Pre-K
Units
Colors
Learning Goals:
- There are many different colors.
- Objects can be classified by color.
- A single color can have many different shades, from very light to very dark.
- Diluting colored water with clear water creates a lighter shade of the same color.
- Colors can be combined to make a new color.
- Something of one color against a background of a similar color may be hard to see.
- Something of one color against a background of a contrasting color is easy to see.
- Objects appear to be a different color when viewed through a transparent colored material.
- After passing through a transparent colored material, the color of the light looks like the color of the material.
- The colors visible in bubbles come from light reflecting on the bubble’s surface.
Parent Resources:
Shadows
Learning Goals:
- A shadow is made when an object blocks the light.
- You can make shadows with your body and other objects.
- A shadow can show the shape of an object, but it can’t show colors or details (such as a smile or a frown).
- You can change the shape of a shadow by moving and turning your body or the object or by moving the light source.
- You can combine shadows to make different shadow shapes.
- Each light source directed at an object will create a shadow.
- As you move a light source around an object, the object’s shadow moves and its length and shape may change.
- Indoors, you can change the size of a shadow by moving your body or the object closer to or farther from the light. (Shadows grow bigger and fuzzier as the object moves closer to the light source, and smaller and sharper as the object moves farther away.)
- Outdoors, a shadow’s shape, size, and position change over the course of the day as the position of the sun changes.
Parent Resources:
Ramps
Learning Goals:
- The shape of an object affects whether it will roll or slide or stay put.
- Objects that slide are more likely to move on steeper inclines, and both rolling and sliding objects move faster down steeper inclines.
- The motion and speed of a rolling or sliding object is affected by the shape of the object and texture of the object and the texture of the surface on which it is rolling or sliding.
- When a rolling or sliding object hits an obstacle, it will stop or slow down and its direction may change.
- When a stationary object is hit by a rolling or sliding object, the force may knock the object over or cause it to move depending on how fast the object is going and how heavy it is.
- Observe and describe the way objects move when they are placed on ramps of different steepness and when they hit other objects.
- Predict and compare the behavior of objects that roll versus objects that slide.
- Predict, measure, and compare how different objects roll on different surfaces.
- Do simple experiments, talk about cause and effect, and share ideas.
Parent Resources:
Plants
Learning Goals:
- There are many different types of plants and seeds.
- Plants grow from seeds. Some plants also grow from bulbs.
- Different plants grow from different seeds and bulbs.
- Plants need water and light to grow.
- Plants have different parts: roots, stems, leaves, and fruit.
- Some parts of the plant are below the ground and some are above.
- Plants outside grow in many places. Usually they grow in soil.
- A tree is a very large plant. There are many different types of trees.
- Many of the foods we eat come from plants.
- We eat certain leaves, roots, fruits, and seeds.
- Fruits have seeds.
- It is important to treat the environment with respect and care.
- Observe, describe, and sort various natural objects
- Predict and compare changes in their growing plants
- Do simple experiments, talk about cause and effect, and share ideas
Parent Resources:
