2nd Edition

Examples
PRE-K – 3RD

2nd Edition Examples

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www.teachstone.com
Table of Contents
Positive Climate Examples  2

Negative Climate Examples  5

Educator Sensitivity Examples  7

Regard for Child Perspectives Examples 11

Behavior Management Examples  14

Productivity Examples  17

Instructional Learning Formats Examples  20

Concept Development Examples  23

Quality of Feedback Examples  26

Language Modeling Examples  30

Activity Setting Items Examples  33

How should I use the Examples booklet?
The examples of effective and ineffective interactions included in this resource are aligned
with the indicator definitions, behavioral markers, and descriptions provided in the Pre-K–3rd
Observation Field Guide. These examples are not meant to be exhaustive; a single resource
cannot fully describe the many ways in which educator-child interactions are expressed
across settings, cultures, and contexts. Teachstone encourages certified observers to continue
engaging in professional development to broaden their exposure and refine their skills so that
they can better develop a diverse and inclusive view of interactions.

Pre-K–3rd Examples 1
Positive Climate Examples
Relationships
Do interactions promote connection and a sense of belonging?
Ineffective
The educator sits at her desk and completes
paperwork without looking up at the children.
A child is sad about missing a parent. The
other children do not show concern or think
of a way to help the child feel better.
Some children are excluded from a math
game, and the educator does not address
this.
The educator insists that children sit on the
carpet to read a book with him. The children
do not want to but eventually comply, and
they display little pleasure or interest in what
the educator is saying.
A child excitedly shares that he is going
to a swimming lesson that afternoon. The
educator responds, “Nice” with little interest
and keeps walking toward another area in
the classroom.
2 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
Children engage with each other. For example, they wave
to a child who is leaving for the dentist and say, “See you
tomorrow,” they link arms while getting in line, or they joke
with each other.
As children arrive, the educator begins a social conversation
(“¡Buenos dias! How was your bus ride this morning,
Miguel?”) and continues talking to the child until the
conversation is complete. During the conversation, the
educator shares her experiences as well by adding, “I saw a
bird on my walk to school.”
Nonverbal:
●● Patting children on the back
●● Raising eyebrows excitedly
●● Getting down on a child’s level
●● Sustained attention toward a child
●● Working toward a shared goal, such as a classroom
reward
●● Giving children opportunities to work or play in pairs or
small groups
●● Providing chairs or fidgets for everyone during storytime
to support children with disabilities
●● Sitting with children
●● Playing with children in the dramatic play center
●● Observing a plant together
●● Using communication systems, pictures, or ASL to engage
in social conversations
Verbal:
●● “Oh, tell me about your party!”
●● “Remember, we are a community, and communities care
for one another.”
●● “How can we help each other with this problem?”
●● “Do you have a pet too? What kind do you have? I had a
dog like that growing up.”
Enjoyment
Do interactions show that everyone is enjoying themselves?
Ineffective
Children arrive in the classroom and
excitedly ask, “Are we going outside today?”
The educator says, “Not if it keeps raining”
in a flat tone, then gestures for them to sign
their names on their attendance card. She
adds, “When you finish, go sit down for
breakfast.”
Positive communication
Do interactions indicate affection or educators’ beliefs in children’s abilities?
Ineffective
After playing a letter game with a child, the
educator gets up and leaves the area without
sharing an affectionate statement or gesture
with the child.
Effective
The educator shows excitement when children jump up and
down after hearing about an upcoming field trip, saying,
“We’re gonna have a good time.”
A group of children quietly eat their snack. The children
have a relaxed posture and smile when the educator makes
a comment about their food.
Nonverbal:
●● Jumping up and down enthusiastically
●● “Drum rolls” on desks or tables
●● Content expressions
●● A gleam in their eyes
Verbal:
●● “Oooh, that was fun!”
●● “I’m so glad that we could read that book together.”
Effective
The educator greets children with a smile, hug, or fist
bump. One child pauses at the door, and the educator says
playfully, “Give me that dress! That dress should be mine.”
The child smiles, spins around while pointing to their dress,
and walks into the classroom.
Nonverbal:
●● Smile
●● Hug
●● High five
●● Fist bump
●● Thumbs up
Verbal:
●● “I enjoyed spending time with you today.”
●● “I love hugs from you.”
Pre-K–3rd Examples 3
Respect
Do interactions promote respect and consideration for all?
Ineffective
The educator says, “Aletha, it is your turn at
the board.” The child corrects the educator,
saying, “It is A-le-the-a.” In response, the
educator rolls his eyes and points the child to
the board.
The educator says “please” through gritted
teeth or “thank you for finally listening” in a
sarcastic tone.
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Effective
After discovering that the pencil sharpener is malfunctioning
because of improper use, the educator and children use
patient and calm voices to discuss the problem and the
logical consequences, and to review the rules about taking
care of the classroom.
When children arrive for the day, the educator gets down on
the children’s level and listens to them as they share a little
bit about their weekend. The educator stays present in the
conversations, nods, and makes comments to show he is
listening, such as “wow!” or “that sounds fun.”
Nonverbal:
●● Waving
●● Making an “after you” gesture while holding open the door
●● Getting on a child’s level
●● Giving full attention to a child
●● Not talking over others
●● Nodding
●● Physically orienting toward a person
●● Maintaining physical space between people while
interacting
Verbal:
●● Saying “please” and “thank you”
●● “When someone is in your way, you can say ‘excuse me.’”
●● “I am listening to you.”
●● “I want to hear what you have to say.”
●● “Let’s all listen with our whole bodies to Lin.”
Negative Climate Examples
Expressed negativity
Do interactions indicate expressed negative feelings among or between educators
and children?

Effective (low range) Ineffective (high range)

Children work cooperatively, and there is no Children regularly say things like “You can’t play with us” and
evidence of peer aggression. “I’ll never be your friend again,” or call each other names.

The educator briefly sighs when a child While the educator is facilitating a math lesson, a child
throws a toy, but there are no other signs of yells out, “I don’t like this stuff! It’s dumb! It’s boring!” The
irritability or anger as the educator guides educator slams his book on the desk and in a harsh, angry
the child to a more appropriate behavior. voice says, “Get out of my sight! I can’t stand to look at you!”

Punitive control
Do interactions show use of punitive or negative methods to control children?

Effective (low range) Ineffective (high range)

No punitive control is observed. On several occasions, educators make statements such as

“If this keeps up, you won’t get recess” or “Shape up or I am
moving your name to red.” Educators follow through with the
statements and keep children from recess or move several
names to red on the behavior chart.

Disrespect
Do interactions indicate educators, children, or both are treating others in a rude or hurtful
manner?

Effective (low range) Ineffective (high range)

No disrespect is observed.
The educator rolls her eyes when a child shares an idea,
chuckling and making a face when the child gets something
wrong. The educator then says, “You got it wrong again.
How do you not know this by now?” This kind of interaction
happens several times during the observation.

Pre-K–3rd Examples 5
Severe negativity
Do interactions demonstrate intense negativity or aggression?

Effective (low range) Ineffective (high range)

No severe negativity is observed. The educator smacks a child’s hand for spilling milk.

Three children get into an intense physical fight over a toy in

the block area. The educator has to physically separate the
children in order to stop them from hitting each other.

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Educator Sensitivity Examples
Awareness
Do interactions indicate that educators are tuned into and prepared for each child’s needs?
Ineffective
Rather than picking up on children’s
excitement about a new unit of study and
allowing them to talk about it and ask
questions, the educator simply tells the
children to be quiet.
While singing the greeting song during
morning meeting, a child looks down
and turns their body away from everyone
when it is their turn to say their name. The
educator says, “Come on, it’s your turn.
Everyone is waiting.”
The educator asks children the same
question several times, not noticing that they
are not understanding. As a result, some
children start to become visibly frustrated.
Effective
When introducing an activity that the educator knows will be
difficult for many children, she says, “This is going to be a
new activity. I’ll be here to help if you get frustrated.”
The educator understands that some children may become
upset with a change in routine, and provides a heads-up and
more transition time: “Because we have picture day today,
we will need to shorten our morning meeting. We’ll start
transitioning once our songs are over.”
Nonverbal:
●● Moving closer to a child who is starting to get upset
●● Patting a child on the back or the arm
●● Opening arms to a child
●● Getting down on a child’s level
●● Motioning for a child to come over
●● Scanning the room
●● Moving closer to children to check in
●● Signing thumbs up or thumbs down
Verbal:
●● “I know it can be hard to try new things.”
●● “I have exciting news.Today we are having recess in your
favorite place for recess—the park!”
●● “It’s alright if you are unsure of your answer. We still want
to hear what you have to say.”
●● “I am here if you need me.”
●● “How are things over here?”
●● “Ya’ need somethin’?” “How you feelin’?”
Pre-K–3rd Examples 7
Responsiveness
Do interactions show that educators respond to each child’s needs?

Ineffective Effective

When a child says “I need help,” the educator The educator notices that some children look confused
either ignores them or says, “You’ll need to about how to begin their project, so he walks over to them
figure that out on your own.” to see what the problem is and asks how he can help.

The educator tells a crying child that there When Tariq tells the educator that he is really sad that his
is nothing to cry about and then ignores the best friend in the class has moved away, the educator says,
child until the crying stops. “I know that’s really hard. How about writing him a letter to
tell him how much you miss him?”

The educator can see from Jessie’s facial expression and body
language that she is sad. The educator gets Jessie’s picture
communication system and shows her the picture for sad, and
then points to other pictures to try to identify the cause.

Nonverbal:
●● Nodding or moving closer when a child shares a need
●● Holding a child’s hand
●● Rubbing a child’s back
●● Letting a child sit on their lap
●● Sitting near a child
●● Nodding as a child shares
●● Matching a child’s facial expression to model
understanding
●● Patting a child on the back to provide encouragement
while offering another child a spot to spend alone time.

Verbal:
●● “I see you need me. I will be right there.”
●● “I’m here. I can help.”
●● “We can figure out this problem.”
●● “That was really scary.”
●● “I know you miss your mom.”
●● “I understand.”
●● “I feel that way too sometimes.”
●● “That is really frustrating when the Legos don’t fit. Would
you like my help, or do you want to keep working on it by
yourself?”
●● “Do you need some alone time?”
●● “What would help you feel better?”
●● “I know you like the cozy area. Let’s go sit there together
and read a book.”

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Problem resolution
Do interactions demonstrate quick and effective resolution of children’s problems?
Ineffective
Two children are arguing about which one
of them will get to check out the only copy
of a popular library book. The educator
says, “You can take turns.” After the
educator walks away, the children resume
their argument.
Child comfort
Do interactions indicate that children feel safe and comfortable?
Ineffective
While at the writing area, a child fist-grabs
the top of a pencil, begins to write, and tears
her paper. She then becomes visibly upset
and puts her head down. The educator
sees this but does not respond to the child’s
emotions or offer her assistance in holding
the pencil correctly. The child looks up at a
peer who does not have trouble writing their
name, then leaves the area in frustration.
Effective
The small reading group is having a hard time deciding
how they want to share with the class what they learned
from their book.The educator comes over and helps them
brainstorm some ideas. After the educator leaves, the
children discuss these ideas and come to an agreement on
what to do.
While playing outside, a child becomes upset because all
the swings are taken and he wants to swing. The educator
helps him think of what else he can do, such as asking a
friend if he could have a turn or playing with something
nearby until one of the swings becomes available.
Nonverbal:
●● Moving toward a child as an offering of support
●● Child re-engaging in the classroom or with a peer
●● A child smiling after the educator has helped them
Verbal:
●● “I wonder if we can figure out how this can work for both
of you?”
●● A child saying “thanks!”
●● “I’m ready to try.”
Effective
As children explore what happens when you mix cornstarch
and water, the children put their hands in the mixture and
pick it up. The educator asks the children, “how does
it feel?” The children begin to answer saying, “Weird!”
“Soft!” and “Wet” as they laugh and giggle about it along
with the educator. When a child is slower to submerge his
hands all the way in the mixture, the educator encourages
his participation by asking him how the water feels. He
responds “Soft!” and then begins to submerge his hand
further in the mixture reaching the bottom. He smiles and
begins to pick up the mixture.
Asia is playing in the housekeeping area. She makes a cup
of coffee and a bowl of cereal and takes them over to the
educator, who is playing with some children in the blocks area.
Pre-K–3rd Examples 9
Ineffective Effective

Nonverbal:
●● Children raising their hands
●● Children walking over to the educator
●● Children showing the educator their work
●● Children manipulating materials
●● Children completing routines and activities
●● Children using communication devices to share their ideas
●● A child keeps trying new strategies to place a puzzle piece
●● A child erasing and then rewriting or redrawing

Verbal:
●● “Can you help me?”
●● “I made this for you.”
●● “Look at this.”
●● “I did it. Come see.”
●● “Can I have a hug?”
●● “Ayúdame.”
●● Children talk about what they are doing or share their
ideas with the class.
●● “I am proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone.”

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Regard for Child Perspectives Examples
Child-centered
Do interactions reflect children’s interests?
Ineffective
A child grabs a work mat and a counting
cube sorting kit. After two minutes, the child
cleans up the kit and grabs another activity.
The educator says to the child, “Oh no! You
didn’t even give that game a try. Put it back
on your work mat!” The child pouts and says,
“I changed my mind. I wanna do something
else.” The educator grabs the new activity,
puts it back on the shelf, and says, “You have
to give this activity a try first.”
As a child makes little snakes out of
playdough, the educator walks over and
says, “We’re not making animals. We’re
making letters now. I need you to stop
making snakes since that is not what we are
studying right now.”
Effective
After reading a series of books about gardening, the
educator provides an opportunity for group work and allows
each group to select their book and materials from a variety
of gardening catalogs, seed packets, and art materials to
make a gardening poster. The groups then move to an area
of the room of their choice and create their poster.
In a lesson on opposable thumbs, the educator tells the
children that their job is to investigate what kinds of tasks
require opposable thumbs, but lets them make their own
predictions and test out different tasks of their choosing
throughout the classroom. When a child wants to test out
a task with her feet, the educator lets her do so and then
invites the class to reflect on how feet and hands are
different and can execute different tasks.
Nonverbal:
●● Changing books when children lose interest
●● Following a child’s lead in dramatic play as the child
switches from kitchen to grocery store
Verbal:
●● “We can try that next.”
●● “That’s a great question. Let’s think about that.”
Pre-K–3rd Examples 11
Support for autonomy and leadership
Do interactions support children to lead, make choices, or take on authentic responsibilities?
Ineffective
The educator asks the children to make
thank-you cards for the music teacher.
Instead of giving them blank paper, the
educator gives them each a photocopy with
a musical instrument and the words “thank
you” on it to color in.
Superficial choices:
●● “You can start at the top or the bottom of
the worksheet.”
●● “You can choose orange or yellow for the
sun.”
Child expression
Do interactions encourage varied and frequent child expression?
Ineffective
As a child is writing enthusiastically about
a weekend trip during journal time, the
educator says, “Write about our field trip
instead.”
During a discussion about holiday
celebrations, a child excitedly tells the
educator that he recently went to his cousin’s
quinceañera. The educator responds, “That’s
a birthday, not a holiday” and asks a different
child to share.
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Effective
The educator breaks the class into small groups, and each
group selects a discussion leader, recorder, presenter, and
so forth so that each child has a specific and meaningful
role to play.
The children lead all tasks during the morning meeting: they
decide on the daily question, write it on the board, and lead
the songs and stretching exercises.
Effective
During music and movement time, the educator invites
children to play a game where one person shares what
animal they want to turn into and what movement they want
to act out with their body, and then the other children would
follow. After the educator demonstrates and encourages
children to come up with their ideas, a child says, “I want to
be a penguin!” The educator responds, “That sounds like
fun! How would you act like a penguin?” The child then says
“like this” and shows a waddling action. The game repeats,
with many children getting a turn and sharing the animal and
movement they want to act out.
The educator asks the children to share their family
traditions for celebrating birthdays.
Nonverbal:
●● Turning toward children and listening attentively when
they are sharing
Verbal:
●● “Let’s get a different perspective. Marisol, would you like
to share?”
●● “We’re going to journal about what a perfect day for you
would look like, and then share with a partner.”
Ineffective Effective

●● “I want to hear from each group because I know you have

lots of different ideas.”
●● “Do you feel the same way?”
●● “He has a different idea about the poem.”
●● “You don’t have to think about it the same way.”

Allows movement
Do interactions promote a relaxed structure for children’s movement?

Ineffective Effective

Educators require the children to sit criss- Children are free to choose the spot where they sit on the
cross on their spot for the duration of whole carpet during circle time and are allowed to call out, get up,
group time. and move around when something related to these physical
activities occurs during the lesson.

Children are allowed to doodle as they listen to the

educator or while engaged in seat work.

Pre-K–3rd Examples 13
Behavior Management Examples
Behavior Expectations
Do interactions provide children with clear, consistent, and developmentally informed
expectations for their behavior?
Ineffective
After circle time, the educator says to the
class, “Sit on your spots until I set up art.”
After five minutes, children get up from
their spots and grab nearby materials. The
educator says in a stern voice, “¡Siéntense!
Sit down! You must wait until I am finished.
Back on your spots.’’ Several more minutes
pass before children are allowed to start the
art activity.
As a child is fidgeting in her chair, the
educator raises his voice and says, “I’m taking
your chair since you can’t sit in it right.”
The educator says, “I need you to be my
friend right now” instead of stating a clear
expectation.
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Effective
The educator communicates behavioral expectations before
a lesson by saying, “We will take turns holding the pointer”
and “I need everyone to pay attention to the lesson with
their eyes, ears, and energy.”
Nonverbal:
●● Limiting wait time
●● Limiting multi-step directions
●● Allowing children to move or make some noise
●● Allowing children to touch materials
●● Allowing behaviors unless they are unsafe, disruptive, or
take time away from teaching and learning
Verbal:
●● “You can make your tower super tall as long as you are
safe.”
●● “We need to be quiet in the hall so we don’t disturb other
classes.”
●● “If we swing our long flowing manes in line, we might hit
someone in the face.”
●● “When we yell, it hurts others’ ears. We need to speak
quietly in the classroom.”
●● “We are going into the library, so I am going to use my
whisper voice instead of my strong speaking voice.”
Proactive
Do interactions demonstrate that educators anticipate challenges and model proactive
strategies?
Ineffective
While cleaning up centers, children start
yelling and then throw blocks at each other
and call each other names. The educator,
who is getting ready for lunch, reacts and
says “stop that” several times.
Effective
During a small group activity where children are measuring
the length of different objects, the educator notices that
two children are wanting to measure the same object at the
same time. Before this turns into a conflict, the educator
facilitates social skills by saying, “Lucy and Ale, I see you
are both really interested in measuring the cup. Lucy, maybe
you can help Ale measure by holding the cup for her, and
then you can switch! I wonder if you will both come up with
the same measurements?”
Nonverbal:
●● Taking deep breaths
●● Moving away from the situation (if it is safe to do so)
●● Going to a calm down area
Verbal:
●● “I am getting frustrated so I am going to take a deep
breath.”
●● “I am upset that the chair is broken. I need us to take care
of the things in our classroom.”
●● “I saw you stop yourself from hitting Felicia.”
Pre-K–3rd Examples 15
Redirection of behavior
Do interactions show that challenging behaviors are reduced efficiently, effectively, and
respectfully?
Ineffective
During a read-aloud, children talk to each
other, roll around on the rug, and complain
that peers are touching them. The educator
frequently says, “Catch a bubble,” “No side
conversations,” “Criss-cross applesauce,”
and “My friends are not listening,” but the
children continue these behaviors.
The educator repeatedly says, “Stop, look,
and listen” to get children’s attention, but
they repeatedly ignore the educator.
Two children are chatting while the educator
is reading a story to the class. The educator
pauses the lesson and says, “I’ll wait until
Kate and Jocelyn show me they know how
to sit.”
Child behavior
Do children cooperate with expected behaviors?
Ineffective
Children run around, not following directions.
The educator spends most of their time
providing redirection.
16 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
During a small group activity, the educator says, “We will
make playdough, and when I call your name, you will get an
ingredient to put in.” The educator then tells a child, “Thank
you, Jamal, for waiting your turn.” The children wait for their
turn to put in ingredients.
An educator reinforces the children’s appropriate behavior
(“Thank you for asking so nicely for help,” “I appreciate that
everyone sat in their seats so quickly when the timer went
off,” “Gracias, Daniel, for putting the blocks away”).
The educator reminds children of desired behavior (“Use
your walking feet,” “Please raise your hand to be called
on,” “We will do a silent quick write for two minutes before
sharing with a partner”).
While giving directions for partner work, the educator walks
around the room. When he notices that one pair of children
is chatting and not paying attention, he walks toward them
and stands next to their table as he continues to explain
the task. The children immediately stop talking and begin
listening to the educator.
Nonverbal:
●● Giving a thumbs up or high five when a child follows
directions or meets expectations
Effective
During small group time, children play, collaborate, and
follow classroom expectations. One child tosses a paper
airplane across the room but quickly picks it up, tucks it
away, and does not cause any other disruption.
Children quickly stop their activity and look up when the
educator uses a predetermined signal, such as turning off
the lights, clapping, or singing a transition song.
Productivity Examples
Opportunities for learning
Do educators provide children with things to do?
Ineffective
As children finish their independent work,
the educator says, “We have to wait until
everyone is done before we move on” or
“No getting your books out until everyone is
finished.” Several children wait at their tables
with nothing to do for several minutes.
During morning meeting, the educator asks
the class to pick the activities and the flow of
the day. Children call out responses such as
“I want to play outside first,” “I want to draw!”
and “I want to eat!” The educator struggles
to structure the day based on these multiple
responses.
Nonverbal:
●● The educator has to stop a read-aloud
several times to address behavior issues
while the whole group waits.
Routines
Do interactions demonstrate that children know how to be involved in the classroom?
Ineffective
The educator tells children that it is time to
go outdoors to play but does not provide any
instructions. The children get up and begin
to walk around the room and talk with each
other without cleaning up or gathering what
they need to go outside (jackets, coats, etc.).
The educator goes to the door and opens it,
and children begin to run from the classroom
to the playground.
Children often ask “What do we need to do
first?” or say “I dunno what to do.”
Effective
During group time, children sing and dance to recorded
music. Once done, the educator immediately begins the
lesson without any interruptions. Then the children make
center choices and go into free play.
At mealtime, children sit family style and immediately eat
once they are seated. After they complete their meal, they
wash their hands and put on their coats for outdoor play.
Nonverbal:
●● Materials are set out.
●● Children have a schedule and routine so they can move
from one activity to another with minimal waiting.
Verbal:
●● “When you are done, you can quietly read a book.”
●● “Remember to work on your journal prompt while
everyone gets settled.”
●● “I have a new activity in the sensory area today.”
Effective
calendar to show children the day’s routine. After
completing each activity, the educator asks children
to remove the activity picture card and also provides
reminders. In addition, before cleanup from center time, the
educator gives children a five-minute warning.
Children in the class refer to the daily visual schedule and
understand what activity comes next. When the educator says
“Stop, look, and listen,” all children stop what they are doing
and respond, “Okay!” After choice time, children clean up the
materials and place them in the proper bins and shelves.
Pre-K–3rd Examples 17
Ineffective
Children do not put away their belongings in
cubbies upon arrival or put their homework
binder in a bin after they are done with
independent work.
Transitions
Do interactions indicate that transitions are efficient and little time is lost?
Ineffective
The educator starts singing the cleanup
song and a few children start cleaning up,
but most do not. A child with cerebral palsy
is in her wheelchair dancing with two peers
as they listen to music, one child is running
laps around the room, and other children
are continuing to play. The educator ends
up going back and forth among the children,
reminding them how to put materials away
and what to do next. The transition takes
almost the whole observation period to
complete.
The educator rushes children through the
transition (“Hurry up, Avanza! Let’s go!”),
and some of the materials are not put away
correctly.
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Effective
As children engage in an art activity, Anna asks for more
pictures to include in her collage. The educator responds,
“Go to the art shelf and bring the magazines you want to
use, Anna.” The child walks over to the shelf and brings
back two magazines to the table. She uses the scissors and
glue already on the table and adds to her collage. When
the activity is over, the educator tells the children, “It’s time
to clean up. Please clean up your work areas, wash your
hands, and go to the carpet and read a book.” Children
follow the educator’s instructions and are soon all cleaned
up and reading books on the carpet.
Children demonstrate that they know what to do by saying
things such as “Then we go to recess!” or “I’m getting the
bathroom pass.”
Effective
Children return from outdoor play. As the educator assists
them in hanging up their outerwear, he points to the
handwashing picture on the schedule and says, “After you
hang up your coats, wash your hands.” As children wash
their hands, another educator stands by the sink, points to
the handwashing steps poster, and says, “Let’s follow the
steps. Once you are done washing hands, you can sit and
eat lunch.” The educators and children follow through with
these steps.
While transitioning from free play to whole group, the
educator approaches a child on the autism spectrum, squats
down to her level, shows her a timer, and says that in five
minutes it will be time to put toys away and read a story with
the group. The child responds that she will finish up shortly.
The educator thanks the child and comes back a few minutes
later to give another time cue and help her clean up.
Nonverbal:
●● The educator and children complete the transition
efficiently.
●● The educator points to pictures or a schedule to help
children complete the transition.
Verbal:
●● “First put your jacket in your cubby, and then go to the
carpet, please.”
Ineffective
Preparation
Do interactions demonstrate that the educator is ready for classroom activities?
Ineffective
While working with a small group of children,
the educator says, “Let me see how this
lesson goes again” while looking in a
curriculum book, or “Where are the materials
I need? I can’t find them” as they get up
and search their desk. The children are left
waiting while the educator prepares.
Effective
●● “Nice, Marrakesh! Now, push your chair in and line up for
music class.”
●● “Remember to grab your lunch box.”
●● “Turn off the light when we leave the classroom.”
●● “Remember to wash hands before getting a book.”
Effective
As the lead educator facilitates whole group time, the
assistant educator sets out small group materials or ensures
that the children have easy access to what they need. The
educators coordinate who will work with each group or child.
During a read-aloud, it is clear that the educator has reviewed
the book and is able to explain information without having to
refer back to the lesson plan.
The educator says things such as “Your materials are in your
folders” or “I put some aquatic animals in the water table for
you today.”
Pre-K–3rd Examples 19
Instructional Learning Formats Examples
Effective facilitation
Do interactions indicate that children are involved because of educator facilitation?
Ineffective
The educator goes to the dramatic play area
and joins children who are pretending to run
a store. The educator asks if she can run the
cash register, tells children what roles they
should play, and does most of the talking.
During an art activity, the educator sits down
at the table and passively watches children
as they paint.
Variation in approach
Do educators implement activities in ways that enhance children’s engagement?
Ineffective
During a science lesson on the sense of
taste, the educator does not prepare any
foods or items that are safe to taste for
children to try. The educator prints out a
black-and-white anatomy diagram of the
tongue that has over 10 parts labeled; this
is the only material used in a lecture-style
lesson.
After lunch, the educator reads to the children
a chapter from the class’s read-aloud book
without asking any questions, encouraging
the children to ask questions, or allowing
them to move during the read-aloud.
20 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
The educator asks to see a menu when children are playing
“restaurant,” or ask questions of a small group of children
who are drawing a pamphlet.
Nonverbal:
●● Dancing with children to music
●● Playing a game with children
●● Demonstrating how to write a word
●● Children remaining engaged in a puzzle because the
educator sits with them and provides some nonverbal hints
Verbal:
●● “I think you have got it down, so I am going to go check on
our friends in the writing center.”
●● “Would you like me to play too, or would you rather
explore a little on your own?”
●● “Each group will get some time to work on their project,
and then I will come around to check on your progress.”
Effective
The educator reads the book Five Little Monkeys Jumping
on the Bed to the children. As she reads, the children read
along with her and do hand movements that go with the story.
The children hold up four fingers when there are only four
monkeys jumping on the bed. When a monkey falls off the
bed, the children say, “One fell off and bumped his head” and
gesture falling down and bumping the monkey’s head.
For the class’s study of the butterfly life cycle, the science
area has a cup with caterpillars ready for viewing.
Magnifying glasses, paper for observational drawings,
writing/drawing tools, and butterfly books are all available
for children to engage with during center time.
Ineffective
Child interest
Do interactions show that children are interested and engaged?
Ineffective
Many of the children sit during whole group,
looking around the room or fidgeting with
their shoes as the educator reads aloud.
Children do not respond when the educator
asks a question.
Effective
Nonverbal:
●● When children are making a fruit salad during a unit on
healthy eating, they help to peel, measure, and stir the
food.
Verbal:
●● When delivering a textbook-based social studies lesson
on understanding historical timelines, the educator pauses
and asks children to create a simple timeline of events in
their lives and then share their timeline with a partner.
Effective
During a small group activity, four children work together to
brainstorm how they would go about designing a brand new
amusement park ride. All of the children share their ideas
with excitement, taking turns drawing plans on the group’s
chart paper and freely standing up to ask the educator
questions about their work as needed.
Pre-K–3rd Examples 21
 Clarity of learning objectives
Do interactions help children know how to focus their attention?

Ineffective Effective

During a read-aloud of a story to learn about
sequencing, the educator gets sidetracked
and talks about the beginning letter sounds
of several words on the page. When she
returns to the story, children are not able to
recall what happened earlier in the story.
The educator begins by saying, “Okay,
let’s get started!” He does not clearly state
the purpose or goal of the lesson. As a
result, the children are unclear about the
intention or focus of the lesson. He passes
out a worksheet about vertebrates and
invertebrates. Most children look at one
another, unsure how to proceed. A few
children jump ahead before he explains
the task, randomly circling animals and not
understanding the true difference between
vertebrates and invertebrates. The educator
gives cursory directions but does not
provide clear definitions of vertebrates or
invertebrates. Children are left to work on
the handout independently. By the end of
the task, it is evident that few children, if any,
understand the goal or purpose of the lesson.
During a read-aloud of a book about
transportation, the educator does not
explicitly tell children that they are reading in
order to learn about the purposes of different
modes of transportation. When the educator
finishes reading, she asks, “So, what did
you learn from the book?” Several children
name different transportation vehicles. The
educator says, “What else?” The children
continue to name other vehicles. “Anything
else?” she asks.
When children are using different-size measuring cups at
the water table to learn about volume, the educator asks
multiple questions about measuring (“How many quarter
cups are needed to fill the half cups?” “Which cup will fill the
water bottles the fastest?” “Why do you think that?”).
The educator writes on the board what he would like the
children to know, understand, and do as a result of the
lesson. He then clearly communicates those goals and
his purpose for the lesson by saying, “Today we are going
to learn about the differences between vertebrates and
invertebrates. Animals can be classified into two groups—
vertebrates and invertebrates. The main difference is that
invertebrates do not have backbones, but there are other
differences that we will explore. You will be able to compare
animals from both categories on the worksheet I am about
to distribute, and we will create a list of characteristics of
vertebrates and invertebrates as we compare. Let’s take a
look at this together. The first one is comparing a jellyfish
and a frog. Which is the vertebrate and why?”
The educator begins the lesson by saying, “Today we are
going to experiment and see whether something sinks or
floats.” She then demonstrates and explains how to place an
object in water and record the findings on the experiment
chart. The educator says, “Okay, I know it can be confusing,
so let’s make sure we know how to record on our chart by
doing another example together.” She ends the lesson by
summarizing the steps.

The educator places many different materials

on the table that are not related to the
purpose of the activity. As a result, each
child wants to do something different with
the materials and stop attending to what the
educator is saying.

22 CLASS® 2nd Edition

Concept Development Examples
Analysis and reasoning
Do interactions support children’s higher-order thinking skills?
Ineffective
While working with a child during center
time, the educator points to a community
helper toy and asks, “Who’s this?” The child
says, “Doctor.” The educator says, “Good
job” and continues pointing to different
figurines, asking, “And who’s this?” while
the child gives single-word answers. The
educator does not ask any questions to
deepen understanding.
Morning meeting is spent going over “What
day was it yesterday? What day is it today?
What day will it be tomorrow?” until children
answer correctly. There is no in-depth
discussion to deepen thinking skills.
Effective
The educator sets up a classification activity around
identifying living and non-living things. The educator helps
children identify the core attributes or characteristics of
objects or beings, analyze the similarities and differences,
and make decisions about groupings.
The educator invites children to observe their shadows
when they are outside playing. He says, “I wonder what
might happen to your shadow or parts of your shadow
if you move around in different ways. What do you think
will happen?” Through an active invitation to explore,
the children play around with movement to see if their
shadow changes. The educator also asks questions (“Why
do we have shadows?” “How can we find out more about
shadows?”) to help children deepen their understanding of
light and shade.
The educator provides a problem as a prompt and then
invites children to find a solution: “The school has a broken
fence. This is a safety problem. What are some possible
solutions to this problem? What can we do to find a solution?”
Children experiment by actively manipulating materials in
a variety of ways to see what happens (trying out different
size plastic bricks to make the desired shape, mixing paint
colors in the art center, pouring different materials through a
sifter to see what goes through and why) or trying different
strategies to solve the same math problem (adding with a
number line, fingers, and unit cubes).
Pre-K–3rd Examples 23
 Creativity
Do interactions encourage children to invent or innovate?
Ineffective
Children are told that they get to make their
own art creations, but then they all have to
complete the project in the same and very
specific way.
At the block center, the educator instructs
children to build a tower. She then tells them
in what order to add the blocks.
Integration
Do interactions help children connect new ideas to previous knowledge or a broader concept?
Ineffective
Children are asked to memorize water
cycle vocabulary, such as condensation
or evaporation, without any discussion of
how the cycle components connect to one
another.
An educator conducts a lesson on the letter
t but focuses on only what it looks like and
how it sounds. There is no attempt to have
children look around the classroom for items
that begin with t, generate a list of words that
start with t, or think of everyone in the room
with a t in their name.
24 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
The educator asks planning questions before a small group
project (“What will you start on?” “How will you keep track
of what you have tried so far?” “What job will each person
have?” “What materials will you need?”).
The educator encourages children to create a dance that
reflects their cultural tradition. The children think of different
ways to move their bodies, try out different combinations,
and plan the sequence of their dance moves.
Nonverbal:
●● Providing open-ended tasks, such as children writing
their own books, using found materials to make towers,
inventing a system to track the growth of classroom plants,
making a marble run with paper towel rolls, or creating
original art
Verbal:
●● “We’ve been talking about ecosystems. I want you to use
your creativity to make your own ecosystem.”
●● “We’re going to have a debate about if animals should be
in zoos. Each team will come up with their own argument
and present it to the class.”
●● “Why don’t you make up your own rules for the game?”
●● “See if you can come up with another way to sort these.”
Effective
The educator reminds children about their past science
experiment, in which they found absorbent and waterproof
materials, to support children in their current creation of an
original boat at the water table.
After reading a story about a society of forest animals that
singles out and excludes hedgehogs, the educator asks
the children what the story makes them think about—and
ties this idea to what they have been learning in history
about discrimination in US society. The educator also links
this discussion to what they have been working on in their
classroom in terms of respect and inclusion of the ideas and
experiences of all their peers.
Ineffective
Connections to everyday lives
Do interactions help children connect activities or ideas to their lives?
Ineffective
The educator has the children repeat a
poem about the sounds of fall, but does not
ask them about what fall sounds they heard
during recess.
During a science activity about growing
seeds, a child asks the educator, “Why do
we have to water our seeds everyday?” The
educator responds, “Because that is what
the directions say.”
Effective
The educator uses childrens’ knowledge of the school’s
layout to talk about city maps.
Verbal:
●● “How can you use the number line to solve this problem?”
●● “What did we learn yesterday that might be useful in this
experiment?”
●● “We have been working on building with blocks. How
could we make the same kinds of buildings with sticks
from the playground?”
●● “What do you already know about tornadoes?”
●● “Have you been to the zoo before?”
Effective
During a discussion on the sense of hearing, the educator
shares about how the sound of crunching leaves in the fall
reminds her of taking walks as a child. Then the educator
asks the children to think about other sounds of fall and how
those sounds remind them of places or things in their lives.
The educator follows this discussion by going on a walk
outside to identify the sounds they hear.
During a science activity about growing seeds, a child asks
the educator, “Why do we have to water them again?” The
educator responds, “The water is like lunch for the seed. It
is like the food you eat that helps you grow big and strong.
The water helps the seed grow into a plant. What else do
both you and the seed need to grow?”
Pre-K–3rd Examples 25
Quality of Feedback Examples
Scaffolding
Do interactions help children reach a new skill level?
Ineffective
The educator walks around the classroom,
gathering some materials as the children
are working on a worksheet at their desks.
She does not check in with the children to
provide any assistance in their assignment.
26 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
When Sam tells the educator that he does not know how
to write his name, the educator reminds him that there is a
card with his name on it. The child goes and gets the card
with his name, looks at the card and at his paper, but is not
sure where to start. The educator provides him assistance
by telling him, “Remember, we start with the first letter of
our name. What’s your first letter?” Sam responds, “S!” The
educator says, “That’s right, so show me how you write
a capital S.” The child holds his pencil, writes the letter S
on his paper, and looks up at the educator. She then says,
“Okay, what letter is that after the S on your card?” Sam
says, “It’s an a!” The educator responds, “It sure is! So now
you write a little a next to your big S.” Sam starts to write the
letter a but is not quite sure how. The educator says, “You
make the letter a by making a circle and then a line on this
side.” She then traces the letter on the card with his name
on it. Sam writes an a next to the S, looks up at the educator,
and says, “M!” The educator responds, “Yes, m is the last
letter in your name!” Sam looks at his card and then begins
to write the letter m on his paper.
The educator notices that Maria is easily able to solve a
geometry challenge as she organizes shape tiles into a
new complex arrangement. So, he adds more shapes and
encourages her to work on a more challenging task.
Nonverbal:
●● Making an O shape with the mouth as a hint
●● Using body movements to define concepts or words
●● Pointing to a picture in a book to provide a hint
Verbal:
●● “So, if more people voted for this song, which song will
we do?”
●● “I wonder if it would help to look at our number line?”
●● “How can you add another layer to the top?”
Feedback loops
Do interactions engage children in back-and-forth exchanges to support understanding?
Ineffective
While children are learning about and
asking questions about igloos, the educator
dismisses the questions by either not
responding or by asking follow-up questions
that are not relevant, such as “Do you like to
go to the beach?”
When a visibly frustrated child asks “Why
does my pyramid keep falling?”, the
educator looks at the child, dismisses the
question by saying, “Just put it away and
play with something else,” and continues
putting toys away.
Effective
When Luke says “Look, Miss Emma, I brought a tadpole to
the classroom,” the educator turns and enthusiastically asks,
“What is a tadpole?”
Luke: A baby frog.
Educator: How do you know that?
Luke: Because they live in the fountain by my house. I saw
them.
Educator: You are right. Tadpoles are baby frogs. This is
the larval stage—that means the baby stage. Do you know
what other animals are tadpoles in their larval stage when
they are babies?
Luke: No. Which ones?
Educator: Let’s see, the toad is one.
Luke: That’s a frog.
Educator: Yes, the toad is a kind of frog. How are they
different?
Luke: Toads are bigger and bumpy.
Educator: Wow, Luke! You know about your amphibians.
Luke: What are amphibians?
Educator: Amphibians are a kind of animal, like the frog
and the toad. They are born from eggs, and they could
have slimy and smooth skin, like the salamander and the
frog—different from mammals. Remember, we learned
about mammals. Do they have slimy and smooth skin?
Luke: My dog is a mammal. They have hair.
Educator: Yes, most mammals have hair, and are mammals
born from eggs like amphibians?
Luke: No, they are in their mommy’s tummy.
Educator: Excellent! And do you know what they have in
common?
Luke: Two eyes.
Educator: [Laughs] Yes, two eyes. And also, they both
have bones.
Luke: I have bones too!
Nonverbal:
●● A child responds by pointing or nodding.
Pre-K–3rd Examples 27
 Prompting thought processes
Do interactions encourage children to reflect on their own thinking?
Ineffective
While discussing the cover of a book they
will be reading as a group, a child shares that
the story will be about insects. The educator
says okay and moves on to the next child
for their idea. The educator does not ask
questions to encourage children to explain
their thinking or their responses.
The educator asks, “What makes you think
that?” but moves on with the activity before
the child has a chance to respond.
Children are working on creating their own
stories. The educator peeks over Sharon’s
shoulder and says, “I like where you are
going with this story. What made you choose
the weather for the topic?” Sharon looks at
the educator and responds, “I don’t know,”
and the educator says okay.
The educator says, “Why don’t you put the
block here to make it stable?” rather than
encouraging children to come up with their
own solutions.
Providing information
Do interactions give children more information in response to their comment or action?
Ineffective
The educator uses a communication board
and asks a child to point to shapes. “Where is
the triangle?” The child points to the triangle.
“Good job! Now, point to the circle.” The child
points to the oval. The educator responds,
“Nope, that’s not it. Try again.”
28 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
When working to build popsicle stick towers, the educator
notices that a child is making the base of her tower much
larger after watching it fall over. He asks the child, “Why do
you think it fell over? Can you tell me what you are doing
now? What do you think will happen when you make the
base wider?”
While getting ready to go outside, a child puts on their
jacket. The educator asks the child, “Why did you decide
to put that on?” The child responds, “Because it’s cold!”
The educator responds, “How did you know it was cold
outside?” The child responds, “The wind was cold this
morning.” The educator and child then engage in a
discussion about how the wind can make things colder, and
that wearing a jacket is a smart decision.
Verbal:
●● “How did you know?”
●● “What makes you think that?”
●● “What did you have in mind when you . . .?”
●● “Tell me more about what you did here.”
Effective
During a conversation about fossils, the educator notices
that one child looks confused, so she shows her a photo of
a fossil and says, “Layla, have you ever seen a fossil? They
are the remains of plants and animals from many years ago
and look like this.”
When a child calls a bird’s feathers fur, the educator says,
“Fur is when an animal’s body is covered with little hairs, like
the ones that we have on our head or skin. Birds actually
have a different body covering: feathers.” After clarifying
that birds have feathers, the educator asks the child about
the skin of other types of animals, such as lizards or fish,
and how feathers might look different from fur.
Encouragement and affirmation
Do interactions help children persist in their efforts?
Ineffective
The educator provides general and minimal
affirmation, such as “Muy bien, Máximo,”
“You did it,” “So pretty,” “Good job,” and “Kiss
your brain.”
The educator tells children that they will
continue working on subtraction, and
instructs them to open their workbooks to
page 63 and complete it. Then the educator
goes to her desk and does not walk around
to offer recognition of the children’s efforts.
Effective
The educator focuses attention on and explicitly recognizes
children’ efforts by providing specific comments or
questions (“Wow, you are trying really hard to figure this
out!” “You’re really close to your goal. Keep going,” “I know
it’s not easy. I see you are working so hard,” “I think you are
almost there. Take a moment and think if another strategy
might help”).
The educator introduces the chapters of the new social
studies unit and assigns each group a chapter to outline
for a later discussion. As the children work, the educator
hears a group of children talking about the bold lettering in
the chapter. He stops at their group and says, “I see you’re
working to find a way to organize your main ideas.” He then
says to the class, “The square group had a great idea about
using the bold headings as a way to organize their ideas.
Nice work.”
Pre-K–3rd Examples 29
Language Modeling Examples
Frequent conversation
Do interactions reflect multiple conversations?
Ineffective
The educator reads a book about a rainy day
and does not stop at any point throughout
the reading to ask questions or encourage
children to discuss the book with one
another.
As children share stories about their
weekend, the educator responds with “mm-
hmm” and “oh, okay.”
Open-ended prompts
Do interactions encourage children to use extended responses?
Ineffective
Rather than saying, “Luisa, que piensas?
What do you think?” to encourage a bilingual
child to respond, the educator asks, “What
do you think?” and then moves on without
helping the child to speak.
An educator holds up a flashcard and asks,
“What is this? What color is it? How many
are there?”
30 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
While reading a book about kindness to children, the
educator pauses frequently and asks them to turn to their
“elbow partners” to discuss questions she poses to the class:
“Share about a time when you saw a friend do something
kind for someone. What happened, and how do you think it
made them feel? Now share a time when you saw something
unkind. How do you think that made them feel?”
As the educator and children eat their snacks, they engage
in conversations about what they did while they were outside
on the playground. The children reflect on their favorite
games, and the educator asks follow-up questions about who
they played with and what their games were about.
Nonverbal:
●● A child responds by pointing or nodding.
Effective
The educator asks questions such as “What do you think will
happen next?” and “How do you know?”, and uses prompts
such as “Tell me more about your painting.”
While reading a book, the educator points to one of the
pages and asks the children, “What do you see here?”
Communication extensions
Do interactions build on children’s communication?
Ineffective
When a child points toward the crayon jar,
the educator reaches over and gives it to him
without saying anything.
As children share ideas with the educator
about what they want to build with the
connecting sticks, the educator nods or
says “wow!”
Narration
Do interactions provide language for what is happening in the classroom?
Ineffective
During a whole group discussion about parts
of a tree, some children share words such as
hojas (leaves) in their home language. The
educator continues the discussion and does
not connect the children’s language to the
parts of the tree.
A child who does not speak English as their
first language needs to go to the bathroom.
The child points to the bathroom, and the
educator says, “Say it with me—bathroom,”
adding, “You need to speak in English.”
Children sit at the table as the educator
brings materials for an activity. The educator
does this in silence and does not describe
the materials she is placing on the table.
Effective
During free play, the educator joins a child in the dramatic
play center.
Child: My baby is sick.
Educator: Is her body very warm? That can mean she has
a fever.
Child: Her belly hurts.
Educator: Oh no! How can we make your baby feel
better?
Child: Take her to the doctor.
Educator: That’s a good idea. Maybe the doctor will write
a prescription for medicine that will make her feel better.
When a child says that a car cannot go in the ocean
because it will sink, the educator responds, “It will sink. It
will not float on the water like a boat would.”
Effective
During a paint mixing activity, the educator labels the
materials and characteristics of the paint, saying, “I’m adding
a small amount of red to the right side of your paper.” The
educator also describes how children are interacting with
the paint (“Luna, you’re making big swirls with your fingers!”
“Look! The paint in the middle of the paper is turning a
different color,” “The paint feels cold on my hands, but when
I rub it on the paper, it starts to feel warm”).
Pre-K–3rd Examples 31
 Advanced language
Do interactions support children’s growing vocabulary?
Ineffective
The educator tells the children they will draw
a picture of their house. He does not include
words such as apartment or townhouse, nor
does he use the word for house from the
children’s home languages (minka, casa, etc.).
Most of the time when the educator talks to
the children, it is to remind them to “use their
inside voices,” tell them “nice job,” and let
them know what activity they will do next.
32 CLASS® 2nd Edition
Effective
While on a walk along the nature trail, a child asks the
educator, “Why is that water not ice? The pond at the park is
ice.” The educator responds, “Yes, the water in the stream is
not frozen.” She then asks, “Do you notice anything different
about the stream and the pond at the park?” The child
does not respond. The educator explains that the stream
is moving, but a pond is like water in an ice cube tray and
stays in one place. She adds, “Everything is made up of
molecules—tiny little things we can’t see. In the stream, they
move too fast to freeze and turn into ice.”
During a math lesson, the educator uses a variety of nouns,
adjectives, verbs, and vocabulary terms, such as arrays,
products, actors, and calendar.
Nonverbal:
●● Using body movements to define words or concepts
●● Showing children a picture to help them understand the
meaning of a new word
Verbal:
●● “I am so captivated by your drawing. I can’t stop looking
at it!”
●● “Gavin is demonstrating how he arrived at the answer. He
is showing us how he did it!”
Activity Setting Items Examples
Format
The way in which children are grouped within activities

Centers or Individual art projects, blocks, pretend areas, puzzles, looking at books or reading
in a reading nook, puppets, computers, science areas, math games, independent
free play Montessori work if chosen by the child

Routines or Meals, snacks, preparing for meals, toileting, lining up to move to a different place,
cleanup time, hand washing, passing out supplies, individual transitions as work is
transitions completed

Group art projects, instructional games, writing stories, collective building, cooking
Small group projects, small group instruction (reading groups, completing math problems), science
experiments, structured PE activities

Stories, songs, calendar instruction, discussions, whole group instruction, shared story/
Whole group book reading, demonstrations, structured PE activities on the playground

Independent Educator and child working together on a reading or math assignment, individualized
instruction or support, Montessori educator giving a lesson to a child, worksheets/
work or 1:1 workbook at their seat, independent projects, computer work, silent reading

Pre-K–3rd Examples 33
 Content
The activity or academic content being covered

Books/stories: reading individually or in groups, telling stories, asking questions

about the book/story, listening to a book on tape while looking at a book, answering
comprehension questions, acting out stories
Phonics: recognizing whole words, practicing rhymes, identifying letters/sound-letter
relationships, sounding out words, counting syllables
Literacy
Writing: pretending to write, writing names, incorporating writing into play (grocery lists,
menus, etc.), writing fiction or nonfiction stories
Sequencing: helping children understand sequencing—beginning, middle, end
Vocabulary: learning new words, learning to spell/write/read words, word wall activities

Understanding relationships: role play or class meetings to help with regulation or

conflict resolution, peer perspective-taking conversations, books or social stories about
how to interact with others, playing cooperative games, completing group projects
Social skills: talking about, acting out, or reading books related to social concepts and
actions such as cooperating, sharing, and prosocial behaviors
Identifying emotions: using pictures or charts to identify or regulate emotions, songs
Social and
about feelings, reading books about emotions
emotional
Regulating emotions: using a calm down kit, learning strategies to regulate emotions,
learning (SEL) journal writing or drawing about emotions
Sensory/movement/yoga breaks combined with language about why such breaks
help SEL: “We are moving our bodies because we are so excited and need to get our
wiggles out before we can focus on reading.”
Mindfulness practices: breathing techniques, observing bodies or feelings,
commitments/intentions for the day, positive self-talk

Counting: rote counting, 1:1 correspondence, skip counting, identifying written

numerals, matching numbers to pictures, playing counting games, keeping track of how
many days until a special event, making or comparing graphs
Shapes/spatial: identifying shapes, talking about the properties of shapes (how many
sides, angles, etc.), finding shapes in the room, measuring shapes, puzzles, block
play (if children are assessing how many or what shape blocks are needed to create a
structure)
Math
Classification/measuring: identifying same and different, opposites, ​quantitative
comparing (big/little, biggest/smallest), sorting (by color, size, shape), discerning
patterns (red-blue-red-blue), measuring for cooking or size, part/whole (number of
quarts in a gallon, fractions)
Calendar/time: ​anything that has to do with the calendar or learning about date/time
Operations: adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing

34 CLASS® 2nd Edition

Content
Nature: identifying and exploring natural phenomena in children’s environment (mirrors,
magnets, magnifying glasses),​working with sand or water,​animals, plants, gathering
natural items from outdoors, discussing parts of plants or types of landforms
Health: topics such as body parts, life cycles, foods, and nutrition
Scientific method: hypothesize, guess, estimate, trial and error, experimentation, cause
Science and effect, problem-solving (how to fix something that is broken, etc.)
Senses: smell, touch, taste, sound, and sight
Block play may be included here if the children are experimenting with blocks or
discussing scientific concepts (stacking, building ramps, discussing acceleration).
Class discussion of scientific concepts, experiments, or formulas

World: talking, reading, or engaging in activities about their world (neighborhoods,

school, farm, community workers, trips to a dentist or doctor, current events), branches
of government, elections, history
Imaginary play: dress-up, role-playing, Montessori practical life activities
Diversity: discussing or reading about cultural diversity, skin color, different
family practices (what different families eat, what holidays they celebrate, family
Social studies configurations); stereotypes, prejudice, and bias based on ethnicity, gender, age, or
physical challenges
Cultural activities: learning about cultural customs, discussing children’s home lives,
participating in a cultural custom or ritual
Block play is included if children are building a structure related to the world around
them (skyscraper, zoo, city).

Direct aesthetic learning: learning how to paint or play an instrument

Learning activity that includes aesthetics: drawing a picture of a favorite story
Visual art: painting, drawing, illustrating stories or ideas, sharing artwork, modeling with
clay or playdough, making collages
Art or music Music: singing, listening to music, using musical instruments
Performance: dancing, taking part in a play
If the object of the learning activity is not aesthetics, the content should be coded as
well. For example, writing and drawing a personal narrative would count as art and
literacy.

Pre-K–3rd Examples 35