36 Curriculum & Learning Environment 3. Curriculum (continued) 8. Learning about Social Studies Level 1 Recognize the importance of providing developmentally appropriate opportunities for children to learn about family, community, and time. CLE 3.8.1 Level 2 Understand the importance of using providing a variety of developmentally appropriate activities to support the social studies understanding of young children. Implement social studies activities based on the on-going formative assessment of children’s abilities, interests, and individual learning needs. Provide props and materials to extend children’s play and learning related to interactions among people, resources, and communities. CLE 3.8.2 Level 3 Develop, plan, and create an environment that supports children’s understanding of social studies. Clearly align social studies activities with the Arizona Early Learning Standards; Arizona Infant and Toddler Developmental Guidelines; Program Guidelines for High Quality Early Education: Birth through Kindergarten; and/ or Arizona Academic Standards, as appropriate. Develop and plan play- based social studies activities that are integrated with other curriculum content areas and across multiple domains and facilitate gradual and continuous development of scientific concepts. Using observation and assessment data, plan social study activities for children that are appropriate to the developmental level and learning abilities of individual children. Ensure that the planning, implementation and facilitation of social studies activities are appropriate, culturally responsive, and adapted for children with special needs. CLE 3.8.3 Level 4 Analyze, evaluate, and modify the social studies curriculum in order to facilitate continuous curriculum improvements and ensure implementation of evidenced-based best practices derived from research. CLE 3.8.4 Level 5 Analyze, evaluate, articulate, and apply current knowledge, theories, research, and best practices regarding the development of social studies understanding by young children. Advocate for licensing regulations and quality standards to ensure children experience best practices to enhance the children’s understanding of social studies. CLE 3.8.5