Connecticut's Preschool Curriculum

 Framework and Benchmarks
for Children in Preschool Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal and Social Development

 

Program Goals

 

By the end of preschool, children will:

 

·           demonstrate a sense of self as a learner.

·           demonstrate a sense of responsibility to oneself and others.

·           demonstrate effective functioning, individually and as a member of a group.

 

Content Standards

 

Preschool programs will provide children with opportunities to:

 

·           exhibit curiosity, creativity, self-direction and persistence in learning situations.

·           describe themselves using several basic characteristics.

·           demonstrate awareness of one's own and others' feelings.

·           participate in and exhibit self-control in group situations.

·           interact appropriately with peers and familiar adults.

·           use age-appropriate conflict-resolution strategies.

·           recognize similarities and appreciate differences in people.

 

  

 

 

Physical Development

 

Program Goals

 

By the end of the preschool, children will:

 

·           demonstrate control, balance, strength and coordination in gross-motor tasks.

·           demonstrate coordination and strength in fine-motor tasks.

·           participate in healthy physical activity.

·           practice appropriate eating habits, hygiene and self-help skills.

 

Content Standards

 

Preschool programs will provide children with opportunities to:

 

·           engage in a wide variety of gross—motor activities that are child selected and teacher initiated.

·           use a variety of materials that promote eye-hand coordination and small-muscle development.

·           demonstrate spatial awareness in both fine- and gross-motor activities.

·           choose nutritious meals and snacks.

·           practice basic hygiene and self-help skills.

 

 

 

Creative Expression/

Aesthetic Development

 

 

Program Goals

 

By the end of preschool, children will:

 

·           use different art forms as a vehicle for creative expression and representation.

·           develop an appreciation of the arts.

 

Content Standards

 

Preschool programs will provide children with opportunities to:

 

·           exhibit curiosity about and explore how materials function and affect the senses.

·           create (imagine, experiment, plan, make, evaluate, refine and present/exhibit) works that express or represent experiences, ideas, feelings and fantasy using various media.

·           represent fantasy and real-life experiences through pretend play.

·           engage in musical and creative movement activities; and describe or respond to their own creative work or the creative work of others.

 

 

 

Cognitive Development

 

Program Goals

 

By the end of preschool, children will:

 

·           demonstrate the ability to think, reason, question and remember.

·           engage in problem solving.

·           use language to communicate, convey and interpret meaning.

·           establish social contacts as they begin to understand the physical and social world.

 

Content Standards

 

Logical – Mathematical/Scientific Thinking

 

Preschool programs will provide children with opportunities to:

 

·           express wonder, ask questions and seek answers about he natural world.

·           recognize and solve problems through active exploration, including trial and error and interacting with peers and adults.

·           organize and express their understanding of common properties and attributes of things.

 

 

Language and Literacy

 

Preschool programs will provide children with opportunities to:

 

·           communicate their experiences, ideas and feelings by speaking.

·           listen with understanding to directions, conversations and stories.

·           exhibit interest in reading.

·           use different forms of writing such as drawing, letter-like forms, invented spelling and conversational forms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

50 South Main Street

West Hartford Connecticut 06107

(860) 561-6669   www.whecp.org

 

Supporting Our Community – One Family at a Time

 

 

Adapted from the State of Connecticut

Preschool Curriculum Framework, 2006