. drawing, acting, or
sentences. 6. Teacher will provide singing, with assistance.
multiple opportunities for
7. Actively participates in storytelling throughout the  (1,4,5)Retells simple
turn-taking conversations. day. stories.
7. Teacher engages children  (3)Describes the details of
8. Focuses attention for
in conversation with at
short periods of time a recent event or
least 4 back and forths
occurrence.
during large and small throughout the day.
group time.  “We will eat  (1,3,5)Uses oral language
snack and then we will to express emotions and
clean up and go to the thoughts.
gym.”
 “What did you  (1,3)Creates made-up
eat last night for stories.
dinner, what did you
have for breakfast,  (8) Sits through entire
what are you going to picture book read aloud.
eat for lunch?”
II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Speaking and Communication

Goals
1. Understands and uses
1. Teacher makesTeacher
language to communicate
information, experiences,
ideas, feelings, opinions,
needs, questions and for
other varied purposes.
2. Initiates and responds 2. Throughout the day, the
appropriately in
conversation and
discussions with peers
and adults.
3. Uses complex and varied
spoken vocabulary.
4. Demonstrates 4. Teacher uses games, action
competency in
pronunciation.
5. Appropriately applies
noun/verb agreement in
5.
past, present, and future
tenses.
6. Uses language to solve
problems. 6.
Suggested
it safe for
Practices
children to use their
language to communicate
their feelings and express
their needs and supports
children’s natural curiosity.
teacher facilitates
discussions at ever
opportunity, poses
questions that invite
conversation and gives
children time (5-7 seconds)
to think before responding
3. Teacher deliberately
uses vocabulary to extend
conversations.
oriented activities, and real
objects to provide
opportunities to practice
speaking.
Teacher models and use
communication games to
practice verb agreement
and tenses.
Teacher encourages
children to use language to
solve problems by
Indicator/Skills
 (1,2,3) Listens to others
and responds in group
conversations and
discussions.
 (1,5)Notices different
tones and cadences to list
and understand.
 (1,2,3,5)Initiates
conversation by making
statements or asking
questions.
 (1,3)Expresses an idea in
more than one way.
 (1,2,3,5)Adjusts
communication style to
listener (e.g., when
talking to a younger child
uses simple words).
 (1) Uses character voices
when retelling a story or
event.
 (1,2,3,4,5) Selects
language according to
home language(s) of
listener.
 (1,2) Chooses the home
language and/or non-verbal
gestures to communicate
according to audience,
purpose, and setting.
II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Book Knowledge
II. Goals and
1. Shows interest
involvement in listening
to and discussing a
variety of fiction and non-
fiction books and poetry.
2. Demonstrates abilities to
retell and dictate stories
from books and
experiences
3. Act out stories in dramatic
play
4. Predict what will happen
next in a story.
5. Asks and answers
questions related to a
book or story.
6. Learns how to handle and
care for books knows to
turn and view one page at
a time in sequence from
front to back, and
understands that a book
has a title, author, and
illustrator.
7. Recognizes stereotypical
or unfair images/words in
books.
8. Chooses to read on own;
seeks information in
books; sees self as
Suggested Teacher
1. Teacher should do personal silent
reading toPractices
show children that you love
to read. Talk to children about what,
when, and how much you read at
home. Also show enthusiasm for
reading e.g. “This is my favorite
book!”
2. Ask students questions about recently
read books to encourage them to re-
tell the stories. Spend time with the
child twice a month taking dictation
about a recently read book or
experience.
3. Set up materials in the dramatic play
area that corresponds to stories read
in class. Place books here as well.
4. Ask questions such as “What do you
think will happen next?”
5. Model for children how to ask
questions about the books you are
reading as you read to them. Read
book several times modeling different
kinds of questions during different
readings.
6. Talk with children about caring for a
books; show them the parts of a book
and make a poster labeling the parts
of a book. Create a book hospital with
materials to repair books if they are
damaged.
7. Educate yourself about child
development and bias, using websites
such as Teaching for Change
www.teachingforchange.org/node/
91
Use personal dolls to provide child
friendly ways to problem solve issues
of stereotype and bias (Story Telling
with Personal Dolls- Julie Fofondo
Bisson)
8. Model silent reading and let children
know that you enjoy reading. Let them
know what information you have
Indicator/Skills
 (1) Attends to book
reading/story telling.
 Points to the title of a book,
when asked.
 (4) Uses strategies such as
questioning or predicting to
comprehend printed
material.
 (2) Recalls a story with some
level of detail pertaining to
the characters and setting.
 (4) Uses picture clues for
information (e.g., attempts
to predict weather by
looking at picture of clouds
and rain in newspaper or on
television news).
 (1)Shares and talks about
books with peers.
 (8) Selects books of interest.
 (1,8) Makes attempts at
‘reading’ favorite books
aloud.
 (1) Shows interest in
reading-related activities,
(such as asking to have a
favorite book read; choosing
to look at books; drawing
pictures based on stories;
asking to take books home;
going to the library; and
engaging in pretend-reading
with other children).
II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Print Awareness
Goals of print
1. Shows awareness
in classroom, home and
community settings.
2. Develops understanding of
the different functions of
forms of print such as
signs, letters, newspapers,
lists, messages, and
menus.
3. Recognizes the association
between spoken and
written words by following
print as it is read aloud.
4. Recognizes a word as a
unit of print and has
awareness that letters are
grouped to form words.
5. Recognizes written words,
including own name.
6. Recognizes that words
make up sentences.
7. Recognizes that words are
organized in specific ways
depending on language.
1.Suggested Teacher
Make and display  Indicator/Skills
Distinguish between pictures
Practices
relevant and meaningful and words on a page.
signs, pictures, and labels
that support daily activities.
Display and discuss print
that could be found in
children’s homes and  (7) Begins to understand
communities including print that English progresses
in home languages. from left to right.
2. Show children a variety of
printed materials that will  (4,5) Recognizes
difference between letters
help them gain information
such as magazines, cook and numerals.
books, newspapers, maps,
and encyclopedias.  (5) Identifies letters in
3. Create poster boards with first name.
relevant and familiar songs
and chants. As you sing  (1,2,4,5) Reads familiar
sight words (e. g., names
them point to the words to
on cereal boxes).
allow children to connect the
print to the word.
 (5) Reads own first name
4. Ask children what signs need
to be placed in class and and those of some peers.
have them design and make  (1,2,5) Reads some
them. environmental print (e.g.,
5. Create word walls with bus).
words that are useful and
related to their interests.  (3)Knows that print
Also create opportunities for conveys meaning.
children’s names to be
visible, valued, and validated  (2) Recognizes function of
throughout the room e.g. common labels in the
name puzzles, artwork, environment (e.g.,
rhyme games that match restroom sign).
their name etc.
6. Listen to children’s play and
II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Phonological Awareness

Goals
1. Shows ability to identify
sounds in spoken
language.
2. Shows awareness of
beginning and ending
sounds of words.
3. Recognizes rhymes in
familiar words, games,
songs, stories and poems.
4. Shows ability to hear and
identify syllables in words.
5. Demonstrates awareness
that different words begin
with the same sound.
Suggested Teacher Indicator/Skills
Practices
 (1)Begins to recognize
alphabet sounds.
 (1,2,3)Begins to create
and invent words by
substituting one sound for
another (e.g. rhyming).
 (1,4)Begins to understand
that letters have a name
and a sound.
 (1)Makes some
letter/sound matches.
II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Early Writing / Alphabet Knowledge

Goals
Early Writing
1. Understands that writing is
a way of communicating
for a variety of purposes.
Suggested Teacher  Indicator/Skills
(2)Draws pictures with
Practices objects and people to
communicate an idea or
event, with assistance.

2. Begins to represent stories

and experiences through
pictures, dictation, and in
play.
3. Experiments with a variety
of writing tools and
materials, such as pencils,
crayons, and computers.
4. Uses details while dictating
their ideas to an adult to
scribe.
5. Copies and/or writes
familiar words such as own
name.
Alphabet Knowledge
 (1,2)Matches picture with
1. Associates the names of articulated initial letter
letters with their shapes sound (e.g., matches the
and sounds. picture of a dog with the
2. Notices the beginning sound /d/).
letters in familiar words.
 (2,3) Identifies a letter for
3. Identifies at least 10 letters a given letter name, for
of the alphabet, especially some letter in their name.
those in their own name.
II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: CREATIVE ARTS – Music / Art

Music and Goals

Art Suggested Teacher  Indicator/Skills
(1) Participates in a variety
Practices of music activities, including
1. Children use creative
listening, singing, poetry,
arts to express and finger plays, games, and
represent what they know, performances.
think, believe, or feel.
 (1) Demonstrates familiarity
with sound qualities of a
variety of musical
instruments (such as wind,
string and percussion).
 (1) Recognizes a variety of
connections between basic
oral and written music
annotations
 (1)Recognizes patterns in
music.
 (1)Demonstrates care and
handling of musical
instruments.
 (1)Uses different art media
and materials in a variety of
ways for creative expression
and to represent what they
know, think, believe, or feel.
 (1)Understands and shares
opinions about artistic
products and experiences.
 (1)Creates detailed
drawings, paintings, models,
and other art work.
 (1)Demonstrates ability to
plan, carry out, and persist
in a variety of art projects.
II. LANGUAGE, LITERACY & COMMUNICATION DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*

DOMAIN
MovementELEMENTS: CREATIVE ARTS
 – Movement / Dramatic Play
1. Children demonstrate
Goalsand
understanding Suggested Teacher
appreciation of creative
arts.
Dramatic Play
2. Children are able to
experiment, problem
solve, and make sense of
their diverse world
experiences through
dramatic play.
 (1)Expresses through
movement and dancing
Indicator/Skills
what is felt and heard in
Practices various musical tempos
and styles.
 (1)Moves to different
patterns of beat and
rhythm in music.
 (2)Participates in a variety
of dramatic play activities.
 (2)Demonstrates
creativity and imagination
in using materials and in
assuming different roles
in dramatic play
situations.
III. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Large Motor/Sensorimotor/Physical Fitness

Goals
1. Shows proficiency, control Suggested Teacher
and balance in walking,
climbing, running,
jumping, hopping, and
skipping.
2. Demonstrates ability to
coordinate large muscle
movements.
 Indicator/Skills
Hops at least 6 times on
Practices each foot.
 Maintains balance while
bending, twisting, or
stretching.
 Walks up and down stairs
using alternating feet.
 Catches a ball/bean
bag/item thrown from at
least 5 feet.
 Skips.
 Runs 50 to 75 feet
without stopping.
 Participates in physical
play/activity (e.g., dances,
tag, climbing).
 Demonstrates ability to
operate large motor
tools/items (e.g. broom,
tricycle, etc.).
III. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Fine Motor Skills
 Goalsstrength,
Demonstrates Suggested Teacher
dexterity, and control of
small muscles needed to
use age appropriate tools.
 Demonstrates growth in
hand-eye coordination.
 Indicator/Skills
Removes and replaces
Practices easy-to-open container
lids.
 Prints some symbols and
letters in own name.
 Zips clothes and buttons
large buttons on clothing.
 Builds a 3 block tower and
bridge using 1 inch cubes.
 Puts together age
appropriate puzzles with
little or no assistance.
 Strings large beads.
 Uses scissors to cut a
straight line.
III. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Health Status and Physical Development / Safety

Goals
Health Status and Suggested Teacher  Indicator/Skills
Demonstrates the
Physical Development Practices stamina and energy to
participate in daily
 Progresses in physical
activities.
growth, strength,
stamina, and flexibility.  Demonstrates ability to
take care of toileting
 Participates actively in
needs.
outdoor play and other
forms of exercise that  Shows ability to feed self.
enhance physical fitness.
 Shows independence in
hygiene, nutrition and
personal care.

Safety
 Demonstrates awareness
of and ability to
understand and follow  Identifies adults who can
basic health and safety assist in dangerous
rules. situations.
 Responds appropriately in
emergency situations.
 Demonstrates safe play.
 Follows safety rules.
IV. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Social Relations / Emotional Development & Self Concept

Social Relations
Goals  Recognize the different
Suggested Teacher  (1)Demonstrates comfort
Indicator/Skills
cultural cues for when a in communicating with at
1. Enjoys being with adults Practices
child needs help and let least one adult.
and shows progress in
them know it is okay to ask
developing relationships  (3)Names someone as a
 Ask children if they need
with adults. “friend.”
help and provide support
2. Accepts guidance and when necessary.  (1,2,4)Asks for help from
directions from a range of  Be mindful of children who peers and adults when
familiar adults. need extra support in needed.
entering play and making
3. Enjoys being with other friends; adjust strategy to  (4)Responds to peers who
children and show support children who may are in need, upset, hurt,
progress in developing have a range of special or angry.
friendships with peers. needs
4. Shows empathy and  Watch for beginning
caring for other children friendships and provide
and adults. opportunities for
friendships to grow
Emotional Development &
Self Concept  Uses pictures, stories with
1. Expresses appropriately a different cultural themes,  (1,2)Demonstrates pride
range of emotions. and visual prompts from in accomplishments and
the children’s home shares own excitement
2. Develops growing community to help children with peers and adults.
capacity for independence learn to recognize facial
in a range of activities, and body clues and  (1) Begins to name
routines, and tasks and expression of feelings. emotions and ways to
has a basic understanding express them in various
of their capabilities.  Acknowledge children’s settings (e.g. happy, sad,
efforts i.e. the process glad, and angry).
rather than the end
product.  (2)Takes on new tasks
and improves skills with
IV. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Self Control
Self Control
Goals
1. Demonstrates self-control.
2. Develops growing
understanding of how
their actions affect others
and begins to learn the
consequences of their
actions.
3. Demonstrates increasing
capacity to follow rules
and routines and use
materials purposefully,
safely, and respectfully.
4. Demonstrates social skills
that lead to positive
interactions with others.
5. Adapts to changes in
routines and able to
manage transitions.
 Validate that it is hard
Suggested Teacher
to wait, share, and take
turns. Practices
 Adapt and review rules
with children as children
grow and change in the
classroom.
 Encourage and model
multiple ways for children
to communicate when
they are hurt or upset
with peers or adults in the
classroom.
 (2) Expresses feelings
Indicator/Skills
(e.g. anger, frustration),
needs and opinions in
different situations and
conflicts without harming
themselves, others, or
property.
 (1,3) Follows and applies
rules in different
situations.
 (3,4)Explains family
and/or classroom rules to
others.
 (1,2,3,4,5) Shares, waits,
and takes turns during
play and transitions.
IV. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Knowledge of Families and Communities / Cooperation
KnowledgeGoals
of Families
and Communities
1. Demonstrates increasing
knowledge of the
relationship between
people, places, and
regions.
2. Demonstrates increasing
understanding of
similarities and respecting
differences among
people.
3. Recognizes that families
are different.
Cooperation
1. Follows simple rules of
participation in group
activities.
2. Shows increasing ability
to collaborate and
compromise in working,
playing and resolving
conflicts with peers.
3. Begins to understand
dynamics of being part of
a group.
4. Shows concern about
fairness within peer
group.
 Invite families into the
Suggested Teacher Indicator/Skills
classroom and participate in
Practices
activities.
 Recognizes similarities
 Encouraging children to and differences among
bring in pictures and stories
people such as gender,
of family members and
race, special needs,
home activities, to be shared
and displayed in the cultures, languages,
classroom e.g. story boards communities and family
and “All About Me” book. structures.
 Find opportunities to
attend community/cultural
events and incorporate
these events into curriculum
activities.
 Introduce an Anti-bias
curriculum and model words
such as “community,  Participates cooperatively
together, and fair.” in large and small group
 Incorporate children’s activities.
stories about life
experiences into further  Uses multiple strategies
conversations, activities, and to solve problems which
dramatic play. may include negotiating.
 Provide and model  Interacts with peers by
multiple strategies for helping, sharing and
children to understand how having discussions.
to negotiate conflict and  Questions rules when they
provide help when needed.
feel they are unfair.
 Allow children time to
negotiate conflicts rather
than fixing the problem for
them.
 Encourage other children
in the classroom to help
problem solve conflicts and
IV. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN
*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Initiative and Curiosity / Engagement and Persistence
Initiative and Curiosity
Goals
1. Develops increased ability
to make independent
choices.
2. Exhibits enthusiasm and
curiosity for learning
3. Explores and tries new
things and new
experiences.
4. Develops increased ability
to show initiative.
Engagement and
Persistence
1. Demonstrates an
increasing ability to set
goals and develop and
follow through on plans.
2. Shows growing capacity
to maintain
concentration over time
on a task, question, or
set of directions.

Take opportunities
Suggested Teacher to  Participates in an
Indicator/Skills
rotate materials and increasing variety of tasks
Practices
change learning areas in and activities.
the classroom.
 Shows excitement to
 Use a variety of
learn about and discuss a
methods to introduce new
growing range of topics,
topics and ideas e.g.
ideas and tasks.
introduction to different
languages both written  Uses play as a way to
and oral and make room explore and understand
for open ended discussion life experiences.
to emerge in small group
time.  Shows initiative by asking
questions or exploring or
experimenting.
 Acknowledge each child’s
interest and create lesson  Persists in and completes
plans that reflect their a variety of tasks,
interests. activities, projects and
experiences.
 Engage in conversations
with children, asking Shows self direction in

open-ended questions to actions and can work
extend play independently.
 Provide additional
materials that build on  Engages in and completes
children’s ideas to extend simple routines without
play. assistance.
IV. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT DOMAIN

*All goals should reflect work and assessments through the lens of the child’s
culture and home language*
DOMAIN ELEMENTS: Reasoning and Problem Solving

 Grows inGoals
recognizing and Suggested Teacher  Indicator/Skills
Shows ability to find more
solving problems through Practices than one solution to a
active exploration. question, task or problem.
 Develops an increasing  Takes risks to challenge
ability to classify, rules when they feel they
compare and contrast are unfair.
objects, events and
 Verbalizes their
experiences.
preferences with peers
 Purposely investigates and adults.
materials and the
environment to gain
information.
 Demonstrates negotiation
skills.