Teachers: Mrs. Tricia Boland and Mrs. Judy Merrell

The FOUR-YEAR-OLD PRESCHOOL curriculum is taught thematically. Throughout the year the children will be learning through special topics and themes. Incorporated into each theme are lessons pertaining to each of the following subject areas: Religion, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Computers, Physical Education, Art, and Music.

• RELIGION
  A Christian based curriculum is used for religion. Preschoolers daily participate in Jesus time. They listen to stories from the Bible, sing songs in praise to God, and take part in group prayer. They come to know Jesus as their friend who died and rose for them. They know God the Father as their Creator who always loves them. The children are taught to show God’s love towards others throughout the day.
• LANGUAGE ARTS
  Preschoolers are provided with experiences with oral and written language.
  Oral language experiences are provided throughout the school day. The teacher engages children in conversations about real experiences, current events, and projects. The teacher listens carefully and responds clearly to the child. Children are given opportunities to talk with other children and to speak to the whole class. Children are provided with experiences to take turns talking in conversation. Learning opportunities are provided for the children to enhance their ability to listen. Children listen while a classmate tells about an item or activity and then they are given an opportunity to ask appropriate questions about what has been said. Children are also asked to follow simple directions.
  Various experiences are provided in the area of written language. Children are read to on a daily basis using books, charts, magazines etc. Books are available in the classroom for individual reading experiences. Children participate in finger plays, rhymes, and songs. Through all of the above activities children have opportunities to develop print awareness, sense of story, appreciation for literature, and understanding of the various uses of the written word. Children are given opportunities to recognize words that have meaning to them: their names, their friends names, items labeled in the classroom, and other common words or phrases. Children are given tools for expressing themselves through drawing and copying. Children also dictate real experiences and stories to the teacher. Children are introduced to letter names.
• MATH
  Math concepts are taught through the daily routine (snack, lining up, etc.) and small group activities. The children participate in hands-on activities that involve number concepts, counting skills, patterning, sorting, numeral recognition, and spatial concepts.
• SCIENCE
  The preschool children use their senses to discover the world around them. Through hands-on activities and field trips the children make new realizations about the world they live in. Through our daily activities and themes the children learn about weather, health, plants, and animals.
• SOCIAL STUDIES
  The preschool classroom environment encourages each child to have a healthy sense of self and a positive self-esteem. The social skills of children are fostered through daily activities. Children are guided into self-regulating their emotions and behaviors. Children are taught how to effectively communicate with others. Through the preschool educational themes the children learn about themselves, their friends, families, our country, and holidays.
• COMPUTERS
  Computer skills are taught to each child individually. The children learn through one on one experiences as well as self-exploration time.
• PHYSICAL EDUCATION
  Children daily take part in activities that promote large and small motor development. Large motor activities include running, jumping, throwing, catching, walking, hopping, galloping, marching, and balancing. Children participate with parachutes, beanbags, hula-hoops, and other equipment. Fine motor activities include lacing, stringing (beads, buttons, etc.), drawing, painting, working with play dough, constructing with manipulatives, and cutting. Children participate with scissors, brushes, crayons, play dough, legos, puzzles and manipulatives.
• ART
  Preschoolers have opportunities to work with a variety of pencils, crayons, markers, paints, tissue paper, scissors, glue, etc. the children are encouraged to create their own unique works of art. The focus of art is on the process rather than the product. Through art the children also improve their fine motor skills.
• MUSIC
  Music is incorporated into the preschool day. Children are given opportunities to sing, play, listen and move to music. Music instruments and basic rhythms are used.