Lake Forest Country Day School
JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN Curriculum Early Childhood Center
LAKE FOREST COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL A co-educational independent school for students age 2 through Grade 8, graduating students of strong character with a passion for learning since 1888.
Early ChildHood Center Curriculum (1st STEP–Senior Kindergarten)
Overview The Early Childhood Center (ECC) at Lake Forest Country Day School (LFCDS) is designed to be a safe “home away from home”—a warm and welcoming community where young students play, learn, and enjoy developmentally appropriate experiences under the guidance of nurturing and talented faculty. Emphasis is placed on a smooth transition from home to school and from one year to the next, so that each child's school experience is positive, enjoyable, and rewarding. Students are engaged in rich and varied activities designed to provide the foundation for academic and social success. There is a healthy balance between whole group, small group and individual work, academic enrichment and play, and teacher-directed and self-guided pursuits. Teachers differentiate instruction to meet individual student needs and craft integrated units of study that capture the imaginations of their students and allow them to make connections across disciplines. Our comprehensive early childhood program educates the whole child. Small class sizes and two teachers in each classroom enable faculty members to create close, meaningful relationships with each student. World language, music, physical education, and library and information technology experts support and enrich
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children’s learning experiences, opening doors for students to discover new ways of making sense of our world. Each class has access to a state-of-the-art playground with opportunities for daily exercise and the development of large motor skills. Raised beds for gardening help students connect with the earth and food sources. A prairie plot, the School’s forest, and a wetlands area on our twenty-nine acre campus provide sensory experiences and resources for developing an appreciation for the natural world in our students. Each child is respected, supported, and challenged, and knowing the families of our students is as important as knowing their children. In order to develop and maintain the all-important parent-school partnership, daily communication at drop off or pick up, newsletters or blogs, and pictures of students provide each family with a window into their child’s experience.
TEaching Philosophy Knowing the students we teach—individually, culturally, and developmentally—is of utmost importance to us. We also believe in the importance of getting to know their families. We value the input of parents as the child’s first teachers, beginning with intake conferences prior to the start of school when parents share their knowledge of and hopes and dreams for their child. Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: first, the social curriculum is inextricably linked with the academic curriculum; and second, how students learn is as important as what students learn. Early Childhood Center faculty share a commitment to the following teaching and learning practices:
DOMAINS OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Teachers focus on the whole child at a critical time of development in five domains: physical, social and emotional, cognitive, language, and creative. DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES Young children require environments, schedules, and curriculum that is appropriate for their level of maturity and their developmental stage. THE POWER OF PLAY Teachers encourage child-directed, unstructured play as opportunities to learn important skills critical to future social and academic success. RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM® Responsive Classroom® techniques foster a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment for learning.
Domains of Growth and Development Children generally go through predictable stages in the same order, but they will not all go through them at the same rate. For example, a child
HABITS OF MIND Teachers promote ways of thinking and behaving that develop self-discipline and strong character. DIFFERENTIATION Teachers focus on each individual student’s learning style and make adjustments as needed to provide support or additional challenge. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Students enjoy opportunities to engage in handson activities and role-play experiences that help them understand abstract ideas. UNIFYING CONCEPTS Ideas are introduced in the context of central unifying concepts or themes to help students recognize and make connections from what they are learning in different disciplines.
who matures quickly in cognitive areas may mature more slowly in physical and social domains. These developmental concepts guide the decisions we make in our Early Childhood classrooms at Lake Forest Country Day School to ensure that each child’s individual needs are being met. We focus on all areas of growth because each
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domain plays a crucial role in learning outcomes and in providing balance in a child’s life. The whole child comes to school; therefore, decisions about physical activity and the development of social and emotional skills are as important as curriculum choices and assessments.
Social and Emotional Development §§ Emotional development encompasses the child's increasing awareness and control of their feelings and how they react to them in a given situation. Children develop selfawareness, self-confidence, and the ability to cope with and understand feelings. §§ Social development encompasses the child's identity, relationships with others, and an understanding of their place within a social environment. The social aspect of school is how children form attachments, play with others, cooperate, share, and create lasting relationships. §§ Students at LFCDS engage in meaningful play every day. While playing, students have the opportunity to navigate social situations and learn appropriate ways to respond to and interact with their peers.
Language Development §§ Language acquisition during the early years is important for the development of children’s cognitive skills, including the foundation for reading and writing, and social and emotional maturity. §§ At LFCDS, children have the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas during Morning Meeting. §§ Vocabulary development is fostered throughout our rich literacy, social studies, and science curricula through exposure to interesting words in stories and informational texts we read. §§ Through guided play and free exploration a childs's language development is strengthened.
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§§ Through imaginary play, children practice using acquired vocabulary, clarify new words and concepts, employ motivating language, develop metalinguistic awareness, and practice formulating and expressing thoughts.
Physical Development §§ Physical development includes mastering movement, balance, fine motor, and gross motor skills. §§ During early childhood, a child’s balance improves. Children work on their balance as they learn new yoga poses in ECC classrooms. §§ Children work on their gross motor skills outside as they navigate the playground structures, ride bicycles and scooters, and learn to pump on the swings. §§ During play time, children build with blocks, complete puzzles, use scissors and writing tools, and create with various art mediums. These activities develop hand-eye coordination and strengthen fine motor skills.
Cognitive Development §§ Cognitive development includes skills pertaining to learning and thinking. §§ Teachers at LFCDS create learning activities that challenge students in a way that fosters growth while also nurturing a love of learning. §§ Because imaginative play enhances executive functioning and academic learning, it is considered an important aspect of each child’s experience in our ECC. Through free exploration, children use their imaginations and become creative, critical thinkers, problem solvers, and responsible risk takers.
Creative Development §§ Exploring art materials and engaging in dramatic play help students discover new ways to express themselves. Music and movement activities stimulate the brain, increasing pattern recognition, improving coordination, and enhancing language skills.
Developmentally Appropriate Practices When schools create learning environments that honor and support the natural development of young learners, they are also creating a foundation for skills and behaviors that will support students in their education for years to come. As early childhood educators, we know that children go through common, definable steps in their growth and development. As trained experts, we also know that these stages occur at different rates in the development of each individual. Our challenge is to create an atmosphere where balance is achieved in the education of each child. Whether it is how the day is structured, how the classroom is arranged, or what size the playground equipment is, every consideration is given to creating a learning environment that is developmentally appropriate for all children with respect to their emerging capabilities. The teachers in the Early Childhood Center at Lake Forest Country Day School are adept at developing relationships with each child and their families to honor and respect each child’s stage on the developmental continuum. For many of our students, this is their first school experience, and their natural inclination to seek independence is often countered by a longing for the predictable environment of home. To support this stage of child development, the teachers have created a transition period at the beginning of the school year so children can enter school both physically and emotionally ready to learn. This transition time is just one example of how the learning environment at LFCDS is inspired by best practices. Young children also seek structure and predictable environments. When they feel physically and emotionally safe, children are free to explore and take safe risks. Developing meaningful relationships with each child and creating a predictable schedule are key factors in laying the foundation for success.
When you visit the classrooms in the ECC, take note of the physical space and how the classrooms have been designed to engage young children. Is there natural light? Are there tools and supplies available to encourage exploration? Does the room reflect the work of children? What does the room sound like? Is there independent work and group work available? Are there opportunities for play? We feel confident that you will come away from your visit wishing that you could go back to school yourself and be a part of this joyful learning environment. We hope that you will also leave with the knowledge that every part of the experience we offer young children is designed intentionally, to acknowledge the variety of developmental needs of young children.
The Power of Play Play is a powerful gift in a child’s world and is essential in fostering the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Play challenges the complex mind in immeasurable ways and nourishes the human spirit. When children engage in childdirected, unstructured play in the Early Childhood classroom, there are endless opportunities for learning. In fact, a growing body of research continues to support the unequivocal benefits of exploratory and imaginative play in the early years of school. These benefits include increased capacities for creativity, self-regulation, social awareness, emotional resilience, collaboration, and problem solving. Moreover, these advantages play an important role in the Early Childhood classroom’s academic environment. With this understanding, the Early Childhood educators at Lake Forest Country Day School strive to create a learning environment where imaginary play is a key element in the early foundations of language development, literacy skills, mathematics, science exploration, and social sciences.
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THE LFCDS EARLY CHILDHOOD “NEIGHBORHOOD” Our Early Childhood programs are housed in two wings of the School. The preschool is located with 1st STEP in a quiet wing with a separate entrance, which allows our youngest students to experience a peaceful transition from home to school. Bright murals that echo images by Eric Carle, a popular picture book author, decorate the welcoming hallway that leads into large, sunny classrooms. The James L. Marks Early Childhood Center, where junior and senior kindergarten classrooms are located, was designed specifically for young children. Distinctive architectural features make the exteriors of the classrooms look like residential homes. The four classroom “houses” are grouped around an “indoor park” with support beams resembling trees. These physical details reinforce the concept of the classroom as a “home away from home.” Similarly, the school community is, symbolically, a neighborhood comprised of friendly families who interact with one another as they support their children’s growth and development. As children transition into the Lower School, the “house” concept becomes more abstract, but the sense of community prevails. All students in grades one through eight are grouped into four “houses” within the School. Siblings are assigned to different "families" within each house with representation from each grade level. Eighth-grade students take a leadership role under the guidance of faculty and staff house elders. The houses are named for significant leaders in the School’s history (Bell, Mason, and Farwell) and a founder of the first private day school in America (Alcott). At various times throughout the year, house families get together for activities that build multi-age friendships and foster school spirit.
Creative potential is strongly correlated with lifetime achievement. At the root of creativity is an individual’s ability to engage in the discovery of the unknown, take on divergent perspectives, and to explore the wonders of one’s surroundings. In early childhood, free play is associated with creativity. Preschoolers who spend more time in role play have higher measures of creativity and are more likely to be able to see a situation from someone else’s point of view. Children are working hard to develop self-regulation skills throughout the early childhood years. Play provides young children with meaningful, self-directed opportunities to engage with their environment and learn the best ways to interpret what they experience, make sense of their emotions, manage impulsivity, and respond in socially appropriate ways to their surroundings. Furthermore, “the ability of young children to control their emotional and cognitive impulses is a remarkably strong indicator of both
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short-term and long-term success, academic and otherwise. In some studies, self-regulation skills have been shown to predict academic achievement more reliably than IQ tests.” (Paul Tough, “Can the Right Kinds of Play Teach SelfControl?” New York Times, September 25, 2009.) In addition, play is central to nurturing and developing emotional resilience in children. The challenging scenarios created through play test a child’s ability to solve problems independently, recognize when to ask for support, compromise, confront adversity, and endure frustration and disappointment.
“If we fail to learn in childhood how to handle the full catastrophe of a rich life, we grow up emotionally ill-prepared. Learning to build these inner resources for a happier life demands that we endure the hard knocks of the playground— boot camp for the inevitable upsets of everyday relationships. Given how the brain masters social resilience, children need to rehearse for the ups and downs of social life, not experience a steady monotone of delight.” (Daniel Goldeman, Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships. Bantam, 2007.)
Without these opportunities to work through frustrations, children wouldn’t learn the value of persistence and subsequently the joy of accomplishment and newly found confidence. It’s hard to argue the incredibly close connection of child’s play and success in school. Play is the mode in which young children learn to master the various skills which are crucial to tackling their future academic and interpersonal challenges. A healthy balance of childdirected imaginary play and meaningful educational opportunities are fundamental to developing children of strong character with a passion for learning.
Responsive Classroom® The Early Childhood Center utilizes Responsive Classroom® techniques to create a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment.
FORESTS, FLIGHTS, AND FAIRY TALES Peek into our Early Childhood classrooms and you will find two highly qualified teachers spending time with students one on one, in small groups, and in large group settings. Lessons are purposefully designed to meet children’s needs through multiple experiences. In a preschool classroom at LFCDS, you might find children discovering new knowledge about trees and leaves while sifting through bark, leaves, and seed pods at the sensory table as they gain an understanding of our relationship to the earth. In junior kindergarten, fouryear-old students board a “flight” to South America where they experience an integrated study of the continent and hear and play music unique to this area of the world. Peek through the windows of a senior kindergarten classroom and you may see five-year-old students applying their knowledge of fairy tale elements to write a collaborative traditional story. From nature exploration to imaginative field trips to folklore studies, LFCDS students benefit from fun, hands-on experiences that pique their curiosity, introduce academic skills, and develop a passion for learning.
In classrooms where caring communities are created and where children are valued for who they are as learners, students are prepared to face academic challenges. Activities are intentionally designed to expand their thinking and help them develop confidence in what they can accomplish. As students grow, they enjoy more in-depth learning, participate willingly in discussions, and ask questions while they make connections. By kindergarten, students are in a five-day, full-week program that allows them the time to stretch their learning and use their prior knowledge to strengthen their skills.
Children must have multiple opportunities to learn and practice in order to be successful academically and socially. Since the greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction, various social settings (e.g., one-to-one conferences, small groups, whole class, and team experiences) provide opportunities for learning cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control. Every Early Childhood Center classroom begins the day with a Morning Meeting. Children are introduced to greeting one another in our 1st STEP program at the age of two. Children are encouraged to sit together in a circle while they are guided to say their names with different greetings throughout the school year. This lays the foundation for children to acknowledge other children who are present and to learn the names of their friends and teachers. 1st STEP’s goals are for children to become comfortable and proud to say their names in front of others, to greet their classmates with
a smile, and to manage their impulsivity while they wait their turn. In preschool, children continue to learn the polite skills involved in greeting one another, and the Morning Message is introduced. Children are taught to greet their classmates by looking each other in the eye and smiling to let others know they are accepted and liked. Once children are comfortable with the routine, the greeting is enriched with a sharing and learning time, an opportunity for each child to explain items they have brought to school and to explore numbers and letters. Every week, the Morning Message changes to reflect the weekly theme. Children develop confidence in their early reading skills as they identify words that are regularly present in the message and tackle learning new ones. In junior kindergarten, children build on the skills they have learned for greeting one another and reading the Morning Message. Greeting is now a time to not only make their classmates feel welcomed, but a time to connect to their learning. After saying their name, a child is often asked to add information about an animal being studied, identify letters in a word, express sounds connected to letters, count with one-to-one correspondence, or identify numbers. The sharing time is used to intentionally
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teach communication skills and to get to know one another better. On their scheduled day, the children who share are taught to stand confidently in front of their classmates and explain what they brought to school and why it is important to them. They learn to make eye contact and speak clearly. Their classmates learn to manage their impulsivity while thinking of questions to ask the child who is sharing. The child accepts questions, and the answers provide further information to which classmates can connect. In senior kindergarten, children are ready to apply the skills they have practiced to all parts of Morning Meeting. the morning message becomes an interactive board for teaching literacy and mathematics skills, as well as practicing public speaking. The message changes daily, and students are assigned to read and complete the message. The message occasionally ends with a question that each child is encouraged to read and answer. During sharing time students are taught to be concise by stating a main idea and two details before asking for three questions or comments. This activity supports building self-confidence. As the year progresses, children become increasingly comfortable sharing about themselves and their knowledge.
which have the potential to turn a life around.” —Leo Buscaglia
§§ A junior kindergarten student persists as she practices crossing the monkey bars independently. “Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time.” —Marabel Morgan, The Electric Woman
§§ A senior kindergarten student uses his metacognition during a mathematics lesson as he shares two ways he approached solving a problem. Learning to think about one’s thinking and to consider different options and perspectives is a powerful skill. “When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself.” —Plato
§§ Early childhood students respond with wonder and awe as they use their senses to experience their environment and gather data. They role play the story that was read to them; discover what colors are created as they mix paints; note the patterns that are involved in the rhythms played on their xylophones; experiment with the sounds of new words spoken in Spanish or Mandarin; and dig in the garden to plant seeds. “Observe perpetually.”
Habits of Mind Habits of Mind are behaviors or dispositions that we believe provide a strong foundation for success in school and in life. Across the curricular areas, faculty members discuss their application and provide regular opportunities for students to apply them. For example:
§§ All early childhood students learn to listen with empathy and understanding as they participate in Morning Meetings and hear classmates share ideas and stories. Becoming an active listener is one of the most important life skills taught in these early years. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of
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—Henry James
“The most beautiful experience in the world is the experience of the mysterious.” —Albert Einstein
§§ A preschool child is encouraged to manage her impulsivity, a skill that early childhood children practice daily when listening to a mini lesson on the rug or waiting for a turn to participate. Teachers model this concept and discuss the value of patience throughout the school day. “…goal directed self-imposed delay of gratification is perhaps the essence of emotional self-regulation: the ability to deny impulse in the service of a goal, whether it be building a business, solving an algebraic equation, or pursuing the Stanley cup.” —Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence
Differentiation
Experiential Learning
Differentiation is the process of matching instruction to students and their varied interests and needs. Each
Children learn best through hands-on experiences that enable them to observe and manipulate objects and materials using their senses. Our commitment to
child is unique, and each child learns differently. At LFCDS, teachers differentiate instruction based on an understanding of where each child is on the learning continuum as determined by observation and both formative and summative assessments. Our small class sizes allow us to know our students well. We take into account the “whole child” and consider the personal experiences, interests, and learning styles of each student in order to guide him or her toward success. Wholegroup, small-group, and individualized experiences occur throughout each child’s week. When developing curriculum, faculty create engaging activities meant to acknowledge the differences in children’s developmental levels – to challenge and support them as they develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, physically, and creatively. Teachers are experts at recognizing which skills each child is ready to work on and providing individualized opportunities for practice. For example, in preschool, the teacher may ask a child who is ready to learn letter sounds to help read the Morning Message, while she may encourage a child who is strengthening fine motor skills to manipulate play dough or use an eye dropper to fill a small container at the water table. In junior kindergarten, a teacher may prompt students who are eager writers to add words and sentences to their projects. In senior kindergarten, a group of students may participate in guided reading while others solidify their understanding of letter– sound correspondence through games. Our teachers have high expectations that all students will make excellent progress and attain appropriate benchmarks— at their own pace and in their own ways—with specific feedback and warm encouragement from both teachers and parents.
experiential learning is supported by recent neuroscience and brain research which emphasizes that children learn best through authentic experiences. At LFCDS, interactions with the natural world are promoted through the use of our native prairie, wetland, and forest environments where children can interact with phenomena being studied. Emphasis is on taking care of the natural world to become stewards of the earth. Creative expression through art, music, and dramatic play engage students in active roles, thereby enhancing their understanding of concepts and strengthening the likelihood that they will internalize the experience. Experiences in the ECC capitalize on the natural curiosity three-, four-, and five-year-old students have about the world around them and their fascination with a rich and ever-changing environment. The preschool class hikes in the forest to study trees and leaves. Children become tree experts and take part in a ceremony in which they receive a “Tree Expert Necklace.” They plant bulbs and seeds that provide beauty on the playground and pumpkins for the next year’s class of children. Observing red wigglers in the composting bin, collecting rain water, and taking care of the earth in a variety of ways connects them to nature. Junior kindergarten children study the animals of North America, the polar regions, and South America. Whenever possible, they observe and care for creatures, such as slugs, whose movements, eating habits, and egglaying are closely watched. Junior kindergarten students take part in a simulated flight to South America, complete with parent volunteers who check each child’s passport and luggage and serve as limo drivers, flight attendants, and pilots during this exciting experience. Senior kindergarten students learn about the systems of the human body and create a planetarium during science studies. An exciting medieval feast occurs during a unit on castles and medieval life. Children enjoy role playing, making a coat of arms, painting portraits of themselves as royalty, and learning a courtly
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dance. They dress in period costumes, sing, entertain one another, and eat as royals and peasants/serfs. They also cooperatively write and illustrate their own fairy tale. It’s a magical experience!
Unifying Concepts Unifying concepts provide a structure for organizing and making meaning of the knowledge and information that students learn throughout the school day. Research supports this notion: facts and ideas become meaningful for children when they are linked to central themes or concepts. Students make connections within and across disciplines and topics and, as a result, comprehend their learning experiences more deeply. Knowing how students learn best, we developed preschool through eighth-grade social studies and science curricula around unifying concepts that build upon and connect to each other. In preschool, the concept of relationships (i.e., peer to peer, peer to adult, in-school community, and people to the environment) is thoughtfully woven into the curriculum. Through daily play, earth awareness activities, and multisensory discoveries, these young children are beginning to understand the important difference their small contributions make in the big world around them. As children progress into junior kindergarten, relationships with others, the school community, and the earth is enriched by the concept of exploration. The rich curriculum consists of flora, fauna, and global interdisciplinary units of study. Stepping out of their classroom door, children enjoy hiking through the prairie and woodlands in all seasons, and their curiosity is piqued as they experience nature. Throughout the year, the children’s world is broadened as they embark on “voyages” stretching across the continents, heightening their love of learning. Building on these foundational experiences, in senior kindergarten children delve into the concept of interactions. Embedded within all of the units of study is an opportunity for children to explore how interactions affect people, places, and things. During
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NAEYC’S 12 PRINCIPLES OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT These principles are grounded in research on child development and learning and in what is known to be true about educational effectiveness. They guide our practices in order to promote optimal learning and development of our students. §§ All domains of development and learning—physical, social and emotional, and cognitive—are related. §§ Children follow well-documented sequences to build knowledge. §§ Children develop and learn at varying rates. §§ Learning develops from the dynamic interaction of biological maturation and experience. §§ Early childhood experiences can have profound effects, and optimal periods exist for certain types of development and learning. §§ Development proceeds toward greater complexity and self-regulation. §§ Children thrive with secure, consistent relationships with responsive adults. §§ Multiple social and cultural contexts influence learning and development. §§ Children learn in a variety of ways, so teachers need a range of strategies. §§ Play helps develop self-regulation, language, cognition, and social competence. §§ Children advance when challenged just beyond their current level of mastery. §§ Children’s experiences shape their motivation, which in turn affects their learning. National Association for the Education of Young Children, naeyc.org
the castle study children are transported back in time when serfs and monarchs interacted with one another to ensure a strong and impressive castle. Through the study of culture, senior kindergarten students develop an awareness of the similarities we share with others and how we are different. They discover how who we are, what we do, and what we make defines a culture. At each grade level the unifying concept broadens the previous one and adds a new layer of student understanding and application. We are committed to challenging young minds with authentic, thought-provoking experiences and building strong foundational skills.
JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN Curriculum The JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN Experience at LFCDS Four-year-old children are ready to learn as they explore their world and gain an understanding of how it works. To address
activity, and learning through play. There is a balance of individual work, small-group learning, and large-group time, which helps children to develop as independent learners, collaborative peers, and “citizens” of a classroom community.
their learning needs, our junior kindergarten program offers a The morning begins as stimulating, languageenthusiastic children arrive Highlights of the rich, child-centered in the Early Childhood Junior Kindergarten environment in which Center (ECC), ready children are encouraged to Experience for another joyful day of discover new things and learning and socializing §§ Hike to the prairie, wetlands, and forest on construct a “mental model” the LFCDS grounds; apple and pear picking with friends. They feel of how those things are on campus; and a family excursion to Fort comfortable entering an Sheridan to explore an oversized replica of a interrelated. The curricular inviting classroom which hawk’s nest. theme of exploration is the has been built to look like perfect fit for these young §§ Plan and construct a woodland animal habitat a small cottage from the in the state-of-the-art Innovation Lab using adventurers. Thinking and outside. Inside, the space the Design Thinking methodology. moving go hand-in-hand truly becomes a cozy home for four-year-olds, so the §§ Prepare food and a performance for the ECC away from home. Children Harvest Celebration. classroom is designed to sign in, hang up their coats, allow children to move §§ Discover the Inuit culture during the Polar and settle down together easily from one learning Regions unit. on the rug, completing activity center to the puzzles and reading books §§ Experience a complete immersion into the next. Teachers change the continent of South America, including a with a teacher as their materials in each activity simulated flight, a tropical rainforest display, peers arrive. The class then and a Caminata (hike) to the rainforest and area on a regular basis, starts the day together by the pampas regions recreated in the LFCDS updating them to align participating in a Morning Outdoor Classroom. with the current area of Meeting. The format of §§ Plant seeds and bulbs on the playground study and regularly pique the meeting is based on and harvest pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers, children’s curiosity for Responsive Classroom® and tulips. further exploration. Two techniques. Throughout §§ Enjoy Friday enrichment activities. teachers observe and the day, the focus is on interact with the children, developing a love of asking open-ended language and building questions that promote the foundation for critical cognitive development. Since we know that learning thinking skills. Children are empowered to make goes from hand to head, the school day incorporates decisions and solve problems. plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning, physical
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We use an integrated thematic approach to develop our curriculum. Reading, writing, listening, speaking, social studies, mathematics, and science skills are developed in the context of exploring a particular area of study. An emphasis is placed on complete involvement of the senses in learning. In addition to sharing books and being read to, children are encouraged to play, manipulate objects, and act out their learning in the dramatic play area, sensory table, writing center, art center, block-building area, and on the playground. When studying bats, junior kindergarten students delight in making, painting and hanging paper-stuffed stalactites and stalagmites to create a cave. They role play, pretending to be spelunkers by crawling through caves they have made from large boxes. The children enjoy learning about the adaptations of bats and generate questions about their amazing sense of hearing. Specials teachers extend the curriculum integration. Our large playground allows students to engage in physical activity at an age when so much learning is transmitted through the large muscles. We allow ample time for students to run, swing, and interact with one another outside during the day. They also have class twice a week with our physical education & wellness teacher in a small gym designed for our young students. Like the homeroom teachers, the PE teacher fosters an atmosphere of positive peer relationships, encouraging all students to be good team players and kind friends. The junior kindergarten weekly schedule is designed specifically for four-year-olds. Some children this age have the stamina for five full days of school, but many still need “down time.” Our program provides a transition from half-day preschool to full-day senior kindergarten with a blended schedule that includes both. During part of the week, children experience the longer day that will be the norm in senior kindergarten; on other days, they are only in class in the morning. Half of the class spends a full day in junior kindergarten on Mondays and Wednesdays and mornings-only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The other half has the opposite schedule. After a busy morning, Monday through Thursday afternoons, when only half
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of the students are present, allow time for teachers to work individually and in small groups with students on literacy and mathematics activities that are responsive to the teachers’ assessments of each student’s progress. On Friday afternoons, all of the children participate in enrichment activities developed by the teachers to further enhance the program. Junior kindergarten teachers at LFCDS create a warm and nurturing learning environment in which children take risks and develop both independence and social awareness. The healthy balance of foundational skill development, which will support later academic study, and play, which emphasizes age-appropriate sensory exploration, language development, and interpersonal skills, creates the optimal learning experience for our four-year-olds.
SCHEDULE Junior kindergarten is a full-day program on three days a week from 8:10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. and half-day two days a week from 8:10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. There are Prime Time programs for junior kindergarten students offered through our Extended School Program (ESP) on some afternoons from 3:30–4:30 p.m. and children can stay in ESP until 6:00 p.m. Both are additional fees.
§§ Each day begins with Morning Meeting and whole group learning, which includes greeting one another, reading a story, reading the morning message, engaging in a physical break by singing and dancing to a song. Poetry and finger plays expose children to beautiful language. §§ Daily activities are most often related to the current unit of study at the time and focus on literacy, mathematics, fine motor skills, and creativity. §§ Each day students engage in phonemic awareness activities with their teachers (i.e., rhyming, segmenting words, listening for beginning and ending letter sounds in words). §§ Students enjoy recess and a snack in the morning and recess in the afternoon for those who stay all day.
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§§ Music, Spanish, and physical education & wellness are taught twice a week; and library is taught once a week. §§ Students staying all day go to lunch with their classmates. Following lunch, they enjoy music and a story followed by a short peace and quiet time. §§ Students staying for a full day enjoy the benefit of extended learning with half the class, allowing for ample time to work one-on-one with the teachers. In the afternoon, the focus
is on differentiated literacy and mathematics activities, problem solving as they play games and work on puzzles, and exploratory play in small groups. Throughout the year, students also have the opportunity to listen to stories and play mathematics and literacy games on iPads. §§ The Friday Enrichment Program is a time for the teachers to offer special lessons of interest for the students.
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Overview
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LANGUAGE ARTS OVERVIEW Literacy, which includes listening, speaking, writing, and reading, is the focal point of the junior kindergarten program. Our early childhood faculty support language and literacy development throughout the day by talking and interacting with children, providing varied opportunities for children to practice language, and by creating a classroom environment that is rich in print. Both receptive and expressive language skills are sharpened through discussion, following directions in work and play, and group sharing time. Time is provided daily for children to interact with quality picture books and interesting nonfiction books related to the theme being studied, laying the foundation for a love of reading. Activities such as interactive read-alouds, discussion of literature, group writing, drama, big book sharing, writing, and dictated writing help foster growth in vocabulary development, thinking skills, verbal expression, and reading ability. Children experience phonological awareness activities, concepts of print, rich vocabulary, and writing experiences at an age-appropriate level within a balanced literacy program which includes one-on-one conferences, small guided groups, and whole-class experiences. Junior kindergarten students engage in differentiated learning experiences while participating in these activities.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following language arts skills:
Phonological Awareness and Reading
§§ Recognize uppercase letters. §§ Begin to recognize lowercase letters. §§ Recognize the difference between upper- and lowercase letters. §§ Produce sounds associated with printed letters. §§ Use pictures in books to predict words. §§ Begin to identify beginning letter sounds in words. §§ Begin to identify words that rhyme. §§ Recognize and use print that is accessible throughout the classroom (e.g., labels, signs). §§ Understand print conventions (e.g., left to right, front/ back, book cover, author, illustrator, text, title). §§ Blend and segment compound words.
Writing
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§§ Use proper grip. §§ Write the letters of their name independently. §§ Complete Handwriting Without Tears activities. §§ Write all uppercase letters. §§ Form letters correctly. §§ Identify parts of Mat Man (e.g., big curve, little curve).
§§ With the support of the teachers, students practice comprehension skills: §§ Retell and reenact events in a story. §§ Sequence events in a story. §§ Make connections. §§ Identify interesting words. §§ Distinguish between fiction and nonfiction. §§ Use prior knowledge to anticipate meaning and make sense of text. §§ Make predictions. §§ Identify the setting, problem, and solution. §§ Discuss character traits and emotions.
§§ Create illustrations that represent information. §§ Copy signs/labels/words. §§ Write words using the beginning consonant sound.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Language Arts
Listening and Speaking §§ §§ §§ §§
Express ideas clearly. Use age-appropriate vocabulary. Participate in class discussions. Take turns speaking.
§§ Listen to others. §§ Follow two-step oral directions. §§ Ask appropriate questions.
MATHEMATICS OVERVIEW The primary goal of the junior kindergarten mathematics program is to instill in each child a sense of confidence and success in his or her ability to think, reason, and solve problems mathematically. Using the Everyday Mathematics curriculum allows us to provide extensive exposure and hands-on learning experiences, primarily focused on algebra, number sense, geometry, measurement and data analysis. We concentrate on the problem-solving skills and strategies that each child possesses and build a foundation for further learning. Math skills are acquired through a variety of hands-on relevant activities that are meaningful to each child. By manipulating real materials, concepts are illustrated concretely and children experience them visually. These math activities evolve out of day-to-day experiences, projects related to our curriculum, and calendar activities. Mathematics is also integrated into science, language arts, and social studies activities throughout the week.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following mathematics skills:
Number Sense
§§ Identify numbers and their relationship to object quantities or symbols. §§ Recognize and demonstrate counting numbers 1-20. §§ Count forward and backward with a number line. §§ Demonstrate the concept of equality and inequality.
Algebra
§§ Identify, describe, and extend patterns §§ Sort, classify, order, and compare attributes
Geometry
§§ Analyze two- and three-dimensional shapes §§ Describe spatial relationships §§ Recognize and create symmetrical shapes
Measurement and Data Analysis §§ Use non-standard measurement and comparative language.
§§ Explore operations with quantities (i.e., adding on, taking away). §§ Replicate and create patterns when drawing or building. §§ Begin to estimate small quantities.
§§ Use objects, pictures, and symbols to represent and understand quantitative relationships
§§ Find geometric shapes and structures in the environment §§ Recognize two- and three-dimensional shapes.
§§ Create and analyze information on graphs (e.g., equal, greater, less, more).
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Language Arts, Mathematics
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SCIENCE OVERVIEW The junior kindergarten science program exposes children to science concepts and procedures in a developmentally appropriate manner, building on children’s natural curiosity about the world around them. Through active, hands-on scientific explorations, children learn to observe carefully, note similarities and differences, make predictions, test their predictions, and ask questions in order to help develop logical and systematic thinking. In the junior kindergarten science-based curriculum, areas of study include ecosystems of woodlands, polar regions, rainforests, and oceans, with an emphasis on animal adaptations to those environments. Each week, a science experiment or activity engages students in the scientific process. Students extend their learning through follow up hands-on learning opportunities at the science center and sensory table. Students use their senses to explore, draw conclusions, and make sense of their world.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following science skills: §§ Grow plants in different ways (i.e., seeds, bulbs, cuttings). §§ Use simple machines to gain an understanding of how §§ Learn and experiment with the properties of water. tools help us do work. §§ Understand metamorphosis through direct observation §§ Explore magnetic and non-magnetic materials. (e.g., butterflies, lady bugs). §§ Use their senses in a variety of experiments (i.e., identify §§ Care for living things (e.g., fish, turtles, snakes, hermit smells, distinguish sounds, compare our eyesight, crabs, tarantula, chicks). recognize different items by using the sense of touch).
Social STUDIES OVERVIEW We believe that learning is exploring, and exploration is the lens through which our junior kindergarten students view topics of study. Students investigate unique living things and ecosystems in the world. They also observe connections that exist between animals, humans, and ecosystems.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following social science skills: §§ Discover how people of the Inuit culture and animals §§ Explore the prairie, forest, and wetlands ecosystems on survive in a harsh polar environment. the LFCDS campus. §§ Visit and explore South America to learn about the §§ Study the North American Woodlands and several flora, fauna, and indigenous people. animals that live there (e.g., raccoons, bats, eagles, bees, §§ Use globes and maps to locate places that are studied. deer, slugs).
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EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Science, Social Studies
§§ Learn about landmarks, climate, and landforms of regions studied with an emphasis on the adaptations of living things that allow them to survive in their environment. §§ Share family traditions to build an understanding and appreciation for the diversity of culture and family structures.
§§ Explore social roles through play using a puppet theater, the block and housekeeping areas, a display area between our classrooms, and a loft (which changes throughout the year).
Social and Emotional Development OVERVIEW We know that developing healthy social and emotional skills in young children is of utmost importance. Doing so fosters a child’s ability to self-regulate emotions and classroom behaviors, build self-confidence, and establish positive and rewarding relationships with others and the community. This area of a child’s development is also directly related to academic success, and thus, carefully attended to throughout each child’s day.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following social and emotional skills: §§ Resolve conflicts in constructive ways. §§ Interact positively, respectfully, and cooperatively §§ Work through frustration. with others. §§ Show empathy for others. §§ Enter into social groups, develop friendships, and §§ Read facial cues and identify emotions. help others. §§ Regulate emotions, behavior, and attention. §§ Listen to others’ ideas during play.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Social Studies, Social and Emotional Development
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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW Our goal is to help children develop and strengthen the fine and gross motor skills necessary for success in later years. Research tells us that children need movement to learn. We balance our fine motor and gross motor activities to create the most developmentally appropriate learning environment. .
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS
In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following skills:
Fine Motor
§§ Demonstrate the proper grip when using a writing instrument. §§ Use scissors appropriately. §§ Trace using a stencil. §§ Demonstrate the ability to work with ink stamps.
Gross Motor §§ §§ §§ §§
Demonstrate ability to go up and down loft stairs safely. Begin to pump on swings independently. Ride tricycles and scooters safely. Attempt monkey bars.
§§ §§ §§ §§ §§
Knead and roll with play dough. Stack blocks. Use a paintbrush with control. Manipulate pieces of a puzzle. Begin to lace string through holes on cardboard.
§§ §§ §§ §§
Maneuver on gliders. Balance on the beam. Run with balance. Develop balance through yoga poses.
Physical Education & Wellness OVERVIEW The mission of the physical education & wellness program is to help students develop a lasting appreciation for physical activity and acquire the skills, strategies, and knowledge that lay the foundation for a lifetime of well-being through athletics. Teachers strive to inspire a commitment to health-related fitness and positive lifestyle choices regardless of athletic ability. Our goals are to enhance students’ ability to lead, work together as a team, participate fairly with sportsmanship, and develop respect for peers. We encourage active participation from all students.
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LOWER SCHOOL—GRADE 1
Physical Development, Physical Education & Wellness
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following physical education & wellness skills: §§ Recognize that certain foods are good for health. §§ Develop locomotor, non-locomotor, and §§ Explore the concept of cooperation. manipulative skills. §§ Enhance students' academic development §§ Develop responsibility for safe movement practices. through activity. §§ Develop awareness of personal space. §§ Experience the enjoyment of physical activity. §§ Experience a variety of physical activities. §§ Recognize that physical activity is good for the body.
Fine Arts OVERVIEW Education in the arts is an inseparable part of the education of the whole child. Children learn to express and interpret ideas through observation and analysis of these art forms. They learn creative modes of problem solving and in so doing develop an array of expressive, analytical, and developmental tools which can be applied to every human situation. Students understand the influences of the arts in their power to create and reflect cultures, both past and present, thus enabling them to make informed judgments about cultural products and issues. They also develop attributes such as self-discipline, perseverance, and collaborative skills. Experiences in the arts develop each child’s imagination and sense of personal fulfillment.
GENERAL MUSIC The three main components of the ECC general music program at each grade level are music literacy, performance, and music listening and analysis.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following general music skills: §§ Explore musical concepts such as tempo and the §§ Track the beat and rhythmic patterns through various purpose of a staff using gross motor movement. chants and rhymes on the written page. §§ Develop proper performance and audience etiquette. §§ Read, notate, and perform equal divisions of beat using §§ Explore a variety of genre including folk, world, jazz, and pictorial and non-traditional representation. classical through listening and §§ Develop the voice through vocalization including the creative movement. major scale. §§ Identify A440 and other reference notes to develop inner hearing.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN Physical Education & Wellness, Fine Arts
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Information Literacy OVERVIEW Library visits and lessons are designed for our early childhood children to learn the library routines such as book selection, check-out and return of materials. Students are exposed to and discuss good literature. Comprehension skills as well as the basic skills of counting, color identification, sequencing, and recognition of the alphabet are reinforced during lessons.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following information literacy skills: §§ Follow library routines and etiquette. §§ Identify books of personal interest and make judicious §§ Listen attentively when books are read aloud. choices for independent reading. §§ Make connections to a theme through literature and §§ Start caring appropriately for books and take enrichment activities. responsibility for returning them in a timely manner.
Education Technology OVERVIEW Students in junior kindergarten use iPads to engage in active, hands-on experiences that enhance, support, and extend their learning. Teachers differentiate for each child’s unique developmental needs by selecting specific apps and levels to meet each student’s need. Junior kindergarten students enjoy listening to stories, playing literacy and mathematics games, and using their fine motor skills as they navigate the iPad.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following information technology skills: §§ Demonstrate the safe and cooperative use of §§ Demonstrate an understanding of how to appropriately technology. care for an iPad. §§ Communicate about technology using developmentally §§ Demonstrate an understanding of how the iPad appropriate and accurate terminology operates (i.e., turn the iPad on and off, select and use apps effectively, and navigate the iPad keyboard).
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EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Information Literacy, Education Technology
WORLD LANGUAGE OVERVIEW LFCDS offers Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French in the ECC and Lower School. These languages were selected in order to expose our students to a variety of important world cultures and better equip them to meet the challenges of global citizenship. Our design is based on current brain research and best practices in elementary world language education. Adhering to the national standards for the teaching of world languages, we aim to prepare our students to view the world from broader perspectives, compare and contrast languages and cultures, and appreciate the importance of communication in international communities. The benefits of this model lead beyond language learning into the discovery of diverse cultural worlds where these languages are spoken.
EARLY CHILDHOOD & LOWER SCHOOL CURRICULUM SEQUENCE Spanish: Preschool and Junior Kindergarten Spanish is the most prominent second language in the United States. Often young children have already had some exposure to Spanish expressions and culture. The two-year study of Spanish provides a foundation in Spanish which will also set the stage for the learning of other languages with different sounds and syntax.
Mandarin Chinese: Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 Chinese represents the fastest growing Eastern language and may be the most important business language outside of English in the twenty-first century. In addition, brain research shows benefits from the study of pictographic and tonal languages, which naturally develop simultaneous use of multiple areas of the brain, enhancing student learning of other subjects. The two-year study of Chinese enriches our senior kindergarten and first-grade cultural studies, especially our first-grade social studies unit on China.
French: Grades 2 and 3
French is an official language in thirty-three countries spread throughout five continents. While learning French, students discover the cross-influence of the French and English language and deepens their knowledge and awareness of their own language use as they explore the ways language shapes the world. The two-year study focuses on building communicative competence in French and introduces them to speaking and listening in order to express themselves. Additionally, students use French to enrich their study of other disciplines and learn how to connect to the language through science, art, math, and social studies.
Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French: Grade 4 Fourth-grade students have the opportunity to revisit or become familiar with Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French. In our global world today, some knowledge of the sound system and basics of each language is critical for a well-rounded education. In addition, an opportunity to compare all three languages over the course of a year allows students, with the support of parents and teachers, to make an informed choice about which single language to study in Upper School. Having experienced all three languages also complements the fourth-grade immigration unit and their culminating study of global warming.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
World Language
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GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In junior kindergarten, students work to master the following skills: §§ Learn basic vocabulary through songs, games, and §§ Hear and respond to words spoken in Spanish. movement (e.g., greetings, body parts, §§ Develop an “ear” for different sounds, facilitating a numbers, colors). near-native-sounding accent. §§ Study other peoples, learning to respect and celebrate cultural differences.
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EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
World Language
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Throughout the year, junior kindergarten children experience hands-on, interdisciplinary units of study. These studies encompass the fundamental domains and are developed through the lens of an overarching junior kindergarten theme, explorations. You will find examples of these engaging interdisciplinary studies throughout the curriculum.
Woodland Animal Study—Fall Knowing that young children are naturally curious about their environment, we begin the school year with an in-depth study of North American woodland animals and their habitats. Using the five senses, children make connections and draw upon their background knowledge as they explore and learn about animals they may encounter in their nearby surroundings. Throughout the junior kindergarten year, the children take part in nature study hikes where they uncover hidden habitats, forest creatures, and native flowers and plants found in the LFCDS prairie, forest, and wetlands. It has been found that time spent outdoors in nature can promote creativity, emotional wellbeing, independent learning, and problem solving. It is our hope that by incorporating outdoor experiences into our curriculum, we can foster these strengths in the children as well as a sense of wonder and awe for the world around them. Scientific exploration continues in the classroom as the children observe the life cycle of ladybugs, construct life size eagle nests, and partake in an “Animal Architect” project using the Design Thinking model in the LFCDS Innovation lab. As winter approaches, the students examine the concept of how animals survive during the cold months by either migrating, hibernating, or adapting to changing temperatures.
§§ Visit the LFCDS Innovation Lab to complete an “Animal Architect” project using the Design Thinking model, which is a method of problem solving that inspires creative solutions. The design thinking method follows several steps which include: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Using their knowledge of woodland animals and the process these animals use to build their own habitats, Junior Kindergarten students take on the roles of bee, beaver, and spider to collaboratively construct a new home for their friend, “Samantha Snail.” §§ Through scientific inquiry, children observe real ladybug larvae in a classroom habitat and learn about the insect’s life cycle. §§ Participate in hands-on activities: construct a life-size eagle aerie, craft a cavern between the Junior Kindergarten classrooms with “bats” zooming overhead, wispy “spider webs” creeping up the walls, and “stalactites and stalagmites” emerging from the floor and ceiling. §§ Observe nature while traveling along school grounds on a tractor ride to the LFCDS forest. Children hike through the LFCDS woods, prairie, and wetlands to discover slugs, toads, ducks, birds, and butterflies in their natural habitats. §§ Play various woodland animal games simulating the animals’ characteristics.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Interdisciplinary Studies
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Friday Enrichment A unique aspect of the junior kindergarten year is the Friday Enrichment Program. Each Friday afternoon, students participate in activities collaboratively designed and taught by each of the junior kindergarten teachers. Students explore new and exciting topics that augment and complement what they are learning in junior kindergarten. New lessons are created throughout the year. The following are examples of Friday Enrichment activities that have been used in the past:
§§ Straight Line Wonder: This artistic exploration provides children with an understanding of how straight lines can be used in art. Students learn how lines can be wavy, squiggly, spiral, zigzag, curved, and straight. The abstract work of Picasso, Mondrian, Kandinsky, Stella, and Feininger demonstrate the use of straight lines and color to create patterns and shapes. After analyzing samples that show how straight lines can be used to create buildings, windows, and trees, students create their own work of art using straight strips of paper in warm colors on black paper. §§ The Perfect Square: Art in Literature: Through an interactive read-aloud, students are introduced to the picture book A Perfect Square by Michael Hall. The “happy square” changes form and color each day of the week to create a new piece of art through different techniques. Combining literature and art is a unique way of developing and strengthening comprehension skills. Picture books with rich vocabulary and carefully crafted pictures help support a story’s meaning and lend themselves to a myriad of book discussion opportunities. When studying visual art, children gain an understanding of line, color, shape and design of an illustration. During this activity, the children convey their artistic expression about a square, reinforce the book’s story line, extend the text, and discuss the sequence of events in the book. §§ AMAZING Mazes: Mazes transform our everyday spaces into whimsical, challenging pathways. They require persistence, flexible thinking, and strategic planning. When moving through a maze, one must have a disciplined mind which is one of the most important educational benefits fostered by this type of puzzle. During this amazing Friday, the students are given a variety of maze materials to engage in a variety of intricate thinking and problem-solving activities. They begin by establishing a clear mind as they walk along the “ECC Serenity Labyrinth.” This sets the stage for the brain building exercises. The children construct mazes out of pattern blocks for “Hexbug Nanos.” They use magnetic wands to guide a paper clip along a child-produced trail and tape maze puzzles to a wall to work on a vertical surface. Finally, each child proudly designs their own original maze inside a box using straws. §§ The Origins of Chocolate: As part of our South American culture study, the students explore the flora and fauna of the Amazon Rainforest. The rainforest is not only home to majestic wildlife, but also to delectable food-bearing plants and trees. The children study the magnificent cacao tree and learn how it is the source for a favorite sweet treat: chocolate. The students learn about its origins and the process of making chocolate. We examine the physical attributes and variety of colors of these remarkable pods and then create a model replicating the inside and outside of a cacao pod. A cacao tree with colorful pods is then added to our life-size replica of a tropical rainforest between the Junior Kindergarten classrooms.
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EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Interdisciplinary Studies
Polar Regions Throughout the winter months, junior kindergarten students study the animals and people that inhabit the polar regions of the world. Young children learn best when they are given the opportunity to learn by doing, to practice what they learn, and to use what they learn in everyday life. To support these best practices, children engage in a variety of hands-on, interactive activities across all areas of development that enable them to make meaningful connections about the polar regions. Children discover how polar animals and the Inuit people survive and adapt in a harsh climate as they make comparisons between the Inuit people and their own world. Additionally, the children develop an awareness of the importance of preservation of endangered species and conservation of the environment.
§§ Study Inuit culture, including what they do (e.g., music, dance, recreation); where they live (e.g., recreate arctic ocean habitats); what they eat (e.g., make umiaks used for fishing and hunting); what they make (e.g., construct various tools that the Inuit use in daily life); what they wear (e.g., discover how animal furs are used for clothing). §§ Create arctic animal habitats at the sensory table with water, rocks, artificial and real snow and ice, and animal figures. §§ Depict the physical characteristics of polar animals and their environments using a wide variety of materials and skills (i.e., painting, cutting, gluing, drawing, and writing). §§ Compare properties of objects (e.g., animal skeletons, pelts, and feathers) using simple tools (i.e., magnifying glasses, binoculars) at the science discovery table. §§ Engage in dramatic play using animal puppets and Inuit figures and toys. §§ Listen to numerous fiction and nonfiction books, examine pictures, and view short National Geographic videos that provide background knowledge and enhance comprehension. §§ Strengthen small motor skills (e.g., sculpting clay walruses).
Pack Your Bags—We’re off to South America! To prepare for this unit of study, junior kindergarten students take part in a simulated flight to South America. They make passports as well as suitcases filled with items necessary for their trip (e.g., clothing, toiletries, travel guides, toys). On the day of their flight, parent volunteers serve as limo drivers, passport agents, baggage handlers, photographers, flight attendants, and pilots. The simulated journey occurs in the vestibule of our Performing Arts Center. Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, children are greeted and shown a display of South American artifacts. During this unit of study, students will:
§§ Paint a climate map of South America; add important landmarks (e.g., Machu Picchu, Andes Mountains, major rivers, Iguazu Falls). §§ Learn about native wildlife; create the animals studied using a variety of arts and crafts materials; add each animal to the map. §§ Play in the loft or dramatic play area which has been transformed into a cafe where the children pretend to enjoy South American food. §§ Experience language opportunities to enhance vocabulary taught in their Spanish class. §§ Enjoy a "caminata" (hike) in nature to find hidden animals of South America.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Interdisciplinary Studies
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Famous Artists “Aesthetics refers to an appreciation for beauty and a feeling of wonder.”—Mary Mayesky, Creative Activities for Young Children. Cengage Learning, 2011. The culminating unit in junior kindergarten is a study of artists who have made extraordinary artistic contributions to the world. Students listen to stories about an artist, look at several of his or her art works, and note what makes the artist’s style unique. A feeling of wonder fills the room as students use paint brushes, cut paper, and use tools to create their own pieces in the style of the “mentor” artist. Many of these works have been framed and proudly hang in the homes of former junior kindergarten students!
§§ Explore the picturesque style of Impressionist Claude Monet with his numerous paintings of the gardens of France, colorful water lilies under the bridge, and famous haystacks, noting the use of light and how objects change in appearance with the waning of light during the gorgeous sunsets in France. §§ Develop an understanding that artists may change their style to reflect the social times or personal growth through a study of the renowned twentieth-century artist Pablo Picasso (e.g., study the beautiful Mother and Child paintings from his early years and observe how his style changed during the imaginative and colorful Cubism period). After a focused study of “Hands with Bouquet” by Pablo Picasso, they create their own painting, “Mains Aux Fleurs”. §§ Learn about collage, paper cutting techniques and painting with color and light through an exploration of the works of Henri Matisse (e.g., exquisite dancers, musicians, stained glass windows). §§ Appreciate the unique style of Georgia O’Keefe’s nature-themed paintings (e.g., gorgeous flowers, rocks, shells, and landscapes from New Mexico).
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EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER—JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
Interdisciplinary Studies
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learning is a partnership At Lake Forest Country Day School, we believe that the optimal educational experience requires a partnership between the parents, the students, and the School, resulting in a community of focused, joyful learners. Lake Forest Country Day School offers many options for parents to connect with our school community. Beginning with an intake conference with your child’s advisor or homeroom teacher, informational coffees in early September, and grade-level social events, there are many opportunities to establish important connections. As the school year progresses, there are multiple ways for parents to volunteer, from classroom activities and field trips, to a variety of volunteer positions with the Parent Association and the School’s annual Auction. The Parent Association Office is open each day and welcomes all LFCDS parents to stop by for coffee, peruse the spirit wear, and connect with other school families. In addition, parents are always welcome at our weekly Wednesday Community Meetings and for Coffee and Conversation on Tuesdays in the Parent Relations Office. Throughout the school year, LFCDS hosts outside speakers such as bestselling authors Dr. Michael Thompson, Dr. Ned Hallowell, Dr. David Walsh, Dr. Lisa Damour, Dr. Mark Brackett, Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, and New York Times parenting columnist Jessica Lahey. All community members are welcome to attend. The School’s portal offer a wealth of information, including:
§§ Enrichment Activities and Resources: At LFCDS, we believe that summer is an important time to balance learning with leisure. This page provides information about required summer work, book lists for particular grade levels, mathematics and science challenges, and parent resources. §§ Grade Level Curriculum Guides: Each year, faculty members prepare a detailed description of the curriculum for each grade level. These guides provide an in-depth review of the educational experiences your child will be a part of at each grade level. §§ Teacher Communication: Many teachers share classroom experiences through newsletters and photo sharing sites, emails, and phone or personal conversations. §§ Curriculum Review Information: On an ongoing basis, a faculty task force examines and revises a specific curriculum component. §§ Parent Association Information: The Parent Association web page provides up-to-date information regarding volunteer opportunities and other parent-related events. Social media is a timely way to tell the story of Lake Forest Country Day School. The School regularly maintains and updates its Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram with relevant information regarding the School. Please note that we have a strict social media policy and never post individual student names or information on these channels. We encourage you to explore the website and learn more about the Lake Forest Country Day School Experience.
Questions? Please contact the Admission Office at 847-615-6151.
Lake Forest Country Day School 145 South Green Bay Road Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 (847) 234-2350 | www.lfcds.org