Overall View of Academic Experiences

Weekly Focus ~ Each week, we emphasize a new letter, number, and color in class. We sing songs, read books, and bring in print materials to help us recognize what each looks like or how it is spelled. We also practice the writing and spelling of these weekly letters and words.

Introduction to Reading ~ PreK students are introduced to 16 sight words that form the basis of the English language. These words include a, the, I, have, you, can, my, like, what, see, your, and, it, am, on, and is.

Handwriting ~ At St. Paul’s we introduce handwriting in PreK using a curriculum called Handwriting Without Tears. This curriculum engages the students in songs and activities to develop their handwriting abilities. PreK students focus on correct writing of all capital letters.

Centers ~ Daily play in the various centers allows students time to interact with each other and their environment. The centers are designed to mirror real world activities such as building, home living, and reading. Students are allowed to choose what center they would like to work in and are free to move about the room.
While the children work in centers, small groups of children come to a table to work with a teacher. They can be found working on science, art, or writing.

Science Experiences ~ At an early age, we want students to be using the scientific method, so pre-kindergarten students do teacher directed experiments and discuss what they think will happen (hypothesis), what they see happening (data and observations), and how the end result compared to their original thought (conclusion).

Art activities ~ We love art in PreK! Students complete many projects that coordinate with the season or holiday or with a current unit of study. They work on improving their fine motor skills through cutting and pasting.

IB Units of Inquiry

A Star is Born ~ I am special and I change as I learn and grow.

As the World Tilts ~ Living things are affected by the earth’s cycle of seasons.

Pete and Repeat ~ We use patterns to express ourselves.

Flora and Fauna ~ We can help to keep living things alive and healthy.

A Few Extras

Rest Time ~ Each afternoon, PreK students have a quiet time to rest. Some choose to sleep while others lie and rest quietly. Students who stay all day should bring a nap mat for this rest time.

Book Buddies ~ PreKindergarteners get together with the fourth graders about once a month to read together.