The Mastery Series Early Childhood Curriculum
A Progressive Mathematics and Phonics Curriculum for Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten
The Mastery Series is a developmental early childhood curriculum from Liberty Education for Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten. The series consists of six Mathematics and Phonics programs, each supported by a Teacher Guide and accompanying Student Book.
The curriculum provides a progressive learning pathway from foundational exploration and recognition in Nursery, through development and application in Preschool, to increasingly advanced reasoning, early reading, writing and problem solving in Kindergarten.
Nursery: Foundation → Preschool: Development & Application → Kindergarten: Integration & Mastery
What Is the Mastery Series?
The Mastery Series is an early childhood curriculum organized across three developmental levels and two core curriculum areas:
Nursery • Preschool • Kindergarten
Mathematics • Phonics
Together, these form six connected programs:
- Nursery Mathematics
- Nursery Phonics
- Preschool Mathematics
- Preschool Phonics
- Kindergarten Mathematics
- Kindergarten Phonics
Each level builds on learning developed at the previous level. Children encounter concepts through teacher-guided instruction, stories, songs, movement, manipulatives, games, art, sensory exploration, discussion, learning centers and purposeful Student Book activities.
The aim is not simply to introduce more content as children get older. The curriculum progressively increases what children are expected to recognize, understand, communicate, represent and apply.
Mastery Series Scope & Sequence
Who Is the Mastery Series Designed For?
The Mastery Series is designed for children learning at Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten levels, as well as the teachers, schools and early childhood programs supporting their development.
At Nursery level, children build foundations through experience, exploration, recognition, naming, matching and participation.
At Preschool level, children increasingly identify, discriminate, classify, sequence, represent and apply what they know.
At Kindergarten level, children extend their knowledge through increasingly advanced analysis, comparison, reasoning, early reading, writing and problem solving.
What Subjects Does the Mastery Series Cover?
Mathematics
Mastery Series Mathematics develops children's understanding of numbers, quantities, counting, shapes, colors, classification, sequencing, patterns, comparison, measurement and mathematical relationships.
Learning begins with concrete, hands-on mathematical experiences and progresses toward increasingly symbolic, relational and applied mathematical thinking.
By Kindergarten, children encounter areas including number relationships, early operations, geometry, measurement, ordinal numbers, time, money and mathematical reasoning.
Phonics
Mastery Series Phonics develops children's understanding of letters, sounds and spoken language before progressively applying this knowledge within words.
Children begin with alphabet awareness, letter recognition, letter sounds and beginning-sound vocabulary.
As they progress, they strengthen sound discrimination, letter formation and application. By Kindergarten, children work with beginning, middle and ending sounds, short vowels, sound blending, simple word reading and writing, rhyming, word families, vocabulary, sentences and early comprehension.
Mastery Series Curriculum at a Glance
| Level | Mathematics | Phonics |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery | Early number sense, counting, quantities, colors, shapes, matching, classification, sequencing and mathematical language. | Alphabet awareness, letter recognition, uppercase and lowercase letters, letter sounds, beginning-sound vocabulary, oral language and emerging letter formation. |
| Preschool | Number and quantity, number representation, number words, sequencing, shapes, colors, sorting, classification, spatial concepts and early reasoning. | Pre-writing skills, alphabet knowledge, letter-sound relationships, beginning-sound discrimination, uppercase/lowercase matching, vocabulary, oral language, letter formation, alphabet sequence and cumulative review. |
| Kindergarten | Number sense and numeration, counting and quantity, number order, comparison, early operations, patterns, geometry, classification, measurement, ordinal numbers, time, money and mathematical reasoning. | Letter-sound knowledge, beginning and ending sounds, middle short-vowel sounds, sound blending, simple word reading, rhyming, word families, word writing, vocabulary, sentence development and early comprehension. |
How Learning Progresses Across the Mastery Series
Nursery — Foundation
Experience → Explore → Recognize → Name → Match → Respond
Nursery establishes the foundation for later learning. Children encounter early Mathematics and Phonics concepts through concrete, multisensory experiences involving movement, stories, songs, classroom objects, pictures, manipulatives, games, art and guided Student Book activities.
The emphasis is on helping children become familiar with important concepts and language while developing confidence in recognizing, naming, matching, counting, listening, speaking, tracing and participating.
Preschool — Development & Application
Recognize → Identify → Discriminate → Match → Classify → Sequence → Represent → Apply
Preschool builds on the Nursery foundation. Children are increasingly expected to distinguish between concepts, make connections, classify information, follow sequences and represent what they know through guided written, visual and hands-on activities.
Mathematics becomes increasingly representational and relational, while Phonics places greater emphasis on sound discrimination, letter-sound relationships, letter formation, alphabet knowledge and cumulative application.
Kindergarten — Integration & Mastery
Analyze → Compare → Connect → Read → Write → Reason → Apply
Kindergarten extends foundational knowledge into more complex applications.
In Mathematics, children increasingly work with number relationships, ordering, comparison, early operations, patterns, measurement, time, money and mathematical reasoning.
In Phonics, children progress beyond individual letter-sound relationships to analyze sounds within words, work with short vowels, blend sounds, read and write simple words, recognize rhymes and word families, develop sentences and engage with early comprehension.
FOUNDATION → DEVELOPMENT → APPLICATION → INTEGRATION
Mathematics Curriculum Progression
Mathematics in the Mastery Series progresses from concrete exploration toward increasingly symbolic, relational and applied mathematical thinking.
Nursery establishes early number sense, counting, quantities, colors, shapes and classification.
Preschool develops number representation, number words, sequencing, geometry, classification, spatial understanding and early reasoning.
Kindergarten extends learning into number relationships, comparison, early operations, patterns, geometry, measurement, ordinal numbers, time, money and mathematical reasoning.
Experience → Recognize → Count → Match → Represent → Sequence → Compare → Measure → Operate → Apply → Reason
Phonics Curriculum Progression
Phonics in the Mastery Series progresses from letter and sound foundations toward early word reading, writing and comprehension.
Nursery develops alphabet awareness, letter recognition, letter sounds, beginning-sound vocabulary, oral language and emerging letter formation.
Preschool strengthens letter-sound relationships, beginning-sound discrimination, visual and auditory discrimination, letter formation, vocabulary, oral language, alphabet sequencing and cumulative review.
Kindergarten extends phonics knowledge into beginning, middle and ending sounds, short vowels, sound blending, simple word reading and writing, rhyming, word families, vocabulary, sentence development and early comprehension.
Hear → Recognize → Connect → Discriminate → Analyze → Blend → Read → Write → Understand
The Six Mastery Series Programs
Nursery Mathematics
Building Early Mathematical Foundations
Nursery Mathematics introduces children to foundational mathematical ideas through numbers, counting, quantities, colors, shapes, matching, classification, sequencing and mathematical language.
Children learn through concrete objects, movement, stories, songs, games, art, sensory experiences and guided Student Book activities.
Learn More About Nursery Mathematics →
Nursery Phonics
Building Letter & Sound Foundations
Nursery Phonics introduces children to alphabet awareness, uppercase and lowercase letters, letter names, target sounds, beginning-sound vocabulary, oral language and emerging letter formation.
Multisensory activities help children begin connecting letter shape, letter name, sound and spoken word.
Learn More About Nursery Phonics →
Preschool Mathematics
Developing Mathematical Understanding & Application
Preschool Mathematics builds on children's early mathematical experiences through number and quantity, number representation, number words, sequencing, shapes, colors, sorting, classification, spatial concepts and early reasoning.
Children increasingly move from recognizing mathematical concepts toward representing, comparing, sorting, sequencing and applying them.
Learn More About Preschool Mathematics →
Preschool Phonics
Strengthening Sound Discrimination & Letter Application
Preschool Phonics strengthens alphabet knowledge, letter-sound relationships, beginning-sound awareness, visual and auditory discrimination, uppercase/lowercase matching, vocabulary, oral language and letter formation.
The program also includes pre-writing preparation and cumulative alphabet review as children develop greater control and confidence in applying their letter and sound knowledge.
Learn More About Preschool Phonics →
Kindergarten Mathematics
Extending Mathematical Thinking & Reasoning
Kindergarten Mathematics develops increasingly complex mathematical understanding through number sense, counting and quantity, number representation, number order, comparison, early operations, patterns, geometry, classification, measurement, ordinal numbers, time, money and mathematical reasoning.
Children increasingly represent, compare, order, measure, solve and apply mathematical ideas.
Learn More About Kindergarten Mathematics →
Kindergarten Phonics
Advancing Toward Early Reading & Writing
Kindergarten Phonics extends children's letter-sound knowledge into increasingly detailed analysis and application within words.
Children work with beginning and ending consonant sounds, middle short-vowel sounds, sound blending, simple word reading and writing, rhyming, word families, vocabulary, sentence development and early comprehension.
This marks an important transition from primarily learning individual letters and sounds toward using phonics knowledge to analyze, construct, read, write and understand words.
How the Teacher Guides and Student Books Work Together
Each Mastery Series program combines a Teacher Guide with an accompanying Student Book.
Teacher Guides
The Teacher Guides support instruction through:
- Learning objectives
- Teacher modeling and discussion
- Stories and rhymes
- Songs and movement
- Hands-on experiences
- Games and manipulatives
- Art and creative activities
- Fine-motor and gross-motor experiences
- Vocabulary and language development
- Sensory and STEAM connections
- Suggested learning centers
- Guidance for accompanying Student Book activities
Student Books
The Student Books provide structured opportunities for children to demonstrate and apply learning through activities such as:
- Recognizing and identifying
- Matching
- Counting
- Sorting and classifying
- Tracing
- Sequencing
- Coloring and drawing
- Letter and numeral formation
- Writing
- Completing visual tasks
- Applying concepts introduced during teacher-guided instruction
The Mastery Series Learning Cycle
Teacher Introduces → Children Experience → Teacher Models → Children Explore → Children Practice → Student Book Application → Review & Reinforcement
Teaching and Learning Approach
The Mastery Series uses an active, multisensory and language-rich approach to early childhood learning.
Children encounter concepts in multiple ways. They may hear a concept through a story or song, see it represented visually, say it through discussion and vocabulary, move through an action or gross-motor activity, touch and manipulate concrete materials, create through art or construction, and finally represent or apply their learning in the Student Book.
Stories & Rhymes • Songs & Movement • Teacher Modeling • Discussion • Games • Manipulatives • Art & Craft • Sensory Exploration • Fine-Motor Activities • Gross-Motor Activities • STEAM Experiences • Learning Centers • Student Book Practice
Whole-Child Development
The Mastery Series connects Mathematics and Phonics with multiple areas of early childhood development.
Cognitive Development
Observation, memory, identification, matching, classification, sequencing, comparison, reasoning and problem solving.
Language Development
Listening, vocabulary, questioning, description, discussion, oral language and sentence development.
Fine-Motor Development
Tracing, writing, cutting, pasting, painting, manipulating materials and pre-writing experiences.
Gross-Motor Development
Movement games, action songs, walking, hopping, jumping, balancing and large-scale learning activities.
Social & Emotional Development
Participation, cooperation, turn-taking, sharing, communication and confidence.
Creative Development
Drawing, painting, collage, construction, music, movement and creative expression.
STEAM & Sensory Exploration
Observation, investigation, materials, nature, measurement, color mixing and hands-on sensory experiences.
Together, these experiences allow Mathematics and Phonics to be taught within the broader developmental context of the young child.
Mastery Series Scope & Sequence
The Mastery Series Scope & Sequence provides teachers, school administrators and curriculum leaders with a structured view of what children learn and how learning develops across Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten.
Mathematics Scope & Sequence
- Nursery Mathematics Scope & Sequence
- Preschool Mathematics Scope & Sequence
- Kindergarten Mathematics Scope & Sequence
- Mathematics Curriculum Progression: Nursery to Kindergarten
Phonics Scope & Sequence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mastery Series?
The Mastery Series is a developmental early childhood curriculum from Liberty Education covering Mathematics and Phonics at Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten levels.
How many programs are in the Mastery Series?
The Mastery Series consists of six programs: Nursery Mathematics, Nursery Phonics, Preschool Mathematics, Preschool Phonics, Kindergarten Mathematics and Kindergarten Phonics.
What levels does the Mastery Series cover?
The Mastery Series covers Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten.
What subjects are included in the Mastery Series?
The Mastery Series includes two connected curriculum pathways: Mathematics and Phonics.
What materials are included?
Each Mastery Series program is supported by a Teacher Guide and accompanying Student Book.
How does learning progress from Nursery to Kindergarten?
Nursery establishes foundational experiences and recognition. Preschool develops discrimination, representation and application. Kindergarten extends learning into increasingly complex analysis, reasoning, early reading, writing and problem solving.
Foundation → Development → Application → Integration
What does Mastery Series Phonics teach?
Phonics progresses from alphabet awareness, letter recognition and letter sounds in Nursery toward stronger sound discrimination and application in Preschool. Kindergarten extends learning into sound analysis within words, short vowels, blending, simple word reading and writing, rhyming, word families, sentence development and early comprehension.
What does Mastery Series Mathematics teach?
Mathematics progresses from foundational number, quantity, color, shape and classification experiences toward number representation, sequencing and reasoning, and then into increasingly advanced number relationships, comparison, early operations, patterns, geometry, measurement, ordinal numbers, time, money and mathematical reasoning.
How do the Teacher Guide and Student Book work together?
The Teacher Guide provides the instructional experience through teacher modeling, discussion, stories, songs, movement and hands-on activities. The Student Book provides structured opportunities for children to practice, represent and apply the concepts introduced through teacher-guided learning.
Is a Scope & Sequence available?
Yes. Scope & Sequence documentation is available across the Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten Mathematics and Phonics programs to show what children learn and how learning develops across the three levels.
About Liberty Education
Liberty Education is the publisher of the Mastery Series, an early childhood Mathematics and Phonics curriculum for Nursery, Preschool and Kindergarten.
The Mastery Series brings together progressive learning across three developmental levels, supported by Teacher Guides and accompanying Student Books.
How to Cite the Mastery Series
Educators, schools, curriculum reviewers and other organizations referencing the Mastery Series may cite the official Liberty Education Mastery Series webpage.
Suggested citation:
Liberty Education. (2026). The Mastery Series: Early Childhood Mathematics and Phonics Curriculum. Liberty Education.
Official source:
https://libertyeducation.co/preschool-curriculum/mastery-series-early-childhood-curriculum
For individual Scope & Sequence documents, cite the specific curriculum title and its official Liberty Education webpage.