Academics

Kindergarten

Reading - Writing - Phonics: Language Arts:
In Kindergarten students are exposed to a balanced literacy approach, which focuses on reading, writing, speaking and listening. Students are exposed to effective reading strategies through read-alouds and shared reading. Guided reading takes place in small groups depending on student readiness. Students study two authors extensively, and create a variety of class books in reaction to the theme of communities or our letter study. Phonics and whole language are integrated as the students study one letter per week for 26 weeks. The students are also exposed to sight words throughout the year. Sight words are chosen based on class need. Words that are frequently used by students in their writing as well as words they commonly see in reading are put on the word wall for daily reference. Writing strategies are modeled through guided writing and conferences take place throughout the year to assess strengths and weaknesses. Attentive listening and speaking in complete sentences is encouraged at all times. A variety of genres are introduced and the students are exposed to the characteristics of each. The program is an introduction to reading with the objective that most students will be reading by the end of the school year.

The most important aspect of the language arts program is to create an environment where children develop a love of words and begin to see themselves as readers and writers. They share their writing frequently with their classmates and families. They are encouraged to use the letters and sounds they know to begin decoding simple texts and “spell” and write independently. Students are introduced to Writer’s Workshop through storytelling, story planning and sharing their stories. They are also introduced to some of the mechanics of writing including letter formation, punctuation, word spacing and word families.

Mathematics
Kindergarteners enjoy a hands-on approach in their development of mathematical concepts. In kindergarten, students are introduced to the math manipulatives they will be using throughout their elementary years. Units and concepts that are explored include number sense, time, money, basic geometry, patterns, graphing, comparisons, critical thinking, and basic addition and subtraction. The calendar is reviewed daily throughout the year, as well. Students focus on problem solving strategies as they use manipulatives to master the topics taught.

An example of the hands-on approach to math is our money unit. Children are introduced to money in their play. They are then given direct instruction on the names and values of various coins. They play games to practice recognizing and using coins. They play board games, graph and set up a “grocery store” to practice using coins to buy items in the classroom. Eventually, in their independent play, words like nickel, quarter, dime, etc become part of their vocabulary and they begin experimenting with adding different combinations of coins on their own.

Science
The Kindergarten Science curriculum is driven by the interests of the children, which are almost always in line with standard kindergarten Science curriculum. At this age, children are fascinated by animals, particularly insects and plants. The curriculum takes advantage of and builds upon their natural curiosity. Students use the skills of observing, classifying, predicting and collecting data as they study a variety of plant and animal communities. They learn about and watch both animal and plant life cycles as they sprout bean seeds, collect ladybugs, watch caterpillars turn into butterflies and watch a community of ants work together to tunnel through the soil. Students record their observations through detailed drawings and writing in their science journals. They are encouraged to bring in and share discoveries from home, ask questions, and make predictions based on what they know and have learned. They also learn how to be responsible scientists. They enjoy catching and observing small creatures, but learn the importance of treating animals with kindness and respect. They observe insects in bug houses for a day or two, taking care to feed and water them and then return them to their natural habitats.

Social Studies
The primary focus of the Kindergarten social studies curriculum is community. Children are given models of and opportunities for practicing how to interact positively with all members of their class and school community. This includes listening attentively to others, responding positively and respectfully to the ideas of others and learning to solve conflicts by talking through problems and brainstorming possible solutions. Students are guided in developing strategies for asking for what they need and want from others in a respectful way and being sensitive and accepting of the needs of others. This learning takes place during class meetings, when students are sharing their work, when they play together at recess, and as issues arise. The Kindergarteners also learn to see themselves and their peers as teachers. They learn, through guided practice and example, how to help each other learn and to take advantage of the knowledge and experience each child brings to the class. Our kindergarten theme of communities is explored as students first focus on our class and then school community, extending the theme to include the local community and communities beyond Ring Mountain. We begin with a job for each student in the classroom and learn how we contribute to our class community. We go further with the theme while learning about Ring Mountain Day School and meeting Ring Mountain staff individually to learn about their jobs and place in the school.

Spanish
To learn a language is much more than just speak it, to learn Spanish is also to know about the culture. This year we are going to learn Spanish through different artists from Spanish Speaking countries including Gaudí (architect), Botero (painter), Quino (cartoonist). We are going to discover about each country in an active way: doing art, singing songs, playing games, and also working with different popular tales. In addition to these general themes, we are going to learn basic Spanish vocabulary (such as colors, family, clothing, animals, food, actions) and also familiar expressions needed in communication.

The Arts
Students in Kindergarten are introduced to art materials (e.g., clay, paint, and crayons, pastels, charcoal) and begin to communicate and express themselves through their original works of art.

They identify the elements of art (line, color, shape/form, texture, value, space) as they demonstrate beginning skills in the use of processes such as the use of scissors, glue, and paper. Each month the Kindergarten students focus on a different artist and take part in a culminating project depicting each artist’s style.

Performing Arts - See our Arts page

Physical Education
At the Kindergarten to second-grade levels, students learn basic locomotor skills through a variety of individual movement patterns and cooperative games and activities. Students become familiar with many individual movement skills used in a variety of popular games and recreational activities and the benefits of a healthy lifestyles through exercise is introduced. Importance of sportsmanship and fair play and learning to get along with each other is consistently reinforced.