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Kindergarten

Language Arts

Kindergarten students will experience the building blocks of reading and writing. They will have many opportunities to increase their understanding of the world through speaking aloud and listening to others. Kindergarten students will:

  • Understand how print works (left-right; top-bottom; front-back; letters; words; spaces)
  • Name upper- and lower-case letters, matching those letters with their sounds, and to print them.
  • Learn to recognize, spell, and use high-frequency words that hold language together (e.g. a, the, to, of, from, I, is, are).
  • Read and write simple 3-letter words.
  • Retell familiar stories and talk about stories read to them.
  • Ask and answer questions about key details in stories and other information read aloud.
  • State an opinion about a topic or book verbally and in writing. (e.g. "My favorite book is…").
  • Understand and use discussion question words ( e.g. who, what, where, when, why, how).
  • Use drawing, speaking and/or writing to describe an event and feelings about the event.
  • Take an active part in classroom conversations (speaking) following the rules for discussion by learning to take turns with others (listening).

Mathematics

Students will apply their reasoning and skills in the field of mathematics and will extend this knowledge to other aspects of their life. Students in kindergarten will:

  • Understand numbers and quantities 0-20.
  • Use counting skills to identify the total number of objects in a set and label sets with written numbers.
  • Compare sets of objects and numbers in written form using the terms greater than, less than, and equal to.
  • Add and subtract using numbers 0-10.
  • Identify two and three dimensional shapes and describe shapes by telling about their parts (e.g. number of sides/points, lengths of sides) and orientation.

Science

Effective elementary science instruction engages students actively in enjoyable learning experiences. Science instruction should be as thrilling an experience for a child as seeing a rainbow, growing a flower, or holding a toad. The curriculum enables students to experience the joy of doing science. In grades k-2, students will:

  • Apply scientific processes, communicate scientific ideas effectively and understand the nature of science.
  • Gain an understanding of Earth and space through the study of earth materials, movement of the earth, moon, and weather.
  • Study the forces of motion and the properties of materials.
  • Study changes in organisms over time and the nature of living things.

Social Studies

Social Studies provides students an opportunity to learn about themselves, their community, and the world. As students engage in social studies, they also learn about culture, citizenship, geography, and financial literacy. Kindergarten students will:

  • Identify and describe similarities and differences between individuals and families.
  • Recognize their responsibilities in being a good citizen, such as appropriate behaviors in different settings.
  • Use maps to identify their surroundings and physical features such as mountains and rivers.
  • Recognize the difference between peoples’ needs, such as food and shelter, and their wants, such as toys and games.
  • Describe different types of jobs and recognize various forms of money, such as coins and currency.

Information Technology

In a world where technology is playing an ever increasing role, it is necessary for students to learn how to access and use technology. Students need to know how to use technology as a tool to accomplish a variety of tasks. Kindergarten students will:

  • Discuss and demonstrate appropriate use of computers.
  • Identify and name the basic parts of the computer such as keyboard, monitor, and mouse.
  • Use electronic resources like interactive books and educational software.
  • Demonstrate proper use of the computer mouse.

Fine Arts

Learning the elements of art is an important part of creativity. Kindergarten students will gain an awareness of self, community, world, and culture. They will develop artistic skills along with performance skills and life skills through experience in the art forms of visual arts, dance, and drama. Kindergarten students will:

  • Draw simple textures using line, dots and shapes and recognizing the variations of patterns.
  • Identify and use colors.
  • Listen to signals and respond to movement and directions.
  • Move to a steady beat, changing tempo, simple rhythms and patterns.
  • Use dramatic games to enhance listening, imitation, pretending and cooperation.
  • Practice voice, movement, diction and expression.
  • Experience improvisations, puppetry, props, and costumes.

Healthy Lifestyles and Physical Education

Research shows that healthy, fit kids learn best, and that exercise has a positive impact on brain chemistry and function. In kindergarten, students will:

  • Understand proper care of the body.
  • Recognize that food is fuel for the body.
  • Identify helpful and harmful substances to the body.
  • Understand basic personal safety rules.
  • Participate in regular physical activity that requires effort.
  • Explore movement - hop, skip, twirl, dance, throw, catch, kick, strike.
  • Maintain personal space and boundaries while moving.

Library Media

Providing students with information literacy and problem-solving skills is an increasingly important role of the school library in today’s society. In the school library, emphasis is placed on reading for enjoyment as well as for information. Kindergarten students will:

  • Learn where the library is in the school and be able to locate areas of the library.
  • Demonstrate proper care of a book and be able to select and use library books.
  • Listen to and interact with literature in a variety of formats and recognize that sometimes books are read for information.
  • Discuss the meaning of media.