Prekindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten

Language Arts

We believe literacy develops in young children when they have opportunities to communicate and become engaged members of a classroom. PK and TK immerse students in a language rich environment through games, songs, stories, and verbal sharing experiences to attain greater linguistic proficiency. Students engage in pre-reading activities and use the Words Their Way curriculum as well as Handwriting Without Tears for visual recognition and letter formation. Verbal skills are developed through the practice of oral storytelling, use of receptive and expressive vocabulary, and learning to ask questions and speaking with confidence. Fine-motor activities are performed daily to build stamina, develop coordination, and strengthen muscles.

Math

We take a hands-on approach to math, allowing PK and TK students to manipulate materials to improve their skills in sorting, matching, sequencing, patterning and graphing. They work on identification of numbers, skip counting, and identification of shapes. Our math centers enable children to manipulate and explore mathematical concepts and skills through relevant and meaningful activities.

Science

PK and TK students learn to think like scientists by exploring their environment, working in centers, and participating in teacher-directed activities. These include sand, water, sensory activities, experiments, and data collecting. PK and TK have three PBL (Project Based Learning) units that include Spiders in the Fall, a year-long Tree observation study, and Birds in the Spring. Many of our unit themes are aligned with Animals Two By Two from the FOSS Next Generation science curriculum.

Social Studies

The social studies program includes thematic units. It begins with students and their families and expands to the larger community. Students experience literature, art, cooking, dramatic play, field trips, and family projects to further understand the world in which they live.

World Languages

PK and TK Spanish introduces students to Spanish and Spanish culture. Students progress through 10 vocabulary sets as they learn to respond orally to simple phrases and questions in the target language. Through warm-up activities, listening to stories, playing games, singing songs, responding to listening activities, and performing skits, students interact with the teacher and each other by using Spanish to communicate. Students are introduced to holidays and traditions from Spanish-speaking countries.