Academics & Programs > Jr. Kindergarten/ KindergartenJunior Kindergarten & Kindergarten
In Kindergarten, students will be engaged in meaningful and creative lessons in a Spanish-infused setting covering the scope of Language Arts, Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, Physical Education, Art, Music and Ologies.
Language Arts
The Language Arts will begin with a focus on concepts of print and continue into reading comprehension. Phonemic awareness, word recognition, and vocabulary will be taught through a variety of lessons reaching all intelligences. Students will learn to respond to literature verbally and in written form. Writing strategies will be explored focusing on creativity and self expression as well as emphasize sentence structure, phonemic spelling, and spelling. Print handwriting will be taught and practiced regularly in a comfortable setting. Listening and speaking strategies will also be explored via varied genres. Students will be engaged in Writer’s Workshops, Reader’s Workshops, poetry sessions, and Language Arts Centers. The Language Arts will be integrated with Spanish speaking, reading, and writing skills. Students will be learning the alphabet, developing phonemic awareness, and expanding vocabulary in English and Spanish through direct lessons and during centers and activities. Students will participate in poetry sessions and read aloud in both English and Spanish.
Math
In Math, students will learn numbers and numerical concepts, quantities, shapes in everyday life, and will practice counting in an array of methods. They will learn to count, compare, describe objects, sort objects, and develop a sense of pattern. Students will gain knowledge of basic algebraic principles. Math will be taught explicitly and directly in lessons that reach multiple intelligences. Specific mathematical vocabulary will be addressed in Spanish.
Science
Many facets of Science will be explored in Kindergarten. The main focuses will include Physical Science, Life Science, Earth Science, experimentation, and investigation. Lessons will be inquiry based, hands-on, and will include real-life examples. In the Physical Sciences, we will examine properties of different materials and learn to describe objects. We will also explore concepts about water. The Life Sciences will look at different types of plants and animals in order to learn to describe similarities and differences. We will learn how to identify the major structures of common plants and animals. The Earth Sciences will focus on characteristics of mountains, rivers, oceans, valleys, etc. Changes in weather and its affects will be explored. Students will also learn to identify earth’s resources and about conservation. Focusing on investigation and experimentation, students will examine the five senses, properties of common objects. We will learn to communicate observations orally and through drawings. Vocabulary specific to the Sciences will be attended to in Spanish.
Social Studies
The Kindergarten students will be introduced to basic spatial, temporal, and causal relationships in Social Studies. Geographic and historical connections between the world today and the world long ago will be emphasized. Ordinary and extraordinary people will be used as examples to describe the range and continuity of the human experience. Concepts of courage, self-control, justice, respect, heroism, leadership, good choices, community, diversity, and individual responsibility will be addressed. The idea of civic behavior will be attended to in learning how people interact respectfully, follow rules, and respect the rights of others. Social Studies has a particular vocabulary that will be concentrated on in Spanish.
Health
Leading a healthy and safe life will be addressed in lessons focused on the importance of healthy foods, regular exercise, general safety skills, and making good life choices. Health matters will be infused with Spanish vocabulary, key words will be reviewed in English and Spanish.
Physical Education
In Physical Education, students will work on a variety of skills through a range of activities, athletics, dance, and movement. Spanish vocabulary will be worked into the Physical Education sessions via chants and songs.
Art
In Art, we will be developing perceptual skills and Visual Arts vocabulary as we recognize and describe simple patterns found in art. We will be learning about and experimenting with different tools and materials. We will also look at the elements and principals of design concentrating on line, color, shape, etc. In regard to creative expression, we will use a variety of media to communicate meaning in original works of art. To understand historical contributions and cultural dimensions of the Visual Arts we will examine non-utilitarian art and explore works of art from a variety of times and places. Students will learn how to make informed judgments on works of art using appropriate vocabulary to encourage aesthetic value. Students will have the opportunity to make real-life connections to the Visual Arts. Lessons will incorporate a global view and the Spanish language will be integrated.
Music
In Music, students will listen and participate as they learn analyze, notate, and describe music. They will learn to identify basic elements of music as they apply vocal and instrumental skills in a varied repertoire of music. They will learn to compose and arrange melodies through improvisations, variations, and accompaniments. The history and cultural context of music will be addressed in lessons that teach about the various uses of music in daily experiences and about music of various cultures. Students will learn appropriate vocabulary. Students will learn to examine meaning from works of music according to the elements of music, the aesthetic qualities, and human responses. Connections, relationships, and application of music will be incorporated in dance, drama, and storytelling. The historical context of music and musical purposes will be explored. Music lessons will be infused with the Spanish language.
Ologies
Near the end of the school year, students will discover and explore individual interests in an “Ologies” segment. Each student will select a special concentration and a session will be devoted to this curiosity.