4K Curriculum

Math

The children review numbers one through twenty and understand one-to-one correspondence. They recognize, identify, and write their numbers. The 4K students form sets, graph information, sort and classify, sequence, match, and work with patterns. Measurement and spatial awareness are introduced. Learners recognize and identify geometric shapes. Problem solving, logic, and probability expand the students’ mathematical thinking.

Language Arts

4K students recognize and write their name correctly. Fine motor skills are developed through Handy Learning center activities. The children are introduced to phonemic awareness and begin to master letter sounds for the alphabet. They become aware of upper and lower case letters and form them with assorted mediums. Initial sounds of words are discriminated with auditory skills and the 4K students learn short vowel sounds. As they study each letter, the students develop word lists that begin with the letter and begin to read words. 4K children begin to journal with pictures and phonetic spelling. Rhyming is an essential skill for our youngest students and they explore all of the Nursery Rhymes. The students become aware of left/right directionality and directional words. Through songs and finger plays, the children master the days of the week and seasons of the year. Listening skills and beginning reading skills are encouraged through the reading aloud of thousands of books by teachers.

Social Studies

Rules, manners, and life skills are taught in 4K. Through units of “All About Me”, Home and Families, Community Helpers, and Transportation, the children become aware of the world around them. The Social Studies curriculum includes Harvest Time, Thanksgiving, pumpkins, and Scarecrows in the fall of the year. The ABC’s of Christmas, winter, Patriotism, night/day, love and friendship are units explored in the winter month. Spring leads our 4K students on a journey of learning more about the farm, insects, gardens, zoo animals, ponds, and oceans.

Science

4K students study plants and animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, and ocean). They explore the concepts of sink and float, colors, size and shape, and bubbles. The children learn to make predictions and learn about evaporation, light reflection, magnets, gravity, hibernation, and sound/vibration. Weather is a topic of discussion and the students become aware of the properties of water.

Spanish

The 4K children are taught basic greetings (Hola, adios, buenas dias, como te llamas). Students master the skill of counting to twenty. They are introduced to vocabulary for food and fruits, family members, body parts, colors, and names of various animals. High frequency words are introduced. The commands of levantate and sientate are taught.

Music

Children sign alone and with a group. They sing songs from memory and participate in programs which entertain their family and friends. 4k students identify and move to a steady pulse. Learners play a variety of simple musical formations and styles and enjoy rhythm instruments. The children are introduced to the skill of reading music and they sing songs of diverse cultures. During class, the students identify fast, slow, same, and different in music pieces they listen to.

Physical Education

Playground safety and class rules are a focus. Children become aware of their body and participate in fitness activities which incorporate rhythm and balance. Eye-hand and eye-foot coordination is strengthened. The children participate in activities which develop dominant and non-dominant hand skills. The students develop locomotor skills through walking, running, leaping, hopping, and skipping. They bend, stretch, swing, and sway to build non-locomotor skills. 4K children grow in manipulative awareness by bouncing, throwing, and catching items. Classes enjoy parachute activities and learn to jump rope. They participate in age appropriate games.

Computer

4K students are taught the parts of a computer and become oriented to the computer lab rules and procedures. Learners recognize the letters on the keyboard and participate in programs which teach phonemic awareness. The children experience programs which enhance and support concepts taught in the classroom (color recognition, sorting by shape and color, number recognition, counting, geometric shape recognition). Following directions is a major focus of computer time, too.

If you would like more information, please call 903.579.6000 x3202 or click here to email Gloria Zapalac, Head of Upper School.