is appropriate conduct, children feel safe and learn self-control. Teachers encourage their students to express their emotions in a constructive manner, and to accept and recognize emotions in others. Greater emphasis is put on problem solving, allowing the students to use their analytical abilities to generate solutions to their problems. 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 Hebrew language to every day practical situations at home and in school. They also learn Hebrew songs, role play holiday stories using ritual and symbols associated with these stories; lead blessings and prayer; and incorporate Jewish ideas through art. TECHNOLOGY Three-year-olds are introduced to technology through the use of SMART Tables. The children use instinctive finger gestures to manipulate objects. The lessons are structured to enable the students to collaborate and promote problem-solving, matching, and categorizing as they play and work on interactive learning activities. 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, fine motor 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. To complement that program, Growing with Mathematics, a language-based mathematics curriculum that uses hands-on activities, is used to help build and reinforce the student’s understanding of math concepts. Differentiated PRE-KINDERGARTEN OVERVIEW OF GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS
ANN & NATE LEVINE ACADEMY
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