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Theresa O’Connor-Sadler
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Contents
Chapter 1
Physical Development………………………………………..…………………………..5
Chapter 2
Symbol Processing and School Subjects…………….…………………………..11
Chapter 3
Emotions and Values………………………………………………………………..……25
Chapter 4
Development in Art……………………………………………………….………………31
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Physical Development
5
Physical Development
From ages 5 to 6, children find it difficult to sit still. They require a lot of daily
activity and can get tired very quickly. Their whole body may become
exhausted or just one certain area, such as their hand if they are writing a lot.
These young children are getting acquainted with all the everyday routines of
school. Even sitting in a chair can be a challenge! They are likely to fall off
their seat a few times throughout the school year.
Gross Motor Skills
Children at five years of age do better with their gross motor skills than their
fine motor skills which are difficult to control. They enjoy games with easy to
follow rules, such as “duck, duck, goose,” or “red light, green light.” Children
around six years old are often in a hurry and succeed well when prompted to
work more slowly.
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Vision
Five year olds are learning that reading takes place from left to right; this skill
takes time to develop (usually around 6 years old). Pointing to words as they
are read can be a helpful teacher aide or self directed aide to guide students.
At this age they are nearsighted and find it difficult to copy text from a
blackboard. When writing they might write letters backwards, and often
struggle to appropriately space letters and words when writing.
Fine Motor Skills
Children this age are getting used to holding a pencil and may be still figuring
out the best grasp for themselves. Because their muscles are new to writing
their hands may tire from doing so. Also, 5-6 year olds may appear clumsy as
they learn how to control these refined movements.
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Physical Development
From ages 6 to 7, children increasingly become better at controlling their
bodies and therefore perform better at physical activities. Often the seven
year-old’s body is sensitive to pain.
Gross Motor Skills
Children at seven enjoy playing games with one or a couple of peers and are
not as inclined to participate in activities with larger groups of people. Often
children develop a strong interest in board games at this age.
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Vision
Six and seven year olds do better with copying text from a handout or book at
their desk, rather than having to look at the board as their vision is still
developing. Students will sometimes close one eye when writing with their head
resting on the desk. At seven, children still enjoy being read to while looking at
the pages.
Fine Motor Skills
Children this age usually have a tense grip on their pencil. With slightly
increased control, seven-year-olds write and draw neatly and yet very small.
When writing or drawing, students rely heavily on the baseline for their
placement and find it difficult to fill up the space. Children enjoy having alone
time, where there is a quiet place to do writing, reading, and art.
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Typical 5, 6, and 7-Year-Old
in the Classroom
Boys
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, young boys tend to
have a slightly more difficult time paying attention in class, sitting still, and
communicating with others, compared to girls. In general, they are often more
impulsive and have a higher activity level than their female counterparts.
Girls
Even though intelligence is relatively equal, girls often get higher test scores
than boys. However, young girls are more critical of their own work and are
less self-confident in their academic abilities than boys.
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Symbol Processing and School
Subjects
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General Cognitive Development
From ages five to six, children like repetition of activities and
schedules to help them learn, especially with hands-on activities.
Their thinking is concrete and lacks the capacity for abstract
reasoning. Things are black and white, right or wrong. However,
children’s imaginations run wild. Around six years old, children
begin to open up to experimenting with new activities. At this age,
children seek praise and validation from adults. Kindergarteners
have a very limited symbolic thinking capability, which is generally
based on memorization of frequent symbols (such as a heart
represents love), but they do not understand why.
Typical Language Skills
Children at five years of age understand words in their most literal sense.
Their imaginative play is more heavily based on actions rather than language.
Early in Kindergarten, students speak with often just a couple words at a time.
But as the year progresses and students turn six, they begin to use more
words to express themselves. They enjoy lively language and jokes; and they
often complain.
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A Sampling of the NYS Common Core ELA Standards for Kindergarten
Standards Performance Indicators
Reading With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
Literature
With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events
in a story.
Reading With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in
Informational a text.
Text
Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book. Name the
author and illustrator of a text and define the role of each.
Reading: Demonstrates understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
Foundational For example, follows words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by
Skills page. Recognize and name upper and lower case letters.
Demonstrates understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds. For
example, recognize and produce rhyming words, and count syllables in
spoken words.
Writing Skills Text Types and Purposes- Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and
writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or
Speaking and name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion about the
Listening topic or book.
Language Research to Build and Present Knowledge- Participate in shared research
and writing projects.
Comprehension and Collaboration- Participate in collaborative
conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with
peers and adults in small and larger groups.
Presentation and Knowledge of Ideas- Speak audibly and express thoughts,
feelings, and ideas clearly.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking. For example, print upper and lowercase
letters, and understand and use interrogation words (who, what where,
when, why, how).
Properly use capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
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A Sampling of the NYS Science Standards (proposed) for Kindergarten
Unit/ Topic Examples that demonstrate student
understanding
Matter and its Interactions
-Plan and conduct an investigation to test the claim that
different kinds of matter exist as either solid or liquid
depending on temperature
Interdependent -Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and
Relationships in animals (including humans) need to survive
Ecosystems: Animals, -Construct an argument supported by evidence for how
Plants and Their plants and animals can change their environment to meet
Environment their needs.
Weather and Climate -Use and share observations of local weather conditions
to describe patterns over time
-Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on
Earth’s surface
-Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose
of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to,
severe weather
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Hands-on Learning
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A Sampling of Social Studies Core Curriculum Themes for Kindergarten
Concept/ Theme Content Understandings
Identity -My physical self includes gender, ethnicity, languages
-Each person has needs, wants, talents, and abilities
Places and Religion -People/ families are alike and different in many ways
-Each person has likes and dislikes
Government -All people need others
-My neighborhood can be located on a map
-Different people live in my neighborhood
-Use of maps and globes to locate home, school, neighborhood, and
community
-People make and change rules and laws that affect children and
adults
-Families develop rules to govern and protect family members
-People in school groups develop rules to govern and protect
themselves
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A Sampling of the NYS Common Core Math Standards for Kindergarten
Topic Examples
Counting and Cardinality -Know number names and the count sequence,
count to tell the number of objects,
Measurement and Data -Classify objects and count the number of objects in
categories
Operations and Algebraic Thinking -Understand addition as putting together/adding to,
and subtraction as taking apart/taking from
Geometry -Identify and describe shapes
-Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes
Number and Operations in Base Ten -Work with numbers 11-19 to gain foundations for
place value
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General Cognitive Development
Beginning at 6 years of age, children begin to understand basic spatial
relationships and a sense of time, marking the beginning of abstract thought.
Similarly, symbolic thinking expands slightly in capacity, but is still very
challenging for them to fully grasp. They are eager to learn. Their enthusiasm
and pure enjoyment comes from the process of participating in activities, not
the final outcome. Therefore students at this age are quite prolific, placing
little emphasis on quality. Play generally becomes more advanced. As
students reach seven years old, they begin to slow down and take more
interest in doing work well. They become capable of classifying items into
certain categories, such as by type or color.
Typical Language Skills
Children at six and seven years of age are interested in talking about things
that they find interesting, which helps language development. Towards the
end of 1st grade, students have good listening and speaking skills. They are
enthusiastic about learning how to use new words, which greatly improves
their vocabulary.
Reinforce real-world concepts
with hands-on learning.
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When listening to a story that is read aloud,
students practice valuable listening skills.
Build basic knowledge of local Children become increasingly
environment first, then expand to interested in computers.
distant and more exotic locations.
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Use codes to help memorization.
Provide warning of end of lesson
to help more smoothly transition
to the next.
A Sampling of the NYS Common Core ELA Standards for First Grade
Standards Performance Indicators
Reading Retell stories, including key details and demonstrate understanding of
Literature their central message.
Reading Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key
Informational details.
Text
Reading: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Foundational
Skills Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of
Writing Skills words and phrases in a text.
Speaking and Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words. Decode two-syllable
Listening words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
Language Read grade level text with purpose and understanding.
Write informative/explanatory text in which they name a topic, supply
some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
Create and present a poem, dramatization, art work, or personal
response to a particular author or theme studied in class, with support
as needed.
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about
grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger
groups.
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to
gather additional information or clarify something that is not
understood.
Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic sentences.
Such as: he hops, we hop. Also, use verbs to convey a sense of past,
present, and future (yesterday I walked, today I walk home, tomorrow
I will walk).
Capitalize dates and names of people. Use end punctuation for
sentences.
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A Sampling of the NYS Science Standards (proposed) for First Grade
Unit/ Topic Examples
Waves: Light -Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating
and Sound materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate
-Make observations that prove that objects can only be seen when
illuminated
-Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects
made with different materials in the path of a beam of light
Space Systems -Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can
be predicted
-Make observations at different times of the year to relate the amount of
daylight to the time of the year
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A Sampling of the Social Studies Core Curriculum Themes for First Grade
Concept/ Theme Content Understandings
Identity/ Culture -Families exist in all communities and societies though they may
differ
-Families lived in other places and at different times.
Places and Religion -Places can be located on maps and on a globe
-Maps and diagrams serve as representations of places, physical
features, and objects
-Cardinal directions can be used to locate places
Change/ Culture -Families have a past and they change over time; my family timeline
illustrates my family’s history
-Some family beliefs, customs, and traditions are based on family
histories
Civic Values -Students, teachers, and staff are all citizens of the school community
and have rights and responsibilities
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A Sampling of the NYS Common Core Math Standards for First Grade
Topic Examples
Operations and Algebraic Thinking -Represent and solve problems involving addition and
subtraction
Measurement and Data -Add and subtract within 20
Number and Operations in Base -Measure lengths
Ten -Tell and write time and money
Geometry
-Extend counting sequence
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-Reason with shapes and their attributes
-Put two triangles together to make a quadrilateral
Emotions andValues
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Friendships Values
Approval
Friendships with peers form during kindergarten, often forming best
friends.
Five-year-olds live to please the adults in their life and love to be helpful.
Play Aside from creating enjoyment, play helps children learn and grow.
Winning Winning is important, they may even change the rules to do so. Failure is
Consistency very difficult for kindergarteners.
Kindergarteners take to heart consistent routines, rules, and discipline.
Children feel
empowered when they
independently
complete a task
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Children learn and
express themselves
through dress-up
and fantasy play
Five-year-olds can
work quietly on a
task for periods
of 15-20 minutes
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Social/ Emotional Development
Five-year-old children are constantly seeking approval from adults and
therefore try to do what they believe is expected of them. If they aren’t
sure if they can do something, they will generally ask an adult first. Young
children thrive with the use of routines and consistency as it brings them a
sense of security.
As the end of the school year comes and children are closer to six, they
begin to test their limitations, have temper tantrums and become
oppositional. Children can often become competitive, bossy, or tease
others. They can often succeed with encouraging words and are thrilled
with surprises.
Instructions should be clear and to the point with
this age group. They also benefit greatly from calm
reminders, gently letting them know that the
current activity only has a few minutes left. This
way they can prepare themselves to switch to
another activity. Trying to rush kindergarteners puts
undo pressure and stress on them.
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Social/ Emotional Development
In first grade, students compare themselves to others and feel “less than” if
they cannot complete a task properly, sometimes leading them to quickly
give up. With encouragement to persevere, they can often continue the task
at some point in time. At six-years-old, students may turn their feelings of
inadequacy into anger, but towards seven, they turn their negative feelings
inward, creating a sense of inferiority.
Friendships Values
Relationships with Others
Although first graders enjoy time by themselves, they also
value participating in activities with a friend.
This includes teachers, family, and friends.
Correctness Desire to get something right, don’t want to stop a project
Fairness until they are able to succeed.
Structure/ Routines
First graders begin to develop a sense of fairness and helping
others to get something in return.
Seven-year-olds seek structure and thrive with these routines.
Children are very impressionable; a positive
or negative statement can go a long way.
Create a supporting and inspirational
environment to promote success. 29
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Development in Art
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NYS Visual Arts Standards
Elementary School Level
Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts
Performance Indicators
a. experiment and create art works, in a variety of mediums (drawing,
painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, video, and computer graphics),
based on a range of individual and collective experiences
b. develop their own ideas and images through the exploration and creation
of art works based on themes, symbols, and events
c. understand and use the elements and principles of art (line, color, texture,
shape) in order to communicate their ideas
Kindergarten Art Samples
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Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources
Performance Indicators
a. understand the characteristics of various mediums (two-dimensional,
three-dimensional, electronic images) in order to select those that are
appropriate for their purposes and intent
c. know about some cultural institutions (museums and galleries) and
community opportunities (art festivals) for looking at original art and
talking to visiting artists, to increase their understanding of art
d. give examples of adults who make their livings in the arts professions
Teach students about local
museums, such as the New York
State Museum in Albany, NY.
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Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art
Performance Indicators
a. explain their reflections about the meanings, purposes, and sources of
works of art; describe their responses to the works and the reasons for
those responses
b. explain the visual and other sensory qualities (surfaces, colors, textures,
shape, sizes, volumes) found in a wide variety of art works
d. explain how ideas, themes, or concepts in the visual arts are expressed
in other disciplines (e.g., mathematics, science, literature, social studies,
etc.)
Connect a literary story about bats to
the scientific facts about them, then to
an art project with the same theme.
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Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts
Performance Indicators
a. look at and discuss a variety of art works and artifacts from world
cultures to discover some important ideas, issues, and events of those
cultures
b. look at a variety of art works and artifacts from diverse cultures of the
United States and identify some distinguishing characteristics
c. create art works that show the influence of a particular culture
Example of Native American:
seed art project (above),
and painting (right).
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Perception and Drawing Ability
Typical Characteristics
Children at five years of age begin to represent people, places and things in
their drawings. They develop basic images to symbolize what they see in
their environment. Drawings are quickly and spontaneously created. Lines
become less random and start to form basic shapes, such as circles,
squares and triangles. Overlapping does not occur in drawings in
Kindergarten. Shapes generally float on the paper and tadpole figures are
prevalent in this pre-schematic phase. The size of images generally relates
to the child’s perceived importance of it.
Typical Art Media Skills
Art Form Media Skill Development
Drawing Pencils, markers, oil pastels
Painting Line drawings, little control
Watercolors, tempera, of line quality
Collage finger-paints
Scissor Skills Brush control is limited-
Glue sticks with cut or torn still being developed,
Clay paper colors mix at random
Small, blunt-ended scissors Helps encourage
or looped handles overlapping
Air-dry clay
New to usage, good to
practice safe cutting
Able to mold into basic
forms
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Art Vocabulary & Art Criticism
Element/ Principle Extent of Method/ Terms for Kindergarteners
Composition/ Unity Repeat objects, lines, colors and/or textures
Illusion of Depth/Space Size change
Color Color names, experimenting with mixing, light vs. dark
Children at five years of age cannot learn more than one or two art
principles at a time. Use them repeatedly to familiarize students with
them, thus helping students further develop their art vocabulary. After a
hands-on art activity, a piece of art can be examined to show how that
particular artist was successful at visually solving a problem.
Art History/ Cultural Context Topics
In kindergarten, children can learn about art history and cultural
information through art on a basic level. Since they do not understand the
concept of time, it is of no value to highlight the dates pieces were made.
Basic information about the artist can be given, such as the artist’s name
and simply stating that it was painted long ago and/or far away.
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5, 6, and 7-Year-Olds
Aesthetic Preferences in Art
In kindergarten and first grade, children love colorful images, whether it is
abstract, non-objective or realistic. Imagery may be especially admired if it
involves the child’s favorite color or subject matter. Similarly, the subject
matter of their drawings revolve around people, places and things that they
are familiar with and activities that they engage in.
Technology Implications
The use of a Smartboard is very helpful as a visual tool in the classroom.
Students can easily view the large, colorful images on the screen. In
addition, videos can be embedded into PowerPoint presentations to
maintain young children’s interest. This can bring different art forms to life
or show a behind-the-scenes look at an artist at work.
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Subject Examples
Figure drawing, objects observed in life, and abstract art (show examples
but do not focus on the concept of abstraction as young children will not
be able to understand) can all be sources of art lessons. Kindergarteners
and first graders can begin to learn the basics, which will be later expanded
upon and developed.
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Perception and Drawing Ability
Typical Characteristics
Children at six to seven years of age begin to enter the schematic phase of
drawing development, relying on relatively uniform schemas to represent
objects. They use the bottom of the paper for the baseline and create a
skyline to denote the sky. Color choice in art becomes more based on
realistic colors. Size and proportions are often based on interest in that
particular object. First graders often enjoy drawing their family, pets,
environment, and interests. When drawing houses or buildings, there is
often x-ray vision, such that the viewer can see through the walls to the
activities going on inside.
Typical Art Media Skills
Art Form Media Skill Development
Drawing
Pencils, markers, oil pastels Line drawings, begin to
Painting experiment with gesture
Watercolors, tempera,
Collage finger-paints (capture movement)
Scissor Skills
Glue sticks with cut or torn Brush control is limited-
Clay paper still being developed,
colors mix at random
42 Small, blunt-ended scissors
or looped handles Helps encourage
Air-dry clay overlapping
Good to practice scissor
safety
Able to mold into basic
forms
Art Vocabulary & Art Criticism
Element/ Extent of Method/ Terms for
Principle First Graders
Composition/ Repeat objects, lines, colors
Unity and/or textures, movement
Illusion of Size Change, overlapping,
Depth/Space background
Color Color names, experimenting
with mixing, light vs. dark,
warm vs. cool
*bold text denotes new information compared
to kindergarten
Children at six to seven years of age can only learn one or two principles at
a time. Repeated practice with each principle is encouraged to help the
students come to a better understanding of them. New terms should be
introduced, identified in visual examples, and used in student work.
Art History/ Cultural Context Topics
In first grade, children can be introduced to some basic principles of art
history. They are starting to learn that the world exists beyond their
community. Therefore the origin of a piece of art can be provided to
students who may enjoy seeing where that country/city/state is located on
a map. They are also in the early stages of developing a concept of time, so
the students can be informed of the general year a piece of art was
created.
The culture of the artist can be introduced, as first graders are becoming
aware of their own families’ culture, as well as that of others. It is
beneficial to describe some of the basic customs, beliefs and traditions that
may be different from the students, as well as encourage students to find
similarities to their own cultures.
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