Pre-K
The Creative Curriculum
The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool: The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that promotes exploration and discovery as a way of learning, enabling children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical thinking skills. Pre-K teachers use the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards to guide expectations for students. Pre-K classrooms have ten interest areas set up which include: blocks, dramatic play, manipulatives (toys and games), art, library, discover, sand & water, music and movement, cooking, and technology; in addition to Outdoor Play. Our teachers use The Creative Curriculum® for Preschool to plan and implement highly engaging lessons and experiences for Pre-Kindergarten students in Carbondale Elementary School District #95.
Pre-Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards
Social: To help children feel comfortable in school, trust their environment, make friends, and feel they are a part of the group.
Emotional: To help children experience pride and self- confidence, develop independence and self-control, and have a positive attitude toward life.
Cognitive: To assist children in becoming confident learners by letting them try out their own ideas and experience success, and by helping them acquire learning skills such as the ability to solve problems, ask questions, and use words to describe their ideas, observations, and feelings. Math and literacy skills.
Physical: Helps children increase their large and small muscle skills and feel confident about what their bodies can do.
English Language Arts
Pre-K is focused on utilizing literacy as a source of enjoyment, vocabulary and language, phonological awareness, knowledge of print, letters and words, comprehension of books and other texts.
Objectives for Language and Development and Learning
Objective 8. Listen to and understand increasingly complex language
Objective 9. Use language to express thoughts and needs
Objective 10. Use appropriate conversational and other communication skills
Objectives for Literacy Development and Learning
Objective 15. Demonstrate phonological awareness, phonics skills, and word recognition
Objective 16. Demonstrate knowledge of the alphabet
Objective 17. Demonstrate knowledge of print and its uses
Objective 18. Comprehend and respond to books and other texts
Objective 19. Demonstrate writing skills
Objectives for Cognitive Development and Learning
Objective 11. Demonstrate positive approaches to learning
Objective 12. Remember and connects experiences
Objective 13. Use classification skills
Objective 14. Use symbols and images to represent something not present
Mathematics
Mathematics in pre-K is focused on numbers and operations, geometry and spatial sense, measurements, patterns (algebra), and data analysis.
Objectives for Mathematics
Objective 20. Use number concepts and operations
Objective 21. Explore and describes spatial relationships and shapes
Objective 22. Compare and measures
Objective 23. Demonstrate knowledge of patterns
Science
Pre-K science is focused on the physical properties of objects and materials, characteristics of living things, and Earth’s environment.
Objectives for Science
Objective 24. Use scientific inquiry skills
Objective 25. Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of living things
Objective 26. Demonstrate knowledge of the physical properties of objects and materials
Objective 27. Demonstrate knowledge of Earth’s environment
Social Studies
Pre-K social science is focused on people and how they live, change related to people and places, and simple geography.
Objectives for Social Studies
Objective 29. Demonstrate knowledge about self
Objective 30. Show basic understanding of people and how they live
Objective 31. Explore change related to familiar people or places
Objective 32. Demonstrate simple geographic knowledge
Physical Development
Pre-K physical development is focused on play and movement.
Objectives for Physical Development
Objective 4. Demonstrate traveling skills
Objective 5. Demonstrate balancing skills
Objective 6. Demonstrate gross-motor manipulative skills
Objective 7. Demonstrate fine-motor strength and coordination
a. Use fingers and hands
b. Use writing and drawing tools
The Arts
Pre-K arts are focused on visual arts, music, dance and movement, and drama.
Objectives for The Arts
Objective 33. Explore the visual arts
Objective 34. Explore musical concepts and expression
Objective 35. Explore dance and movement concepts
Objective 36. Explore drama through actions and language
English Language Learner Home Language Development
Pre-K English language learner development is focused on language acquisition.
Objectives for English Language Learners
Objective 37. Demonstrate progress in listening to and understanding English
Objective 38. Demonstrate progress in Speaking English
Social Emotional Learning
Pre-K is focused on self-regulation,(controlling strong emotions); respecting and understanding differences in others, and the ability to participate in a group.
Objectives for Social Emotional Learning
Objective 1. Regulate own emotions and behaviors
Objective 2. Establish and sustain positive relationships
Objective 3. Participate cooperatively and constructively in group situations