Pre-Kindergarten
Welcome!
The Pre-K classroom is set up to feel like home. We want your children to see their artwork, feel comfortable in their surroundings, and most importantly know that they are loved and cared for as they walk through our doors. We hope to stimulate their learning, pull from their strengths, and bring out the best in each individual.
Year at a Glance:
Phonics: The Pre-Kindergarten phonics program is based on The Land of the Letter People. The students are introduced to a new letter person each week and many activities revolve around that specific letter. There is a story, poem, song, and puppet that goes along with each letter. There are also centers that focus on that letter throughout the week.
Handwriting: In Pre-Kindergarten, we use the Handwriting Without Tears Program, which is a developmental program focusing on correct pencil grip and both letter/number formation. There are small pencils and crayons used to promote the correct use of finger placement. We also use manipulatives and tools to guide the students. There is a text that goes along with this program as well as chalkboard slates for extra practice.
Writing: We introduce Kid Writing in Pre-Kindergarten; however, we do not expect that the children master this skill. We encourage them to listen to beginning and ending consonant sounds as they attempt to correctly form the letters we have learned in the Handwriting Program. We also have them make a connection with their text with an illustration to instill the art of storytelling. Imagination and Creativity is a key ingredient.
Math: Math is incorporated into our daily activities. While there is not a text for the Pre-Kindergarten students, we focus on the concepts they will be learning in Kindergarten and pull various materials in order to give some exposure to these basic topics.
Social Studies: Pre-Kindergarten program uses a thematic approach. Each month, we use literature and visual aids to teach about concepts the students will learn about in the world. Some of our themes include seasons, holidays, traditions, the five-senses, animals, hibernation, transportation, our bodies, the five senses, kindness, self-exploration, and friendship. Art is centered around these themes as well as other center activities.
Pre-Kindergarten Traditions and Special Events:
5th grade Readers, 6th-grade Buddies, Very Special Me, Kohler Farm Trip in the Fall, Gingerbread Breakfast, Teddy Bear Day, Thanksgiving Show, Penelope Pig, ABC Video Presentation, and a performance for graduation.
Daily Schedule (Example)
8:00 – 8:30 Free play
8:30 - 8:45 Circle time –Calendar, Weather, Counting to 100 Days of School, Morning Message
8:45 – 10:00 Handwriting/Math/Center Activities/Special
10:00 – 10:15 Snack
10:15 – 11:00 Special
11:00 – 12:00 Math/Handwriting/Centers
12:00 – 12:45 Lunch
12:45 – 1:30 Rest time
1:30 – 2:00 Make-Up Morning Work/Experiment
2:00 – 2:45 Show and Tell/Free Play Indoor/Outdoor
2:45 – 3:00 Pack-up and Dismissal
Additional Activities
Show & Tell: The children bring in an object one day a week to tell their classmates about. We encourage them to bring in different items each time. We hope this encourages confidence and good public speaking skills.
Penelope Pig: Penelope travels home with each child for a week out of the school year and they document her adventures with them in a journal that is shared with the class. She has a travel bag filled with her favorite things and we look forward to hearing each students’ story and seeing their photos.