Frog Street Pre-K - Criterion 2.9

Frog Street Pre-K materials meet expectations for supporting cognitive processes (2.9a). 

The materials consistently support the development of children’s cognitive processes. This is evident across multiple units and activity types, particularly within daily Practice Centers and STEAM components. The materials include activities that develop children’s reasoning, problem-solving, planning, and flexible thinking through play and practice.

The materials support reasoning and critical thinking across learning contexts. For example, the Welcome Guide explains that children engage in science and engineering learning through observation and questioning (p. 76) and are encouraged to think critically by applying, analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing what they have learned (p. 36). These opportunities are also reflected in instruction. In Theme 6 (p. 9), children navigate an obstacle course of streamers by crawling and walking without touching them, and they are then encouraged to design new obstacle courses or pathways, which promotes planning and flexible thinking.

The materials also include intentional opportunities for problem-solving and iterative thinking. For example, in Theme 5 (pp. 102–103), children solve the problem of helping Frog-E learn how to dance by creating a dance, teaching it to Frog-E, and coding the robot to perform it. When Frog-E runs into a wall, children must reprogram him, reinforcing persistence, reasoning, and iterative problem-solving through trial-and-error.

The materials also promote analysis, experimentation, and decision-making through hands-on play. In Theme 8 (p. 62), children build the tallest possible tower using geometric solid blocks. Teachers prompt critical thinking with questions such as, “Which block would be best to place at the top of the tower? Why?” Through this activity, children analyze block attributes, test ideas, and revise their structures during play.

The materials also support planning, collaboration, and reflection through group problem-solving tasks. For example, in Theme 3 (pp. 102–103), children design outdoor games using a limited set of materials, including cups, balls, yarn or string, masking tape, and a hole punch. Children work in small groups to plan how the materials will be used and ensure the game meets specific criteria. This activity engages children in a clear cycle of planning, doing, and reflecting.

Overall, Frog Street Pre-K consistently embeds opportunities for children to reason, plan, problem-solve, experiment, and reflect. Activities are robust, appropriately varied, and clearly aligned to support the development of cognitive processing skills through intentional play and practice. 

Frog Street Pre-K materials meet expectations for supporting executive functioning (2.9b).  

The materials are designed to support the development of executive functioning skills across all domains, including working memory, inhibitory control, attention regulation, and cognitive flexibility. Executive functioning supports are embedded throughout daily routines, whole-group instruction, small-group lessons, and practice centers.

The materials include opportunities to support the development of executive functioning skills across the instructional day. For example, working memory is supported in Theme 3 (p. 14), where the teacher says a sentence and the children repeat it. The teacher then says a word for children to clap and segment, followed by asking children to repeat the sentence as it is written on chart paper, such as “Teachers work in our school community.” This activity requires children to hold and retrieve information while engaging in multiple steps. Working memory is also reinforced daily during Morning Message and across read-alouds, literacy and math small groups, and STEAM activities.

The materials also support inhibitory control through activities that require patience, turn-taking, and self-regulation. For example, in Theme 8 (p. 100), children make predictions on a T-chart about which container will hold the most water, and then take turns counting and pouring cups of water to determine capacity. In addition, turn-taking routines and daily CALM activities during Morning Circle, including strategies such as Scissor Breathing, support impulse control, patience, and self-regulation.

Attention regulation is also supported through engaging, movement-based activities. In Theme 5, (p. 38), Children chant Humpty Dumpty while standing and acting out the rhyme as Humpty Dumpty falls and gets back up. More broadly, Music and Movement activities embedded throughout the day support sustained focus by combining movement, rhythm, and active participation.

The materials also provide opportunities to develop cognitive flexibility. For example, in Theme 4 (p. 45), after reading "Maria Had a Little Llama," children discuss what it would be like if animals came to school. Questions such as, “How would school be different?” and “Where would animals play?” prompt children to consider alternative perspectives and adapt their thinking. Pretend and Learn Practice Centers also support flexible thinking through role-play and open-ended exploration.

Overall, Frog Street Pre-K's executive functioning supports are consistently embedded across themes and instructional settings, including morning message, small groups, STEAM, music and movement, and practice centers. Activities intentionally promote working memory, inhibitory control, attention regulation, and cognitive flexibility through structured routines, guided discussions, turn-taking, and open-ended questioning. These supports are systematic, varied, and clearly aligned to executive functioning development.

Frog Street Pre-K materials meet expectations for supporting dispositions that foster learning (2.9c)

Across themes, children are provided structured opportunities to develop autonomy, curiosity, persistence, and creativity within developmentally appropriate contexts.

The materials support children’s motivation to learn through opportunities for autonomy and choice. For example, the Welcome Guide explains that a visual center management system allows children to place their name card on the center icon they choose, supporting independence and decision-making (Practice Centers, p. 84). In Theme 3, Week 1, Practice Centers (pp. 8–11), children select from centers such as Technology Center, Writer’s Corner, Creativity Station, Gross Motor, Math, Pretend and Learn, Language and Literacy, and Outdoor Activities, allowing them to follow their interests independently or with peers.

The materials also promote curiosity and problem-solving through engaging, open-ended tasks. For example, in Theme 4 (pp. 76–77), children are presented with the problem of helping Rapunzel leave and return to her tower. They brainstorm solutions, work in small groups, and respond to open-ended questions such as, “Which materials do you think might be helpful and why?” This encourages curiosity, exploration, and meaningful problem-solving.

The materials also support persistence by providing opportunities for challenge and reflection. In Theme 5 (pp. 48–49), children measure the length of their shoes using connecting cubes. For an added challenge, they are given only five cubes and asked to estimate how many more are needed before checking their answer. This structure encourages perseverance, estimation, reflection, and continued effort.

Creativity and imagination are also embedded throughout the materials. In Theme 6 (p. 89), children pack a picnic basket and engage in pretend play at a park. In Theme 9 (p. 89), children role-play “school,” selecting a teacher and rotating roles. Suggested activities include reading to the class, modeling spelling with plastic letters, and drawing and writing, as well as sorting manipulatives. These opportunities support imagination, creative thinking, and ownership of learning.

Overall, Frog Street Pre-K consistently embeds opportunities for autonomy, curiosity, persistence, and creativity through center choice, problem-based learning, differentiated challenges, and imaginative play. These experiences are supported by clear teacher guidance and structured routines that encourage children to take initiative, solve problems, and engage meaningfully in learning.