Early Childhood

1. Occasionally avoids imitating the negative behaviors of peers with prompting from an adult.
2. Developing the ability to control impulses during structured activities with adult support (e.g., resist the impulse to call out before raising hand during group time).
3. May remind other children to control their impulses and follow rules when not able to do so oneself.
4. May need to be reminded to stop a habitual action when it is not appropriate (e.g. continuing to go to the bathroom for paper towels even though they have been moved into the classroom).
5. Can enjoy games like Red Light, Green Light that require waiting for signal to do something with adult support.

B. Resist Temptation
1. Briefly able to wait for an object without grabbing. Can wait longer with adult support.
2. Can wait for a highly desired food or object with adult reminders (e.g., can wait to eat the cupcake in reach until the birthday song is complete).
3. Able to takes turns with preferred toys with prompting from an adult.

C. Refrains from Emotional Outbursts and Unsafe Behaviors
1. Shows progress in resisting the impulse to harm self, others or property in difficult situations or conflicts and using language to express strong feelings instead (e.g., says, "I really, REALLY need that swing!"). May still fall apart under stress.

D. Attentiveness — Resists Distraction to Maintain Focus on Tasks of Interest to the Child
1. Maintains focus on one activity for longer periods of time as long as the activity is age-appropriate and of interest (e.g., can repeatedly solve and dump out a wooden puzzle, even with other children playing in the background).

E. Attentiveness — Resists Distraction to Maintain Focus on Tasks Set By Someone Else
1. Remains on task during an activity set by the teacher for short periods of time despite distractions though still may require prompting from an adult.
2. Can return to an earlier task after an interruption, with adult reminders.

1. Avoids imitating the negative behavior of peers with minimal prompting from adults.
2. Can more reliably control impulses during structured activities that are familiar (e.g., raising hand to talk).
3. Can play the role of a teacher in game and monitor other children’s behavior and remind them to follow the rules.
4. Sometimes able to resist habits when they are no longer appropriate (e.g., may remember while walking to the bathroom that the paper towels have moved and change course).
5. Able to play games like Red Light, Green light that require waiting for signal to do something with adult support.

B. Resist Temptation
1. Independently waits for an object without grabbing most of the time.
2. Able to take turns with preferred toys or classroom materials (i.e., waits for an object without grabbing with minimal prompting).
3. Can wait for a highly desired food or object, although may occasionally need reminders.

C. Refrains from Emotional Outbursts and Unsafe Behaviors
1. Learns coping strategies (e.g., using words, pretend play, drawing) to establish greater control and competence in managing intense emotions (e.g., after going to the emergency room, he or she may repeatedly play out the experience with dolls and stuffed animals) and resist impulse to harm self, others or property.

D. Attentiveness — Resists Distraction to Maintain Focus on Tasks of Interest to the Child
1. Increases ability to ignore distractions and sustain attention on topics that are of interest to the child (e.g., can focus on a drawing even when other children are nearby; might say, “I’ll play with you later. I want to finish this”).
2. Capable of sustaining focus on longer-term or complex projects, with support from an adult.

E. Attentiveness — Resists Distraction to Maintain Focus on Tasks Set By Someone Else
1. Remains on task during an activity set by the teacher for short periods of time despite distractions with minimal prompting from adults (e.g., can ignore other activities nearby and hold focus on a teacher directed small group activity).
2. May need a reminder to return to an earlier task after an interruption.

1. Avoids imitating the negative behaviors of peers.
2. Can consistently control impulses during structured activities that are familiar (e.g., raising hand to talk).
3. Enjoys working collaboratively to develop complex rules for games (particularly dramatic play) and provide reminders of these rules when necessary.
4. More able to monitor behaviors and resist habits when they are not appropriate.
5. More skillful at games like Red Light, Green Light that require waiting for a signal to do something.

B. Resist Temptation
1. Consistently waits for an object without grabbing.
2. Able to take turns with preferred toys or classroom materials.
3. Can consistently wait for a highly desired food or object when asked. May decide independently to wait as well (e.g., decides to eat a favorite food last).

C. Refrains from Emotional Outbursts and Unsafe Behaviors
1. Uses physical, imaginative, and cognitive resources to comfort self (e.g., goes to his or her desk or designated quiet area voluntarily when upset) and resist impulse to harm self, others or property.
2. Controls the expression of emotion; however, he or she continues to need adult guidance in this area.

D. Attentiveness — Resists Distraction to Maintain Focus on Tasks of Interest to the Child
1. Capable of resisting distractions and keeping attention focused on a task of interest to the child.
2. Able to independently maintain focus on a project of interest for a sustained period of time (e.g., spends a rainy day building a complicated fort out of chairs and blankets, complete with props and signs).

E. Attentiveness — Resists Distraction to Maintain Focus on Tasks Set By Someone Else
1. Independently avoids distractions and remains on task for short periods of time during a teacher directed activity.
2. Can independently pause and resume an activity to respond to an interruption.
3. Uses self-talk and other strategies to maintain focus on difficult tasks and assignments from adults (e.g., “There’s only three more questions left. If I finish these, then I’ll be all done with this project”).

Improve memory for details.

1. Can remember and talk about what has just happened in a story and what is happening now.
2. Can consider two options and make a choice when asked.
3. Can hold two rules in mind long enough to complete the tasks (e.g., “Throw your trash away, and then put your lunchbox in your cubby.
4. Can remember a response to a teacher’s question long enough to respond appropriately after waiting for a turn during a short group discussion.
5. Can put down a toy and remember its location for a brief period of time.
6. Can enjoy success at simple memory games tracking a few objects or pictures.

1. Can remember recent events in a story and use this information to shape predictions and questions.
2. Will frequently consider a couple of possibilities before making a choice.
3. Can remember and follow multiple classroom rules with visual and auditory cues.
4. Can remember and follow two-step directions without prompting.
5. Can hold in mind the comments of peers and respond appropriately during a short class discussion.
6. Can keep track of a few different objects for short periods of time.
7. Can enjoy more complex memory games with more cards or objects.

1. Remembers several key points in a story and then answers questions accurately (e.g., how did the main character feel when she finds the dog?).
2. Spends time deliberating and weighing choices (e.g., may spend a long time thinking about whether to go to the store with mom or to stay home and help dad).
3. Identifies and can hold in mind school rules independently.
4. Can contribute appropriately to more complex group discussions, holding in mind both the topic of discussion and the contributions of peers.
5. Can keep track of the parts for more complicated projects involving many pieces.
6. Can enjoy success at complex memory games, including games requiring the tracking hidden objects (e.g., a memory game on a rotating board).

Begin to express a variety of feelings.

Use coping skills with tasks, and interactions with peers and adults.

1. Can take on a character in pretend play and sustain this role consistently for approximately 5-10 minutes with adult modeling and support.
2. Can enjoy games with rules and follow the rules some of the time.
3. Can learn to follow different rules in different contexts and can do so with reminders (e.g., use indoor voices indoors but not outdoors).
4. Can recognize when making a mistake and change approach with adult help.
5. Able to sort materials by two different characteristics (e.g., blocks go here, dolls go here).

B. Flexible Problem Solving — Seeks Multiple Solutions to a Question, Task, or Problem
1. Employs a strategy to solve a problem with adult modeling, prompting, and support.
2. Asks adults to solve or “fix” a problem.
3. Continues to become more flexible in problemsolving and thinking through alternatives (e.g., when trying to put on shoes, talks to self about what to do first. If the shoe won't easily go on  one foot, he or she tries the other foot).
4. After a conflict with another child, can talk about other ways the problem might have been resolved.
5. When faced with a problem can slow down and think through options with support from an adult (e.g., “It looks like someone is in your way. What could you do to get him to move?”).

1. Can independently sustain a character in pretend play for ten minutes or longer.
2. Can switch roles in dramatic play.
3. Can enjoy games like Simon Says that require child to follow two different rules when cued (copying, not copying).
4. Can follow different rules in different familiar contexts with minimal reminders (e.g., take off shoes at home but not at school).
5. Will often recognize and correct mistakes independently.
6. Able to change the categories used for sorting materials with help (e.g., sort by color then by shape).

B. Flexible Problem Solving — Seeks Multiple Solutions to a Question, Task, or Problem
1. Begins to employ their own solutions to problems through trial and error (e.g., tries different pegs to see which one fits).
2. Continues to become more cognitively flexible and is able to draw on varied resources to solve problems (e.g., tries to build a large structure with blocks, but the building keeps falling down. After several failed attempts, he or she tries making a larger base. May also look at how other children have made their buildings).
3. When in conflict with another child, increasingly able to suggest possible solutions.
4. When faced with a problem, can be reminded to slow down and think about what to do.

1. Sustains roles in pretend play independently and negotiates the roles.
2. Can change roles easily during the play if necessary or desired.
3. Become skilled at games like Simon Says that require the child to follow two different rules and can shift rules without direct prompting.
4. Can consistently follow different rules in different contexts and quickly learn and follow new rules in new contexts.
5. Able to recognize and correct mistakes.
6. Can sort by different attributes independently.

B. Flexible Problem Solving — Seeks Multiple Solutions to a Question, Task, or Problem
1. Solves problems by planning and carrying out a sequence of actions; may seek more than one solution, and explain their reasoning (e.g., discusses the number of people who want some play dough, suggests methods for dividing it, and how they might determine if the pieces are all the same).
2. Becomes increasingly able to think creatively about multiple solutions to a problem (i.e., analyzes possible results).
3. Utilizes varied and flexible approaches to solve longer-term or more abstract challenges (e.g., when planning to have friends over on a rainy day, thinks about how to deal with a limited space to play).
4. Able to negotiate conflicts with other children independently by considering a few potential solutions.
5. May slow down and use self-talk to think about what to do when approaching problem.

1. Begins to ask basic “wh” questions related to the environment (e.g., “Where is Sarah going?”).
2. Seeks experiences with new toys and materials (e.g., listens to stories, plays with friends at the water table, takes trips to the fire station).
3. Generates ideas with teachers and peers with adult modeling and support.

B. Desire to Learn — Interest in Challenges
1. Continues to ask numerous questions, which are becoming more verbally complex (e.g., asks, "How do we get to Nana's house?").
2. Starts to demonstrate enthusiasm for new challenges and experiences. 

C. Independence in Learning — Plans and Initiates Projects
1. Begins to actively participate in classroom activities (i.e. answers questions or joins dramatic play).
2. Chooses where to play during center time.
3. Begins to independently select appropriate materials during specific activities (e.g., when presented with a painting project gets red and green paint).

1. Asks questions about future events, as well as about the here and now (e.g., asks, "When will we go to Val’s?).
2. Poses questions to seek explanations about topics of interest with adult support and modeling.
3. Elaborates on experiments by attempting to replicate results using different materials (e.g., gathers several materials to drop in the water table, then sorts what sinks vs. what floats).
4. Asks to participate in new experiences that he or she has observed or has heard of others participating in (e.g., says, "Janice goes fishing. Can I?").

B. Desire to Learn — Interest in Challenges
1. Asks questions about future events, as well as about the here and now (e.g., asks "When will we go to Sarah's house again?").
2. Starts to show an increase in enthusiasm for learning letters, shapes, and numbers (e.g., while looking at a book with dad, points to a word that contains the letter "S" and says, "S! That's in my name! What is that word?").
3. Seeks new and varied experiences and challenges (e.g., puts materials together in new ways to test results; joins in a peercreated game or activity, tries to dress a new doll or builds a new construction toy).

C. Independence in Learning — Plans and Initiates Projects
1. When prompted, initiates plan of activities.
2. Shows interest in leading activities and taking responsibility during cleanup activities.
3. Further expands areas of decision- making (e.g., child may say, "This morning I'm going to work on my Lego building").
4. Develops greater ability to set goals and follow a plan (e.g., child says, "I'm going to pick up all these branches," and then works until it is done).

2. Poses questions to seek explanation on a variety of topics.
3. Tries an even wider range of new experiences, both independently and with peers and adults 4. Expands verbal and nonverbal enthusiasm for learning new things, including academic (e.g., reading, writing) and physical skills (e.g., riding a bike).

B. Desire to Learn — Interest in Challenges
1. Attempts activities that are new and challenging. May deliberately take risks when learning new skills.
2. Shows interest and skill in more complex self-help skills (e.g., zips jacket, prepares a snack). 

C. Independence in Learning—Plans and Initiates Projects
1. Independently plans a project and gathers materials needed to execute the project.
2. Self-selects a variety of activities during free choice and puts away related materials where they belong when finished prior to transitioning to next activity.
3. Actively participates in creating games or activities with peers.
4. Independently takes initiative to solve problems occurring within activities without immediately requiring adult support (e.g., the child will search for the missing piece in the doctor’s kit for several minutes before asking for help).

1. Persists with a wider variety of tasks, activities, and experiences with adult prompting.
2. Keeps working to complete a task even if it is moderately difficult (e.g., persists with a somewhat challenging wooden puzzle).
3. Notes sense of accomplishment when finishing a planned activity (e.g., successfully drawing a figure).

B. Persists in the Face of Failure
1. Insists upon putting on coat independently, even though prior attempts have been unsuccessful.
2. Continues to stack cups or complete a simple puzzle unsuccessfully without an emotional outburst with adult support.
3. Can adjust approach to a task to resolve difficulties with adult help (e.g., if teacher suggests the child rotate a puzzle piece to find a better fit).

1. Persists with a wider variety of tasks, activities, and experiences with adult prompting.
2. Keeps working to complete a task even if it is moderately difficult (e.g., persists with a somewhat challenging wooden puzzle).
3. Will often persist in working to complete all aspects of a planned task (e.g., when building a zoo in the block area, will keep working until every animal has a cage).

B. Persists in the Face of Failure
1. Continues to attempt to build a tower even after three or more unsuccessful attempts with adult support and encouragement.
2. Experiences difficulty with drawing, cutting, and writing, but persists with adult support and encouragement until task is complete.
3. Will often notice that a problem can be resolved by a change in approach (e.g., trying to fit a puzzle piece a few times and then rotating to find a better fit).

1. Persists with a wider variety of tasks, activities, and experiences with adult prompting.
2. Keeps working to complete a task even if it is moderately difficult (e.g., persists with a somewhat challenging wooden puzzle).
3. Can persist in completing a complicated plan (e.g., creating a parade in the classroom that involves making instruments, costumes and decorations).

B. Persists in the Face of Failure
1. Continues to attempt to build a tower even after three or more unsuccessful attempts independently.
2. Experiences difficulty with writing, however continues to try write letters and numbers independently, until the task is completed.
3. Will consistently try a new approach to a problem when the old one is not working (e.g., immediately rotating a puzzle piece to find a better fit).

Show his feelings through talking and pretend play.
Use coping skills with tasks, and interactions with peers and adults.

1. Offers basic help to peers who are in need, upset, hurt, or angry (e.g., hug, comfort object, pat, encouraging word).
2. Attempts to give aid may not take into account the other child's characteristics or needs (e.g., offers a crying classmate his or her own stuffed animal, even though the child has another comfort object).
3. Begins to have real friendships, even though he or she may not understand the concept of friendship or that these relationships may not last (e.g., says “my best friends are Nathan, Sharon, Enrique, Cassidy…” and all others in his or her class).
4. Accepts compromise when resolving conflicts if it is suggested by an adult (e.g., mom says, "Jackson, you can use that swing as soon as Sheila has finished").
5. Seeks adults' help in resolving a conflict (e.g., goes to dad and says, "Jacob took my truck!").
6. Continues to learn simple alternatives to aggressive ways of dealing with conflicts (e.g., trades one doll for a desired one by saying, "You have THIS dolly, okay?").

1. Responds more appropriately and sympathetically to peers who are in need, upset, hurt, or angry (e.g., says, "Don't cry, Willy. My daddy can fix that bike. He knows how").
3. Shows further progress in developing friendships with peers, even if a bond is formed with just one other child.
4. Begins to try to please other children (e.g., says, "You can come to my birthday party, ok?").
5. Suggests solutions to problems with other children, while continuing to seek adults' help (e.g., says, "Hey, Benjamin! We can BOTH be firemen!").

1. Uses a wider array of words or actions to demonstrate awareness, understanding, and concern for what others are feeling (e.g., goes over to a child whose block building has fallen down and says, "Don't worry, Manuel. I'll help you build it up again").
3. Continues to establish and maintain friendships with other children. Seeks others' acceptance and friendship (e.g., says, "We're buddies, right?").
4. Uses a broader repertoire of strategies, including negotiation and compromise, to resolve conflicts before seeking adult help (e.g., says, "I have a great idea, Henry! You be the bear, and I will be the lion. Then we can switch!").
5. Uses more complex language to express his or her understanding of feelings and their causes (e.g., says, "I want to try riding on that, but I'm sort of scared, too").

1. Follows classroom rules frequently.
2. Behaves appropriately within the context of the classroom routines (e.g., sits for brief periods during circle or washes hands for lunch time.
3. Begins to anticipate the next activity in the routine (e.g., asking “Are we going outside?” during snack time).

1. Helps to create classroom rules.
2. Responds to teacher directions or signals consistently.
3. Takes initiative with assigned or chosen tasks relating to classroom routines.
4. Behaves appropriately within the context of the classroom routines with adult modeling and support (i.e. listens when someone else is talking or raises hand to share).
5. Requires fewer prompts to follow classroom routines and is able to independently anticipate what happens next. 

1. Able to answer why specific rules exist (i.e., safety rules).
2. Able to help create school rules.
3. Able to recognize rules as fair or unfair.
4. Able to help problem solve rules in support of fair treatment of everyone.
5. Able to plan their activities around the classroom routine.
6. Identifies classroom routines by day of the week (e.g., understanding on Monday music is after lunch, etc.).
7. Behaves appropriately within the context of school routines (e.g., exiting the bus or attending school assemblies).

1. Responds to visual or auditory prompts and cues to transition to the next activity with adult support.
2. Moves from a preferred activity to a less preferable activity with adult support and assistance.
3. Demonstrates the ability to stop an engaging activity to help clean up with adult support.

B. Demonstrates the Ability to Adopt to New Environments with Appropriate Behaviors with Adult Support
1. Demonstrates comfort with the transition from home to the classroom environment (e.g., begins to calm down quicker and more frequently when parents leave).
2. Engages with trusted adults during transition with support and encouragement.

C. Demonstrates Appropriate Use of Materials or Belongings and Those of Others
1. Begins to help with clean up after activities with prompting and adult assistance.
2. Begins to recognize where materials belong.
3. Begins to understand how to use age-appropriate classroom materials with modeling and prompting. Follows adult direction and modeling for an assigned task (e.g., turning pages of book with care, then puts book back onto shelf with prompting).
4. Begins to reference past knowledge to create understanding of new information through pretend play (e.g., says “This game is like the one we played in Ms. Kim’s class)

1. Takes and gives cues to other children during transition and models their appropriate behavior with adult support.
2. Occasionally demonstrates the ability to stop an engaging activity to help clean up with and requiring less support and guidance from an adult.

B. Demonstrates the Ability to Adopt to New Environments with Appropriate Behaviors with Adult Support
1. Manages separation anxiety from home to school by kissing caregiver goodbye or waving from the window every day.
2. Frequently demonstrates comfort with the transition from home to the classroom environment (e.g., easily calms down when parents leave).
3. Engages in out of the classroom activities (i.e., recess) and successfully reenters classroom without disruption.

C. Demonstrates Appropriate Use of Materials or Belongings and Those of Others
1. Helps with clean up after activities with prompting.
2. Begins to demonstrate appropriate use of classroom materials with modeling (e.g., using glue in an art project appropriately or turning book pages with care).
3. Recognizes and is responsible for returning items to appropriate location with prompting.
4. Begins identifying when things are not put away in designated areas

1. Consistently demonstrates the ability to independently stop an engaging activity to transition to another less desirable activity.
2. Responds to visual or auditory prompts and cues to transition to the next activity with little or no adult prompting.

B. Demonstrates the Ability to Adopt to New Environments with Appropriate Behaviors with Adult Support
1. Arrives at school ready to engage in the classroom routine.
2. Consistently transitions easily from home to school.
3. Engages in out of classroom activities and successfully re- enters the classroom routine without disruption independently.

C. Demonstrates Appropriate Use of Materials or Belongings and Those of Others
1. Cleans up after activities, placing items in their appropriate place independently.
2. Demonstrates appropriate use of classroom materials with consistency and independently.
3. Begins to understand and appropriately care for items that belong to someone else.
4. Continues to benefit from hands- on experiences to support more abstract thinking skills (e.g., makes a book about last summer's vacation trip, complete with sections for each place visited, drawings to illustrate, and labels written with adult help).

Interact with other children.

Share his feelings through talking and pretend play.

1. Develops generic symbols for repeated drawings of common objects like sun, dog and house.
2. Begins drawing in a more realistic manner, occasionally oscillating between realism and scribbling.

B. Engages in Pretend Play and Acts Out Roles
1. Identifies difference between fantasy and reality with adult support and prompting.
2. Able to act out simple roles (i.e., “Look, I am a dog, ruff, ruff”).

C. Recognizes Cause and Effect
1. Understands explanations when concrete objects and actions support the verbal explanation, and phenomena are directly observable (e.g., "When we mix colors, we get a new color. See what color you get when you mix yellow with blue").

1. Begins to create art that is more realistic and includes some details of objects, animals or people. Such details are typically remembered features that have made an impression, but do not include all that is seen or known (e.g., draws a picture of a car with four wheels but no windows).
2. Uses art to reflect thoughts and feelings (e.g., transforms a list of favorite foods that his teacher had recorded on paper into a mobile from which illustrations of these foods are hung).

B. Engages in Pretend Play and Acts Out Roles
1. Communicates thoughts and feelings through role play though may still need adult support (e.g., play acts being a kitten seeking affection and hugs).
2. Uses objects as symbolic props (e.g., places a shell on top of a dollhouse and declares it to be a satellite dish).
3. Becomes more animated in play (e.g., using different voices for the baby, dog, etc.).

C. Recognizes Cause and Effect
1. Increased ability to understand explanations when concrete objects and actions support the verbal explanation, and phenomena are directly observable (e.g., "When we mix colors, we get a new color. See what color you get when you mix yellow with blue").
2. Begins to understand explanations of events that have not been experienced directly, as long as the child has had similar experiences.

1. Develops a set of symbols to create a landscape that eventually becomes a single variation repeated endlessly.
2. Landscapes are composed carefully, giving the impression that removing any single form would throw off the balance of the whole picture.

B. Engages in Pretend Play and Acts Out Roles
1. Imitates and sustains pretend play independently and negotiates the roles.
2. Begins adhering to social norms in pretend play (e.g.., only girls can be mommies).
3. Demonstrates understanding of the world around her/him.

C. Recognizes Cause and Effect
1. Increased ability to understand verbal explanations of phenomena that are not directly experienced, as long as the child has had similar experiences (e.g., “The sun gives off heat. Even though you can’t see it, it’s happening”).
2. Begins to understand consequences of own action when prompted by teacher (e.g., “Tell me what is a good reward for helping your friends clean up their block game.”).