Kindergarten

The Lower School Language Arts Program uses the Write from The Beginning writing program as the main resource in supporting the development of narrative and expository writing skills in Kindergarten–Grade 4.

With language arts for kindergarten children, our focus is on phonological awareness (identifying sounds in spoken words), the letter-sound associations of the alphabet, and language use (appropriate word order and sequence when asking a question or making a statement). Students continue to develop listening skills (listening for a purpose and understanding multi-step instructions), an understanding of the mechanics of reading, directionality, and identifying the parts of a book, including the author, illustrator, and title page.

Students also read poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and compare similarities and differences among authors, characters, and stories. They also produce personal responses to literature through writing, stories, and narrative poetry. In addition, they answer questions about books read aloud in class and learn to distinguish between a comment and a question. Students identify their first and last name, recognize all upper-case letters and most lower-case letters automatically. They learn to determine the meaning of vocabulary through context and picture cues during read-aloud and shared reading experiences, and they write a complete thought using a combination of phonetic and standard spelling.

Students also carry out multi-step directions, and print upper- and lower-case letters of the alphabet and the numerals zero to nine using standard form, proportions, and spacing. In addition, students develop an understanding of letter and sound relationships as they listen to and sing familiar songs and rhymes to promote language development. And they begin to read simple texts and speak clearly with appropriate volume and voice for specific audiences and environments as they retell, re-enact, and dramatize stories.

The Lower School Math Program uses Math in Focus as a main resource in Kindergarten–Grade 4 to support student achievement of math goals.

In mathematics, our focus is on developing a strong number sense. To build number sense, they count to 100, identify and write numerals, and compare and order whole numbers. Students continue to apply one-to-one correspondence and count by twos, fives, and tens. They use objects, pictures, and number models to find sums and differences, reading and writing the symbols +, -, and =. Using estimation as a tool for prediction, students collect and organize data in tally charts, tables, and bar graphs.

They continue to identify and extend simple geometric and sequential number patterns as an introduction to algebraic reasoning. As they develop vocabulary to express concepts of geometry and spatial sense, students name and describe attributes to compare objects according to length, weight, and size.

Starting in Kindergarten, students use Thinking Maps to organize and record thoughts and to develop and represent their critical thinking.

The world, home, and school communities are the overarching themes in the social studies and science programs. There are three interdependent components to our curriculum:

1. The physical plant of the school (fall trimester)

2. The people who inhabit the school as well as the role each person has in relationship to the school (winter trimester)

3. The outside grounds of the school campus (spring trimester)

Each class will study a different part of the school and will be responsible to explain and teach the other classes about their discoveries. The skill sets of observation and recording, problem solving, mapping, and documentation will be employed throughout the school year. Kindergarten science reflects the natural curiosity of a child. Using the five senses, students will strengthen their skills of observation and understand how each sense provides a different piece of that observation. They will interpret and record their findings in a scientific manner. Integrated with our social studies program, concepts in science will also focus on the use of both renewable and finite resources as we explore the school environment. Kindergarteners also use the Engineering Design Process to design and build bridges. Students learn to make observations, find patterns, investigate cause and effect, and engage in argument from evidence. The physical plant of the school, the outside grounds (including a pond), and the gardens serve as the primary lab. As with all science classes, an illustration/writing component is factored into every class as a means of individual reflection on the day’s work.

The entire school community from PreK through Grade 8 will be expected to be responsible citizens who develop an awareness of problems/issues regarding sustainability and seek to solve them. Kindergartners will explore the issues of sustainability through hands-on exploration of our physical environment. The studies will be child-centered and directed by teachers. The studies will also be interest based, driven by the questions, explorations, and observations of each individual classroom. Therefore, the three kindergarten classes may each be exploring separate issues pertaining to the sustainability of our school environment. Possible studies include: how we get our water at the drinking fountain, how the boiler works, and what type of materials are used on our building and why. We enlist the help of the school architect, engineer, maintenance staff, and science teachers to enable to us further our studies.

During their Lower School years, students learn the basic principles of computer use, network organization, and word processing functions. They experience numerous opportunities to practice various technology tools, software, and computer programs that will help them build their foundation of skills, including reading, thinking, communicating, problem solving, and computing. Lower School students also learn to use technology and media to bolster their skills to collaborate and communicate as well as to access and evaluate information.

Kindergartners are also encouraged to use the library and other media to develop their reading skills. Stories covered include A,B,C books used to strengthen familiarity with and manipulation of the alphabet. Students learn the meaning of author and illustrator and their roles in the creation of a book. To build cultural awareness, kindergarten students listen to stories that take place in other countries. They also listen to poetry as well as fiction and nonfiction stories. Kindergarten students also enjoy participating in independent book selection. And our Accelerated Reader program begins in Kindergarten.

Students at this level also use a variety of computer programs and applications to build and reinforce math, keyboarding, and graphing skills. And they use technology platforms, such as Smart Boards, to reinforce the skills they are acquiring in language arts. In term three, students explore websites as an introduction to the Internet.