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Year-Long Trajectory
Trajectory Guidance
The Year-Long Trajectory is your scope and sequence for learning experiences across the year. A scope and sequence maps a pathway for ongoing learning in various content areas along with the experiences that support children’s learning as they grow and develop. SEE Every Child is arranged by monthly content areas, leading with the Big Ideas that ground learning experiences. This year-long trajectory is the foundation for our mission to ensure that all young children in Somerville have equitable access to a curriculum approach where they are engaged in joyful, robust, challenging, child-centered experiences grounded in play, discovery, and their own interests, and guided by state and national learning standards. Use it as you plan for each month to ensure that children are receiving the learning experiences they need to grow and thrive.
September
Big Ideas
Who am I? How do I make friends? I am part of a group. I have feelings and my friends do too.
Anti-Bias Education
Me and My Friends: I know and like who I am, naming self identities, noticing similarities and differences in self, others, families
Mathematical Thinking
Introduction to manipulatives, sorting, counting objects, verbal counting
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to observing collections, similarities and differences, the school building and neighborhood
Social Emotional Learning
Greeting friends by name, listening routines, focusing attention games
Oral Language and Concept Development
Morning meeting routines, classroom agreements, caring for books, read alouds, explicit presentations, school-based vocabulary
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Fine motor center and art center, transfer and pincer activities, free drawing and mark making, shapes & lines
Expressive and Written Language
Class books, name songs, shared oral stories, making classroom signs for cubbies and areas
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Name games, initial sound games using names, letter exploration with moveable alphabets/magnetic letters
October
Big Ideas
How are we alike? How are we different? How do we work together? Over time things change.
Anti-Bias Education
Me and My Friends: Self awareness, naming self identities, noticing similarities and differences in self, others, families
Mathematical Thinking
Verbal counting, recognizing and making groups to 5, subitizing, naming and matching familiar shapes
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to observing collections, similarities and differences, the school building and neighborhood, seasonal changes
Social Emotional Learning
Practicing self-talk during play, listening and following directions, asking for needs
Oral Language and Concept Development
Conversations about preferences, review of morning message, books with repetitive patterns, class books, turn taking during conversations, social phrases
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Bilateral hand-eye work, introduce writing and art center materials, making class signs and alphabets, mat man and writing stroke practice
Expressive and Written Language
Act out simple repetitive books, expand language with “tell me more” prompts, anchor chart writing, message making and sending
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Rhyming songs and chants, I spy naming children, classroom spaces and materials, sandpaper letters and sand trays, Alphachant lap books
November
Big Ideas
- Families
- Forces and Motion
- Transportation
How are we alike? How are we different? How do we work together? Over time things change.
Anti-Bias Education
Families: Describing, noticing similarities and differences in identities, noticing differences in beliefs and how people live
Mathematical Thinking
Verbal counting, subitizing, recognize and build shapes, 1-1 correspondence, comparing 2 groups
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to family traditions, transportation, force and motion
Social Emotional Learning
Identify happy, sad, surprised, scared, mad/angry and how others feel in different scenarios
Oral Language and Concept Development
Group games during morning meeting, KWL charts, surfacing Big Ideas & related vocabulary, CROWD read-aloud strategies sequencing & predicting, language to plan, enter, and sustain play
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Hand strength, name building games, introduce writing and art center materials, making class signs and alphabets, mat man and grip, line, shape formation, stencils, sand trays
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling/Story Acting dictation and acting, Journaling, make classroom alphabet, KWL charts, sending and receiving messages, group messages
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Word play, I Spy with small objects, sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities, key words on song/chant charts
December
Big Ideas
How does change (weather/setting) change what we do (how we dress or tell a story)?
Anti-Bias Education
Families: Describing, noticing similarities and differences in identities, noticing differences in beliefs and how people live
Mathematical Thinking
Name and describe shapes, compare two groups of objects, recognize numerals and quantities they represent
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to seasonal change, clothing
Social Emotional Learning
Identify how someone feels same or different from another person, identify when something is an accident, demonstrate kindness and helping behaviors
Oral Language and Concept Development
Support asking questions and comments, CROWD strategies, comparing and contrasting stories, extend reciprocal discourse, use content-based vocabulary in conversations
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Tracing names, letters, numbers, shapes in sand trays or with tracing paper, free drawing and journaling, representational art, new art techniques, process-based art experiences, letter formation in art
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling/Story Acting dictation and acting, Journaling, charts and Venn diagrams to compare and contrast data, group and individual message making
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Mystery bag, initial sound sorting games, sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities, handwriting books, model word building with magnetic letters, moveable alphabets
January
Big Ideas
How do people and animals stay warm, healthy and safe in cold weather? What makes things fair?
Anti-Bias Education
Civil Rights: Recognizing unfairness and injustice, unfairness hurts
Mathematical Thinking
Ordering numbers, ordering by length, identify and match shapes, find shapes in environment, plus 1 pattern in number sequencing
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to animals, the human body, healthy living
Social Emotional Learning
Oral Language and Concept Development
Group surveys, problem solving discussions, turn and talk, Big Books and shared/interactive reading, prompt retelling and summarizing, support reciprocal conversational exchanges
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Observational drawing, child-documentation of work, representational art, new art techniques, process-based art experiences, letter formation in art
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling/Story Acting, Journals & labeling drawings, Classbooks related to Big Ideas, Journal sharing & author’s chair, message center
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities, initial phoneme sorting, word building with key vocabulary, connect letter identification to handwriting
February
Big Ideas
- Light and Shadow
- Kindness and Fairness
How does light reflect and absorb? How do people communicate without speaking?
Anti-Bias Education
Civil Rights: Recognizing unfairness and injustice, unfairness hurts, people can stop unfairness and make life better, we can speak up together
Mathematical Thinking
Recognize, duplicate, extend patterns, count beyond 10, subitize, produce objects to 10, compare by counting, recognize and name shapes
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to light & shadow
Social Emotional Learning
Calming down steps, relaxation, ways to express anger, learning to wait, managing disappointment
Oral Language and Concept Development
Group surveys, problem solving discussions, turn and talk, non-fiction texts, prompt retelling and summarizing, support reciprocal conversational exchanges
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Rotation of fine motor activities and integration with Big Idea, message center, process and representational art, Handwriting practice and novel letter formation activities
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling/Story Acting, Journals & labeling drawings, Classbooks related to Big Ideas, Journal sharing & author’s chair, message center
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Rhyming books, songs, & games, I Spy with objects, initial phoneme sorting, rhyming word sorting, sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities
March
Big Ideas
- Music and Sound
- Weather
- Babies
- Kindness and Fairness
What big ideas have your children been pondering . . .
Anti-Bias Education
Civil Rights: Recognizing unfairness and injustice, unfairness hurts, people can stop unfairness and make life better, we can speak up together
Mathematical Thinking
Compare longer, shorter, etc., measurement, order numerals and length, count to 10 and beyond
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to seasonal change and weather, music and sound
Social Emotional Learning
Asking to play, trade, take turns, inviting language, feelings when others don’t play fairly
Oral Language and Concept Development
Group surveys, problem solving discussions, turn and talk, non-fiction texts, prompt retelling and summarizing, support reciprocal conversational exchanges
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Rotation of fine motor activities and integration with Big Idea, write the room, mini books, group art projects, handwriting practice and novel letter formation activities
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling Story Acting, Journals, Invented spelling and use of vocabulary cards, math/science journals, webs for planning, message center
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Rhyming books, songs, & games, I Spy with objects, initial phoneme sorting, rhyming word sorting, sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities
April
Big Ideas
- Growing and Changing
- Birds
- Changemakers
What does it mean to be kind? How do you know if something is fair? How do people make change?
Anti-Bias Education
Change Makers: Speaking up when something is unfair, Working with others to make change, kindness
Mathematical Thinking
Counting up and back from 10 and beyond, identify and match shapes, compose shapes to make pictures & designs, add and subtract small numbers
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to life cycles, growing and changing, plants, animals, change makers in science, Introduce scientific drawing, writing/labeling, science journals
Social Emotional Learning
Joining play, calming down, stating problems and thinking of solutions
Oral Language and Concept Development
Share and revising student work, peer feedback, poetry and rhyming, support reciprocal conversational exchanges, same/different, content vocabulary
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Rotation of fine motor activities and integration with Big Idea, handwriting practice and novel letter formation activities, scientific drawing and writing
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling Story Acting, Journals, Invented spelling and use of vocabulary cards, math/science journals, webs for planning, message center
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Initial sounds, syllables, rhyming, sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities, breaking words apart, invented spelling
May/June
Big Ideas
- Growing and Changing
- Changemakers
Living things grow and change – How have I grown and changed?
Anti-Bias Education
Change Makers: Speaking up when something is unfair, Working with others to make change, kindness
Mathematical Thinking
Counting up and back from 10 and beyond, add/subtract small numbers, compose shapes to make new shapes, describe shape attributes, compose numbers
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to life cycles, growing and changing, plants, animals, change makers in science
Social Emotional Learning
Prepare for transition to kindergarten, speaking up, listening, identify feelings, calming downs steps, invitation to play
Oral Language and Concept Development
Share and revising student work, peer feedback, poetry and rhyming, support reciprocal conversational exchanges, same/different, content vocabulary
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Rotation of fine motor activities and integration with Big Idea, handwriting practice and novel letter formation activities, scientific drawing and writing, copying and invented spelling
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling Story Acting, Journals, Invented spelling and use of vocabulary cards, math/science journals, webs for planning, message center, author’s chair
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Writing group poems and songs, sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities, breaking words apart, invented spelling
July/August
How do people and animals interact with their natural environment?
Anti-Bias Education
Me and My Friends: Group and individual identities, self awareness, family pride
Mathematical Thinking
Review subitizing, verbal counting, describing and composing shapes, adding and subtracting small numbers, counting and sorting
Science and Engineering
Ask questions, define problems, gather information related to insects, animals, local landmarks & neighborhood
Social Emotional Learning
Prepare for transition to kindergarten, speaking up, listening, identify feelings, calming downs steps, invitation to play
Oral Language and Concept Development
Share and revising student work, peer feedback, poetry and rhyming, support reciprocal conversational exchanges, same/different, content vocabulary
Fine Motor, Drawing, and Writing
Rotation of fine motor activities and integration with Big Idea, handwriting practice and novel letter formation activities, scientific drawing and writing
Expressive and Written Language
Story Telling Story Acting, Journals, Invented spelling and use of vocabulary cards, math/science journals, webs for planning, message center, author’s chair
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Writing group poems and songs, sandpaper letters 3 period lesson with weekly focus letters, and sand trays, letter symbol activities, breaking words apart, invented spelling