four year old curriculum
Hicksville Nursery School prepares children to be successful and happy learners. We guide children to a healthy self-image, loving and respectful relationships with others, and a responsible attitude toward their environment. We focus on hands-on learning experiences, and exploration and discovery with age-appropriate educational materials. These are the goals for our four year old class. Using individualized instruction, theme teaching, small group work, and large group learning environments, we attempt to achieve the goals listed below. However, please remember that each child is unique and will develop socially, emotionally, as well as academically, at different rates of development. |
Language Arts
Our phonics program teaches a letter/sound each week. Each sound is taught in an “enjoyable, multisensory way”. Our open communication between home and school helps parents reinforce what the children are learning in school. We do extensive work with phonemic awareness using songs, identifying and practicing rhyming words and recognizing sounds in words. We introduce the children to a wide range of children’s literature during our daily story times. During story time children are making predictions, building vocabulary, and recalling facts about the story. The letter sound becomes the basis for each week’s activities throughout the day. Handwriting/Fine Motor Skills The focus is on developing hand strength and fine motor skills as well as gaining a good pencil grip. They have lessons for developing their handwriting skills. They learn how to form the capital/lowercase letters using a pencil. They will learn how to print their names. Drawing, coloring, cutting, painting, molding with play dough and using small manipulatives are important aspects of the curriculum in developing fine motor skills. Mathematics Our Math program emphasizes learning in small increments and reviewing the previously learned concepts throughout the year. At the preschool level it works with concepts of shapes, colors, calendar skills, patterns, beginning numerals, beginning money concepts, sorting and graphing, grouping, sequencing, matching, measurement, and counting. |
Science
Our science program is a hands-on nature curriculum. The children have many experiences including planting seeds,
watching the metamorphosis of a butterfly, studying animals, insects and plant life, studying the five senses and observing
the weather and the changing of the seasons. We also do simple science experiments using water, magnets and other materials. The solar system will be introduced.
Social Studies
We begin each year learning about ourselves, our families and friends, and our community. We study about different countries and the world around us.
Gym/Large Motor Skills
We spend part of our day in the gym to give children a chance to use their active growing bodies and develop their large motor skills. In the gym they will skip, jump and climb. They will also throw, catch, bounce and kick a ball. On a daily basis they have an opportunity to pedal tricycles.