Kindergarten

A Typical Day’s Schedule

Learning Centers After students complete their morning jobs, they engage in an assigned center activity that reviews previously taught skills and concepts.  Center activities include math, literacy, handwriting and theme explorations.

Morning Meeting To build classroom community and prepare students for a successful school day, children come together for a Responsive Classroom based meeting. During this time students greet each other warmly, engage in a sharing activity, enjoy a community building game and read a morning message composed by the teacher. During the work with the morning message, students build their knowledge of print, identify sight words, and review the mechanics of writing.

Literacy Kindergarteners engage in a multitude of balanced literacy activities that are designed to build their reading and writing skills. To build their phonemic awareness, students participate in Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction. Through shared reading, children build their knowledge of print and story structure and practice essential literacy skills including sequencing, rhyming, punctuation, alliteration, sight words, and comprehension. As the year progresses, Kindergarten students engage in small-group, guided reading lessons with their teachers.

Snack Even this time of the day is an essential part of our curriculum! During snack, Kindergarteners count and sort portions, have community jobs, and build their conversational skills.

Special Area Class To enrich their day and build specialized skills, students attend many special classes including visual arts, Coding, music, science, computers, Quaker Education, library, and physical education. To learn more about Coding in the Lower School, view video on the left.

Writing Workshop Following a model designed by Columbia University’s Teachers College, students build their writing skills through daily writing activities and regular conferences with teachers.

Handwriting Lessons Students perfect their pencil grip and letter formation through the Handwriting Without Tears program.

Playground Time Climbing equipment, swings, slides, the sandbox, jump ropes, and other materials provide opportunities for developing gross motor skills. Social skills and conflict resolution skills are put into practice daily with teacher guidance.

Math Basic facts, as well as conceptual understanding, are developed through the Math in Focus program. Students learn to describe their mathematical thinking and problem solving strategies. Learning is hands-on with the use of many manipulatives and an interactive discussion book.

Lunch Lunch provides a relaxing social time as well as the opportunity to practice table manners and self-help skills.

Quiet Relaxation Time A chance for students to settle their minds and bodies. Soothing music or a peaceful story can be heard as students rest on mats.

Investigations Various fun learning experiences are chosen by students in the areas of language arts, math, art and science. These activities may be theme related or an extension of the group’s interest.

Dismissal