prekindergarten
PreKINDERGARTENERS learn to:
- engage in abstract thinking and explore more complex ideas
- find solutions to problems and use their social and communication skills to resolve issues
- ask open-ended questions and make predictions
- play cooperatively with each other, and actively participate in group experiences
- take care of and advocate for themselves
- take leadership roles in the classroom
- understand safety and safe behavior
- prepare for school structure and routines
- become independent and make good choices
- develop empathy, responsibility, and self-help skills
- identify letters and sounds and develop print and book awareness
PREKINDERGARTEN Program
Getting ready for kindergarten, learning the skills necessary to thrive — in school and in life!
Collaborative Exploration
In prekindergarten, children are busy preparing themselves for the big transition ahead! Four and five-year-olds learn best in a structured environment full of independent and collaborative exploration that provide opportunities to observe, compare, analyze, connect, and hypothesize.
STRUCTURED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
In prekindergarten, school readiness skills are fostered through whole-class activities, small group activities, and individual interactions with the teachers, as well as times for play woven throughout the day.
Purposeful Learning Environment
First Circle’s prekindergarten classroom is set up for intentional learning: organized and engaging, equipped with fun, playful, and purposeful materials that foster independent exploration, play, and socialization. The classroom encourages learning in all the domains and is designed to protect children’s health and safety, as well as support their needs for activity, sensory stimulation, outdoor activity, rest, and nourishment.
A SAFE AND POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT
The prekindergarten classroom is a safe and positive environment, rich in emotional support, with responsive teachers who respect children’s individual learning needs. We create the perfect environment to give children ownership of their own learning, and the ability to build independence and their school-ready skills.
Knowledgeable and Responsive Teachers
Our nurturing and experienced prekindergarten teachers support each child’s unique learning style, helping them learn and refine skills in the core areas necessary for school success. Teachers are sensitive and responsive to children’s needs and create a warm and caring environment that helps children feel comfortable and individualizes the learning experience.
MEETING EACH CHILD’S NEEDS
Using instructions, examples, and encouragement, teachers model language and pro-social behavior, and build on children’s excitement. By observing each child’s development and providing choices and responsive care, the teachers individualize the learning experience to meet each child’s needs.
a peek at my day
PREKINDERGARTEN curriculum
Curriculum is the heart and soul of any learning program. Our unique curriculum, Connecting My World, encompasses all of the care and teaching that happens in our program. Connecting My World teaches children the critical knowledge, skills, and concepts important for school readiness.
AREAS OF LEARNING
me and you
Me and You takes prekindergarteners through an exploration of themselves, their community and their environment to support the growth of their self-concept and self-esteem, develop critical socio-emotional skills, and prepare them for being global citizens. In prekindergarten, children learn the basics of history, geography, economics, and civics, the diversity of people, cultures, and the environment. They develop self-competence and social and relationship skills; vote on classroom projects and hold a bake sale to buy toys for a family in need and learn to resolve conflicts. During the day, they have plenty of opportunities to practice self-management, strengthen relationship skills, and build character and leadership in the classroom community.
brain power
Brain Power introduces the materials, techniques, and technologies that provide natural avenues to STEM learning and ensures that children have daily opportunities to learn the important skills of reasoning, hypothesizing, predicting and theorizing. Prekindergarteners work with math manipulatives such as counters, beads, and pegs to build skills in counting, patterning, and sorting; from their daily activities, children learn about sequence of events, patterns, and routines. With cooking projects and science activities, they learn to count, measure, use words about time, estimate, and solve simple number problems, while learning about the physical properties of materials. They experiment to see how things work, manipulate objects, and use their senses and scientific tools to observe, interpret data, make predictions, test, and draw conclusions.
imagine that
Imagine That takes children on a journey through the visual, musical, creative movement and dramatic arts which foster creativity and imagination, and give children an appreciation and understanding of the arts. Imagine That focuses on the process of artistic creativity by engaging children in diverse open-ended experiences and activities such as writing and illustrating books, learning about great artists, and listening to different genres of music, which helps children have a better understanding of and make meaningful connections to art and artistic expression.
healthy me
Healthy Me provides children with daily practice in making healthy choices, opportunities to be physically active, and the knowledge to understand why taking care of themselves is important. Prekindergarteners work with writing materials and pencils—as well as cutting and folding—to develop the fine motor control they will need for writing. Outside, they run, jump, climb, and play games to develop coordination, healthy bodies, and active habits. They cook tasty and wholesome recipes together, establish class rules as a group, and play cooperative games, which reinforces routines, knowledge, and the habits that prekindergarteners need for a lifetime of keeping themselves healthy and safe.
word smart
Word Smart prepares prekindergarteners with a foundation for successful reading and writing in school. WordSmart ensures that children are practicing and expanding their higher-level language skills and building new vocabulary. Prekindergarteners practice writing letters and words, learn to recognize and read their own name, and those who are developmentally ready have time to practice reading. They use new vocabulary in extended conversations, explore print materials—including high-quality children’s literature—and play rhyming games. Phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and writing activities are integrated into the day, and tailored to each child’s learning needs.
CHARACTER EDUCATION
Our unique character education program is an important part of our curriculum. MyCharacter includes learning objectives that teachers use to help children successfully develop and practice critical social skills, problem-solve, think creatively, make good choices, resolve conflict, persist through challenges, and build self-esteem.
sense of self
self-competence
Labeling feelings in a game of “Feelings Bingo” develops self-competence
resilience
Acting out books or stories about resilience and perseverance builds skills
self-management
Creating a plan for who will be line leader each day develops self-management skills
relationships
integrity
Telling stories at circle time and asking “what would you do”? practices integrity
respect
Discussing how and practicing ways to be “in charge” of your own body develops respect
compassion
Making a class book of “how we show kindness” practices compassion
citizenship
community
Drawing maps of home, school, and town develops community
mindfulness
Caring for the classroom plants and animals develops mindfulness
helpfulness
Holding a bake sale to raise money for giving practices helpfulness
leadership
courage
Reading books and exploring examples and ways to be brave develops courage
positive attitude
Trying to build a wall with different methods and materials practices positive attitude
responsibility
Creating a list of classroom and playground safety rules practices responsibility
learn more about our curriculum
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
AREAS OF LEARNING
