Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
Mathematics
Young children build number sense through concrete experiences before symbols. Know the counting principles: one-to-one correspondence, stable order, cardinality, order irrelevance, and abstraction. Understand subitizing (instantly recognizing small quantities), one-to-one correspondence, comparison, sorting, patterning, and spatial/geometric concepts. Math should be embedded in play, routines, and everyday materials-not drill.
Science
Science in early childhood is inquiry-based: observe, ask questions, predict, experiment, and reflect. Process skills-observing, classifying, comparing, measuring, inferring-matter more than facts. Children learn through hands-on exploration, sensory experiences, and nature. Know the difference between a closed activity (predetermined outcome) and an open-ended one (many outcomes).
Social studies
Social studies begins with the child: self, family, classroom community, then neighborhood and wider world. Concepts include community helpers, rules and citizenship, maps and globes, cultural diversity, and economic basics (needs vs. wants). Build on children's immediate experience; avoid abstract content far from their lives.
Traps to watch
Items may present flashcard drill as best practice or factual recall as the goal of science. Another trap: confusing subitizing with counting, or treating a closed craft as a science investigation.
Rule of thumb
If children can't touch, try, or talk about it, it's probably too abstract for this age band.
Worked example
A sink-and-float activity: children predict, test, and record. The teacher asks "What made you think that?" rather than confirming a single right answer-modeling inquiry process skills.