Symbolic & Representational Thinking

Understanding that one thing can stand for another — the foundation for reading, math, and abstract thought.

Examples & Achievements

• Uses a stick as a pretend sword or a box as a pretend car
• Understands that a drawing of a cat represents a real cat
• Recognizes that numerals represent quantities
• Uses tally marks to keep score in a game
• Creates a "map" of the classroom or playground

How to Measure

• Engages in elaborate pretend play with object substitution (observed)
• Matches numerals 1-10 to corresponding quantities
• Draws a picture and explains what it represents
• Teaching Strategies GOLD Objective 13 (symbolic thinking)