NES Profile: Early Childhood Education (101)

Content Domain III: Learning Across the Curriculum

Competencies:

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0008 Understand music, drama, creative movement, dance, and visual arts and how to facilitate arts learning for children from birth through age 8.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of the elements, characteristics, tools, technologies, and materials of music and approaches for creating developmentally meaningful music experiences.
Demonstrate knowledge of the elements, characteristics, tools, technologies, and materials of drama, creative movement, and dance and approaches for creating developmentally meaningful drama, creative movement, and dance experiences.
Demonstrate knowledge of the elements, characteristics, tools, technologies, and materials of the visual arts and approaches for creating developmentally meaningful art experiences.
Recognize connections between the arts and effective approaches for integrating the arts with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.

Sample Item:

A first-grade teacher is planning an art activity in which students will explore texture. Which of the following activities would best foster students' understanding of this visual art concept?

easel painting
sketching
crayon rubbing
cutting and pasting

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

C. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of the elements and materials of the visual arts. Crayon rubbing is a process in which a sheet of paper is placed over a textured material (e.g., tree bark, a piece of screening). The surface of the paper is then rubbed with a crayon, and the resulting image captures the textural qualities of the material beneath.

0009 Understand health, safety, and physical activity and how to facilitate learning about health and safety and participation in physical activities for children from birth through age 8.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of basic principles and practices of personal, interpersonal, and community health and safety relevant to children.
Apply knowledge of strategies and procedures for promoting children's health and safety in the learning environment and strategies for promoting understanding and application of health and safety principles and practices.
Demonstrate knowledge of various types of age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate motor skills and physical activities; indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties in motor skills development; and skills, techniques, and safety practices for leading children in a variety of physical activities.
Apply knowledge of how to plan activities for children, including integrating health and safety principles and physical activities with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities; strategies for modifying activities to address individual needs; and strategies for promoting social skills, confidence, and enjoyment of movement.

Sample Item:

In terms of student safety, which of the following features of a school playground should a kindergarten teacher be most concerned about?

The swings do not provide back support or seat belts.
The surface below the climbing structure consists of packed earth.
The platform at the top of the slide is five feet high.
The playing area includes a blacktop made of asphalt.

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

B. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of basic safety practices relevant to children. To minimize the potential for injury from a fall, the surface beneath playground climbing structures should consist of a material that will absorb an impact. Wood chips or rubberized materials have been proven effective for this purpose, while nonabsorptive surfaces, such as packed earth, statistically increase the chance of serious injury.

0010 Understand mathematical concepts, processes, and skills and how to facilitate mathematical learning for children from birth through age 8.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts, processes, and skills related to the various areas of mathematics (e.g., number sense, operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, probability).
Identify characteristics of and processes in children's mathematical development and indicators that a child may be experiencing difficulties or demonstrating exceptional abilities in mathematics.
Apply knowledge of approaches for determining children's current mathematical knowledge, identifying their individual needs, and providing instruction that follows a logical progression, builds on previous learning, challenges children appropriately, and is well integrated across grades and developmental levels.
Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources, including technology, for promoting children's understanding of basic concepts and acquisition of mathematical skills, knowledge, and vocabulary.
Apply knowledge of approaches for integrating mathematical content with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.

Sample Item:

In a third-grade class, each student stands on a large sheet of 1-inch graph paper while a partner creates an outline of the student's foot by tracing around it. Students then count the number of squares inside each outline. This activity would best help students understand the mathematical concept of:

perimeter.
volume.
proportion.
area.

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

D. This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts related to geometry. In geometry, the term area refers to a flat surface enclosed by lines. Outlining a student's foot on graph paper enables students to explore the concept of area by counting the number of unit squares contained within the outline.

0011 Understand social studies concepts and skills and how to facilitate social studies learning for children from birth through age 8.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts of culture, geography, U.S. and world history, economics, and civics for children and the relationships between the areas of social studies.
Demonstrate knowledge of processes, skills, technologies, and resources used in exploring and understanding social studies content and phenomena.
Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources for promoting children's understanding of basic social studies concepts and acquisition of social studies skills, knowledge, and vocabulary.
Apply knowledge of approaches for integrating social studies content with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.
Demonstrate knowledge of human diversity and of strategies for promoting children's appreciation and understanding of and respect for all people.

Sample Item:

Which of the following represents a third-grade teacher's best strategy for integrating art with the study of local history?

contacting local organizations, such as the town offices and the historical society, to obtain brochures and other materials to use in a collage
posting pictures of notable historical figures when teaching a lesson on important events and issues in local history
distributing cardboard templates of historical images, such as log houses or horses and buggies, for students to use to create scenes from the past
looking at local historical paintings and comparing features of daily life in earlier times, such as clothing and transportation, with those of today

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

D. This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of approaches for integrating the social studies and arts curricula. One traditional function of visual art has been to record and interpret features of a time or place. Local historical paintings provide a wealth of opportunities for students to compare today's world with that of the past, as well as to examine artists' use of art elements and principles to convey a mood or theme.

0012 Understand science concepts and skills and how to facilitate science learning for children from birth through age 8.

Descriptive Statements:

Demonstrate knowledge of basic concepts of the life sciences, physical sciences, and Earth and space sciences for children.
Demonstrate knowledge of processes, skills, technologies, and resources used in exploring and understanding science content and phenomena.
Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate learning experiences and resources for promoting children's understanding of basic concepts and acquisition of science skills, knowledge, and vocabulary.
Apply knowledge of approaches for integrating science content with other areas of the curriculum and with everyday activities.

Sample Item:

Which of the following animals is classified as a vertebrate?

butterfly
hummingbird
earthworm
jellyfish

Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)

B. This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of basic concepts of the life sciences. A vertebrate is an animal that has a backbone. Of the animals listed, the only one with a backbone is the hummingbird.

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