Class Descriptions and Environment

 

Outdoor Environment

The Lexington Street outdoor environment includes a cemented walkway/play area that the children use for wheeled toys such as tricycles and ride in/on toys. The playground provides a safe, age appropriate environment where the children can have fun while developing their large motor and socialization skills.

The Playground includes:


  • A mulched fenced area whichprovides a safe area for younger children and includes toys, and two rocking animals.
  • Three sets of swings: nine swings in total.
  • One playfort/climbing structure which includes a slide, inclined cargo net and tire climb as well as a fireman's pole
  • One portable sandbox
  • A variety of balls
  • Four metal park benches
  • One small plastic picnic table
• One plastic tree house


The  large Herschel Street playground is covered with many layers of shredded tire mulch. This playground is used by the three and four year olds and contains climbing structures, swings and slides as well as a playhouse, deck, and picnic tables.  Both playgrounds are enclosed with a high fence and can only be entered through childproof gates.

 

Religious Curriculum

St. Johns regards its Christian curriculum as the foundation for all other teaching. Everything is filtered through a Christian perspective with our beliefs permeating throughout the day. The children participate in a daily devotional during their morning circle time and attend a chapel service once a week.

During classroom devotionals, children are read to from the Bible and are encouraged to recite scripture from memory. Music is an integral part of the religious curriculum at St. Johns. Songs are sung on a daily basis and are enjoyed during the weekly chapel service as well.

Goals
To develop the student's awareness of a loving God, the Creator of all things. To develop the student's awareness of Jesus, the Son of God. To teach the Christian Doctrine through exposure to the Bible, Bible stories, worship, prayer, fellowship, and music.

Objectives

The student will:

  • be introduced, along with their families, to the Christian faith in the most basic way
  • learn to enjoy the celebration of worship
  • be exposed to Bible stories about God in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament in an age appropriate manner
  • recognize that Jesus is always with us
  • recognize that the Bible is God's "instruction guide" for life
  • Learn to love, honor, and obey God's Word
  • Learn to love others
  • Learn how to pray and to share prayers

 

 

Class Descriptions



MOTHERS MORNING OUT

Children who are twelve months and walking may come one or more mornings a week.


YOUNGER TWOS

Children who are two by September 1 and turn three after January. 

OLDER TWOS

Children who are two by September 1and turn three before January.


Classroom Environment

The classroom environment serves as a multi-purpose room for free time, circle time, structured play and learning. The room is bright and welcoming for all children. The room is divided into several areas for both learning and play.

  • Art Center – large table and chairs where the children create a wide variety of art projects
  • Circle Rugs – for circle time, quiet time and music
  • Reading Center – contains the classroom library where children can choose books to read individually or the teacher will read unit related literature
  • Housekeeping Center – small playhouse, dolls, kitchenette, dress up clothes
  • Manipulative Center – large shelves that contain blocks, trucks, tools, etc... This area consistently changes with a variety of manipulatives offered.

• Center Tables – varying activities include Noah's Ark, Play-doh, Winnie the Poo, trains, chalk boards, puzzles, lacing cards, magnets, Mr. Potato Heads, Magna Doodles, etc...


Threes 

Children who are three by September 1; this class meets two, three or five days per week (children in 3 and  4  old classes must be toilet trained.)


Classroom Environment

The classrooms are large spaces. The classroom environment is warm, inviting and stimulating. The rooms are arranged to accommodate several centers around the perimeter and an open area in the center.

The centers include:

  • Art Center – large and easily accessible easels
  • Circle Rugs – for circle time, rug games, and various activities
  • Reading Center – contains the classroom library where children can choose books to read individually
  • Housekeeping Center – dolls, kitchenette, dress-up clothes
  • Manipulative Center – large shelves that contain blocks, trucks, tools, alphabet boxes, doll houses, etc.
  • Center Tables – varying activities include Playdough, trains, puzzles, Mr. Potato Heads, Magna Doodles, sorting bears, small manipulative games, etc...
  • Science Table
  • Sandtable


 


PRE I & PRE II

Children must be four by September 1st. These classes meet three or five days a week.

Classroom Environment

The classroom environment is warm, inviting, stimulating, and set up with a variety of play areas or centers. Individual as well as group activities have ample space for simultaneous use.

The centers include:

  • Reading Center – seasonal and weekly theme books
  • Chalkboard – for writing and creative drawing
  • Magnetic Board – to work with magnetic numbers and letters
  • Housekeeping Center – dolls, kitchenette, dress-up clothes, etc.
  • Word Wall – letter of the week
  • Block Center
  • Tree House – dramatic play
  • Sand table
  • Lego table
  • Floor games – puzzles, action figures, games, manipulatives, doll house, etc.
  • Manipulative table – beads, puzzles, playdough, sewing cards, etc.
  • Science center – magnets, magnifying glass, microscope, shells, rocks, insects, etc.
  • Art table – paper, glue, scissors, paint, markers, etc.
  • Writing skills table – letters, numbers, name, etc.


 

Social/Emotional


Objectives

The child will:

  • accept constructive criticism.
  • work and play cooperatively.
  • follow safety rules and understand the reasons for having rules.
  • respect rights, property and ideas of others.
  • share materials and possessions.
  • practice common courtesies.
  • show respect for authority.
  • display self-control.
  • resolve differences through discussion and negotiation.
  • assume responsibility for his actions.
  • assume responsibility for possessions.
  • transitions independently from one activity to another.
  • adapt to new situations easily.
  • listen attentively.
  • follow directions.
  • work independently.
  • show self-confidence in his abilities.
  • try new things.
  • verbalize frustrations in an acceptable manner.
  • finish one task before starting another.
  • participate in classroom chores.
  • show concern for others' feelings.
  • organize time and materials as he works.
  • become aware of the unique nature of his own relationship with God.


Activities and Materials

· Centers

  • Group games
  • Role-play
  • Circle time
  • Snack and lunch
  • Cleaning up
  • Field trips
  • Stories and songs that encourage healthy emotional attitudes
  • Classroom helpers
  • Bible stories
  • Chapel service


Handwriting

Objectives

The child will:

· correctly hold a pencil, crayon and marker.

  • display left to right progression.



Activities and Materials

· Writing and tracing activities

  • Legos
  • Geo-boards
  • Play dough
  • Sand table
  • Easel
  • Marker board
  • Magna-Doodle


Mathematics

Goal

To encourage critical thinking and acquire computational competence.

Objectives

The child will be exposed to the following:

· recognize the value of 0-20.

  • understand one-to-one correspondence.
  • understand simple addition and subtraction.
  • use manipulatives to perform simple addition and subtraction.
  • measure with a ruler and measuring cups.
  • identify coins and paper money.
  • solve problems logically.
  • count by 1's, 5's, and 10's.
  • identify and use plus, minus and equal signs.
  • make pictorial and bar graphs.
  • have increased understanding of spatial and positional relationships.
  • compare concepts and distances, length, volume and weight.
  • associate dictated numerals to written numerals.
  • create and act out number stories using objects.
  • use concrete materials to create/extend a pattern.
  • sort by color, shape and size
  • identify circle, square, rectangle, oval, diamond, hexagon.


Mathematics

· Posters around the room

  • Rice table
  • One to One correspondence
  • Charting and graphing
  • Computer programs
  • Books, poems and games
  • Songs
  • Puzzles
  • Reading and writing numbers
  • Cooking activities
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Calendar
  • Days of school count
  • Counting, sorting and classifying
  • Sequencing
  • Blocks, geo boards, attribute bears
  • Beads
  • Scale
  • Bulletin boards
  • Marker boards
  • Rote counting
  • Teacher made games and materials


Reading and Language Development

Goal

To begin the enjoyment of reading.

Objectives

The child will:

· develop an appreciation for good literature.

  • listen to stories
  • recognize rhyming words.
  • recognize beginning and ending sounds.
  • recognize the nine basic color words.
  • recognize the ten basic number words.
  • recognize his own first and last name.
  • recognize and reproduce the alphabet, both lower case and capital.

• know the sounds of the alphabet.

  • understand that print conveys meaning.
  • understand how print is organized (left to right, top to bottom).
  • use strategies to comprehend stories (retelling, discussing, asking questions).
  • use title and illustrations to make predictions.
  • sequence events in a story.
  • understand the main idea in a non print communication.
  • identify facts and details of a story.
  • predict outcomes using pictures.
  • learn songs, poems and Bible verses.


Reading and Language Development

Activities and Materials

· Circle time

  • Read aloud stories
  • Share time (Show and Tell)
  • Reading center in our class library,
  • Big Books
  • Listening center
  • Reciting songs, poems, pledge and prayer
  • Tape and CD player
  • Class library
  • Sand table
  • Letter of the week
  • Puppets
  • ABC sing-a-long tape and chart


Science

Goal

To learn about God's creations.

Objectives
The child will:

· Review five senses.

  • Observe weather and temperature.
  • Identify different animals and their habitats.
  • Place animals in categories (fish, reptiles, amphibians, etc.)
  • Understand the life cycle of animals.
  • Understand the basic need of life for people and animals.
  • Identify the parts of a plant.
  • Understand that we get food and oxygen from plants.
  • Determine requirements needed for a plant to grow.
  • Know ways living things change and grow over time (ie: seed to flowering plant, tadpole to frog).
  • Identify the parts of a butterfly
  • Care for a growing butterfly
  • Recognize the difference between ocean animals and land animals.
  • Identify the four seasons and recognize the differences.


Activities and Materials

Simple science experiments
Cooking
Books
Discovery Table
Nature Walks
Field Trips
Calendar
Plants
Root-vue planter
Graphs and charts (student and teacher made)
Bulletin boards
Magnifying glass and microscope
Butterfly pavilion

Social Studies

Goal

To broaden the child's social environment and the world outside of his own direct experience.
Objectives

The child will:

· differentiate between the seasons.

  • know the reasons for various holidays.
  • understand religious significance of Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.
  • recognize the flag, say the Pledge of Allegiance and sing patriotic songs.
  • learn some community occupations and tell about them.
  • visit community helpers at work: firemen, librarians, and supermarket workers.
  • learn about people from other lands and customs they have.
  • understand the role Native American's have played in our nation's history.
  • describe Native American dress, homes and activities.
  • describe Pilgrim daily life.
  • cook food from other lands.


Social Studies

Activities and Materials

· Books

  • Maps and Globes
  • Art activities related to seasons, holidays and celebrations
  • Writing about family friends, and others
  • Role play
  • Songs
  • Saying the pledge of Allegiance daily
  • Puppets
  • Videos
  • Field trips
  • Centers relating to unit of study


Music

Goal

To enjoy music.

Objectives

The child will:

· listen to different types of music.

  • participate in group singing
  • perform on stage with his class during school programs
  • use rhythm instruments.
  • clap and play simple rhythms.
  • respond to creative dance.
  • identify some musical instruments.
  • learn words and tunes to many songs.


Music

Activities and Materials

· CDs and Tapes

  • Dancing and singing
  • Clapping along to a rhythm
  • Perform at holidays on stage in a group


Arts and Crafts

Goal

To make artwork that enhances learning from all disciplines.

Objectives

The child will:

· create art pieces using paint, markers, crayons, clay, and found materials.

  • mix colors to form new colors.
  • create art pieces to go with stories or unit of study.
  • see his art on display and take pride in his work.


Arts and Crafts

Activities and Materials

· Center activities using a variety of materials

  • Cutting, tracing and gluing
  • Clay and playdough
  • Books and pictures
  • Art work displayed in the classroom and around the school
  • Crayons, markers, pencils
  • Tempera, watercolor and fingerpaint
  • Construction, newsprint and fingerpaint paper
  • Glitter, yarn, craft sticks, cotton balls, stamps, string, googly eyes, feathers, paper plates, sponges, straws, hay, wax paper, nature items
  • Stencils
  • Brushes
  • Ellison die-cuts: shapes, letters and numbers

Physical Development

Goal

To use and love the body God gave him. To participate in structured activities involving rules and taking turns.

Objectives

The child will:

· exhibit increased control over his growing body.

  • walk a balance beam.
  • use tricycles and climbing equipment.
  • follow rules of games.
  • run simple relays.
  • throw and catch a ball and beanbag.


Physical Development

Activities and Materials

· Balance beam

  • Tricycles
  • Outdoor playground equipment
  • Jump rope
  • Beanbags

• Group games