KIDS Class Description

The KIDS program is an incredible, unique opportunity in which kindergarten students begin exposure to SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING, SPANISH, MUSIC, ART, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, and TECHNOLOGY with one teacher. Students spend 220 minutes each week in the KIDS classroom where the various disciplines are inter-woven with literature to form a meaningful curriculum.  Ms. Erin Dowdle is our Kindergarten Interdisciplinary Studies Teacher.  

SPANISH

Kindergartners begin their first year of the foreign language program with an introduction to Spanish. Students are exposed to the Spanish language while participating in a variety of activities, which are often games-based and/or incorporate music, movement, and literature. The initial focus is on using strategies to learn Spanish, such as listening and watching for visual cues. Eventually simple conversational skills will grow, such as answering questions about oneself with one or two words. Some topics of focus include colors, numbers, shapes, animals, and describing oneself.

MUSIC

Students participate in music through a variety of experiences that give them opportunities to listen to music, move to music, play percussion instruments, and sing. These goals are achieved through the playful study of classical and folk song literature. As many times as possible, concepts are presented as visual, oral, and kinetic experiences to address different learning styles. Creative movement and dance involve conscious awareness that stimulates the mind and facilitates learning while increasing self-awareness and self-confidence. Therefore, movement and dance are primary activities in the KIDS classroom.

ART

Within each level of the program, students are encouraged to develop their own ideas for artwork, to refine them, and to use media expressively. Art activities are appropriate to students’ level of development. At every level, students explore a variety of media. The sequence of lessons has been carefully planned to accommodate the interests, skills and abilities of each student. They are varied to sustain curiosity, yet organized in units so that concepts and skills introduced in one lesson can be reinforced and expanded upon in other lessons. Major topics introduced in early grades are reinforced in later grades, but the topics are studied in greater depth or in new contexts and relationships.

TECHNOLOGY

In TECH, students work with a full range of curricular related software applications that provide enrichment in math, language arts, science, and social studies. Kindergarten iPad activities also enable students to develop beginning keyboarding and graphic skills.