The Pre-School at Stuart

Junior Kindergarten Curriculum

“The most important part of any work is the beginning.” -Plato

Social and Emotional Development
Developing self reliance
Responding well to guidance
Working and playing well with others
Respecting the rights, needs, and property of others
Resolving conflict appropriately
Learning appropriate responses to joy and disappointment
Awareness of community
Practicing self discipline
Following rules and directions

Approach to Learning
Using problem solving strategies
Verbalizes thinking strategies
Taking pride in accomplishments
Taking responsible risks
Maintaining attention to task
Listening
Following oral directions
Showing continuing effort
Contributing to discussions
Asking questions

Language Arts
Working from left to right
Identifying upper and lower case letters and corresponding sounds
Forming letters
Articulating ideas
Recalling facts and details
Making connections and predictions
Drawing conclusions
Sorting and classifying
Sequencing
Dictating imaginative stories
Identifying colors and shapes
Discriminating auditorily
Discriminating visually
Appreciating books, stories, and poems
Acquiring new vocabulary

Mathematics
Sorting and classifying
Creating and identifying shapes, patterns and sequences
Exploring materials with ease
Identifying numbers
Manipulating numbers 1-10 or beyond
Understanding number concepts
Developing spatial/geometric sense
Using problem solving strategies
Verbalizing thinking strategies

Visual Arts
Developing individual artistic expression
Self expression
Problem solving through art
Understanding symbols
Pre-writing
Articulating the story of their own art
Developing spatial understanding

Music
Developing physical and emotional responses to sound
Learning basic elements of music: beat, tempo, pitch, etc.
Learning about instrument families
Recognizing pictures and sounds
Playing simple percussion instruments
Learning to use different voices expressively
Creating short rhythm patterns and visual representations of sound
Listening to music from the West and around the world
Performing in a group

Physical Education
Developing individual gross motor skills
Learning about movement in space
Balance
Flexibility
Eye-hand coordination
Spatial skills
Rhythmic expression
Movement to music
Teamwork
Following directions

Fine Motor Skills Development
Use of scissors
Correct pencil grip
Forming letters and numbers

Computer
Use of the mouse
Sequencing
Following directions
Other uses in support of curriculum

Science
Observing
Making reasonable predictions
Drawing conclusions
Demonstrating an interest in exploration
Problem solving
Teamwork

Foreign Language (French and Spanish)
Learning basics of colors, numbers, etc., including families, trips to the park and wider afield, birthdays, pets, grocery store, etc.
Singing songs and taking part in activities to learn the language
Reinforcing subject matter through craft projects and games

Religion (tied to Children’s Literature)
Appreciation for God’s gifts (physical world, families, friends, self)
Holidays: opportunities to give thanks and to give
thanks