Here is a brief overview of our kindergarten curriculum:

READING - In kindergarten, children learn to read in a variety of ways. Literacy lessons are embedded in the daily activities and reinforced throughout the day. For example, singing an ABC song,  playing a name game, and reading a recipe while cooking all help strengthen the children's awareness of letters and  their associated sounds, as well as concepts about print. An emphasis is also placed on developing the children’s phonemic awareness, as this is an important factor in learning to read. Children are read a variety of books, including folk tales, rhyming stories, and poetry, as well as books with science or social studies themes. They participate in the shared reading of enlarged print texts and look at books on their own or with partners. Formal, small-group reading instruction is provided as children become ready. Our approach is called Guided Reading, which uses simple books geared to the children's particular reading level. While reading these books, the children receive instruction and support from the teacher. There will be a variety of reading activities provided throughout the year.

WRITING - Children will have daily opportunities to write. Even before they know the names of all the letters and how to form the letters properly, kindergartners can express themselves on paper. Children keep journals, write stories during Writing Workshop, record scientific observations, and participate in a variety of writing activities (both structured and spontaneous) throughout the day. There are also group writing activities such as "shared writing", when the teacher writes the children's words on a large piece of paper, and "interactive writing", when the teacher and children share a pen to create a piece of writing together. Sometimes the children will dictate their stories for the teacher to write down, such as in the activity "Book-on-a-Hook".

SPELLING - In a typical kindergarten classroom there will be differences in how the children approach spelling. Some children may write random letters whose sounds have little connection to their message. Other children may write more phonetically, such as "Mi bt iz bg" for "My boat is big". This "invented" spelling is acceptable in kindergarten, as it frees the children to write without the worry of spelling "correctly". Furthermore, when children are encouraged to "write the sounds they hear", their phonemic awareness is strengthened. If children  are ready to spell some words conventionally, the teachers will support them in this task. We do encourage the learning of a small repertoire of “high-frequency” words, such as is, and, the, and we (called “power words” in our class).

HANDWRITING - In kindergarten the children are taught how to form letters correctly during structured handwriting lessons as well as through daily modeling by the teachers. Each child will have handwriting guides to use at home as well at school. It is typical, and appropriate, for five-year-olds to form letters from the bottom up, and to prefer uppercase letters. However, we do gradually, and gently, encourage proper downward stroking during our formal lessons, following an approach called “Handwriting Without Tears”. Children will vary in their readiness for handwriting activities. We also provide a variety of small-motor activities throughout the day, such as clay work, construction toys, pegboards, stencil use, and bead stringing, which all help to develop the strength, flexibility and control of the children's hand muscles. Gross motor activities, such as swinging on monkey bars, also help to develop the muscles needed for handwriting. Our handwriting lessons begin with uppercase letters and progress to the proper formation of lowercase letters .

MATH - In our school district most of our math activities are based on those found in the Investigations in Number, Data and Space Curriculum. Children will learn basic number concepts, which include counting, comparing numbers and identifying and writing numerals. Children will also learn about measurement, geometry, patterns, data collection and representation, and problem-solving. In kindergarten, most math activities use "real" objects (usually manipulatives) such as interlocking cubes, blocks, counters, tiles, as well as games to help them grasp important math concepts.

SCIENCE - We explore a variety of science topics throughout the year, some of which are related to the seasons and outdoors. We also have School Union #38 science kits to support our investigations of the kindergarten science curriculum, which includes magnets, light and shadows, seeds, pulleys, bubbles, rocks, life cycles, and changes in our world. As with most areas of learning, the teaching of science is usually "hands on", using real materials which children can explore.

TECHNOLOGY - We are fortunate to have an iMac, PC,  and color printer in our classroom along with some excellent software. Children are encouraged to work in pairs at the computer, where they can create art, play educational games, and work with the "Shapes" software from our math curriculum. Realizing that children learn best when they are moving about and actively exploring materials, we do monitor and limit the time spent on the computer.

SOCIAL STUDIES - We offer a rich social studies curriculum in our kindergarten, which is aligned with our state’s standards. Our focus is on ourselves and others (“Living, Learning, and Working Together”). We explore our similarities and differences and learn about family life, our community, and to a certain extent, our state and country. This leads us to enjoy stories and activities related to community helpers, food, clothing, shelter, celebrations, and more. History, civics, government, economics, and geography are all included in our curriculum. Our approach is developmentally appropriate, such as having children set up and run a classroom grocery store as one way to learn about economics. We also incorporate a "multi-cultural" approach, which means our diverse global population (race, ability, etc.) are represented in our materials and activities.  Social skills are also an important part of our curriculum, as we learn to be respectful and responsible members of our classroom and school-wide community. We also participate in the school-wide “Second Step” program, which focuses on developing empathy, managing emotions, and solving problems.

ART - Art is an important part of our program, as it provides the children with opportunities to explore materials in unique ways, to use their imagination, solve problems, and to express themselves. Every day there are paints, crayons, clay, paper and a variety of other media to inspire the children's creativity. Working with art materials also strengthens fine-motor and visual-motor skills, which support the children's efforts in other areas of the program. Most art activities are "open-ended", but occasionally there may be a project requiring that a sequence of steps be followed, resulting in a specific product. While such projects have value (following directions, practicing fine-motor skills, sequencing, etc.) we tend to think of them more as a "craft" than true "art". For the last few years we have been fortunate to have an art teacher visit our classroom once a week from the Amherst Community Arts Center.

MUSIC - Music is part of our daily program, from the moment we sing a good-morning song to each other. We sing songs, enjoy chants, and play a variety of rhythm instruments as well. We also dance, exercise, and move creatively to all kinds of music. We attend a vocal music class once a week.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT – Gross-motor skills are strengthened in gym class as well as recess. We jump, run, climb, play ball games, ride bikes, swing, and more. Our physical skills are also enhanced during games and movement activities in the classroom. Small-motor skills are developed through the use of manipulatives, art media, games and other activities. Self-care skills such as buttoning, zipping, and shoe-tying are encouraged as well. We strongly believe in providing a kindergarten program that encourages a variety of physical activity. Not only does this promote healthy physical development, but it also bolsters self-confidence and can diminish behavior problems.  Furthermore, research has shown that when children exercise, their brain cells are stimulated and encouraged to grow!

HEALTH and SAFETY - In kindergarten we encourage healthy practices in many areas. Children are expected to wash hands after toileting and before all meals. We encourage healthy eating habits as well, which is reflected in the wholesome snacks and juice we provide through our parent donation program.  With the help of our school nurse, we learn about dental health. Maintaining a safe environment is paramount, and children are expected to conduct themselves in ways that cause no harm to themselves or others. Furthermore, we enhance the children's awareness about home and fire safety and Halloween practices.