We know that when adults provide loving and intentional learning environments children will thrive.  We believe that children construct their own knowledge about themselves and the world around them over time.  Based upon developmentally appropriate practices as described by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Arizona Department of Education’s Early Learning Standards, Pinnacle has created a learning community that puts into practice what is known from research of how children learn and best practices in early childhood education.

As all children learn differently and obtain specific abilities at varying times, all age level classrooms are working toward mastery of the skills listed below.

Expectations for 3-Year-Old Classes
Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool offers two class levels for 3-year-old children. 

Mini 3s

The Mini 3s is designed for children that were born after Sept. 1. Our Mini 3s focus on self-identity, self-control, social development and motor skills. Over the course of the year our Mini 3s are expected to accomplish the following milestones:

  • Separates from parents without difficulty 
  • Can make activity choices without teacher help 
  • Seeks out other children in play 
  • Follows two-step directions 
  • Displays enthusiasm about doing things for themselves 
  • Can express with words rather than actions 
  • Shows interest in letters and words 
  • Is curious about print in the environment 
  • Shows appreciation for books 
  • Represents ideas in stories through pictures, dictation and play 
  • Uses scribbles and draws unconventional shapes to write 
  • Learns to interact with peers, to give and take 
  • Engages in make-believe play and imitates adult roles 
  • Climbs up and down playground equipment 
  • Demonstrates fine motor development such as beading, opening lids on jars, Velcro, zippers, buttons, drawing tool control and use of scissors 
  • Approaches new tasks and solves problems through observation, hands-on trial and error, and repetition. 
  • Is beginning to sort objects based on simple categories 
  • Is beginning to count objects  
3 Year Old Class

The 3-Year-Old Class is designed for children that were born on or before Sept. 1. Like the Mini 3s/Co-Op, this class focuses on self-identity, self-control, social development and motor skills. In addition, during the course of the year the following learning standards will be met:

  • Gains knowledge by listening 
  • Follows two or three-step instructions 
  • Is beginning to read print in the environment (names, letters, signs, labels, logos) 
  • Plays at reading by looking at pictures and composing the story 
  • Shows appreciation for books and enjoys stories 
  • Is curious about words and letter organization (left to right, beginning letter and ending letter) 
  • Demonstrates ability to ask appropriate questions in a group activity 
  • Sings and moves to familiar rhymes, songs and chants
  • Is able to modify behavior for various situations and settings
  • Plays in group and begins to organize activity showing increased complex dramatic play 
  • Uses objects to represent other objects in play (broom is a motorcycle) 
  • Helps others with tasks, helps another in need 
  • Verbally expresses personal knowledge about themselves
  • Responds appropriately when adults or peers initiate interactions
  • Is able to initiate and sustain positive interactions with others
  • Expresses empathy for others
  • Demonstrates positive ways to resolve conflict
  • Respects the rights and property of others and the learning materials in the classroom
  • Shows awareness of differences and similarities between themselves and others
  • Moves legs, hands and feet in rhythm 
  • Uses pencil and drawing tools with confidence 
  • Writing advances from scribbling to recognizable letters 
  • Demonstrates ability to write their own name 
  • Demonstrates ability to recognize their own name in print 
  • Uses scissors with control 
  • Uses a variety of materials, media, tools and techniques to create original works of art
  • Recognizes basic geometric shapes 
  • Recognizes colors, size differences 
  • Copies simple patterns through matching and imitation
  • Verbally describes similarities and differences in patterns and objects
  • Sorts objects by two recognizable attributes (size, color, shape, function) 
  • Counts to 10 or higher with emerging one-to-one correspondence 
  • Recalls words in a song or poem 
  • Is comfortable exploring the immediate environment and the school environment beyond the classroom
  • Demonstrates increased awareness and eagerness to participate in classroom activities that ask questions, seek predictions and hypotheses about how the world works
  • Uses a variety of tools (magnifying glass, ruler, scales) and materials to investigate the world around them
  • Demonstrates ability to persist with an investigation over a period of time
4-5 Year Old & PreK

The 3-Year-Old Class is designed for children that were born on or before Sept. 1. Like the Mini 3s/Co-Op, this class focuses on self-identity, self-control, social development and motor skills. In addition, during the course of the year the following learning standards will be met:

  • Gains knowledge by listening 
  • Follows two or three-step instructions 
  • Is beginning to read print in the environment (names, letters, signs, labels, logos) 
  • Plays at reading by looking at pictures and composing the story 
  • Shows appreciation for books and enjoys stories 
  • Is curious about words and letter organization (left to right, beginning letter and ending letter) 
  • Demonstrates ability to ask appropriate questions in a group activity 
  • Sings and moves to familiar rhymes, songs and chants
  • Is able to modify behavior for various situations and settings
  • Plays in group and begins to organize activity showing increased complex dramatic play 
  • Uses objects to represent other objects in play (broom is a motorcycle) 
  • Helps others with tasks, helps another in need 
  • Verbally expresses personal knowledge about themselves
  • Responds appropriately when adults or peers initiate interactions
  • Is able to initiate and sustain positive interactions with others
  • Expresses empathy for others
  • Demonstrates positive ways to resolve conflict
  • Respects the rights and property of others and the learning materials in the classroom
  • Shows awareness of differences and similarities between themselves and others
  • Moves legs, hands and feet in rhythm 
  • Uses pencil and drawing tools with confidence 
  • Writing advances from scribbling to recognizable letters 
  • Demonstrates ability to write their own name 
  • Demonstrates ability to recognize their own name in print 
  • Uses scissors with control 
  • Uses a variety of materials, media, tools and techniques to create original works of art
  • Recognizes basic geometric shapes 
  • Recognizes colors, size differences 
  • Copies simple patterns through matching and imitation
  • Verbally describes similarities and differences in patterns and objects
  • Sorts objects by two recognizable attributes (size, color, shape, function) 
  • Counts to 10 or higher with emerging one-to-one correspondence 
  • Recalls words in a song or poem 
  • Is comfortable exploring the immediate environment and the school environment beyond the classroom
  • Demonstrates increased awareness and eagerness to participate in classroom activities that ask questions, seek predictions and hypotheses about how the world works
  • Uses a variety of tools (magnifying glass, ruler, scales) and materials to investigate the world around them
  • Demonstrates ability to persist with an investigation over a period of time