Overview of information from NC FELD Cognitive Development Domain pp. 131-147. Includes social connections, mathematical thinking and expression, and scientific exploration and knowledge

1. Cognitive Development
(pp. 131 – 147)
North Carolina Foundations Task Force. (2013). North Carolina
foundations for early learning and development. Raleigh: Author.

2. Subdomains and Goals
• Social Connections (note the crossover into the cognitive domain)
• Goal CD-6: Children demonstrate knowledge of relationships and roles within
their own families, homes, classrooms, and communities
• Goal CD-7: Children recognize that they are members of different groups (e.g.,
family, preschool class, cultural group)
• Goal CD-8: Children identify and demonstrate acceptance of similarities and
differences between themselves and others.
• Goal CD-9: Children explore concepts connected with their daily experiences
in their community.

3. Subdomains and Goals (2)
• Mathematical Thinking and Expression
• Goal CD-10: Children show understanding of numbers and quantities during
play and other activities.
• Goal CD-11: Children compare, sort, group, organize, and measure objects
and create patterns in their everyday environment
• Goal CD-12: Children identify and use common shapes and concepts about
position during play and other activities
• Goal CD-13: Children use mathematical thinking to solve
problems in their everyday environment

4. Subdomain and Goals (3)
• Scientific Exploration and Knowledge
• Goal CD-14: Children observe and describe characteristics of living things and
the physical world.
• Goal CD-15: Children explore the natural world by observing, manipulating
objects, asking questions, making predictions, and developing generalizations.

5. Social Connections (pp. 131 – 136)
• Again, note the interrelatedness of cognitive development and social
development
• Healthy relationships support cognitive development and later
academic and life success
• Note the progressive and sequential developmental indicators for
each goal within the “social connections” subdomain
• Use natural classroom experiences and interactions to “talk about the
importance of accepting people who are similar to and different from
themselves”

6. Strategies for Infants and Toddlers
• Help them feel safe and secure by responding to their needs and
holding them in ways that support secure attachments
• Have diverse and multi-cultural books, materials and activities,
including things specifically related to a child’s family.
• Note #4 on p. 135. Be discreet and sensitive to the cultures with
whom you are working. Ensure positive interactions with all families,
no matter your own personal biases!!
• Help children play together and support children with disabilities,
who speak different languages, or who may otherwise need help
interacting positively with adults and other children.

7. Strategies for Preschoolers - Social
• Provide props, equipment, materials, literature, music and activities
that reflect children’s families and community in addition to global
diversity
• Help children develop social skills that support positive relationships
and interactions with others
• Provide activities that help children recognize similarities and
differences
• Model and practice problem-solving strategies in natural and planned
experiences
• Participate in service activities

8. Mathematical Thinking and
Expression (pp. 137-143)
• Note the progressive Developmental Indicators and the
interrelatedness of mathematical concepts in everyday explorations
and activities with young children
• Understand and plan for concept development as it relates to
mathematical thinking and expression: numbers, seriation, one-to-
one correspondence, patterns, classification, spatial sense,
conservation, etc.
• Numbers and math concepts are best learned in naturally occurring
circumstances as opposed through direct instruction
• NO WORKSHEETS!

9. Strategies for Infants and Toddlers
• Use language to talk about and elaborate on math concepts
• Provide toys and materials that promote sizing, one-to-one
correspondence, categorizing
• Play games and sing songs that involve numbers and counting
• Read books that involve math concepts (daily schedules, numbers,
spatial concepts such as “in the box” and “under the table”)
• Call attention to and talk about patterns in nature. Play with natural
materials
• Use sand and water play with many containers of various sizes
• Count within the normal context of daily activities – 4 cups at snack

10. Strategies for Preschoolers
• Provide a variety of toys and materials in all centers that support
development of mathematical thinking while promoting development
in all developmental domains
• Ask open-ended questions to help children analyze and problem solve
in everyday contexts and play
• Use literacy (books, songs, finger plays, etc.) that promote math
concepts
• Count, identify shapes and geometric figures, use schedules, measure
and weigh throughout the day through play and classroom routines.

11. Scientific Exploration and Knowledge
(pp. 144 – 147)
• Progressive Developmental Indicators are provided for each of the
goals.
• Scientific exploration and knowledge is enhance through multi-
sensory experiences
• Children with disabilities may need additional supports so that they
can fully experience and explore
• Motivation, curiosity, and wonder must be encouraged.
• Help children observe, describe, collect, explain, predict, question,
compare, problem-solve, etc.
• Encourage responsibility through care of living things

12. Strategies for Infants and Toddlers
• Play with toys that encourage cause and effect activities
• Observe children’s interests and use language to explore their
interests
• Allow children to explore, including putting safe toys and objects in
their mouths, explore various textures and surfaces, look at moving
and patterned objects, and other multi-sensory exploration
• Use books, pictures, games that help children identify and learn
about the world around them

13. Strategies for Preschoolers
• Use the scientific method within the natural context of exploring
topics of interest: observe, question, predict, experiment, draw
conclusions, share results.
• Help children ask questions, problem-solve, record their thinking
processes
• Mental model thinking processes that encourage curiosity and
wonder
• Provide equipment, tools, materials that encourage exploration and
can be used in a variety of ways.
• Provide opportunities to explore natural materials in natural contexts.