Kindergarten
KA Mrs. Catherine Trunk
KB Miss Madison Derrico
KC Mrs. Rosalynda Blair
FAITH FORMATION HIGHLIGHTS
Daily Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Spontaneous Prayer, Role Play, Scripture Stories, Religious Knowledge Questions # 1-3, Parable: The Good Samaritan and school Liturgies.
MAJOR FOCUSES OF KINDERGARTEN
The Kindergarten Program at St. Joan of Arc is a value-oriented one based on Catholic beliefs, which integrates prayer, liturgy, service, social skills and academic skills. The learning styles, needs, and abilities of the individual child are priorities in our developmentally appropriate curriculum. We believe in a child-centered active learning environment for the young child. The young child is filled with energy, curious about life, ready to discover and be actively involved in his/her learning. We believe that children should initiate their own learning experiences with supportive adults. These adults strive daily to nourish, trust and build the confidence required for each healthy learning experience. Through daily planning and evaluation sessions, adults create the conditions for children’s active learning and generate strategies to challenge children’s emerging abilities. Our goal is to work with parents to provide many and varied opportunities for the child to develop spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively as a total person.
• Retreat
• Active Learning
• Critical Thinking
• Socialization Skills
• Problem Solving
• Independent Skills
• Following Directions
• Technology integrated in hands-on learning
• Learning to read
• Math Skills
• Social Science Skills
• Writing Skills
• Art & Motor Skill
CURRICULUM
• Religion – We Believe Series by Sadlier – Daily Prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Spontaneous Prayer, Role Play, Scripture Stories, Religious Knowledge Questions # 1-3, Parable: The Good Samaritan and school Liturgies.
• Language Arts/Reading – Fundations is used daily to teach and reinforce phonics. Students learn letters and sounds and build sound blends and eventually words with letter boards.
Reading is taught in small ability groups daily where students read with their teacher and peers. We track our students' reading using the Fountas and Pinnell scale for reading levels. As students progress, their group will change. Writing is taught in conjunction with reading, as new vocabulary is introduced. Students work in centers, some guided by the teacher or assistant, and some self-guided.
• Math – Mathematics in Progress by Sadlier-Oxford and numerous manipulatives
• Math: Numbers to 30, graphing, problem solving, solid and plane figures, patterns, comparisons, same number, more and few, one to one correspondence, collecting data, counting, printing numbers, estimating, geometry and fractions, measuring, counting by twos/fives/tens, addition, simple subtraction, comparing lengths, Mass, how full, time, left vs. right and money. Differentiated math instruction is enhanced via the online math program called Mathletics both as centers at school and practice at home. Interactive lessons on the Smart Board.
• Social Studies –Our World, Now & Long Ago by Harcourt – Scholastic Let’s Find Out, Brain Pop Jr.
• Social Studies: Being a good citizen, my country, community helpers, where we live, past and present time, taking responsibility, following rules, map and globe skills, making a choice by voting, symbols of the United States, our leaders, American Holidays, biographies, goods around the world, city and farm life, regions, and change over time.
• Science – MacMillian Units, Mystery Science
• Science: The five senses, weather, matter and energy, simple machines, solar system, health & nutrition, our body, animals, and ocean life. –Mini lab science experiments (i.e. how salt melts ice, float or sink…)
• Physical Education: Daily and twice a week by the PE teachers. Fine and gross motor skills, games, PE in the gym, and equipment on the playground.
• Music: Daily and twice a week by the music teacher. Music/Movement, creative expression in song, dance, and rhythm and playing instruments.
• Art – Daily and once a week taught by the art teacher. Painting, clay, play dough, cutting, gluing, drawing, growing crystals, glitter, 3-D art, oil pastels, and allowing the young artist to freely express themselves through art.
• Extra-Curricular Activities – Angel Choir, Irish Step Dancing, Drama, Ballet (ballet is offered during the school day once a week, karate, Lego club, and Soccer.
• Spanish – Taught by the Spanish teacher.
TECHNOLOGY
• Interactive BenQ Board
• iPads