PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT Complex gross motor skills activities such as jumping, hopping on two feet, and balancing are introduced. Because the three-year-olds begin to exhibit more agility in their fine motor skills and can better control their hands and feet, teachers create more complex activities using such tools as stringing beads, working puzzles and cutting with scissors. JEWISH LEARNING Three-year-olds are introduced to more advanced information and concepts in Torah, Bible stories, and Mitzvot. This program develops the student’s ability to connect Jewish values to every day practical situations at home and in school. Children learn Hebrew songs, roleplay holiday stories using rituals and symbols associated with these stories; lead blessings and prayer; and incorporate Jewish ideas through art. Our goal is to build a strong foundation for each child’s unique Jewish identity. TECHNOLOGY Three-year-olds are introduced to STEM by our science specialist in our EC Science and Discovery lab. The children learn about the water cycle, density, magnets, and what makes a rainbow. They learn about the life cycle of insects and they look at worms under microscopes. Our science specialist teaches them about solids and liquids, about acids and bases, and chemical reactions. All of these exciting topics are taught through hands-on experiments so that the children are immersed in the learning, using all of their senses to help understand the amazing world around them. PRE-KINDERGARTEN OVERVIEW OF GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS The Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) curriculum centers around building upon and expanding previously learned knowledge, while introducing new concepts essential for development of thought processes needed for a successful learner. The curriculum is designed to ensure a successful academic and social transition to Kindergarten. COGNITIVE/LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT The Pre-K students carry on using Handwriting Without Tears® which takes a multi-sensory approach regarding directional skills, listening skills, finemotor activities, and letter formation. Through discussion, finger play, stories and songs, teachers use concrete or manipulative materials for explorations to sort, classify, build, count, measure, and create designs and patterns. Like the alphabet, number symbols and pictorial explanations are accessible to the children. SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Teachers place great emphasis on the development of the student’s essential life skills: decision-making; acceptance of responsibility for choices and actions; ownership of learning, risk-taking, empathy and compassion for others; and negotiation and mediation skills. Children are expected to approach a task with flexibility and inventiveness, complete a task, seek help when encountering a problem, and play and work cooperatively with others.
EARLY CHILDHOOD | CURRICULUM GUIDE
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