Kindergarten Curriculum

Social Emotional Learning

Our Curriculum is Screen Free! Everything is taught directly by the teachers and through hands on learning and play.

Social Emotional Learning plays a large part in our daily time together. Our students have intentional blocks of time dedicated to authentic play experiences outdoors everyday in all kinds of weather. During these times, they may choose to spend time alone reflecting quietly or they may choose to play with their peers. These extended open periods of practice in communication, negotiation and problem solving help develop empathy and compassion for others. The Teachers model appropriate social skills and allow students to work out social struggles independently or with support. At Apple Blossom, social and emotional skills are woven into the rhythm of our days through storytelling, art, circle time, meals, cooperative or group games, transitions and play.  Teachers use mindfulness techniques and our rhythm includes in breaths (quieter activities such as painting) and out breaths (large movement and play). Older children learn to nurture the younger children and help care for our Apple Blossom little one (the Preschool Teacher’s toddler)!

Literacy and Language

Literacy and language learning begins in our morning circle time through whole body movement, songs, fingerplays, storytelling and puppetry. Children hear the beautiful language of stories, poetry and rhymes each day. Repetition and recall are practiced, and writing precedes reading as children's fine motor skills are honed through painting, finger knitting, beeswax modeling and other arts and crafts. Check out these articles on reading readiness:

• Reading readiness has to do with the body

• Teaching our children to write, read and spell

• The Right brain develops first

Math and Science

World Language, Culture, and Art

Mathematics is taught first through hands on activities such as baking, gardening, rhymes and counting games. Bean bag and clapping games support the identification of numerals, and children learn to count out the number of napkins needed for snack or how many paint brushes are needed on painting day.

Science comes in the form of exploration and discovery of the world of nature including earth, air, water, fire, through the seasons and natural rhythm. These processes, such as the water cycle or ecology, are brought to the child through nature stories, songs, games and hands-on experiences. Through these early experiences, we foster a love for the earth and a desire to take care of the environment. We are outside everyday as much as possible, staying cozy in our winterized yurts as needed in the coldest months.

Arts, World Culture, Language, Movement, and Handwork are integral to the classroom experience. The yurts themselves come from Mongolia where they are handmade and hand painted. We learn about the traditional way to enter a yurt as we step over the thresh hold with our right foot and move through the yurt in a clockwise direction. Yurts are designed to connect the outdoor world with the indoors. We learn through songs, verses, food, and games in Spanish, German, Ojibwe, and French! We include and incorporate languages of our families whenever possible. Our Preschool Teacher speaks French and a specialty class in Spanish is offered by the Kindergarten Teacher. We hear stories from many cultures and value and honor diversity. Families are welcome to share cultural traditions with the classroom throughout the year. Painting, drawing, modeling, finger knitting, wet felting and music, are a natural part of our weekly and seasonal rhythms. A range of skills are developed through wet on wet watercolor techniques, beeswax block and stick crayons, beeswax modeling clay, whittling and weaving.