Curriculum for 4 and 4½ Year Olds
The following areas will be introduced to our 4 and 4½ year olds, through our age-appropriate curriculum.
Language Skills
Emphasis will be placed on the development of oral language and the recognition of printed letters and their sounds. Children will explore printed words and become familiar with the parts of a book, learn about the roles of the author and illustrator, and listen to literature. Public speaking skills will be approached through Show and Tell, songs, rhymes, finger plays, and dramatic retelling of stories. Students will begin to identify words that rhyme and have the same beginning sound. Your four and four and a half year old will learn to identify common signs and logos. By describing their artwork, children will begin to structure their own short stories and explanations. Students will be taught to identify upper and lowercase letters. Children will be taught to recognize and practice printing his or her printed name.
Math Skills
Students will engage in thinking activities and problem-solving to determine relationships between numbers through such activities as counting, combining, sorting, and comparing numbers. Simple patterns will be investigated and children will learn to identify shapes and sizes. Students will be taught measurements and will be introduced to picture graphing to learn how pictures can be used to represent quantities.
Science Skills
Through our science curriculum, students will explore common materials, objects, and the growth, change, and needs of living things. Children will learn about sequencing and physical attributes, such as color, shape, texture, size, position, and speed. Through this exploration, children will also learn about graphing results. Students will also develop an appreciation for their environment by learning about weather and “green” concepts such as conservation, recycling, and reuse.
History and Social Studies
Children will become familiar with interesting people from history, as well as people that work in various jobs within our community. The background of holidays will be discussed, as they occur throughout the year. Children will learn the basics of reading a map. Safety lessons will be a focus; children will begin to understand the purposes of various traffic signs and lights, as well as the need for and reasons why people call 911. Preschoolers will learn their address and phone number. Citizenship and patriotism are a cornerstone of our preschool program. Children will learn why it is important to take turns, share, and participate in various classroom and household jobs. Honesty and rule following will be stressed. Students will learn about the American flag and each day will begin with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Curriculum Description Unit 1: September “Health and Well-Being”
- Self & Family
- The Human Body—bones, teeth, heart, lungs and brain
- The Five Senses
- Community Helpers—Firemen, Police, Nurses
Unit 2: October-November “Fall Trees and Animals”
- Deciduous Trees
- Apple Trees & Apples
- Pumpkins
- Fall Harvest Foods
- Shapes
- Animals in the Fall
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
Unit 3: December “Geography and Cultures in the World”
- Maps
- Geography
- Cultures
- Cultural Holidays
- Christmas
Unit 4: January – Mid February “Winter Weather and Animals”
- Animals in the Winter
- Hibernation
- Storms
- Snow
- Ice
- Evaporation
- Condensation
- Valentine’s Day
Unit 5: Mid February-Mid March “Space”
- Space
- Gravity
- Motion
- Energy
- Magnets
- Simple Machines
Unit 6: Mid March-April “Plants and Animals in Spring”
- Garden Vegetables
- Flowers
- Birds
- Baby Animals
- Butterflies
- Frog and Tadpoles
- St Patrick’s Day
- Easter
Unit 7: Late April-May “Water in our World”
- Water
- Water Uses
- Water Cycle
- Clouds
- Rivers, Oceans, Lakes, Streams
- Water Pollution
- Mother’s Day/Father’s Day