2013-2014 Pre-K Curriculum
JMA Pre-Kindergarten Objectives
In the John Milledge Pre-Kindergarten Program children discover, explore, and learn through an integrated approach using thematic units. Each unit is comprised of lessons or activities that set learning expectations or acquired skill objectives for the students. Our goals and objectives are designed to help children develop skills in the area of Language Development, Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Math and Cognitive Thinking Skills, Social Skills, Self Help Skills and Work Habits.
Kindergarten readiness is practiced throughout the school year. We hope that each child’s experience at JMA is a positive one. We encourage each child as they adapt to new situations, making sure that we have lots of fun! Parents are encouraged to help us, so that we can have a great beginning to a wonderful school year. We will be working hard and playing hard. We work together by walking, hopping, skipping and jumping each day.
We also encourage each child to have a backpack to carry things home each day. We will have a special place in the room for them to put their backpack. We also have cubbies labeled with the child’s name and picture. Each morning we encourage children to put things in the proper place. We encourage independence at this point and in time they will handle their own belongings.
We study the Alphabet beginning with the letter “A”. We have many fun activities planned to help the children recognize letters, both upper and lower case. We begin to work on our writing skills. These will improve during the year! Each child is encouraged to write his/her own name on papers even if it is only the first letter. We learn math skills using different games, computers and money. We also use two very helpful resources “Clifford Magazine” and “Let’s Find Out” (previously Weekly Reader). Children will bring home their own copy and will be encouraged to tell parents about it.
Holidays are very special for us as we share with the children. As teachers we plan several special activities at school.
We will make Handprint T-shirts for the children to wear on special days. On those special days we will be learning very important character building values. We will begin teaching about making choices, knowing right from wrong and working together “Hand in Hand”. Together we will also learn our class rules. These include not running in the room, using soft voices, staying in our seats at lunch, taking turns with classroom toys, and listening while another is talking. We begin following simple directions, such as putting papers in cubbies, lining up when the bell rings (outside) and cleaning up our workspace after we color, cut and glue. Doing what is right often depends on good listening skills. Children are encouraged to have positive feelings about themselves, the school and the environment. We learn to play and work well independently and in groups.
Thematic units help children access their individual learning styles while providing opportunities for creativity and enrichment. Our curriculum allows for flexibility and thematic units may vary each
year depending on the interests of all of our students.
Examples of Themes:
Children are encouraged to have positive feelings about ourselves, the school and the environment. We learn to play and work well independently and in groups.
Language Development:
Our program includes listening, talking, reading and writing skills. Circle time activities, music, story times and daily routines provide opportunities for children to practice these skills.
Gross and Fine Motor Skills:
Gross motor is the movement of large muscle groups. Moving to music, outdoor play and indoor play encourage children to use basic motor skills necessary for gross motor development.
Fine motor growth involves the development of small muscle groups. Fine motor skills are important precursors to handwriting.
Math and Cognitive Thinking Skills:
Students are taught to use problem solving skills, logical, and representational/symbolic
thinking. Children are encouraged to:
Social Skills, Self-Help Skills and Work Habits:
Children develop both socially and emotionally through discovering their sense of self and by showing responsibility for themselves and their actions.
In the John Milledge Pre-Kindergarten Program children discover, explore, and learn through an integrated approach using thematic units. Each unit is comprised of lessons or activities that set learning expectations or acquired skill objectives for the students. Our goals and objectives are designed to help children develop skills in the area of Language Development, Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Math and Cognitive Thinking Skills, Social Skills, Self Help Skills and Work Habits.
Kindergarten readiness is practiced throughout the school year. We hope that each child’s experience at JMA is a positive one. We encourage each child as they adapt to new situations, making sure that we have lots of fun! Parents are encouraged to help us, so that we can have a great beginning to a wonderful school year. We will be working hard and playing hard. We work together by walking, hopping, skipping and jumping each day.
We also encourage each child to have a backpack to carry things home each day. We will have a special place in the room for them to put their backpack. We also have cubbies labeled with the child’s name and picture. Each morning we encourage children to put things in the proper place. We encourage independence at this point and in time they will handle their own belongings.
We study the Alphabet beginning with the letter “A”. We have many fun activities planned to help the children recognize letters, both upper and lower case. We begin to work on our writing skills. These will improve during the year! Each child is encouraged to write his/her own name on papers even if it is only the first letter. We learn math skills using different games, computers and money. We also use two very helpful resources “Clifford Magazine” and “Let’s Find Out” (previously Weekly Reader). Children will bring home their own copy and will be encouraged to tell parents about it.
Holidays are very special for us as we share with the children. As teachers we plan several special activities at school.
We will make Handprint T-shirts for the children to wear on special days. On those special days we will be learning very important character building values. We will begin teaching about making choices, knowing right from wrong and working together “Hand in Hand”. Together we will also learn our class rules. These include not running in the room, using soft voices, staying in our seats at lunch, taking turns with classroom toys, and listening while another is talking. We begin following simple directions, such as putting papers in cubbies, lining up when the bell rings (outside) and cleaning up our workspace after we color, cut and glue. Doing what is right often depends on good listening skills. Children are encouraged to have positive feelings about themselves, the school and the environment. We learn to play and work well independently and in groups.
Thematic units help children access their individual learning styles while providing opportunities for creativity and enrichment. Our curriculum allows for flexibility and thematic units may vary each
year depending on the interests of all of our students.
Examples of Themes:
- Early Literacy and Emergent Math
- Seasons and Sign Language
- Weather and Calendar
- Music and Movement
- Colors and Shapes
- Nature and Habitat
- All About Me
- Birds and Insects
- Exploring Your Community
- Holidays and Special Days
Children are encouraged to have positive feelings about ourselves, the school and the environment. We learn to play and work well independently and in groups.
Language Development:
Our program includes listening, talking, reading and writing skills. Circle time activities, music, story times and daily routines provide opportunities for children to practice these skills.
- Listens to and follows directions
- Responds to questions
- Listen to stories and shows understanding
- Begins to distinguish between fact and fiction when read to aloud
- Predicts stories from pictures
- Retell the main events in a story
- Recognizes stories
- Differentiates letter sounds that are the same and different
- Identifies letters of the alphabet
- Repeats rhymes, poems and fingerplays
- Engages in conversations with friends
- Increases vocabulary through everyday communication, activities, stories and/or books
- Demonstrates interest in books and learns the value of reading
- Discusses books that have been read and pretends to read
- Looks and uses books appropriately
- Recognizes familiar symbols and shapes
- Tells and retells stories using puppets and flannel boards
- Writes or dictates to describe familiar people, places or objects
- Write letters and numbers
- Writes name or names of friends
- Begins to draw picture
Gross and Fine Motor Skills:
Gross motor is the movement of large muscle groups. Moving to music, outdoor play and indoor play encourage children to use basic motor skills necessary for gross motor development.
Fine motor growth involves the development of small muscle groups. Fine motor skills are important precursors to handwriting.
- Running, jumping, bouncing, hopping and galloping
- Balancing while moving
- Climbing up and down
- Sliding
- Throwing, kicking and catching
- Clapping hands and stomping feet
- Identifying and moving parts of the body to music
- Control small movements in hands (i.e. finger plays)
- Coordinate eye-hand control while sorting, tracing or writing)
- Use tools for writing and drawing
Math and Cognitive Thinking Skills:
Students are taught to use problem solving skills, logical, and representational/symbolic
thinking. Children are encouraged to:
- Observes objects and events with curiosity
- Approach problems with flexibility
- Demonstrate persistence in approaching tasks
- Explore cause and effect
- Apply knowledge to a new situation
- Classify objects
- Compare and measure
- Arrange objects in a series
- Recognize patterns and can repeat them
- Demonstrate awareness of time concept and sequence
- Be aware of position in space
- Use one-to-one correspondence
- Use numbers and counting
- Take on pretend roles and situations
- Make believe with objects
- Make and interpret representations
Social Skills, Self-Help Skills and Work Habits:
Children develop both socially and emotionally through discovering their sense of self and by showing responsibility for themselves and their actions.
- Practice manners
- Participate cooperatively in small and large group settings
- Identify and describe personal feelings, needs and interests
- Adjust to new situations
- Demonstrates appropriate trust in adults
- Recognize their own feelings and manage them appropriately
- Stand up for their rights
- Demonstrate independence
- Take responsibility for actions and well-being
- Respect and care for classroom environment and materials
- Follow classroom rules and routines
- Engage in play with other children
- Recognize the feelings of others and respond appropriately
- Share and respect the rights of others
- Use thinking skills to resolve conflicts