KINDERGARTEN 5 YEAR OLDS

KINDERGARTEN
5 YEAR OLDS
Curriculum Overview
Kindergarten 5 Year Olds
Contents
English/Language Arts
Math
Science
Social Studies
Língua Portuguesa
Information Technology
Art
Music
Physical Education
Personal, Social, and Health Education
English/Language Arts
In Kindergarten, the students are immersed in a language-rich
environment. Reading and writing skills are taught through themes,
and generally, a new letter is learned each week. Letter names and
sounds are taught so that the children are able to use a phonemic
approach to reading and writing. Many opportunities throughout
the school day are given to students during which they can develop
skills crucial to their language development. Journal writing is an
essential part of this process, as students use their own
experiences, skills, and knowledge to write short stories. A basic
knowledge of punctuation is expected by the end of Kindergarten.
Speaking and listening skills are developed through morning
message, show and tell, stories and poems. The children are
encouraged to become confident speakers and respectful listeners .
CAISL uses the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) as our
primary reading assessment in Kindergarten.
The DRA is
administered by teachers in a one-on-one conference where the
teacher can observe, record, and evaluate a student’s reading
accuracy, comprehension and fluency. DRA results are used to drive
individual reading instruction. Teachers use the students’ DRA
scores to effectively group and match students to appropriately
leveled books. The DRA results provide teachers with detailed
documentation on students’ reading progress.
Math
Kindergarten Math curriculum incorporates activities and practical
experiences that nurture the child’s logical sense rather than rote
learning. Children learn best while at play; through hands-on, fun,
meaningful activities the students explore, investigate and discuss
mathematical concepts and vocabulary.
The mathematical
concepts that are taught in Kindergarten are integrated with other
subject areas so that math is not an isolated subject. Students are
encouraged to use everyday objects and materials with which to
find solutions, formulate questions and develop mathematical
literacy. There is an emphasis in Kindergarten on ensuring that the
student is given many opportunities to review and reinforce the
skills and knowledge they learn during the year.
Through topics and themes taught in Kindergarten, the student
learns to measure, continue, and extend patterns, count and
identify numbers to 50, identify and name 2D and 3D shapes,
classify objects using set attributes, use a variety of vocabulary such
as add, take away, more than, less than, and estimate. Telling the
time to the hour and half hour and identifying fractions, half and
whole, are concepts that the students are also taught in
Kindergarten.
Science
The Kindergarten Science program is based on children’s natural
curiosity to understand what happens in the world around them.
The program is implemented through the use of themes and
learning centers.
Children are encouraged to develop their powers of observation
and critical thinking skills while engaging in hands-on activities. They
have the opportunity to relate what they have discovered in the
past with what they are observing in the present. They try to find
possible solutions to the questions presented instead of definite
answers.
Children learn about the seasons, weather, the characteristics of
plants and animals, and identify and experiment with a variety of
different materials. When they learn about each different topic,
they use a range of simple equipment and follow basic safety
procedures.
Social Studies
In Kindergarten, the Social Studies curriculum gives the children an
awareness of community, historical events, and celebrations from
around the world. These are taught through stories, activities, field
trips, and other opportunities that arise through the teaching of
themes. To enhance children’s understanding of the world, we
encourage an empathy with different cultures and backgrounds.
Celebrations of special events like Christmas, Hanukkah, Carnival,
Easter and São Martinho’s Day, help children to better understand
and respect differences between peoples, and to enjoy the rich
variety of cultures that exist around the world .
Língua Portuguesa
Além de um maior domínio da linguagem oral (através de histórias,
lenga-lengas, poemas, canções, rimas, diálogos e peças de teatro),
no Kindergarten facilitamos a emergência da linguagem escrita.
«Neste processo emergente de aprendizagem da escrita, as
primeiras imitações que a criança faz do código escrito vão-se
tornando progressivamente mais próximas do modelo /…/». «A
oportunidade de imitar a escrita» faz com que a criança comece a
aperceber-se que existem letras de tamanhos diferentes
(maiúsculas e minúsculas), espaços entre as palavras e sinais de
pontuação. Além destas imitações, através do desenho, as crianças
contam uma história, descrevem um acontecimento, tudo aquilo
que querem transmitir «por palavras suas».
«Esta abordagem à escrita situa-se numa perspectiva de literacia
enquanto competência global para a leitura no sentido de
interpretação e tratamento da informação que implica a “leitura”
da realidade, das “imagens” e para que serve a escrita, mesmo sem
saber ler formalmente». (Conforme as Orientações Curriculares
para a Educação Pré-Escolar do Ministério da Educação).
In Kindergarten, students extend their oral language skills through
stories, songs, rhymes, plays and dialogue. They are also gradually
introduced to written language. During the year they become
increasingly aware that print holds meaning, and are introduced of
a growing variety of cues and clues (print size, letter case,
punctuation and illustrations) that enable us to read for sense. At
the same time, they are encouraged to begin writing. Students’
early attempts at emergent writing model what they are learning
about reading. Throughout the year, their writing reflects a growing
understanding of the form and purpose of written text.
Information Technology
Kindergarten students are introduced to a cross-curricular
interactive program based on the programmable toy robot.
Students learn the basic programming commands, build and save a
3D world of a Bee-bot while learning about control and directional
language by programming a sequence of moves on-screen.
Students discover the different parts of the computer and learn
how to use the mouse to carry out computer functions, such as
accessing an application or indicating a choice. Students become
familiar with the keyboard and its keys and use it to type letters.
Typing software helps students get familiar with using two hands
when typing. Students learn to be responsible and take care of
resources and respect the work of others. They illustrate and
communicate original ideas using multimedia software.
Kindergarten students are also introduced to teacher selected
websites to enhance their reading skills and to reinforce other
curriculum areas . Students learn rules for travelling safety on the
internet, learn the basics of how to search online using the
alphabet, keywords and subject categories.
Art
Kindergarten students are introduced to the art elements (line,
shape, color, texture), understand what these are and how they can
be used in their own work. Through exploring art elements, the
students will begin to develop a vocabulary which will help them to
talk more precisely about their work and that of well known artists.
Emphasis is still placed upon the child’s physical and mental
development and on the creative process rather than on the
finished product.
Music
Kindergarten musicians explore various vocal and instrumental
sounds, while learning traditional folksongs and nursery rhymes.
Special emphasis is put on vocal skills including matching pitch.
Students discover basic music notation and start to arrange and
compose using high/low, fast/slow, and long/short. Students
perform during the year for in-school assemblies and occasional
informances where parents are invited to watch a music lesson.
Physical Education
The Kindergarten Physical Education course is designed to create
enthusiasm for physical activity and to introduce students to games
as well as to sportsmanship, to respect for the rules, team mates,
and opponents, and to winning and losing. Classes are broken up
into four types of activity: the obstacle course, manipulative skills,
gymnastics, and games. This way, students work on non-locomotor,
locomotor, and ball performance skills, all at a basic level.
Personal, Social, and Health Education
The goal of this course is to help students develop strategies to
make healthy choices related to their personal and social health. In
Kindergarten, students will focus on developing appropriate
listening skills, understanding feelings, identifying healthy foods and
recognizing the importance of maintaining a healthy body. Students
will also learn about drug prevention and be able to identify the
national emergency number .
CAISL is a student-centered educational community
in which we challenge ourselves and each other
to do our best and to make positive contributions
to our diverse and ever-changing world.