ACTIVITY STATIONS {15 minutes}
During this time, students have the freedom to choose from a variety of activities. Positive and appropriate peer interaction is the goal of our activity stations. This is also a transition time from home to classroom. Our goal is to provide an environment that is inviting and draws the child in. Children may choose to play in the home living area, with blocks, puzzles, stacking and connecting toys, patterning materials and board games. This is also a time that students may express themselves creatively with crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue and paint. Fine motor development is strengthened with the use of water and scissor activities.
GROUP/READING TIME {15 minutes}
Share time is an opportunity for students to bring special treasures from home to share with the class in a show-n-tell format. Reading time will include seasonal books, as well as highlighting specific authors. Also included are prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and calendar/weather activities.
SNACK {15 minutes}
Preschool snack time is a self serve experience. Children are allowed to participate in snack whenever they would like to during activity stations. They will help themselves by getting their own napkin and cup and then serving themselves snack and drink. Signs with pictures will be at the table to assist with this process as well as a teacher being present. On occasion students also participate in the preparation of snack foods.
CENTER TIME {1 hour}
During center time, students rotate through three areas that are designed to allow them freedom to progress at a pace that is comfortable yet challenging.
LARGE GROUP MUSIC {30 minutes}
This time is designed to provide the children with opportunities to sing together as a large group using music that is fun and seasonal. Also included during this time will be practice for our two music programs, Christmas and Mother's Day.
BIBLE {30 minutes}
The Bible emphasis in the MWF preschool program is non-denominational and gives an overview of the entire Bible. Lessons are presented in a “walk through” format that helps the children understand God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation. A variety of methods including books, flannelgraph, tapes, puppets and drama are used in presenting these lessons. Bible emphasis verses are given monthly.
RECESS {15 minutes}
Gross motor assessment and development are part of this time, as well as opportunity for play on equipment, swings or the basketball court.
During the year the following units are integrated throughout center time - safety, colors, library awareness, shapes, opposites, classification, rhyming, community helpers, and occupations. In addition to these units special holiday parties are held at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. There is also an end of the year class picnic.
During this time, students have the freedom to choose from a variety of activities. Positive and appropriate peer interaction is the goal of our activity stations. This is also a transition time from home to classroom. Our goal is to provide an environment that is inviting and draws the child in. Children may choose to play in the home living area, with blocks, puzzles, stacking and connecting toys, patterning materials and board games. This is also a time that students may express themselves creatively with crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue and paint. Fine motor development is strengthened with the use of water and scissor activities.
GROUP/READING TIME {15 minutes}
Share time is an opportunity for students to bring special treasures from home to share with the class in a show-n-tell format. Reading time will include seasonal books, as well as highlighting specific authors. Also included are prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and calendar/weather activities.
SNACK {15 minutes}
Preschool snack time is a self serve experience. Children are allowed to participate in snack whenever they would like to during activity stations. They will help themselves by getting their own napkin and cup and then serving themselves snack and drink. Signs with pictures will be at the table to assist with this process as well as a teacher being present. On occasion students also participate in the preparation of snack foods.
CENTER TIME {1 hour}
During center time, students rotate through three areas that are designed to allow them freedom to progress at a pace that is comfortable yet challenging.
- Language: The goal of the language program is to introduce students to the printed alphabet and phonics. Children begin with upper case letter identification, then move to lower case letter identification, partner letters and beginning sounds. As students show readiness the curriculum continues with vowel identification - long and short, beginning blends and easy readers. Students have access to a selection of library books and the computer is available during this time. As the child’s fine motor develops, he/she will be introduced to beginning penmanship strokes and to the formation of upper and lower case letters of the alphabet. Calendar activities are included as part of this center. Students learn the months of the year, days of the week and yesterday, today and tomorrow.
- Math: The goal of the math program is to introduce students to the concept of quantity in relation to the printed number. Children begin with identification of numbers 1-10, then move through the teens to 20. At this point, students are introduced to number families and progress beyond 20 if they are ready. Many manipulative materials are used in our math area and this helps children to understand symbolization and math facts.
- Science: The science curriculum is unit based. Students work together in small groups doing many hands on experiments and using manipulatives that teach specific science facts. The following is a breakdown of the science program and the approximate time spent on each unit. Daily weather charting is also a part of this center.
- Sunflower Books - Two weeks
- Solar System - One month
- Matter and Energy - One month
- Seasons - Two weeks
- Senses - Two weeks
- Our Bodies/All About Me - Two weeks
- Dental Health - Two weeks
- Seeds and How Plants Grow - Two weeks
- Animals and Insects - Two weeks
- Geography: In geography, students are introduced to the continents and world maps. During the months of September and October the children work on learning the pledge of allegiance and complete individual pledge books. Time is spent learning about the United States and our nation’s history. Later in the year children travel on an imaginary journey around the world, learning interesting facts about countries and their people, along with map activities, art and cooking activities.
- Music: The goal of the music curriculum is to introduce the children to a variety of musical skills in addition to singing. Students learn to develop head voices, learn about steady beat, fast or slow, pitches - high or low, repeated patterns, sound and silence, loud and soft, long and short, rhythm expression, listening, moving, performing and instruments. In addition to music during class, field trips are scheduled throughout the year to the Cedar Rapids Symphony Pied Piper concerts. These concerts feature brass, woodwinds, string and percussion instruments.
LARGE GROUP MUSIC {30 minutes}
This time is designed to provide the children with opportunities to sing together as a large group using music that is fun and seasonal. Also included during this time will be practice for our two music programs, Christmas and Mother's Day.
BIBLE {30 minutes}
The Bible emphasis in the MWF preschool program is non-denominational and gives an overview of the entire Bible. Lessons are presented in a “walk through” format that helps the children understand God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation. A variety of methods including books, flannelgraph, tapes, puppets and drama are used in presenting these lessons. Bible emphasis verses are given monthly.
RECESS {15 minutes}
Gross motor assessment and development are part of this time, as well as opportunity for play on equipment, swings or the basketball court.
During the year the following units are integrated throughout center time - safety, colors, library awareness, shapes, opposites, classification, rhyming, community helpers, and occupations. In addition to these units special holiday parties are held at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. There is also an end of the year class picnic.
LITTLE LEARNERS 950 ROBINS SQ DR ROBINS IA 52328 (319) 378-3921