Pre-K
Pre-K Program (4 years old by September 1)
The Pre-K Approach
In Pre-K, we continue to teach the children through a play-based curriculum. During this year, they prepare for Kindergarten by learning to recognize sight words and develop skills like counting and phonemic awareness. Responsibility for one’s own learning is developed, such as being able to initiate a project, manage time, and think through how to solve the problem at hand.
We design the Pre-K day so that academic skills are learned in concert with developing executive functioning skills. A balance of structured and unstructured time in the classroom allows many opportunities for practicing independence and collaborating with others.
Motor Growth
Research shows that preschool students need opportunities to play vigorously! As young children get older, their physical skills continue to develop steadily. They can coordinate their large muscles more easily. Suddenly they are able to easily run, jump, climb, skip, hop, throw and kick a ball, and ride a tricycle! They are stronger now. The excitement surrounding this new strength and coordination pushes our preschool students to take new risks, run a little faster, and reach a little further. Simply put, our students thrive on physical activity.
As our students progress from the beginner program, to the nursery program, and up into the primary and pre K program they have increased hand-eye coordination. This enables them to cut with scissors, draw shapes, stack smaller objects, and use zippers and buttons! Overall our preschoolers take pleasure and pride in the use of their bodies, which work much better than when they were toddlers!
Curriculum
Physical Development & Health
Through an abundance of outdoor time and P.E. classes students have time to run, climb, jump, kick, throw, roll, and laugh their way to building strength stamina, hand-eye coordination, and awareness of their body in space. Students also have daily practice using a varieties of tools (pencils, markers, scissors, tweezers, etc.) to develop strength and small-motor control. Students learn daily hygiene routines, learning about healthy eating, and learn about taking safe risks.
Literacy & Language Development
Develop listening comprehension
Develop concept of book
Develop concept of print
Develop concept of word
Rhyme
Segment syllables
Hear onset and rime (c-at)
Develop phonemic awareness (hear individual sounds in words (c-a-t)
Identify and form upper and lower case letters
Practice writing to share experiences
Use inventive spelling
Develop fine motor skills needed for writing
Write name
Communicate using multiple words/phrases
Communicate so they will be understood by peers and adults
Increase vocabulary
Math
Count in sequence to 100+
Recognize and form numbers
Compare numbers of objects
Determine quanitity/understand one-to-one correspondence
Use ordinal numbers
Recognize, name, and make two and three dimensional shapes
Sort and disciples shapes by attribute
Extend patterns
Use standard and non-standard units of measurement
create and interpret graphs from collected data
Science
Students ask questions, collect data, record observations, create hypothesis, and adjust their thinking while exploring several themes including (but no limited to)":
Human impact on the environment
Plants
Seasons
Land forms
Bodies of water
Properties of earth’s materials
Living and non-living things
Birds
Animals and habitats
Machines
Technology
Structures
Social Studies
Our students spend time building community and an awareness and respect for differences in people and cultures. Daily themes explored include:
Sense of time
Geography
Needs and wants
Concept of money
Members of a community
Social & Emotional Development
With the help of the Conscious Discipline program our students:
Recognize that feelings are separate fron actions
Follow simple rules
Understand natural consequences
Develop awareness of others’ perspectives
Develop positive social skills
Develop turn taking
Develop negotiation skills
Creative Expression
Students are provided daily opportunities to express themselves and expeience different creative outlets. In addition to integration of the arts into their everyday activities, children have the following scheduled classes:
Music
Art
Theater
Religious & Spiritual Development
Students meet weekly with Christ Church Christiana Hundred’s rector, associate rector, and religious education teacher for Chapel and Godly play. Children are taught simple songs to say grace before eating. We regularly teach and discuss the values of kindness, inclusivity and gratitude.
Daily Schedule
8:20-9:30
Drop Off / Academic Learning Stations: Dramatic Play, Construction/Blocks, Creative Arts, Manipulative/Mathematics, Language and Literacy, Multi-Sensory Play
9:30-10:00
Specials (P.E., Music, Godly Play)
10:00-10:15
Cooking and Food Exploration; Snack
10:15-11:30
Outdoor play, nature investigation, and science exploration
11:30-11:50
Lunch/Healthy Eating Habits
11:50-12:30
Circle Time: Calendar, Weather, Counting up to 100, Patterns of Numbers, Letter of the Day, Discussion of Monthly Theme, Pre K pledge, Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, Activities to Strengthen Core, Read Aloud, Language Play
12:30-1:00
Half Day Dismissal / Free Choice: Dramatic Play, Construction/Blocks, Creative Arts, Manipulative/Mathematics, Language and Literacy, Multi-Sensory Play
1:00-1:30
Afternoon Special (Athletic, Theater)
1:30-2:30
Outdoor play, nature investigation, and science exploration
2:30-2:45
Snack and Chat
2:45-3:15
Quiet Rest
3:15-3:30
Read Aloud
3:30
Dismissal
PROGRAM OPTIONS
5 Days Per Week
Half Day: 8:30-12:30 (morning snack and lunch included)
2 Half Days (Monday and Friday) and 3 Full Days (Tuesday-Thursday)
Full Day: 8:30-3:30 (morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack included)
Early care and after care are also options.