Pre-Primary School at Laurel

Start small. Dream big.

Discover Pre-Primary School at Laurel for young girls and boys.

S HA KER HEIG HTS , OH I e s t. 1896

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Welcome to Laurel.

Founded in 1896, Laurel is a nationally recognized, college preparatory, independent day school for girls, Kindergarten through Grade 12, with a coeducational Pre-Primary program. Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls puts the world’s best research to work for girls – at Laurel and everywhere.

Dream.

Dare.

Do.

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At Laurel, we delight in watching children develop the emotional, social and cognitive skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.

In a warm, caring, colorful and child-centered environment, Laurel’s Pre-Primary educates young girls and boys, ages twenty months to five years. Children are full of energy, curiosity and potential during this magical time – it is the goal of Laurel’s Pre-Primary to foster all three to the fullest. The cognitively rich and play-based curriculum fosters creativity and imagination while laying a foundation for academic success. Our days are focused on developing skills, nurturing talents, building confidence and cultivating each child in small classes making it possible to give every student the attention he or she needs.

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We celebrate each individual child and dierences in appearance, likes, dislikes, religions, cultures and family structures are honored as elements that make not only Laurel School, but also the world, a much more interesting place.

Our days are focused on developing skills, nurturing talents, building confidence and cultivating each child in small classes.

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Each day provides engagement in play, reading, art and conversation.

E A R LY L E A R N E R S The Early Learners classroom provides an environment where children as young as twenty months can learn and grow individually while also participating in cooperative group play and lessons. Daily activities provide an opportunity for strengthening language skills, reďŹ ning gross motor skills, developing ďŹ ne motor skills and encouraging independence.

Our progressive curriculum allows toddlers to thrive from the comfort of routine while also developing coordination, cultivating concentration and awakening their natural curiosity by allowing freedom to explore and discover their environment. Each day provides engagement in play, reading, art and conversation.

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PRESCHOOL Laurel’s Preschool fosters a love of learning in students as young as three by providing a school experience that is rewarding, challenging, successful and fun. Our tremendous faculty encourages the development of imagination and individuality by allowing each child to choose a topic of study which the whole class immerses in for a week. Doing so ensures an environment where children feel their opinions are welcomed and valued. A warm environment with open communication between children and their teachers leads to the development of both independence and the ability to interact with others. Daily activities promote creative expression, social interaction and attention to the continued development of ďŹ ne and gross motor skills. The hands-on, experiential curriculum integrates academic skills such as oral expression, letter and number recognition and memory stimulation in lasting and meaningful ways.

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Children are encouraged to develop meaningful connections with the world around them, which inspires them to care for their community and themselves.

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PREKINDERGARTEN Laurel’s Prekindergarten gives children as young as four the tools and the license to become independent thinkers and risk-takers – essential to developing self-conďŹ dence, decision-making and problem-solving skills and self-reliance.

We build on what children know and strengthen attitudes about themselves as capable, active learners and valuable group members. Children are encouraged to develop meaningful connections with the world around them, which inspires them to care for their community and themselves. Prekindergarteners happily choose from an array of developmentally appropriate activities and materials that promote cognitive, creative, physical, emotional and social growth.

Students are often involved in the planning process and make their own choices, with teachers as guides and facilitators. The curriculum encourages cognitive language and math skills in a fun and integrated setting, ensuring that each child is prepared for Kindergarten the following year.

Students are often involved in the planning process and make their own choices, with teachers as guides and facilitators.

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OUT DOO R PR E - PR I M A RY Laurel’s Outdoor Pre-Primary School allows significant outdoor hands-on learning for three-, four- and five-year-old students. Our Yurt makes the Butler Campus accessible year-round and provides a home base for days with inclement weather. In the forest, and away from highly structured indoor curriculum, children make their own choices about how they spend their time and how to manage their own body signals. They become empowered, engaged and highly motivated learners. The Outdoor Pre-Primary provides a curriculum that ensures children are developing the skills that are necessary for them to be successful in Kindergarten while also gaining the resiliency, motivation and creativity that comes from learning in the forest.

In the forest, and away from highly structured indoor curriculum, children make their own choices about how they spend their time and how to manage their own body signals.

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Special Programs In addition to the learning that occurs in the individual classrooms, Pre-Primary students have exposure to the following special programs:

Music & Movement Children love music. It is fun, loud and gives them a sense

Wo r l d L a n g u a g e s P r o g r a m for P re ki n de rga r te n

of joy. Pre-Primary School students love to sing songs, play

Students in Prekindergarten are immersed in engaging

a variety of instruments and tap out the beat. They delight

and integrated lessons in Chinese, French and Spanish

in the joy of movement and self-expression as they learn to

that provide an early introduction to world languages.

move to a rhythm and develop coordination, balance and

The goal is to provide young learners with a positive and

motor skills.

enjoyable language experience. For many of these young children, this program represents their ďŹ rst experience with other languages and lays an important foundation for future language study.

E c o ! Wo n d e r Our signature Eco!Wonder curriculum, written by our Pre-Primary faculty, is an environmental education program for young children that encourages them to understand the important role they play in keeping our planet healthy. We emphasize sustainability, the cycles of nature, discoveries made through unrestricted exploration in nature and activities associated with healthy living, including our commitment to healthy snacks! Girls and boys plant, compost, recycle, collect rainwater and cook.

Through Eco!Wonder, they become more aware and inquisitive about the world and learning spills organically from classroom to home.

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Butler Campus Preschool and Prekindergarten students travel to our 140-acre Butler Campus at least every two weeks, a weekly option is available for full day students. Our Yurt makes the Butler Campus accessible year round, regardless of inclement weather. Children who spend time outdoors are resilient, motivated and creative while developing an ability to focus and concentrate for longer periods of time and an inclination to experiment, make connections and solve problems.

Library

Physical Educ at ion

Every week, each class eagerly travels to a warm and cozy

Physical development, especially in regards to gross

place in the Lake Library perfectly suited to our youngest

motor skills and hand-eye coordination, is the focus of

students. The librarian engages students through books

our physical education classes. Children are introduced

as a developmentally appropriate way to cultivate pre-

to a variety of sports while learning that physical activity

reading language and thinking skills in small children.

is not only healthy, it’s fun!

Prekindergarten students are also introduced to research as a means to answer their most pressing questions.

Working one-on-one with the librarian they read books, search the internet and write letters to find answers to questions such as, “Why does a dolphin’s skin not wrinkle?” and “Why do leaves change color in the fall?”

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We build on what children know and strengthen attitudes about themselves as capable, active learners and valuable group members.

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Pre-Primary School Essential Questions Mathematics

Language Arts

1. How do I use numbers?

1. Why are words important?

2. Why do I use numbers?

2. What do I learn from stories

3. Why is it important for

some things to happen in order?

and books?

3. How can I tell my stories?

Science 1. What can I observe and

understand about the natural world?

2. What do I learn from

experimentation?

Social Studies 1. What is a community?

2. How can I become a good

member of my community?

3. What can I learn about places

I have never visited?

4. What can I learn from people

I have never met?

5. What can I learn about events

that have already happened or are happening now?

6. Why do people have rules

and laws?

Early Learners Curriculum Mathematics

Language Arts

Science

Social Studies

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

Counting

Verbalizing feelings Negotiating new social situations

Learning to care for the environment

Separation from caregiver

Following multi-step directions Establishing routine

Using kind words and manners

CONTENT

Expanding vocabulary

CONTENT

Listening comprehension

Observation of weather and seasons

Morning Meeting

CONTENT

Introduction to recycling and composting

Puzzles

Providing modeling for verbal expression of thoughts and needs

Games

Counting in a variety of settings

Art activities Matching like objects

Using manners during snack and group time Taking turns and sharing Introduction to letters Independent and group time with literature Following directions Weekly library story hour

Developing curiosity for the natural world

Establishing routines and schedules Self-help skills Sharing and taking turns

Fostering curiosity

CONTENT Morning meeting Daily schedule Sharing during group play time Modeling manners and kind words

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Preschool Curriculum Mathematics

Language Arts

Science

Social Studies

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

Counting

Speaking in front of a group

Hypothesizing and making predictions

Functioning in a community

Sharing experiences outside the classroom

Learning to care for the environment

Sharing and taking turns

Speaking with adults

Drawing conclusions

Routines and schedules

Communicating thoughts to peers

Recognizing cause and effect

Interest in other cultures and places

1- to -1 correspondence Patterning Sorting Classifying Spatial relationships Sequencing Number recognition

Learning to make predictions in stories

Measurement

Recognizing rhyming words

Directional cues

Expanding vocabulary

CONTENT Calendar Counting in a variety of settings Manipulatives

Recognizing patterns in literature

CONTENT Sharing thoughts during group time

Games

Exploring fiction and nonfiction literature on a daily basis

Graphing

Journaling

Tally marks Learning left and right

Independent exploration of literature

Art activities

Environmental print

Puzzles

Providing modeling for verbal expression of thoughts, needs and desires Introduction to new vocabulary Weekly library story hour Recognizing upper and lower case letters and beginning letter sounds

Self-help skills

Separation

CONTENT Observation of seasonal cycles Experimentation Caring for community through recycling, composting, planting and conservation of resources Providing support through literature Field trips to Butler Campus, recycling center, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Lake Farm Park, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, etc.

Awareness of self

CONTENT Calendar Daily schedule Learning geography Photo documentation Routines Sharing during group play time Field trips Presentation of varied cultures and traditions in the classroom Introduction of foods from many cultures

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Prekindergarten Curriculum Mathematics

Language Arts

Science

Social Studies

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

Patterning

Sense of place

Understanding diversity

Graphing

Continued development of literacy Verbal expression

Understanding life cycles and seasonal changes

Socialization

Measurement Geometry

Listening comprehension

Environmental stewardship

Estimation

Letter and word identification

Experimentation

Understanding communities

Writing process and applications

CONTENT

CONTENT

Exploring the natural world and habitats

Developing an awareness of and respect for differences and commonalities among cultures

Grouping Number Recognition

CONTENT

CONTENT

Talking about math with sentences

Exposure to and enjoyment of books and stories

Understanding and solving simple math problems and symbols

Contextual understanding

Using manipulatives, puzzles, blocks and other 2and 3- dimensional objects to understand how things work in relation to each other and in space

Recognizing the difference between fiction and nonfiction Developing research skills Retelling of stories Using language for selfexpression and negotiation

Understanding how to portray and read information using a graph

Formulating questions and using descriptive language

Recognizing patterns and numbers

Mastering receptive language skills by following directions

Developing a sense of time, and sequencing

Developing phonemic awareness

Using standard and non-standard units of measurement through cooking, estimation and predictions

Recognizing the alphabet and high frequency words and names

Using words to compare objects (i.e. bigger, smaller, over, under), length and capacity Matching, sorting and identifying shapes

Understanding words are made up of letters Counting and understanding syllables Recognizing upper and lower case letters and beginning letter sounds Recognizing written symbols Understanding print has meaning Journaling Using writing instruments correctly and writing his or her name

Observation and documentation “Backyard” study, becoming familiar with native plants, animals and ecosystems

Geography

Respecting others’ thoughts, ideas, likes, dislikes and abilities

Fostering curiosity

Mastering socialization and interpersonal skills

Patterning and predictable sequencing

Conflict management

Understanding lifetimes and life spans Studying hibernation and migration Understanding human and animal survival techniques Describing, observing and predicting the weather

Negotiation of space, sharing and understanding the concept of being a friend Conquering separation from caregivers Developing independence, responsibility and selfhelp skills

Developing stewardship and care of the earth and understanding what is healthy for various habitats

Understanding of maps and globe

Recycling, composting and conservation

Discussing neighborhoods, natural resources and habitats

Gardening and using the greenhouse Learning about litter pickup and landfills Understanding the concept of linked ecosystems and cause and effect on each Making predictions, observations and hypotheses

Learning street addresses

Understanding of community services, membership and roles within various smaller and larger communities

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Outdoor Pre-Primary Curriculum Mathematics

Language Arts

Science

Social Studies

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

Weights and measurements

Verbal expression

Understanding diversity

Sequence of events

Listening Comprehension

Hypothesizing and making predictions

Counting

Literature

Observing using all senses

Geography

Phonological Awareness

Developing a sense of curiosity

Understanding communities

Visual perception/spatial awareness

Writing Process Research

CONTENT Using units of measurement for making comparisons, estimations and predictions

CONTENT

Pattern identification

Using new vocabulary

Calendar

Negotiating compromises and resolving conflicts

Initiate and sustain conversation

Socialization

Mapping Understanding cause and effect

CONTENT Identifying and naming plants and animals

CONTENT

Respecting living things

Formulating questions

Stewardship and understanding our responsibility through composting, recycling and understanding linked ecosystems

Using descriptive language

Identifying native plants

Sharing thoughts and ideas clearly

Understanding life cycles and life spans

Identifying shapes

Distinguishing between fiction and non-fiction

Developing independence, responsibility and selfhelp skills

Learning about habitats and ecosystems

Matching like objects

Retelling stories

Learning to negotiate and compromise

Using natural materials to understand how things work in relation to each other in space

Contextual understanding of stories

Observing seasonal changes, hibernation, migration and weather

Understanding geography through mapping, compass directions, natural resources and habitats

Seasons Sense of time, including planning for future and remembering past events Classifying, sorting and grouping

Recognizing upper and lower case letters and beginning letter sounds

Mapping

Establishing routines

Rhyming words, synonyms and opposites Understanding linear orientation of print Journaling Using writing instruments correctly and writing his or her name

Dare.

Understanding the concept of being a friend

Team building activities

Counting and understanding syllables

Dream.

Awareness of and respect for differences of thoughts, ideas, likes, dislikes and abilities

Do.

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We look forward to seeing you soon.

For more information or to schedule a tour, contact us at 216.464.0946 or Admissions@LaurelSchool.org

Photography: DOWNIE PHOTOGRAPHY Copyright Š 2014 Laurel School

THE LAUREL MISSION:

To inspire each girl to fulďŹ ll her promise and to better the world.

LYMAN CAMPUS One Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122

Dream. Dare. Do.

BUTLER CAMPUS 7420 Fairmount Road, Russell Township, Ohio 44072

LaurelSchool.org

/LaurelSchool

Admissions @ LaurelSchool.org 216.464.0946

@LaurelSchool