The Kindergarten program offers a sound introduction to the elementary years of education.
Through hands-on activities that are child-led and teacher-led the students are encouraged to be successful in accomplishing and/or exceeding the educational standards defined by the state board of education.
Often the students’ experiences are enhanced by discoveries through experimentation and play. These types of developmentally appropriate practices encourage long-term success in the academic arena.
The Kindergarten class curriculum aligns with the Arizona Department of Education Academic Standards.
The Kindergarten curriculum extends beyond the traditional areas of learning and offers Music, Physical Education, Mindfullness, Process Art and Sign Language. There are plenty of opportunities for outside discovery through activities as well as recess.
Students are required to bring lunch and will have a snack-time.
Scholarships are made available through IBE Scholarships. (www.ibescholarships.org)
The Kindergarten classes are:
Kindergarten Monday - Thursday 8:30 am - 1:30 pm Fridays 8:30 am - 12:00 pm.
Extended Kindergarten Monday - Thursday 8:30 am - 3:00 pm Fridays 8:30 am - 12:00 pm.
Listening and Speaking Skills
Retell personal experiences or creative stories in a logical sequence.
Follow multi-step directions with increasing independence.
Share ideas, information, opinions, and questions during discussions.
Actively listen and respond to stories, poems, and informational texts.
Participate in group discussions, demonstrating turn-taking and attentive listening skills.
Reading Skills
Identify characters, settings, and main events in a story and retell them sequentially.
Predict story elements and events based on illustrations and context.
Identify key facts and details in informational texts.
Use phonics and sight word recognition to read simple words and sentences.
Demonstrate comprehension of written texts by using prior knowledge, context clues, and illustrations.
Recognize and read high-frequency sight words.
Differentiate between uppercase and lowercase letters.
Develop phonemic awareness, including rhyming, blending, and segmenting sounds.
Writing Skills
Create and share narratives, creative stories, and informational writing through drawing, dictation, and writing.
Spell simple words phonetically.
Form the uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet legibly.
Understand and apply sentence structure basics, including capitalization and punctuation.
Participate in collaborative writing activities to develop ideas.
Social and Emotional Skills
Follow classroom rules and routines.
Demonstrate creativity and imagination to solve problems.
Work cooperatively with peers and show respect for others.
Develop rational and critical thinking to address challenges.
Identify and manage emotions using strategies such as deep breathing and self-regulation tools.
Number Sense and Operations
Count to 100 by ones and tens.
Recognize, write, and order numbers 0-30.
Identify ordinal numbers through the tenth.
Recognize and name coins (penny, nickel, dime, quarter) and their values.
Solve basic addition and subtraction problems within 10 using manipulatives and visual models.
Understand and use the symbols +, –, and =.
Measurement and Data
Compare objects by size, height, weight, and length.
Compare quantities (more, less, equal) and volume (full, empty).
Sort objects into categories and create simple graphs.
Explore the concept of time concept, sequencing, or cultural studies.
Music
Explore rhythm by clapping, stomping, and playing a steady beat with a group.
Sing songs with varying tempos and dynamics (fast/slow, loud/soft).
Match pitch and echo short rhythms and melodic patterns.
Engage in creative movement activities that correspond to music.
Patterns and Geometry
Identify and create patterns using everyday materials.
Recognize and name basic geometric shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle).
Sort objects by common attributes (size, color, shape).
Art
Explore and use a variety of art materials and techniques to create personal artwork.
Experiment with color, texture, and line in open-ended art activities.
Observe and discuss art from various cultures and artists.
Express thoughts and emotions through art projects.
Science
Demonstrate curiosity about the natural world by asking questions and making observations.
Work collaboratively to solve simple problems and conduct experiments.
Understand cause-and-effect relationships in nature.
Use models, such as diagrams or physical representations, to explore scientific concepts.
Recognize changes in the environment and identify patterns in nature.
Development of Concepts
Identify and explain that descriptions of natural occurrences can be sorted in different ways
Identify that in the natural world cause-and-effect relationships exist
Use and design models to understand natural occurrences
Recognize that in the natural world change occurs
Identify the relationship between the function of an organism and its structure
Health
Identify healthy habits, including handwashing, proper dental care, and nutritious eating.
Recognize people and places that provide help when needed.
Discuss safety rules for school and home environments.
Physical Growth and Development
Participate in simple games and physical activities that develop coordination.
Follow directional cues such as up, down, left, and right.
Demonstrate balance through activities like walking on a line or balancing on one foot.
Practice catching and throwing objects with increasing accuracy.
Social Studies
Recognize the importance of rules and responsibilities in the classroom and community.
Learn about different family traditions and cultural celebrations.
Use a calendar to identify days, months, and important events.
Discuss how weather affects clothing choices and daily activities.
Recognize national symbols, including the American flag and important landmarks.