Kindergarten

Our kindergarten language arts program provides a strong foundation for lifelong literacy learning. Kindergarten students arrive with varying reading readiness skills. Small group instruction, four days a week, with classroom teachers and reading specialists helps meet the needs of each individual child. Kindergarten classes use Fundations, a multi-sensory, research-based, explicit and systematic approach to reading and spelling with phonics. At the beginning of the school year, children work on increasing phonological awareness, reviewing letter identification and practicing letter sounds. As the year progresses, they move on to blending the sounds into words, and are then introduced to aspects of word and sentence structure. Students also learn a variety of decoding strategies and build sight word knowledge, to be able to read basic texts. This instruction is combined with the reading of rich literature and group discussions to support students in learning to identify important story elements. Using a workshop model and writing prompts, kindergarteners also engage in a variety of writing experiences. They write list books and letters to family and friends, and develop their storytelling skills by writing about personal experiences.  Students practice lowercase letter formation in their writing, using the program Handwriting Without Tears.

The Grammar School mathematics program develops mathematical thinkers who value collaboration and communication when investigating big ideas, identifying patterns and explaining relationships. Students learn to think flexibly and persevere through productive struggles as they develop the growth mindset needed for problem solving. Concepts and skills build from grade to grade in each of the major domains: counting and cardinality, operations and algebraic thinking, numbers and operations in base ten, numbers and operations with fractions, measurement and data, and geometry. Students are given ample opportunity to construct their own understanding of foundational concepts and computation strategies through hands-on experiences and rich opportunities for discourse, as well as the use of concrete materials, pictorial models and contextual problem solving. Our teachers and math specialists promote the type of learning environment that encourages risk-taking and celebrates mistakes as students revise and develop their thinking. 

Kindergarten mathematicians bring a natural curiosity to their study of numbers and shapes. Through play and a continuous exploration of counting, sorting, combining and breaking apart sets of various items, kindergarten mathematicians develop their growing number sense. They learn to visualize numbers with the use of five frames and tens frames in ways that build toward foundational concepts of more than, less than, pairs that add to 10, as well as odd and even numbers. Kindergarten mathematicians are always searching for and creating patterns with numbers, shapes, movements and songs. Measurement, geometry, addition, subtraction, graphing and problem solving are also explored throughout the year in various projects that combine literacy, art and engineering. 

At CGPS, the social studies curriculum explores events from the past and present through the lens of an essential question. Kindergarten students ask the question, “Who are we?” as they broaden their focus from self to community. The year begins with students’ “Look at Me” self-portraits and “All About Me” books to explore what makes them unique. Then, students consider themselves in relationship to their family by studying holidays and traditions. Finally, the students learn about themselves as a part of a bigger community. They study community helpers and wants and needs. Throughout the year, students engage with their feelings and emotions in addition to building a classroom community in which they can all thrive. 

In Spanish, kindergarten students begin the year by learning greetings, colors, and numbers, followed by a unit about feelings. The students explore different ways to express their feelings through the popular song “Cinco calabazas” (“Five Little Pumpkins”). The children explore common weather expressions and clothing items by dressing a weather frog named Señor Sapo (Mr. Toad). The children also complete units about community workers and farm animals. Throughout the year, kindergartners sing, chant, play games, create art projects and listen to stories in Spanish to reinforce vocabulary acquisition.

Kindergarten students are introduced to the fundamentals of color, line and shape through drawing, painting, collage and sculpture. The children are encouraged to explore art using a variety of processes and techniques. Student artists also work three dimensionally and continue to develop their ability to communicate visually. The art studios provide children a valuable opportunity to express their feelings, thoughts and ideas in a safe and nurturing environment.

In kindergarten, students continue to access the natural joy of making music through movement, singing, playing instruments and listening to many genres of music. While becoming familiar with the basic elements of music, students create songs and improvise instrumental pieces. Through active participation, songs and games, students develop the elements of music as they prepare for music literacy in their study of music. Students explore and interact with books, poetry and images as they connect concepts from music to language, social studies, math, and beyond.

During the kindergarten year, students form a deeper connection to both visual and linguistic literacy. We read stories that involve longer and more complex story lines, including non-fiction titles and easy readers. During library class, the librarians share a story, often engaging in conversation about questions or ideas the story might inspire. Afterwards, the children have the opportunity to choose a library book to take home. Students often come to the library with a topic or type of book that they are particularly interested in, and are able to make age-appropriate choices for themselves when selecting a book to take home. The librarians also help guide them towards books or topics that they might be interested in. This engenders a sense of responsibility and pride, and makes a positive connection to both books and to the library.

The kindergarten physical education curriculum consists of various individual, partner and group activities that focus on traveling movements, creative play, body awareness and control. Activities are also structured to introduce fundamental sports skills while giving children the opportunity to continue developing their individual performance and strengthening interpersonal relationships with their classmates.

Kindergarten dancers combine music and movement to create dance through storytelling and creative motion. Students incorporate gross motor movements such as skipping, galloping, jumping, leaping, bending, rolling and turning as well as concepts such as slow, fast, forward, backward, sideways, under and over into solo, partner and group dances. This fosters spatial and body awareness, self-expression, body and emotional regulation, and instills a love and appreciation of dance.

Kindergartners are encouraged to ask questions and keep their thinking flexible, while looking for clues and exploring ideas. Instructional model games and guided play help improve essential visualization skills. Learning engaging words to describe deeper concepts and ideas helps recollection, build verbalization skills, and increase their understanding of chess. Tactile learning using larger pieces and a large board complements verbal and visual methods. LiChess.org and other online chess platforms for learning are introduced. Social abilities and language skills are also encouraged through our chess team activities and group discussions.