Scholastic BIG DAY for PreK Alignment and Examples

Transcription

1 Scholastic BIG DAY for PreK Alignment and Examples CIRCLE Center for Improving the Readiness of Children for Learning and Education

2 This document is designed to show how Scholastic BIG DAY FOR PREK supports the expectations and outcomes for CIRCLE. For each section there is an alignment, including examples within the program that support the expectations. The sections covered include Best Practices, Social and Emotional Development, Phonological Awareness, Written Expression, Language Development, Book Reading including Read Aloud and Shared Reading, Letter Knowledge, and Mathematics. For further information visit or call (800) CIRCLE Expectation BIG DAY FOR PREK Alignment and Examples BEST PRACTICES: Establish a well planned classroom that promotes language, literacy, and math development Establish Clear Rules Establish Consistent Routines Provide one on one, small group and large group instruction Assess children to monitor progress Create detailed lesson plans Big Day for PreK is based upon a foundation of well planned, appropriate, PreK classroom that creates an environment of learning designed to promote language, literacy and math development. Big Day is organized around Big Experiences to engage children and integrate social emotional, academic and physical development across literacy, language and math. Big Day uses clear, consistent routines supported by clear classroom rules to establish a wellplanned, safe and inviting learning environment for children. Big Day s Big Experiences launch learning and are extended through Learning Centers to promote integrated learning opportunities across the domains. Individual and small group instruction ensure focused teacher child interaction, child engagement, and guided practice. Whole group instruction and activities during Circle/Story Time allow for modeling and shared experiences. A full array of formal and informal assessment resources allow teachers to identify children s learning strengths and weaknesses and respond with targeted 1:1 instruction or intervention as needed to ensure children finish PreK ready for Kindergarten. Rich technology supports the teacher in engaging children and enhancing the use of the program in the classroom. Page 1 of 12

3 SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Establish a well planned classroom that promotes children s social and emotional development Provide opportunities for children to practice using responsive interactions with each other and adults. Support children s problem solving skills. Promote a learning environment that increases children s ability to work both independently and cooperatively. Help children become aware of their feelings, emotions, abilities, likes and dislikes. Provide children opportunities to develop meaningful and rewarding relationships with peers and adults. Social and emotional development consists of four domains: Self Concept, Self Control/Regulation, Social Competence, Social Awareness Social emotional development is a founding principal of Big Day for PreK. Every theme has a social emotional focus. Addresses cooperation, kindness, responsibility, attention, initiative, self awareness, curiosity, persistence. Social emotional themes are introduced, practiced and reinforced throughout lessons. Children are prompted with activities designed to promote problem solving. Instruction and activities are provided for both independent and small group/cooperative group work. Guidance is provided for teachers to help ensure learning centers and informal learning times emphasize social emotional themes. Theme Conversations are designed to help children communicate and foster discussion/relationships with peers and others. Emphasis is placed upon helping children have the ability to be aware of and control their emotions. Clearly identified social emotional themes: Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page ix. Clearly identified learning objectives within socialemotional themes aligned to Circle expectations: Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page 1. Page 2 of 12

4 PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS The ability to detect the sounds in language without thinking about the meaning of what is said. This prepares children for understanding that letters or groups of letters can represent sounds or phonemes (alphabetic principle). Instruction will support development of phonological awareness in children across the levels of the Phonological Awareness Continuum: Listening, Sentence Segmenting, Syllable Segmentation and Deletion, Onset Rime, Phoneme Segmentation, Deletion and Manipulation, Literary Devices. Provide phonological awareness instruction daily in one form or another: Activities from several stages of the phonological awareness continuum at different times of the day should be included to address the needs of different children. Engage children in activities that become more complex as their knowledge increases (examples below): Children move along a continuum from larger speech units to smaller speech units. Children move along a continuum from fewer units to more units (2 words to 3 words, 2 syllable words to 3 syllable words, etc.). Children find it easier to respond to receptive information than having to determine a verbal response Do cat and hat rhyme is for children to respond to than Tell me another word that rhymes with cat. "Show me the two pictures of that rhyme" is easier than given a word that rhymes with can. Children find it easier to blend sounds together than to Phonological awareness activities built into Big Day for PreK are designed as playful, engaging activities to be used throughout every day to help children develop in this critical area. Teachers are guided to keep activities playful, brief and active to engage children and keep them ontask. Skills are modeled by teachers through games and puppet activities to support specific areas (i.e. separating the onset and rime). Language play is integrated into content area instruction and Story Time. Children are engaged in activities that become more complex as their knowledge increases to help their development and progress across the continuum. Recognition of sounds, rhymes and word parts is easier than production. Many opportunities are provided for children to listen and identify word elements including beginning sounds or rhymes before asking them to articulate them. Read alouds with rhyming words are used to give children the opportunity to practice rhyming as they advance to determining a verbal response. Big Books reinforce phonemic awareness and teachers are prompted with guidance and activities. Children are engaged in a variety of phonological transitions. When introducing new math, science and social Page 3 of 12 Phonological awareness building activity examples: Syllable Clap: Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page 13. Syllable Fun: Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page 18. Small group and 1:1 instruction prompts throughout. Small group instruction in phonological awareness Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page 17. Informal assessment to drive individual and small group instruction Observe Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page 15. Each theme features in depth instruction for phonological awareness across the theme based on the research based finding that students move across the continuum. Frequent, daily activities are designed to support them as they develop knowledge and are capable of doing more complex phonological awareness activities. Additional activities are provided online via Big Day Teacher Space, Big Day Family Space and Big Day BookFlix. These activities reinforce development in skills such as phonological awareness. Formal and Informal Assessment to drive targeted individual and small group instruction. Scholastic Early Childhood Inventory Provides a formal snapshot of each child s progress in skill areas that are most predictive of Kindergarten readiness. Given 3 times a year to view Oral Language, Phonological Awareness, Alphabet Knowledge and Math. Designed to use in planning responsive instruction with additional teaching

5 take sounds apart What word am I saying Lin da? Compound words are easy for children to work with since the syllables are familiar words. The goal is not for children to know and understand what a compound word is, simply to manipulate the two parts in that word. What is cowboy without cow? Engage children in a variety of phonological transitions connected to themes. Clapping and blending syllables in theme words (apple ap ple; banana ba na na) Segmenting the onset from the rime in one syllable theme words for the children to blend back together (p ear pear; gr ape grape) Refer to available class, group, and child level assessment reports for planning instruction. Create different small group activities based upon individual child assessment results. studies vocabulary, or other new words, teachers are prompted to invite children to repeat the word and then clap its syllables or pronounce the beginning sound. Frequent prompts are provided to segment onset from rime. Formal and informal assessment tools are used to monitor and record each child s progress toward kindergarten readiness. Reports are intended to identify children s individual needs and can be used for communication with families. Formal Assessment tools such as Scholastic Early Childhood Inventory provide a formal snapshot of a child s progress in skill areas most predictive for kindergarten readiness such as phonological awareness. Informal Assessment tools and specific teacher prompts guide ongoing, daily, frequent informal assessment. Classroom Observation Guides (Observe) during Circle Time/Story Time and Small Group Work; PreK 360 Record; Individual Observation (Clipboard Observation); Anecdotal Records; Show & Grow Portfolios. support for intervention ideas. Guides teachers to create small groups according to children s needs. Informal Assessment Classroom Observation Guides: Circle Time/Story Time/Small Group. Guides teachers toward observing children s progress in meeting learning outcomes and helps them plan individual and small group instruction and intervention based on data gathered during Observe moments in Circle Time/Story Time and Small Group Instruction. Guides in what to look for. Individual Observation: PreK 360 Record is used to summarize the strengths and needs of the whole child across skill domains. Conducted 2 3 times per year as needed to prepare for parent conferences. Intended to show evidence of progress or milestones achieved in the 10 key domain areas. Prompts one on one or small group follow up and intervention in these key areas. Individual Observation (Clipboard): Used to track a child s understanding of key skills and concepts within specific domain areas such as phonological awareness. Conducted once a theme or as new skills are acquired by each child. Anecdotal Records: Record specific events to monitor each child s development over time. Conducted daily, as needed. Identifies typical or atypical behaviors and milestones. Provides information to anticipate potential triggers for each child. Track milestone development. Show & Grow Portfolios: Used continually during the year to help teachers collect authentic work samples as visual record of child s progress. anecdotal records, observation tools, and assessment results. Page 4 of 12

6 WRITTEN EXPRESSION Promote interest in writing by providing materials, opportunities and modeling. Provide a writing center with a variety of writing materials and writing materials in all centers. Model the specific ways in which different writing materials are used to create a variety of items, such as notes, books, letters, etc. Use authentic opportunities throughout the day for children to write. Use name writing activities and other opportunities beyond name writing, such as response to literature, and journal writing. Use writing samples and observations to make instructional decisions. Use writing samples to determine the next instructional steps for each child. Engage in writing with large and small groups of children. Conduct lessons that include thinking out loud while writing to let children know why you are writing, how you think about what to write, rereading what is written and concepts about print. Use clear printing, with appropriate upper and lower case letters. Engage children in opportunities to plan and construct a variety of texts. Create thank you notes, letters, class made books, Big Day for PreK supports children in emergent writing by providing multiple opportunities to scribble, label, and write for many purposes. Daily formal writing activities are included in the Emergent Writing domain. Frequent informal writing activities are provided through games, play, learning centers, whole group, small group and independent writing to support the need for authentic writing opportunities and promote interest. During Circle Time/Story Time, alphabet knowledge instruction includes having children use a finger to write the target letter in the air and in the palm of their hand. Teachers are prompted to point out labels, signs, lists, notes around the room and use them as a discussion about the purpose and meaning of each written item. Activities encourage children to dictate new signs. Writing based lessons provided in the Teaching Guides are used to engage children in different kinds of writing. Instructional techniques change over time to meet children s learning needs: Modeled Writing: The teacher demonstrates what writers, do, thinking aloud as he/she decides what to write and records thoughts and ideas. Shared Writing: The teacher and children collaborate in writing as the children contribute ideas and the teacher acts as scribe. Interactive writing: The teacher invites children to share the pen, having individuals write one or Page 5 of 12 Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, writing activity examples pages Emergent Writing: Monday Shared/interactive writing: Writes a list. Tuesday: Interactive writing: Completes a sentence /Independent: Forms letters Wednesday: Interactive: Completes a sentence Thursday: Independent: Writes symbols or letters, Writes name Friday: Shared: Contributes ideas for writing/ Independent: Writes Symbols or letters. Independent writing: Labels pictures: Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page 112 Enhancing writing with Make Learning Bigger writing activities: Letters in Motion: Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 89 Learning Centers use sign in sheets for frequent opportunities to write their names. Dramatic Play Center provides writing materials that can be used for play including pads for restaurant orders, clipboards, and sign making materials. Dedicated Writing Center Uses activities that promote emergent writing. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, Make and label a collaborative transportation collage page 79. People We Meet, Write letters and mail them out,

7 graphic organizers, etc. Change instructional techniques over time to meet individual needs. Begin with modeled writing. Engage children in shared writing daily. As children s literacy knowledge increases, use interactive writing daily (at least by second semester). more letters or whole words. Independent writing: children write on their own using drawings, scribbles and letters as they are able. During modeled and shared writing, point out writing conventions such as leaving spaces between words, starting with a capital, moving left to right and so on. Children receive appropriate guidance to move into independent writing throughout the program. Small group instruction in includes dedicated weekly small group lesson focused on letter formation. Learning Centers integrate frequent authentic writing opportunities. A dedicated writing center and the encouragement of writing across centers is an essential element in Big Day for PreK writing. page 45. Introduces unusual writing tools such as cotton swabs, new pens, etc. for children to experiment writing with. The Science Center supports an understanding of writing for different reasons, such as recording questions and observations. Page 6 of 12

8 LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT Engage children in oral language development daily. Organize the classroom environment to provide opportunities to talk. Provide activities to encourage the use of language. Respond to children and expand on what they say. Have conversations with children daily. Use large and small group settings to facilitate oral language activities. Use language building strategies (label, describe, compare, explain and link). Use intentional instructional strategies to teach specific words. Set up theme related dramatic play to support vocabulary development and conversations. Use vocabulary and theme related activities in centers. Introduce orally new words per week. Use assessment results to plan small group instruction. Observe children throughout the day to assess learning. Plan specific activities to develop oral language. Change groupings to reflect children s needs. Document children s progress. Encourages the use of Blooms Taxonomy to plan Big Day for PreK helps children strengthen their oral language skills throughout the day. Routines are designed to foster vocabulary acquisition using theme words, story words, content area words, and academic language. Shared reading and guided play create purposeful opportunities for children to hear language modeled, use language in rich and varied contexts, and practice their new language skills. During Circle Time/Story Time teachers will be role models speaking at a steady, moderate pace with clear enunciation during the day including Circle Time/Story Time. Restate children s speech to model correct sentence structure, integrate key vocabulary words, and strengthen meaning. When restating children s speech, teachers will repeat the correct grammatical structure, word, or sound multiple times. Promote oral participation of English learners using strategies such as restating questions for clarity, and providing sufficient wait time as children think about questions and take time to formulate their answers. Use Big wall Charts to spark discussion and create opportunities for children to use theme words and concepts in context. Big Day resources, such as BookStix sticky notes engage children in thinking and talking about the reading. The Think, Turn, and Talk routine provides children Page 7 of 12 Vocabulary words are highlighted in every Big Experience theme and children are encouraged to use these words throughout the day with teacher prompting through words to use Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide: People We Meet, page 44, Theme Words page 47, Story Words, page 48, Math Words, page 49 Big Wall Charts for each theme provide visual anchors for theme related language and knowledge. BookStix for teachers to use to engage children in dialogic reading and provide a way to stimulate conversation. Big Day for PreK Program Overview page xvii. Oral language activities to help children work in small groups to solve riddles. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide: People We Meet, page 53. Teachers are encouraged to converse with children in Learning Centers, such as discuss the child s art in the Creativity Center or the construction in Blocks and Building Center. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide Reading and Listening Center, page 45. The Professional Handbook provides guidance on setting up the classroom to promote language development and learning in Learning centers. Assessment: Scholastic Early Childhood Inventory Provides a formal snapshot of each child s progress in skill areas that are most predictive of Kindergarten readiness. Given 3 times a year to view Oral Language, Phonological Awareness,

9 different levels of questioning to build language by encouraging children to expand on what they are thinking. with an opportunity to reflect upon and discuss an open ended question with a partner. Small Group Instruction is used to respond and expand on what children say to model new vocabulary and use of complete sentences. Teachers are prompted to ask follow up questions to encourage critical thinking and provide opportunities for children to use new vocabulary. Learning Centers give teachers the opportunity to model body language during conversations and to make observations and use open ended prompts to initiate conversations with children. Informal Learning Times provide informal opportunities for children to talk with teachers and their peers about their interests, friends, and other topics. Teachers use chants and games that foster enjoyment of word play and when repeated often help develop fluency. Assessment options help assess a child s oral language development and are intended to be used to target specific oral language instruction for individual students and monitor progress. Alphabet Knowledge and Math. The Oral Language Assessment Module of the SECI assesses vocabulary and sentence structure skills. Designed to use in planning responsive instruction with additional teaching support for intervention ideas. Guides teachers to create small groups according to children s needs. Page 8 of 12

10 BOOK READING, the single most critical activity for later success in reading, provides essential language development experiences for children. This includes reading aloud and shared reading. Choose Appropriate Books. Consider the following: Background and interest of your children; Length of the book; Purpose or goal of the book reading session Place books in every center. Children have access and are encouraged to use books for a variety of purposes when appropriate books are available in every center. Read a minimum of three different books per day. Book reading is a planned activity incorporated throughout the day. Language and background knowledge are built through exposure to books. Read books in large and small groups. Book reading occurs everywhere with any number of children. Small group sessions Provide for individual needs; Increase child participation; Provide the opportunity to extend children s responses. Read a variety of genres Different kinds of texts present different learning opportunities. Fiction books introduce how stories work (characters, settings, problems/ solutions) and more formal language. Nonfiction books build background knowledge by explaining, defining, and giving examples of new words and concepts. Children generate more talk after hearing a nonfiction book by asking questions and trying to make sense of the new information. Nursery rhymes and poems foster and appreciation of rhyme and rhythm. Highly predictable books have a controlled vocabulary with repeated sentences or phrases. As a result, children are able to tell the story while looking at the book, allowing them to act like a reader. Big Day for PreK ensures that children have access and exposure to books that help build a foundation and a love of reading, as well as the skills necessary for learning to read. Big Day for PreK builds children s reading skills daily by sharing great stories and informational text. Circle Time/Story Time provides read alouds for use each day and prompts teachers to revisit books multiple times and for multiple purposes, such as to launch instruction and Investigation in the content areas. During the introduction of a book, teachers will ask children to talk about the cover and predict what the book will be about. Teachers will model book enjoyment and proper book handling as they children develop concepts of print. Selections include a broad mix of genres across themes: nonfiction, fiction, rhymes, poetry, realistic fiction, content area books, multicultural books. The program has strong vocabulary instruction using books as language development tools. Page 9 of 12 Read Alouds provided for each theme are used during Story Time to set the stage for Big Experiences. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 112 See read alouds. Note multiple readings/multiple purposes. Shared Reading offers an interactive reading experience for children to join the reading of a big book as guided by the teacher. Independent Reading during Learning Centers with theme related books of all types to encourage independent reading. Interactive Online Reading through BookFlix, pairing classic video storybooks theme related nonfiction ebooks. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, Technology Center, pages 45 and pages 79. BookStix sticky notes used on the back cover of the books and use the CROWD prompts to actively engage children in dialogic reading to develop language, vocabulary, comprehension, and enjoyment. (CROWD: Completion/Recall/Openended/Wh prompts/ Distancing) Learning Centers feature theme related books to promote literacy through all centers. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide page

11 However, predictable books present fewer opportunities to increase children s language and vocabulary. Teach vocabulary words. Choose a book that has already been read aloud at least one time. List possible words that might be taught (not letter wall words). Choose 2 to 3 words based on the following criteria: Unknown words (not commonly known to 4 year olds); Words that are necessary for children to comprehend the story; Words that can be explained in terms that children can understand; Words that children will hear and be able to use (rich language) Use vocabulary instruction strategies to teach the selected vocabulary words. Provide opportunities for children to use the new vocabulary words. Plan to reread the same text multiple times with a different purpose. Benefits of rereading the same text include Increased comprehension by the children, Internalized story language, model comprehension strategies by thinking out loud. Teach different content areas (phonological awareness, math, science). Respond by acting out the story, retelling, writing, etc. Engage children in shared reading opportunities: Choose texts with large print for all children to see letters, words, punctuation, etc.; predictable language; repeated phrases; rhyme and rhythm. Use shared reading to teach concepts about print; allow children to act like a reader; change children s involvement in the book reading across the year; Increase child participation in all aspects of the book reading experience, before, during, and after. Introduced at beginning of theme, encountered throughout theme and in books, reviewed during Circle Time/Story Time, include contentarea vocabulary and academic vocabulary. 113 see centers. Each theme highlights theme vocabulary words, story words, math words, social studies words, and science words. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 10 Page 10 of 12

12 LETTER KNOWLEDGE Engage children in print/letter knowledge activities daily Examine names and meaningful words daily to connect the meaning of the word, the letters within the word and the sounds letters make. Use environmental print to connect meaning to print. Use both large and small group settings to ensure engagement for all children. Engage children in letter knowledge activities that teach all aspects of letter knowledge. Associate the name of a letter with the symbol. Tell what letter makes a particular sound. Produce the sound when shown a letter. Use assessment results to plan small group instruction. Plan specific activities based upon the assessment results. Use children s names in multiple places and for multiple purposes throughout the classroom. Provide individual name cards for children to use during learning center time, to take attendance, and to place eon the letter wall. Provide name puzzles and other name games that allow children the opportunity to manipulate the letters of their name. Use an interactive letter wall Create an interactive letter wall; Play games using the letter wall; Use the letter wall to help children become aware of letter forms, letter names, basic letter sound correspondences, the idea that words can be written down, the concept of words, beginning letters in familiar words. Big Day for PreK integrates learning about letters and sounds through all parts of the day and in all areas of the classroom. Alphabet knowledge is acquired during Circle Time by connecting instruction to their names and other familiar words. Teachers are prompted to use children s names in a variety of ways including use of the letter vest where a child with the name that begins with the letter being worked out wears the letter vest. Teachers describe letter formation, sound, and similarities / differences to its upper or lowercase partner. Alphabet books used during Story Time reinforce and extend letter knowledge. Children are encouraged to play with letters, practice their sounds, and work on letter formation during Learning Centers. In these centers students are provided with space and materials for alphabet exploration. Displays and manipulatives are integrated throughout learning centers to reinforce letter/sound knowledge. Alphabet Books Two themed related alphabet books are integrated into each theme of Big day For PreK. These can also be used for Children s Choice read Aloud. See examples throughout Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide. ABC Place Suggestions for incorporating the ABC Place into different Learning Center during each theme is included in each Teaching Guide behind the Learning Centers tab. Instructions are provided for setting up ABC Place in different areas of the classroom. Activities to promote independent exploration and play with letter knowledge are provided. Displays and Manipulatives: alphabet frieze alphabet magnets and magnet board letter cards downloadable letter cards downloadable cutouts Take home Alphabet Mini books Extensive use of fingerpaint letters, macaroni letters, clay letters, pom pom letters. Alphabet knowledge is reinforced throughout the theme with review and practice both for whole group and small group practice/write/assess. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 15 Alphabet Knowledge. Page 11 of 12

13 MATHEMATICS Focused mathematics instruction happens daily Engage children in activities that become more complex as their knowledge increases. Engage children in a variety of mathematics lessons across each mathematical strand: Number and Operations, Geometry, Measurement, Algebra and Patterns, and data Analysis. Engage children in mathematical processes including problem solving, reasoning, communicating, making connections, and representing. Refer to available class, group and child level assessment reports for planning instruction. Big Day for PreK builds children s understanding of math concepts and vocabulary by engaging them with math every day. Emphasis is placed upon helping students develop the mathematical process skills they will need to acquire knowledge and be successful. Teachers are prompted to help children develop the following critical areas: Problem solving activities and teacher prompts are provided to help children learn to understand a problem, make a plan to solve it and then reflect on the solution. Reasoning and Proof Teachers use activities to guide children to use mathematical thinking to solve problems in play and every day activities. Representation Students use a variety of activities and center work to learn how to organize, record, and share information and ideas. Children will use fingers, draw pictures, tally data, produce graphs, and make maps to represent their knowledge. Once a week children record their mathematical thinking on individual copies of the downloadable Math Mat. Communication Teachers prompt children to share their mathematical ideas in a variety of ways. Math Talk on the Math Mats is used to model and prompt use of the math vocabulary. Making Connections Activities and Learning Centers help children connect mathematical ideas with each other, to other domains, and to their own experiences. Frequent use of math throughout the day is prompted to help reinforce the role math plays in our lives. Math Mats and Math Talk provide opportunities for children to engage in a variety of math lessons that help them develop specific math skills across the strands while developing the critical process skills needed for later success in math. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide Math vocabulary is highlighted for each theme to introduce and reinforce key academic and content area vocabulary. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 49. Mathematics instruction is used to teach math skills while making relevant connections to the theme to make math meaningful for children. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 47 Mathematics. Other domains are connected to math through Learning Center Activities such as science and writing. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 5 Observe prompts help monitor student progress. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, pg 15. Math instruction is centered on using the Math Mat to review, model and practice. Big Day for PreK Theme 3 Our Community Teaching Guide, page 23. The Math Mat can be used interactively with manipulatives for small group instruction. Teachers model problem solving activities and students work together in small groups or in pairs. Learning talk at all centers can prompt mathematical discussions. Page 12 of 12