Resources on Early Learning
Illinois Early Learning Standards
Video & Background
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This preschool class has been investigating fire safety. In this clip, the class has gathered for a group meeting. They are listening to Liam (age 4) and Jay (age 4) share some information they have learned about firefighters’ coats. The two boys are wearing replicas of firefighters’ coats. To encourage the children to observe carefully and think critically, the teachers have asked them to comment on differences between the two coats. Several children begin to speak about and point out what they notice, such as differences in color. The children who take part in the conversation use some comparative words such as darker/lighter. They also express some disagreement with each other. Melanie (age 4) in particular uses nonverbal and verbal communication to express her ideas—she consistently moves closer to Liam and Jay and points to the parts of the coats she mentions.
Transcript
Andre: His buckles are orange and his buckles are yellow.
Melanie: I know something else that’s different (points). These things are different too!
Jay: No, they aren’t.
Andre: Yeah! One’s darker and one’s lighter.
Melanie: And also because yours has (moves to touch one of the coats) like a shape like that and his (points to other coat) is like a shape like that. And he writed his name on that (pointing to a place on the coat), and you didn’t write your name on that (pointing to a place on the other coat).
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Benchmark Description | How Benchmark Was Met |
|---|---|---|
| Language Arts 4.B.EC |
Communicate needs, ideas and thoughts. | Andre and Melanie tell what they have observed. Andre supports one of Melanie’s comments about differences between the two coats when Jay disagrees with her. |
| Mathematics 7.B.EC |
Show understanding of and use comparative words. | Andre uses the terms “darker” and “lighter” to compare objects. Melanie uses the words “did” and “didn’t.” |
| Science 12.C.EC |
Make comparisons among objects that have been observed. | Andre, Jay, and Melanie discuss several ways in which the two coats differ from each other. |
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