Kindergarten

Kindergarten is a place where children develop important educational foundational skills. The focus is to develop the whole child through a variety of fun and hands-on activities that develop their analytical and critical thinking skills.

It is a place for them to explore, satisfy their curiosity, develop their creativity, be themselves and enjoy learning in a fun, safe, and positive environment. It is also a place where each child is seen as an individual with a lot of potential who brings a lot of joy to the classroom. The children enter kindergarten as individuals, but quickly learn how to form friendships, which makes them become a class who enjoy learning together.

Learning Highlights

Fun and friendship with 6th Grade Reading Buddies
Growing knowledge of integrated technology in the classroom and at home (Superkids, SeeSaw, IXL)
Learning to type (Typing Club)!
Weekly learning centers allow students to work in small group activities centered around phonics, math, social studies, sciences, and reading.
Learning the importance of “giving” through service projects.
Three recesses per day!

Curriculum Overview

Literacy

Students are exposed to various literacy concepts that emphasize phonemic awareness and phonics, letter recognition, sounds, sight words, and emergent readers’ books. Students read age-appropriate books. They are encouraged to use phonetic, or invented spelling, to communicate ideas in their writing journals and responses to literature.

Math

Math instruction aligns with the Common Core State Standards. Students develop an appreciation for math by learning to sort and classify patterns, shapes, exploring numbers to twenty, measurement, and are introduced to addition and subtraction. Math concepts are reinforced through the use of manipulatives and math center activities.

Social Studies

An understanding of social studies is learned through a variety of units. Students learn the basics of respecting self and others, fairness, value the opinion of others, following the rules and share the responsibility for their learning. Units focus on citizenship, community, then and now, Native Americans, holidays and cultural traditions, geography, America, and the world. Fun activities include games, art, cooking, music and celebration of holidays.

Science

FOSS science kits are used to teach science skills to the students. The science program taps into the natural curiosity of children by introducing them to physical science, earth science, and life science. The students are introduced to the steps of the scientific method: observation hypothesis-formation, prediction, data gathering, and experimentation. These steps are applied through day to day observations in the weather, planting seeds, investigating materials, observing common land and water animals (polar bears, penguins) and incorporate writing through journal writing.

Religion

Kindergarten uses the Allelu! religion text & follows the Archdiocese of Seattle Religion Standards. This series focuses on establishing a solid Catholic foundation through capturing the children’s attention through prayer, following religious rituals (prayers, sign of the cross), Bible Storytelling to develop a strong relationship with God, and celebrating religious holidays throughout the year. All of these activities engage the children’s five senses to help them better understand the Catholic faith. Kindergarten students gather with the rest of the school community for Mass and other community celebrations and service projects.

Specialists

Kindergarteners have access to the following Specialists:

Music twice a week
PE twice a week
Art once a week
Library once a week