Curriculum

The teaching staff plans hands-on activities in a variety of centers that have curriculum goals embedded into them. The following centers – and the goals for each – can be found in each of our classrooms.

Art Center             

• Become aware of their own creativity as they participate in art activities
• Understand the world that God created for them as they experiment with many different materials and tools
• Build their self-confidence as the make decisions and implement ideas
• Become familiar with and learn colors and shapes as they discover interesting ways to use different materials
• Have fun as they engage in the process of art exploration

Language and Literacy Center

•  Value one’s own culture and heritage
• Experience a print-rich environment
• Employ active listening skills in a variety of situations (e.g., following directions)
• Participate in nonverbal communication through gesture, pantomime and facial expression
• Engage in conversation by sharing ideas with others
• Use spoken English appropriately in a variety of situations
• Develop and use appropriate vocabulary to express meaning intended in spoken interactions
• Respond to various language functions (e.g., greetings, directions, requests, giving information, seeking information)
• Respect differences in behavior and expressions of others

Writing Center

• Grow in their knowledge and love of a print-rich environment
• Learn the importance of written communication
• Appreciate the writing of others
• Develop fine-motor skills through their own written accomplishments
• Become familiar with written ways to express oneself
• Become familiar with phonetics and know the alphabet
• Become knowledgeable and familiar with God’s written word – the Bible

Science and Math Center 

• Use the senses to gain information about objects from the environment emphasizing color, texture, taste, odor, sound, size, shape, direction, motion, heat/cold, and sink/float
• Draw conclusions and predict outcomes based on experience
• Repeat and create simple pattern using concrete objects
• Explore basic concepts of weight, mass, and volume through water play, sand play and cooking
• Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills as they sort, compare, categorize, and classify the many materials they have to work with
• Become aware of the use of numbers in their world

Manipulative Center 

• Develop hand-eye and small motor coordination, as they use materials in the center
• Develops social skills as they interact with one another
• Learn to think and reason, resulting in a sense of achievement
• Construct, classify and compare similarities and differences of a variety of objects
• Explore positional relationships such as in, on and under
• Match objects in one-to-one correspondence
• Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills that pave the way for future learning
• Learn about the world they live in and understand that everything we have comes from God

Block Center

• Develop problem solving skills as they construct with blocks
• Expand their expressive language as they verbalize about building, constructing and creating
• Learn to cooperate and accept the work of others
• Organize their world using symbolic representatives in block play
• Develop math skills as they plan and construct structures from many different types of blocks

Sensory Center 

• Enlighten and refine their senses as they discriminate between the material they use each day
• Participate in the activities that will enhance their sensory abilities
• Refine vocabulary skills as they discuss the senses they are using in the center
• Become sensitive and aware to the sounds and texture of their environment
• Create lasting memories as they learn through using all their senses
• See the world that God created for them with thanksgiving, awe and wonder

Dramatic Play

• Expand their oral language and socialization skills as they talk about activities they are engaged in
• Increase and sustain the ability to concentrate and follow directions
• Develop a positive self-image by cooperating interaction with others, while becoming aware of their own capabilities
• Begin to understand the needs and responsibilities of others
• Develop individual and group creativity
• Grow in faith as they become aware that Jesus is with them any and everywhere

Jesus Time and Chapel

• Know and feel the love Jesus has for them
• Know that Jesus is their best friend
• Sing praises to God
• Have an opportunity to worship in a group
• Communicate with God
• Develop listening skills
• Experience worship with most of their senses