Common Planner
K–12 Standards

Approaches to Learning through Play – Constructing, Organizing, and Applying Knowledge

Other Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood sets

Constructing and Gathering KnowledgeAL.1

  • A

    CURIOSITY AND INITIATIVE

    1. A

      Explore and ask questions to seek meaningful information about a growing range of topics, ideas, and tasks. AL.1.PK.A

      1. 1

        Use senses to explore and learn from the environment .AL.1.PK.A.1

      2. 2

        Show interest and interact with others about their work or actions .AL.1.PK.A.2

      3. 3

        Demonstrate interest in new materials and experiences that are introduced into the classroom .AL.1.PK.A.3

      4. 4

        Ask questions to understand something (e .g ., “How does that work?”) .AL.1.PK.A.4

      5. 5

        Watch others play and ask to join inAL.1.PK.A.5

  • B

    RISK-TAKINGAL.1 PK.B

    1. B

      Demonstrate a willingness to participate in new and challenging experiences.AL.1 PK.B

      1. 1

        Actively explore new materials that are introduced into the classroom .AL.1 PK.B.1

      2. 2

        Observe peers engaged in an unfamiliar or new activity before joining in .AL.1 PK.B.2

      3. 3

        Listen attentively to learn proper technique for a new skill, and then follow through using the learned technique .AL.1 PK.B.3

      4. 4

        State discomfort at trying something new, but make attempts to try after encouragement .AL.1 PK.B.4

      5. 5

        Differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate methods for learning information (e .g ., understand that jumping from a high wall is a dangerous way to discover its height) .AL.1 PK.B.5

  • C

    STAGES OF PLAY

    1. C

      Engage in complex play sequences with two or more children.AL.1 PK.C

      1. 1

        Use materials and objects to represent other objects .AL.1 PK.C.1

      2. 2

        Initiate cooperative play with peers by establishing roles and a simple play scenario (e .g ., act out a doctor’sAL.1 PK.C.2

      3. 3

        office scenario, assigning a doctor and patients) .AL.1 PK.C.3

      4. 4

        Extend play scenarios over more than one day .AL.1 PK.C.4

      5. 5

        Incorporate personal experiences and themes learned into play scenarios .AL.1 PK.C.5

      6. 6

        Engage in simple games with rules with adult reminders and support .AL.1 PK.C.6

Organizing and Understanding Information AL.2

  • A

    ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENTION

    1. A

      Work toward completing a task, even if challenging, and despite interruptions.AL.2 PK.A

      1. 1

        State when they are being distracted .AL.2 PK.A.1

      2. 2

        State when they are frustrated by a challenge .AL.2 PK.A.2

      3. 3

        Move away from distractions to complete a task .AL.2 PK.A.3

  • B

    TASK ANALYSIS

    1. B

      Independently break simple tasks into steps and complete them one at a time. AL.2 PK.B

      1. 1

        Attend and follow through on two-step directions .AL.2 PK.B.1

      2. 2

        Explain a routine sequence .AL.2 PK.B.2

      3. 3

        Relate the steps necessary to complete a task or activity .AL.2 PK.B.3

      4. 4

        Relate the desired outcome or end goal of a task or activityAL.2 PK.B.4

  • C

    PERSISTENCE

    1. C

      Attempt to accomplish challenging tasks by employing familiar and new strategies as needed. AL.2 PK.C

      1. 1

        Attempt to complete a task in more than one way (e .g ., using materials in new ways, trial and error, breaking tasks into steps) before asking for help or stopping due to frustration .AL.2 PK.C.1

      2. 2

        Stick to a task after stating frustration .AL.2 PK.C.2

      3. 3

        Show pride in completion of a challenging task .AL.2 PK.C.3

  • D

    PATTERNING

    1. D

      Recognize and extend simple patterns. AL.2 PK.D

      1. 1

        Identify patterns in the environment (e .g ., stripes on a flag) .AL.2 PK.D.1

      2. 2

        Clap out rhythmic patterns .AL.2 PK.D.2

      3. 3

        Practice extending simple repeating patterns using manipulatives .AL.2 PK.D.3

  • E

    MEMORY

    1. E

      Retain and recall information presented over a short period of time. AL.2 PK.E

      1. 1

        Relate information and/or experiences from the past .AL.2 PK.E.1

      2. 2

        Remember and update simple information (e .g ., one’s place in a story, song, or game if interrupted) .AL.2 PK.E.2

      3. 3

        Engage in memory games .AL.2 PK.E.3

      4. 4

        Recall details from stories, events, and experiences .AL.2 PK.E.4

Applying KnowledgeAL.3

  • A

    CREATIVITY

    1. A

      Use music, art, and/or stories to express ideas, thoughts, and feelings. AL.3 PK.A

  • B

    INVENTION

    1. B

      Produce and explain the purpose for a new creation. AL.3 PK.B

      1. 1

        Engage in a variety of creative activities .AL.3 PK.B.1

      2. 2

        Describe or draw a desired product (e .g ., create a blueprint for a block structure) .AL.3 PK.B.2

      3. 3

        Answer questions to explain the purpose of a creation .AL.3 PK.B.3

      4. 4

        Show pride in a creation .AL.3 PK.B.4

  • C

    REPRESENTATION

    1. C

      Use materials and objects to represent new concepts. AL.3 PK.C

      1. 1

        Use non-conforming objects to create representations of real life objects or activities (e .g ., block for a phone, stick for a spoon) .AL.3 PK.C.1

      2. 2

        Use real life objects to represent make- believe or fantasy objects (e .g ., spoon for a magic wand, broom for a flying horse) .AL.3 PK.C.2

Learning through Experience

  • A

    MAKING CONNECTIONS

    1. A

      Relate knowledge learned from one experience to a similar experience in a new setting. AL.4 PK.A

      1. 1

        Relate personal (e .g ., home, cultural, community) experiences during play, and other school activities .AL.4 PK.A.1

      2. 2

        Understand that appropriate activities and events may differ from home to school .AL.4 PK.A.2

      3. 3

        Share new skills or tasks learned or practiced outside of school setting (e .g ., “Mommy taught me how to tie my shoe,” demonstrate a forward roll that was learned in a weekend gymnastics class) .AL.4 PK.A.3

      4. 4

        Practice skills learned in whole group demonstration or role-play during center exploration .AL.4 PK.A.4

      5. 5

        Apply a skill to multiple tasks (e .g ., use measuring cups in sensory table, outside, and in cooking activity)AL.4 PK.A.5

  • B

    RESILIENCY

    1. B

      Recognize that everyone makes mistakes and that using positive coping skills can result in learning from the experience. AL.4 PK.B

  • C

    PROBLEM-SOLVING

    1. C

      Attempt problem- solving activities to achieve a positive outcome. AL.4 PK.C

      1. 1

        Try new ways to complete a familiar task .AL.4 PK.C.1

      2. 2

        Attempt to complete a task in more than one way (e .g ., using materials in new ways, trial and error, breaking tasks into steps) before asking for help or stopping due to frustration .AL.4 PK.C.2

      3. 3

        Ask questions to clarify problems .AL.4 PK.C.3

      4. 4

        Discuss the different ways used to accomplish a task or to solve a problem .AL.4 PK.C.4

      5. 5

        Recall and use a previously successful strategy .AL.4 PK.C.5

      6. 6

        Change plan if a better strategy presents itself .AL.4 PK.C.6

      7. 7

        Observe mistakes and note the effectiveness of a different solution (e .g ., “That didn’t work because …”) .AL.4 PK.C.7

      8. 8

        Demonstrate increasing flexibility in a variety of situations, task, and activities .AL.4 PK.C.8

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PRE-K

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