Kindergarten

Kindergarten at US

Our full-day kindergarten program encourages the continued growth of social and emotional skills through an integrated theme curriculum. Themes are developed by our teachers and are responsive to classroom interests. Themes grow and evolve into a detailed, multi-dimensional study of a topic and are threaded through every discipline.

Past explorations include insects, construction and tools, castles, and the jungle. A theme is explored for several weeks and culminates with a final celebration where boys present what they have studied. It is the living of life and the journey of the boys’ minds that provide the greatest context for learning.

Kindergarteners practice math and language skills daily; and Spanish, music, art, science, and library explorations are a part of every week. Each day includes physical education and every day starts with a classroom morning meeting.

Mrs. Geiger, Lower School Teacher

One of the best parts about teaching kindergarten is the growth. The boys make beautiful friendships and you watch them fall in love with school.

Core Curriculum

List of 3 frequently asked questions.

Math

In providing an environment that encourages exploration and risk taking, boys are able to deepen their mathematical understanding. Using the Bridges mathematics curriculum, boys use manipulatives, games, and hands-on exploration to deepen their mathematical thinking. Much of the year is devoted to work on numbers and operations, including writing numerals, representing quantities, solving problems, comparing sets or numerals, and modeling addition and subtraction using fingers, objects, words, actions, drawings, numerals, and equations. The students also learn foundational geometry, exploring shapes and their attributes.
Language Arts

Boys begin to develop a formal understanding of written and spoken language. Daily exposure to reading, writing, listening, and speaking creates a rich learning environment. Grounded in curriculum based on neuroscientific research, the boys engage in the learning of the core skills they need to develop as effective readers, with ongoing assessment and observation charting the learning pathway of each student. We use the Fundations program for phonics instruction.
Science

Boys learn about various environments and how they are affected by changes in the earth, sky, weather, and temperature. Some typical activities include observing, investigating, and recording data about insects and turtles, weather, seeds and plants, senses, light, woodland ecosystem, simple machines, floating and sinking, absorption, ramps and balls, and outdoor explorations.

Co-Curricular Disciplines

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

Art

The creative force is endless with experimentation in texture, color, and play! The joy of art at this imaginative age is that the boys are free to do what comes naturally. They discover that art is everywhere - it's all in the way one looks at things. The kindergarten program focuses on motor skills and preparing boys for the future years of creation in the Art Lab.
Languages

Speaking and reading in Spanish gives boys the opportunity to expand their thinking and comprehension. Kindergarten boys study Spanish three days during our seven-day rotational schedule. They study basic vocabulary and learn the alphabet, numbers, basic greetings, colors, shapes, family words, body parts, and animals. We read books in Spanish, have simple question and answer times, and do cultural activities to tie in celebrations in Hispanic countries.
Music

Kindergarten boys learn through play, experiencing musical concepts and gaining skills through their own active involvement. Listening acuity, expressive performance, and considerate participation are stressed in every lesson. Boys engage in creative holistic music making using the Orff-Schulwerk approach to music education. Kindergarteners build a repertoire of song material, learn beat, tempo, timbre, volume, and pitch, and they are involved in movement skills such as galloping, skipping, jogging, and direction.
Physical Education

We provide successful physical experiences for all boys through a curriculum designed to foster and develop the knowledge and values, physical skills, and practices necessary for personal physical fitness and lifetime wellness. Boys learn body control, with an emphasis on balance, coordination, and spatial judgments. Skill development includes motor, non-motor, and manipulative. Rhythms, games, tumbling, large apparatus stunts, and swimming are taught.

Library

Boys learn to love reading, researching, and expressing themselves through literature-based activities. Kindergarten boys come to the library once a week in small groups. They learn about appropriate library behavior, and how to find and care for books. We help them distinguish between fiction and nonfiction, introduce the library catalog, and increase phonemic awareness with the stories we read. Boys also study specific authors and illustrators and complete projects such as making puppets, collages, and bookmarks.

Suggested Readings