Health, Science & Social Studies
Our TK curriculum integrates all curricular areas, including health, science, and social studies. Students will listen to stories, participate in lessons, and have hands-on experience in various learning stations.
The Dramatic Play Center changes based on the instructional theme. It might be a playhouse, medical office, a garden center, a veteranaian's office, or other.
The Science Center is dedicated to science exploration, including Makerspace and STEM projects.
Sensory learning stations such as the Sand Table, Water Table, and Lighted Boxes can be used for health, science or social studies activities.
I might change the sand table into an archeology or palentology site!
The water table might be set up for experimenting with colored water.
The Lighted Boxes might be set up to experience color mixing of transparent objects by overlapping, or they might be used to view x-rays.
Parents are always welcome to help or bring lessons into the classroom!
Students experience a chemical reaction as water causes a material to expand. They discuss the changes as they describe the material's look and feel.
I love seeing joy and amazement on children's faces as they experience these types of activities!
Students enjoy hands-on learning in the garden.
After growing sugar snap peas from seed, students transferred the plants into the garden.
Students enjoy taste testing food that they grow!
It is fun and rewarding for students when they eat the food they've made during cooking lessons!
Health and Nutrition
If you send you child to school with a snack, I encourage you to send something healthy.
Please check before sending any birthday or holiday treats. The treats should be non-food items so that students with dietary restrictions can participate. (Please inform me of any food allergies or dietary restrictions. The health office cannot provide me with any medical information due to privacy laws.)
Because of gardening at home, this young gardener was especially enthusiastic when we learned about plants!
Social-Emotional Learning teaches important life skills. Students learn to identify their feelings and develop self-awareness. They develop interpersonal skills as they learn to understand and communicate with others. They learn to make mindful decisions and to be lifelong learners.
Hands-on Science activities might include:
Gathering items from outside and using them to build a bird's nest
Using cyanotype paper and ovserving the changes caused by the sun, followed by the changes made by rinsing the paper in water
Making a snake out of UV sensitive beads, and watching them change color in sunlight.
Participating in a STEM project by building a shelter for their UV sensitive snakes, and testing it in the sun to see if it protects the snake. If the snake changes color, the shelter needs modified before testing in the sunlight again.
Seeing how far they can get a toy car to travel when they release it at the top of a ramp they've designed and built.
Kindergarten History-Social Science instruction includes
Good citizenship, rules, and consequences as well as Character Traits such as honesty and responsibility
National and state symbols such as the Statue of Liberty and the U.S. flag
Basic understanding and use of maps, including Traffic and map symbols
Comparison of places and environments, and Vocabulary used to describe locations such as near/far and in front/behind
Order of events, days, weeks, and month
Commemorative holidays such as Memorial Day, and Historical figures such Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Past and present Lifestyle differences such as using candlelight indoors to see indoors at night vs using electric lighting
Past and present Jobs--such as horse-mounted postriders vs present day mail carriers