Our School has a traditional curriculum based
on what has seemed appropriate for the ages of the children,
the season of the year, the holidays of our culture and
activities which have worked for us in timing and content.
The following is not intended to be all inclusive, but a
general guide.
Letter and number recognition is a part of every activity
and experience in our classrooms. We advocate an environment
rich in opportunities for speaking, listening and also rich
in print—where children are given opportunities to
make sense out of print and to express their thoughts both
orally and in print. In addition, the children play with
many manipulative toys and materials that are used in teaching
recognition of letters and numbers.
Units:
December Holidays:
Social Studies: Children will develop an awareness of
the traditions associated with Christmas, Hanukah and
Kwanza.
Art: making holiday gift for the family, pine cone ornament,
spindle tree, collage using a dreidel shape with blue
and silver paper, collage using the colors which represent
kwanza: black, orange, green and yellow.
Cooking: Latkes
Read aloud books: Santa Mouse, Counting Hanukah, Kwanza,
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Songs and Fingerplays: Must Be Santa, Dreidel Song, Jingle
Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
Rhythm Instruments: Angel Band, Nutcracker Suite Excerpts
Winter and Snow:
Outdoors: Cold weather: the clothes we wear; self-help
skills for taking outerwear off; sledding down the hill,
playing in the snow.
Math: Pairs, matching pairs of mittens.
Science: observe winter and snow characteristics, observation
of water outside, make bird feeders.
Art: Fingerpaint with shaving cream, white confetti collage.
Read Aloud Books: The Snowy Day, The Big Snow, Frosty
the Snowman.
Songs: Oh It Snowed Last Night, Up the Hill We Go, I’m
a Little Snowman.
Movement: Grandma Moses
Winter Holidays:
Social Studies: Children develop an awareness and the
traditions of Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year,
St. Patrick’s Day.
Information and facts about Martin Luther King, Jr., Ground
Hog Day, the Presidents.
Art: Valentine envelopes, heart shapes at the easel for
painting and tracing, red playdough with heart shaped
cookie cutters, printing hearts, shamrocks.
Read Aloud Books: The Lion Dancer, Clifford’s Valentine,
St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning, Parade.
Music: Love Grows, Who Will Be My Friend, I Am A Fine
Musician
Movement: Marching
Colors: Each week a different color will be introduced.
Activities: Emphasis on the color of the week by creating
a collage, fingerpainting, easel painting, playdough,
puzzles, stories, and a “colored” snack will
be served.
Movement: Children will search the classroom for items
of a particular color.
Language and Literarcy: Children will make their own Color
Book and read the color names.
