In Junior Kindergarten you will see:

-Large Group Times

Group times will be 30 minutes long to incorporate lessons.

-Reading and Writing Readiness Experiences

The children will devote time daily to phonemic awareness, guided reading and singing as well as writing tasks. As the year progresses, daily "must do” literacy activities will begin.

-Use of Contracts

In Junior Kindergarten, children use contracts in graph form to record their intention in selecting centers. They practice math, reading and writing skills as they plan their day.

-Math Experiences

The children begin recognizing and writing numerals. Readiness math activities like sorting and combining sets of objects will be seen in this classroom. The children will gain more skills in patterning, one-to-one correspondence, and counting. Extra time devoted to these activities gives children an edge when learning addition and subtraction.

-Small Groups

The teachers work with children in small groups for more teacher-directed learning work to review skills, teach new concepts, and practice "academic” concepts.

-Work on Recognition of Sight Words and Classroom Print

For children that are intensely interested in reading and writing, this class takes advantage of this by increasing print in the environment and encouraging children to read, write and explore print.

Reading and writing remain choices during free choice time in this class. Children who are becoming interested are encouraged and supported in their exploration of the written word.

-Use of Writing Folders the Last Half of the Year With Daily Writing

Beginning in January, children will practice writing on a daily basis, keeping work samples in writing folders and presenting those samples to families at the end of each week.

-Use of Journals

In the spring the children do writing activities at home and record their activities in a marble notebook to present to the teacher.

Winfree Memorial Preschool Curriculum used for our four and five year old programs: Virginia Foundation Blocks for Early Learning, Written by the Virginia Department of Education

Overview of Foundation Blocks

· Literacy, includes Oral expression, Vocabulary, Phonological Awareness, Letter Knowledge, and Early Word Recognition, Print and Book Awareness. Written Expression

· Mathematics, Number and Number Sense, Computation, Measurement, Geometry, Data Collection and Statistics, Patterns and Relationships

· Science, Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic, Force, Motion, and Energy, Matter, Life Processes, Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems, Earth Patterns, Cycles and Change

· History and Social Science, History/Similarities and Differences, History /Change Over Time, Geography/Location, Geography/ Descriptive Words, Economics: World of Work, Making Choices, Civics and Citizenship

· Physical and Motor Development, Skilled Movement, Movement Principals and Concepts, Personal Fitness, Responsible Behaviors, Physically Active Lifestyle

· Personal and Social Development, Self-Concept, Approaches to Learning, Interactions with Change, Social Problem Solving

JK Goals

JK Curriculum