This quick guide is designed to help researchers and program evaluators determine if a classroom is implementing the High/Scope Approach to working with preschool-aged children.
Learning Environment
This is High/Scope:
- The classroom is divided into interest areas.
- Interest areas have names children can understand.
- Materials are labeled with tracings, pictures, photographs, actual objects, or words.
- All materials are accessible to children.
- Most of the materials are open-ended.
- Many “real” items are available in place of toy replicas.
- Children’s artwork, photos of block structures and/or samples of emergent writing is displayed on the walls.
This is not High/Scope:
- No interest areas are defined or apparent.
- Interest areas have names that are abstract to children (e.g., manipulates, fine motor, dramatic play)
- Some materials are stored in a teacher cupboard and children must ask to have them taken out.
- Most of the materials lead to prescribed outcomes like art cut-outs, lotto games, worksheets, coloring books, commercial and battery-operated toys.
- Materials include many toy replicas.
- Most displays consist of adult-directed projects and/or commercially produced materials.
Adult’s Role Throughout the Day:
This is High/Scope:
- Adults interact with children in calm, respectful tones.
- Adults show positive attention to children by smiling, making eye contact, getting down to children’s level, listening attentively.
- Adults converse with children in a give-and-take manner.
- Adults ask questions sparingly; questions are open-ended.
- Adults encourage children by repeating their ideas, commenting on what children are doing and playing with children.
- Adults treat conflict situations matter of factly and use a problem-solving approach to involve children in finding a solution.
- Adults take anecdotal notes to that reflect what children do and say.
- Adults plan daily.
- Adults use Key Experience (content goals) to understand the child’s knowledge and level of development and to plan for individual children.
- Adults use the Child Observation Record® (COR) to assess children’s growth and development.
This is not High/Scope:
- Adult sometimes use shouting, shaming, or harsh words or actions.
- Adults primarily talk to one another or maintain the classroom instead of focusing on children.
- Adults give directions.
- Adults ask many questions, especially closed ended questions.
- Adults use praise and/or stickers to reward children’s accomplishments and behavior.
- Adults shame, scold or punish children and fix problems with no input from the children.
- Adults plan weekly or monthly.
- Adults create plans based on themes.
- Adults do not assess children’s growth and development.
- Adults do no use the Child Observation Record® (COR)
Daily Routine
This is High/Scope:
- Each segment occurs daily: planning time-work time-recall time, small-group time, large-group time, and outside time.
- Greeting time, meals and/or rest times may be added depending on program needs.
- A daily routine chart with pictures and words is posted so children are aware of the sequence.
This is not High/Scope:
- Some segments of the High/Scope Daily Routine are omitted.
- A consistent routine is not followed.
- Children depend on adults to tell them what they are doing next.
Planning Time (about 10 minutes)
This is High/Scope:
- Children plan with an adult in a small groups.
- Adults encourage individual children to plan in ways consistent to their developmental level.
- Adults talk individually with each child in turn.
- Each child shares an idea for work time by pointing, getting materials and showing an action, speaking, drawing or writing.
- Each child gets started on a plan right after he or she has planned.
This is not High/Scope:
- Whole-group planning.
- Adults assign children areas to play in and/or set out materials for children to play with.
- Adults close certain areas so children can’t play in them.
- Adults play with all children in a rote way (i.e., asking every child, “Where are you going to work today?”).
- Planning boards require children to move their nametags to each area when they change their plans.
Work Time (about 45-60 minutes)
This is High/Scope:
- Work time occurs right after planning time.
- Children carry out their own initiatives by choosing their own materials and people to work with.
- Children are free to invent activities and use materials creatively.
- Adults supervise, interact and play with children on the child’s physical level (e.g., on the floor, at a table).
- Adults talk conversationally with children about what they are doing.
- Adults support children’s ideas and learning.
- Adults assist children’s problem-solving attempts when needed.
This is not High/Scope:
- Activities are pre-set for children to do.
- Adults limit the number of children who can play in each area.
- Adults bring children over to do a project designed by adults.
- Adults direct children on how to use materials and carry out activities.
- Adults do classroom paperwork or management tasks.
- Adults only supervise children or passively observe them.
- Adults impose their own ideas of what children should be doing.
- Adults solve children’s problems with no input from children.
Recall Time (about 10 minutes)
This is High/Scope:
- Recall follows work time or clean-up time.
- Children recall with an adult in small groups.
- Adults encourage children to recall in ways consistent with their developmental levels.
- Children share something about their work time experiences by showing, re-enacting, describing in words, making drawings, or writing.
This is not High/Scope:
- Recalling with the whole class in a large group.
- Recalling at the end of the day (that is, not as part of the planning-work time- recall sequence).
- Adults ask each child to recall in a rote manner (e.g., asking each child, “Where did you work today.”).
Small-group Time (about 15-20 minutes)
This is High/Scope:
- Adults plan open-ended activities.
- Adults prepare materials for each child ahead of time.
- Individual children explore and use materials in their own ways.
- Children and adults stay with the same small-group time for several months.
This is not High/Scope:
- Adults expect all children to use the materials in the same way.
- Pre-cut art projects with a teacher model to follow.
- Worksheets.
- New groups of children and adults are formed each day.
Large-Group Time (about 10-15 minutes)
This is High/Scope:
- All adults participate with children.
- Individual children can add their own ideas or try out others’ ideas by suggesting new verses to a song, trying out a way of moving, or taking turns leading.
- Adults sit on the floor with children.
- Adults let the children be leaders.
- Adults use children’s ideas and imitate the children’s actions.
This is not High/Scope:
- Not all adults are present or do not participate by singing or moving with the children.
- Adults direct the activities, not asking children to contribute ideas.
- Adults expect all children to sing to a recording or move in the same way.
- Calendar time rather than message board.
- Children sit passively while adults handle the materials or lecture.
Outside Time (about 30 minutes)
This is High/Scope:
- Children and adults go outside daily, except when extreme weather conditions prohibit it.
- Children climb, pour, jump, run, pretend, swing, ride, play alone or with others.
- Adults supervise children for safety and also join in their play.
This is not High/Scope:
- Replacing outside time with play in a gym space when children could go outside.
- Adults only supervise children for safety.
- Adults direct children’s activities (e.g.,all children must play a game or run races).
View Full Article
May Workbooks are Here! 
Get Outside! 10 Playful Activities 
