Is your child ready for school? Many parents don't realize that the first five years, the preschool years, are dubbed the formative years. This Children need good posture, muscle tone and fine motor control to begin school. A child who is clumsy and can't move well, who is floppy, hasn't got a good pencil grip and can't hold scissors properly is probably going to have some difficulty in their first year of school. Kids need to have sufficient physical development to competently master the technical stuff of school. If they can open their school bag, take lids off lunch boxes, get out pens and put their shoes on, it will help them to feel comfortable in the school environment from the beginning. Children quite often get their act together quickly once they are at school but a child who arrives with an inner core of social, emotional and basic skills will be ready to learn with joy, without being overburdened. Motor skills are the foundation for much of a child's early learning and are more important than we ever thought. Fine motor skills are needed before a preschool child can learn to write, while there is a relationship between gross motor skills and learning to read. Using games suitable for Kindergarten or Preschool children you can make learning fun! Some of the essential Skills for Kindergarten are: Fine Motor Skills: Gross Motor Skills: Visual Perception Skills: Self Care Skills: Daily Schedule for Lions and Tigers Pre-K Class
Writing with a tripod grasp? (Index finger & thumb)
Cutting accurately?
Happy to perform tabletop activities or does he or she avoid them?
Writing his or her name?
7:00 a.m.
Meet in the Gym/All children wash hands at start of day
7:30 a.m.
Classroom – Greeting and Free Choice (puzzles,easel, multi sensory table, books, etc.)
8:30 -8:45
clean up centers/room
8:45 a.m.
Exercise/ music and movement
9:00 a.m.
Breakfast
9:30 a.m.
Group Time/ Spanish /Sharing Time, Music, Creative Movement Activities, etc.
Journal and Rug work (Montessori style)
Project Time
Centers are open, art activities, cooking
activities, science, literacy, and math, activities,
computer, blocks, dramatic play, etc.
10:45 a.m.
Clean up centers/lay out rest mats
11:00 a.m.
Outdoor Play yard Activities (parachute, tricycles,balls, climbers, sand box, garden, etc.
11:40 a.m.
Clean up time on the playground
12:00 a.m.
Story Time/Wash Hands
12:30 p.m.
Lunch
12:45 p.m.
educational video/Christian values
1:30 p.m.
Rest time
2:30 p.m.
Students get ready for snack/wash hands
3:00 p.m.
PM snack
3:30 p.m.
Circle time Time- end of day
4:00 p.m.
Gym time or Outside Time
6:00 p.m.
School Closed
Creative Art Center: Activities using fine motor skills encourage their creative abilities. Examples: craft projects, easel painting, finger painting, cutting, drawing, and process art.
Literacy/Cognitive Center: Activities that develop reading readiness, language and thinking skills. Examples: stories, flannel board activities, “telling time,” matching games, activities that require responses from the child such as, “What would you do if you were a dog?” and group discussions. Music/Movement Center: Activities for following directions develop creativity and listening skills. Examples: musical instruments, finger plays, exercising, pretend play, dance, movement activities, games using music, rhythm ribbons and scarves.
Science/Sensory Center:Activities that tap into the natural curiosity and where children learn to observe, question, explore, experiment, predict and problem solve. Examples: cooking, water play, sand play, simple science/nature experiments and magnet play.
Math Center: Activities focusing on understanding and hands-on experiences. Taking into account the cognitive development to provide the groundwork and foundation for the future. Examples: On- to-one correspondence, patterns, sorting, counting, number recognition, shapes, comparisons, measurement, time, money, adding and subtracting.
Lesson Plan Themes
SEPTEMBER - The Pre-k Program helps children learn about being more independent, about being kind to one another, sharing, and taking care of ourselves, our classroom and our school. This month we will talk about the body and learn about the 5 senses. Each month, the children may bring an item to share with the class. This item is not a toy. We introduce a shape for each month and a color for each month. Counting the calendar days and learning the days of the week are practiced each day. Children will also work on, analyzing pictures, making visual discriminations, classifying objects and making decisions.
Letters A,B,C,D,E Apples,My Body/Five Senses, What I Wear, Days of the Week/School, Elephant/Animals
OCTOBER - In this month we will be learning about fire safety, the change from summer to autumn, and night animals. Open House is this month and we are busy getting ready. We also learn how pumpkins grow and carve a Jack-o-Lantern. Making homemade ice cream and having a Fall Party are just a few special high lights of this month. Making decisions, Acquiring vocabulary, and Counting.
Letters F,G,H,I Fish/Fall, Groceries/Fire Safety, Happy Harvest/Pumpkins, Ice and Ice Cream/Night Animals
NOVEMBER - We begin this month by learning about foods we eat, what foods are healthy and which are not. Later in the month we discuss life in Early
Letters J,K,L Jamberry Week, Kitchen Week/Turkeys, Leaves, Family/Thanksgiving
DECEMBER - Because it is our hope that each child understands that Christmas is a time for giving and not always receiving, we plan a Christmas Party for the parents. The children invite the parents to attend a Christmas Program. The children perform a few finger plays and songs for them. After the program the parents are invited to stay for cookies and punch. We also teach that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday and people celebrate Christmas all over the world. Children will also working on,
Classifying objects, Recalling details, and Sequencing.
Letter M,N,O,P Machines, Nursery Rhymes, Opposites, Winter/Hibernation, Paint/Holidays
JANUARY - This month the Pre-k class will learn about Winter. The children talk about what happens to the animals (hibernation), people, and plants during cold weather. We will be talking about Martin Luther King and Groundhogs Day. We usually have a visit from a Naturalist who brings her animal friends to share with the children. Children will also working on, Using a diagram, Analyzing pictures, Making decisions, and Acquiring vocabulary
Letters Q,R,S,T Queens and Kings/Winter, Reading/Martin Luther King Jr, Under the Sea/Penguins, Time
FEBRUARY - We learn about Valentine’s Day “A Special Time to Say
I Love You”. We have a Valentine’s party. The children may bring valentines to pass out to their classmates. This month we will talk about dental health and we will learn about Presidents Day and The Winter Olympics. Children will also working on, making decisions, analyzing pictures, counting and matching words and pictures.
Letters U,V,W,X Up and Down/Tigers, Groundhog Days(Feb2),Valentines/Presidents Day(Feb15),Weather/Winter Olympics, X-Ray/Dental Health(Feb12-28)
MARCH - We learn about spring weather and the season of Spring, how life returns to the trees and plants, and new baby animals are born. An Easter Egg Hunt is a fun activity we plan in April or March.
Letters Y,Z Yourself,Zoo, Down by the Bay, Very Hungry Caterpillar MAY - May is a fun month! We have Outside Day, and play outside most of the day! We bring the classroom outdoors. We also have ice cream day, of course, everyone’s favorite! We also have a family picnic to celebrate summer coming.
APRIL - This month the Pre-k class is going to be learning about Earth Day, recycling and the environment. We will talk about animals and their habitats. We ask that you recycle at your house this month. Children will also work on, Using a diagram, Counting and writing numerals, and Recalling details.
All family members are welcome! This month the Pre-k will learn about objects in the sky such as the sun, clouds, and moon. We will talk about personal health and exercising. Children will also work on, Classifying objects and Using a diagram. Review All Letters! The Sun, Exercise, Lady bugs, Summer Safety
