Deck 12: Cognitive Development Through the Curriculum

Question 1

What is cognition?

A) the ability to represent objects mentally
B) the ability to retain and use information
C) the process of mental development
D) the process of learning to read and write

Answer 1

the process of mental development

Question 2

Which of the following activities best describes how children learn according to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

A) Children construct knowledge for themselves.
B) Teachers provide knowledge through instruction.
C) Cognitive development is a passive process.
D) Knowledge begins in the preoperational period.

Answer 2

Children construct knowledge for themselves.

Question 3

Charlotte is playing with a shape-sorting cube. After several unsuccessful attempts to place a star-shaped piece into a triangular hole, she matches the star piece to the star-shaped hole in the cube, and the piece falls inside. This scenario best demonstrates which of the following statements about cognition?

A) Children learn by exploring objects in their environment.
B) Children develop knowledge through direct instruction.
C) Learning is analogous to the functioning of a computer.
D) Knowledge is gained through observation and imitation.

Answer 3

Children learn by exploring objects in their environment.

Question 4

As outlined in Piaget's theory, during which period of development do children begin to understand that there are some predictable occurrences and that they can cause things to happen?

A) sensorimotor period
B) preoperational period
C) concrete operations period
D) formal operations period

Question 5

Whenever he draws a picture, Evan makes figures with circular heads, oval bodies, stick-like arms and legs, and scribbled hair to represent his family. What developmental stage does this illustration best represent?

A) sensorimotor period
B) preoperational period
C) concrete operations period
D) formal operations period

Question 6

What is meant by egocentricity in preoperational children?

A) the capability to think about and reflect on what they are doing
B) the ability to differentiate between what they perceive and reality
C) the assumption that everyone experiences the world as they do
D) the capacity to discriminate between esoteric and practical facts

Question 7

Xho understands that one cup of water remains the same when it is poured from a short glass into a taller glass. This concept is called ______.

A) conservation
B) cognition
C) flexibility
D) fluidity

Question 8

The concrete operations period is distinguished by an emerging ability to use which of the following?

A) symbolic representation
B) logical thinking
C) reflective abstraction
D) sensory register

Question 9

Which of the following theories holds that learning is controlled by consequences such as rewards and punishments?

A) behaviorism
B) information processing
C) Vygotsky's sociocultural theory
D) Piaget's theory of cognitive development

Question 10

Which of the following descriptions is most applicable to the information processing theory of cognitive development?

A) It maintains that learning is shaped by environmental forces, specifically in response to reward and punishment.
B) It focuses on how children transform information and relate it to other information stored in their memories.
C) It holds that children construct knowledge for themselves rather than having it conveyed to them by an external source.
D) It stresses the importance of the social, cultural, and historic context in understanding child development.

Question 11

In a flow chart depicting an information processing theory of cognition, information first comes to our awareness through the ______.

A) central processor
B) sensory register
C) short-term memory
D) metamemory

Question 12

What is metamemory?

A) mentally repeating information over and over
B) placing items to be remembered into logical categories
C) the way that information first comes to our awareness
D) the ability to think about one's own memory

Question 13

In Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, learning takes place in the ______.

A) cognitive development center
B) sensory-perceptual region
C) long-term memory system
D) zone of proximal development

Question 14

Which approach to learning aims to help children become successful learners by promoting such skills as self-regulation, critical thinking, and making connections?

A) behaviorism
B) information processing
C) Tools of the Mind
D) observational learning

Question 15

The Tools of the Mind approach to learning emphasizes which of the following?

A) developing executive skills such as perspective taking and critical thinking
B) distinct stages of development based on the acquisition of specific skills
C) physical fitness and sports activity, including individual and team play
D) the transfer of knowledge from teacher to student through direct instruction

Question 16

The educational approach that emphasizes developing the skills that underlie learning is ______.

A) Tools of the Mind
B) STEM
C) ABC Analysis
D) Common Core

Question 17

Proponents of the Tools of the Mind approach advocate play that ______.

A) is spontaneous and directed by the child
B) is competitive and controlled by the teacher
C) includes symbolic representation and complex themes
D) provides consequences such as rewards and punishments

Question 18

The Tools of the Mind approach stresses the importance of ______.

A) knowledge benchmarks
B) structured play
C) memorization skills
D) direct teaching

Question 19

Forrest draws a play plan that represents him at the science center playing with measuring cups and test tubes. When he begins playing, he puts on a lab coat and goggles and uses the cups to pretend he is making medicine. This scenario exemplifies ______.

A) a Tools of the Mind classroom
B) spontaneous child-directed play
C) play that is teacher-controlled
D) behaviorist teaching methods

Question 20

Which of the following scenarios typifies a Tools of the Mind approach?

A) The classroom has a restaurant theme, with the art center set up as a pizzeria and the science center set up as a coffee shop.
B) The students earn colorful stickers for listening, staying on task, cleaning up after themselves, and raising their hands.
C) The teacher goes over the material with the children several times and makes up a song to help them remember it.
D) Children move freely and spontaneously throughout the classroom and work with the teacher individually or in small groups.

Question 21

Sorting blocks by color is an example of what cognitive skill?

A) application
B) classification
C) seriation
D) representation

Question 22

Which of the following activities represents classification?

A) Asra sorts through the basket pulling out all the triangle pieces.
B) Brendon organizes the vehicle shapes from smallest to largest.
C) Faezah sets one cup and one plate for each student in the class.
D) Jarod builds a tower using various shapes of wooden blocks.

Question 23

In cognitive development, the ability to classify means ______.

A) the ability to place objects in a logical sequence or order
B) accurately attaching a numeral name to a series of objects
C) placing a series of events into their order of occurrence
D) the ability to sort and group objects by a common attribute

Question 24

Which of the following correctly reflects how preoperational children classify objects?

A) Nicole recognized that all of the items could be used for cooking.
B) Matthew put all of the red items in one group and green in another.
C) Cody put all the fruits in one drawer and all the vegetables in another.
D) Talia set the items she would need to bake cookies on the counter.

Question 25

Which of the following materials would be most useful to help children learn to seriate?

A) wooden blocks
B) nesting cups
C) dress-up clothes
D) play dough

Question 26

Which of the following activities represents seriation?

A) Yura drew a picture of himself working at the science center.
B) Selena put on a lab coat and pretended to be a scientist.
C) Kostas organized all of the blocks by color and shape.
D) Nick arranged the foam rods from shortest to longest.

Question 27

Which of the following activities would help a student develop an understanding of one-to-one correspondence?

A) asking him to count how many children are on the mat
B) asking him to count to 20 using only even numbers
C) asking her to get a plate for each student at the table
D) asking her to place a series of daily activities in time order

Question 28

Rational counting is ______.

A) arranging objects from longest to shortest
B) taking away objects from a group or series
C) attaching a numeral name to a series of objects
D) reciting a series of numbers from memory

Question 29

Which of the following materials would be most useful to help children attain number concepts?

A) crayons, paints, markers, and pencils
B) Unifix cubes, Cuisenaire rods, and dominoes
C) magnets, magnifying glasses, and beakers
D) tambourines, egg shakers, and maracas

Question 30

The difference between rote counting and rational counting is that rote counting ______, whereas rational counting ______.

A) uses manipulatives or fingers; is purely a mental activity
B) is recited aloud; is written on a worksheet
C) has no order; follows a logical sequence
D) is counting from memory; counts a series of objects

Question 31

Which of the following is considered the earliest form of number understanding?

A) one-to-one correspondence
B) rote counting
C) numbers in a series
D) more and less

Question 32

Asking a child to describe the steps involved in getting ready for bed at night can help the child develop which of the following skills?

A) rational counting
B) temporal sequencing
C) classification
D) data analysis

Question 33

Which of the following shows that a child is developing a sense of temporal relations?

A) an understanding of how cause precedes effect
B) an understanding of more versus less
C) sorting and grouping objects based on appearance
D) arranging musical notes from lowest to highest

Question 34

Which of the following reinforces the concept of time sequencing in preschool children?

A) arranging objects in a logical order
B) following a consistent daily routine
C) repeating information over and over
D) putting a numeral name to a set of objects

Question 35

Which of the following activities or experiences helps children develop spatial concepts?

A) having play equipment to crawl through, over, around, or across
B) asking them to give a pack of pretzels to each child in their group
C) asking them to arrange a set of cups from smallest to largest
D) having manipulatives in animal shapes to sort by type or color

Question 36

Which of the following approaches best encourages children to develop critical thinking skills?

A) reciting a series of numbers from memory
B) having children set out one cup per person
C) employing the See/Think/Wonder routine
D) teaching children through direct instruction

Question 37

What cognitive skill involves representing space using media such as markers or blocks?

A) classification
B) seriation
C) conservation
D) mapping

Question 38

Having children breathe in and out of a paper bag or use cotton swabs glued to a sheet of construction paper to represent a skeleton best supports learning in which STEM area?

A) engineering
B) technology
C) physical sciences
D) life sciences

Question 39

Life sciences includes which of the following areas of STEM learning?

A) animals
B) meteorology
C) physics
D) chemistry

Question 40

Which of the following activities best supports learning in life sciences?

A) having children observe and track the weather
B) having children take apart an old electric fan
C) having children mix chocolate syrup into milk
D) having children smell different herbs and spices

Question 41

While the children were outside on the playground, the teacher asked them to note the many different birds, insects, and animals that were also on the playground that day. This activity encourages ______.

A) critical thinking
B) STEM learning
C) self-regulation
D) rote counting

Question 42

Which of the following best reflects what experts recommend for preschoolers learning about animals?

A) It is important to learn about animals in the children's immediate environment.
B) Children who live in a desert environment should learn about marine animals.
C) Children should not participate in animal care activities in the classroom.
D) To learn about animals, it is best to take children to a zoo, a farm, or an aquarium.

Question 43

Physics, chemistry, and meteorology are considered part of which area of STEM learning?

A) life sciences
B) physical sciences
C) environmental education
D) technology

Question 44

Having children roll balls of different sizes and weights best supports learning in which of the following STEM areas?

A) physics
B) chemistry
C) seriation
D) algebra

Question 45

Activities that involve cutting, blending, mixing, heating, and cooling best support learning in which of the following STEM areas?

A) physics
B) chemistry
C) meteorology
D) geometry

Question 46

Which of the following statements about STEM learning is true?

A) Preschool children are too young to learn about protecting the environment.
B) It is important to separate science learning from other subject areas.
C) Most children today start preschool already experienced with technology.
D) The foundations of math learning are grounded in abstract thinking.

Question 47

Which of the following math standards is considered developmentally appropriate for children in prekindergarten through second grade?

A) measuring angles
B) simplifying fractions
C) recognizing shapes
D) dividing whole numbers

Question 48

Which of the following is considered essential to supporting STEM learning in infants and toddlers?

A) a safe, loving environment
B) games involving counting skills
C) a variety of different caregivers
D) an active, noisy classroom

Question 49

Which of the following games would best encourage STEM learning during the sensorimotor stage?

A) peek-a-boo
B) Monopoly
C) Red Rover
D) tic-tac-toe

Question 50

Which of the following correctly describes what research shows about the development of infants' brains?

A) Babies are natural learners and make equal cognitive progress whether their care is consistent or varied.
B) When babies are with unfamiliar caregivers, they experience stress and uneasiness and are not able to learn.
C) Infants exhibit an innate craving for variety and make greater cognitive progress when their care is varied.
D) When babies are with familiar caregivers, they feel so secure that they are less motivated to explore.

Question 51

One difference between STEM learning in the concrete operations period compared with the preoperational period is that concrete operational children have ______.

A) a growing ability to think abstractly
B) an innate curiosity about the world
C) the ability to engage in make believe
D) less ability to categorize objects

Question 52

As outlined by DAP, which of the following activities is considered appropriate math learning during the primary grades?

A) using a scale to measure the weights of different objects
B) using deductive reasoning to solve a hypothetical problem
C) having children race against each other to solve problems
D) having children copy problems and answers from the board

Question 53

Which of the following particularly supports math learning for visually impaired students?

A) reinforcing scientific concepts through worksheets
B) incorporating the concept of money into dramatic play
C) using a scale to measure the weights of objects
D) sorting objects based on tactile discrimination

Question 54

Which of the following is considered a particular benefit of STEM learning for children with social, emotional, or behavioral disorders?

A) Understanding of cause and effect can be applied to social situations.
B) They begin to form mental pictures of familiar objects and people.
C) Information first comes to consciousness through the sensory register.
D) Learning about wheels and pulleys can provide a way of moving objects.

Question 55

Which of the following reflects how teachers can successfully respond to families' concerns about a program that uses developmentally appropriate practices?

A) Mr. Redd was sensitive to cultural differences that were at odds with the approach, so he did not mention them to parents whose views were different from his own.
B) Ms. Grey confidently reassured families that as the school year went on, the approach would make more sense, and they would see growth in their children's cognitive skills.
C) Ms. Rose surveyed families about what methods of instruction they preferred for their children and began to implement many of the ideas in the classroom.
D) Ms. Gold held an informational evening with an expert speaker who discussed research supporting the approach and provided information about how children learn.

Question 56

Which of the following is considered a developmentally appropriate method of teaching STEM subjects in preschool?

A) direct instruction
B) completing worksheets
C) verbally explaining
D) hands-on activities

Question 57

Which of the following is a key concept that early childhood educators need to convey to families who might be anxious about their child's progress?

A) STEM learning is irrelevant.
B) Children learn through play.
C) Quiet work is developmentally appropriate.
D) Direct instruction is the most effective.

Question 58

What is Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8?

A) a position statement outlining best practices in the profession
B) a research study that compares different teaching methods
C) a "report card" for teachers that evaluates competence
D) a catalog of assessment tools and age-level benchmarks

Question 59

Which of the following practices is considered developmentally inappropriate for early childhood education?

A) having the children create and draw their own play plans
B) having the children learn about engineering and physics
C) having the children work quietly on number worksheets
D) having assorted manipulatives for hands-on activities

Question 60

Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has been the most influential theory on early childhood education.

Question 61

Proponents of a behaviorist model of cognitive development advocate using positive reinforcement when a child responds correctly and negative reinforcement when a child gives an incorrect answer.

Question 62

In an information processing model of cognition, the sensory register coordinates the other components, determining what information is useful in the short term and what information should be stored in long-term memory.

Question 63

The information processing model of cognitive development is considered a behaviorist theory.

Question 64

B. F. Skinner is most associated with the Tools of the Mind approach to early childhood education.

Question 65

The Tools of the Mind approach stresses the importance of play that is spontaneous and child-directed.

Question 66

Students in Tools of the Mind classrooms receive tokens such as stickers or stars for working quietly, staying on task, and raising their hands.

Question 67

The Tools of the Mind approach applies specific age-level benchmarks to assess classroom effectiveness.

Question 68

Seriation involves separating items by a common attribute or property.

Question 69

Reciting numbers from memory is called rote counting.

Question 70

Climbing over, under, through, and around play equipment can help children develop spatial concepts.

Question 71

Children primarily acquire information and develop concepts within specific curriculum areas such as math and science.

Question 72

Cooking activities can be used to help preschool children increase their awareness of plants.

Question 73

Playing peek-a-boo can help babies develop an understanding of cause and effect.

Question 74

School-age children no longer need hands-on materials or physical actions to help make mental connections

Question 75

STEM activities should engage students of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, including girls, in order to overcome the prevalent stereotype of a scientist as a white male.

Question 76

STEM learning, such as tracking changes in the weather, is not considered developmentally appropriate for children with cognitive delays.

Question 77

It is considered developmentally inappropriate to employ teaching practices that require preschool children to sit quietly and inactively.

Question 78

When families express concerns about how the curriculum supports early childhood cognitive development, experts recommend letting the children's progress and improving skills speak for themselves.

Question 79

Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 is a position statement that provides a professional framework for teaching young children.

Question 80

Differentiate between the short-term memory, the long-term memory, and the central processor in an information processing theory of cognition.