Pre-School (3-4 year olds) Curriculum Outlines

(Compiled from all faculty who teach Pre-School subjects)

Life Skills

Our phonics program is an adaptation of the kindergarten Jolly Phonics program. We teach a letter sound each week in alphabetical order. Each sound is taught with an accompanying action. We work with phonemic awareness using songs and rhymes, and identifying initial sounds in words. We introduce the children to children's literature during our daily story times. The letter sound becomes the basis for each week's science, social studies, art, music and activities and introduction of new materials.

Handwriting

We are using the Pre-K Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. The focus is on developing hand strength and fine motor skills. They have lessons for developing their body awareness, good habits, coloring, drawing and handwriting skills. They learn how to form the capital letters using large manipulatives.

Mathematics

At the preschool level we work on the concepts of shapes, colors, patterns, sorting, relational concepts, calendar skills, and beginning numerals.

Science

Our science program is a hands-on nature curriculum. The children have experiences planting seeds, watching the metamorphosis of a butterfly, studying their five senses and observing the weather and the changing of the seasons. We also do simple science experiments using water, lens, magnets and other materials. Through science the children learn the wonder and order of God's creation.

Social Studies

We begin each year learning about our selves and our friends. We learn that we are part of a family and live in a neighborhood. We teach that we are all part of God's big family and we are all brothers and sisters.

Recess

We spend a good portion of each day either outdoors if the weather permits or in the gym to give children a chance to use their active growing bodies and develop their large motor skills. We have a new playground in front of the preschool as well as access to a back playground with tricycles and a large Landover Hills playground on the other side of the woods in back of the school. As we go through the woods to the playground we can observe first hand the many changes of the seasons and often find evidence of forest friends.