I

Approaches to Learning

A

Curiosity and Interest

Child approaches the world with curiosity and develops knowledge about specific topics.

7-year-olds – See this age across all domains Early elementary

What educators might observe

• Recognizes that reality is not directly knowable and that people may have different interpretations of the same event
• Pursues a particular interest by reading multiple books about the topic and writing and drawing about it
• Observes and records information over time (e.g., observes and records notes about the guinea pig in its cage each day)

B

Initiative

Child pursues their own goals.

7-year-olds – See this age across all domains Early elementary

What educators might observe

• Applies learning in new contexts (e.g., learns about gardening in school and then brings seeds home and plants them in back yard)
• Attempts to master styles of drawing and creating (e.g., sees manga in a graphic novel and tries drawing in that style)
• Selects materials to create engineering solutions (e.g., uses wire, tape, and pieces of wood to create a drawbridge)
• Uses writing to meet their goals (e.g., writes a card to a friend when they are out sick)

C

Persistence and Attentiveness

Child focuses on tasks and perseveres in accomplishing them.

7-year-olds – See this age across all domains Early elementary

What educators might observe

• Is able to concentrate for extended periods of time (30 minutes or more), even on non-preferred tasks
• Makes several attempts to solve a problem, but doesn’t give up until they find a solution
• Tries multiple strategies for solving a problem
• Remembers essential facts over a period of days
• Is conscious of the presentation of their work and makes revisions to improve their work

D

Creativity and Inventiveness

Child uses their imagination to create and invent.

7-year-olds – See this age across all domains Early elementary

What educators might observe

• Uses standardized tools to assist them in their projects (e.g., uses a yardstick to measure the amount of string they need to hang up a curtain)
• Thinks flexibly about how to create a project
• Creates variation of existing games with peers
• Adds functional details to a project (e.g., sews on a button and makes a rough buttonhole to hold on a cape)