Early Learning Center Curriculum

List of 8 items.

• Language Arts

  The Kindergarten class uses a combination of the Orton-Gillingham approach to teaching reading and spelling along with the Lucy Calkins Reading/Writing curriculum.   At the Kindergarten level, the lessons develop print and phonemic awareness, acquaints the child with how the alphabet works, presents critical thinking strategies, and builds on story structure.

• Handwriting

  The handwriting curriculum in Kindergarten is Handwriting Without Tears.  The program uses wooden shapes to “build” the letters before writing them.  This technique helps the students see how the letters are formed before using a pencil to write them.

• Mathematics

  The Math curriculum for the Kindergarten through fourth grade is the Sadlier-Oxford Progress in Mathematics series.   We are also using a supplemental math program, Guiding Kinders.  The Kindergarten approach to math is hands-on. One goal of math at the Kindergarten level is to develop a correlation between real world experiences and math on a page.  A few of the skills the students learn are to add and subtract, tell time, and count money.  Learning these skills involves using manipulatives before working with pencil and paper.

• Science

  The Kindergarten science program correlates with the seasons, holidays, and timely topics of interest.  Science goes beyond the classroom to the school garden, campus nature trails, and Upper School Chemistry lab.  The Kindergarten students enjoy working in these areas with students from all divisions.  The students are given opportunities through hands-on experimentation to observe, compare, contrast, describe, and draw conclusions.  The EL, PreK, and Kindergarten classes have Science twice a week with Miss Gina, our Science Specialist, in the new ELC/LS lab.  They also have Environmental Education with Miss Gina once a week. 

• Social Studies

  The Early Learner class focuses on  units All About Me, Friends, and Helping Others. The PreK class focuses on Our Community-Newnan, and Helping Others in Need. The Kindergarten class focuses on the State of Georgia and how our community, Newnan, is part of Georgia. 

  The Kindergarten students continue to focus on Helping Others in Need and participate in several community service projects throughout the year.  The students collect canned goods monthly for the local Food Pantry, they make seasonal cards to send to the cancer hospital, they perform a music program for the residents of Wesley Woods, and enjoy working on service projects such as Shoeboxes for Soldiers with the Key Club.  

• Technology

  The Kindergarten class has four iPads in the classrooms. The teachers have added educational apps along with some fun games.  In addition to games, stories at various reading levels are on the iPads.  The teachers will direct the children to the appropriate books for their reading levels. The iPads have headphones for quiet listening.

• Specials

  Students in the Kindergarten class have special teachers for library, music, art, French, physical education, science, and environmental education.  All Specials teachers are certified in the content they teach.  The Specials teachers work closely with the classroom teachers to enhance the units of study in their classes.  

  
  •    The class visits the library weekly to learn about featured authors and illustrators and check out a book of their choosing to take home.   
  •    Music for the Kindergarten students focuses on topics such as rhythm, steady beat, and families of instruments.  In the twice weekly classes, the children also prepare for three “on stage” productions for parents and the student body.  
  •     In Art, the students build a portfolio throughout the year containing work from their weekly classes.  The students’ work is on display during the Fine Arts evening.
  •     French in Kindergarten is taught twice a week with song being the primary method to learn the language.  The children also enjoy learning about the French culture and traditions.  
  •     Physical Education is a Kindergarten favorite!   The students have P.E. every day.  The class enjoys learning skills such as dribbling and striking in the large gym, and they also use the track for running and relays.
  •     Science with “Miss “Gina is taught once a week in the chemistry lab.  The students enjoy the Upper School science students who assist with the experiments.  The Kindergarteners keep a Science Journal to document their experiments and observations.
  •    Many of the classes are held outside in the outdoor classroom, garden, or on the nature trail.  Our yearlong unit is a study of Georgia.

• Field Trips

  The Kindergarten class takes several field trips throughout the year.  Each trip enhances our unit of study and gives the students and opportunity to enjoy various types of experiences.  We travel on one of the large buses.  Most of our field trips require a purchased ticket that is reserved ahead of time for the students and faculty.  Parents are welcome to accompany our class on a trip to Noah’s Ark in the spring.