Pre-Kindergarten Math

We know that child development happens in steps that are developmental and sequential. Many skills are worked on throughout the year. By the end of pre-kindergarten, we expect children to master the following skills in a predictable sequence.

Sorting
 

• First a student makes a collection,
• then she sorts a group into two smaller groups with similar attributes,
• then groups objects that are the same in one way but different in another,
• then groups similar objects and identifies the similarity,
• and finally she masters pre-kindergarten sorting by identifying two or more similarities in the group.

Patterning
 

• First a student lines up objects,
• then he lines up objects in a repeating series,
• then he lines up objects in a graduated series,
• then he finds/points out a repeating or graduated series,
• and finally he masters pre-kindergarten  patterning by extending a series.

Counting
 

• First a student uses a number word,
• then she counts objects, using one number for each object (it doesn’t have to be the right number),
• then she counts five to ten objects,
• then she counts 11+ objects and uses the last number to say how many,
• and finally she masters pre-kindergarten  counting by counting two groups and says which has more.

Identifying Position And Direction
 

• First a student moves an object as directed,
• then he uses a position word (under, behind, next to),
• then he uses a direction word (in, out, up, down, forward),
• then he uses a distance word (near, far, close),
• and finally he masters pre-kindergarten  position and direction by using a simple map with position, direction and distance words.