Preschool offers both a half day and a full day program for 3 and 4 year old students. Here are just some of the things we will work in preschool during the school year:
Alphabet
We use the Handwriting Without Tears program. Mat Man will introduce your child to a new letter each week in class at circle time. In preschool, we work on recognizing and writing the uppercase letters of the alphabet. Your child will be introduced to the letter, the sound and how to make the letter. We learn a letter of the week cheer that we say at circle time. Time is spent in centers making the letter during the week. We learn the letter by tracing it in various ways, using letter magnets, and blocks to form the letter. We play alphabet games throughout the week and make a letter sensory card each Friday. The week concludes with your child adding a picture of something that starts with the letter of the week to our big classroom letter.
Name
Our goal in preschool is to recognize, spell and write our first name by the end of the school year. We achieve this by tracing our name, playing lots of name games and doing fun art projects with our name.
Math
We spend our time in preschool learning to count and recognize the numbers 1-10. We also learn 1-1 correspondence; this is the number 1, this is what 1 object looks like, etc. We also learn basic graphing, patterning and estimating in preschool as well. These skills are taught during circle, calendar and at small group time and reinforced with games and during center time throughout the week. Shape and color recognition are also taught and reinforced in the same manner.
Science and Social Studies
The units we will focus on include: Magnets, The Weather, The 4 Seasons, Animals, Fire Safety, Holidays and Traditions, Dental Hygiene, Bugs and the Life Cycle of a Butterfly.
Religion
It is important that our students learn the basics of their faith. We will learn about the Holy Family, saints, and our faith throughout the year through stories and art projects. We will learn basic prayers, the sign of the cross and attend church on special occasions.
We will develop many social/emotional skills through center time, circle time and recess.
We will develop a love of literacy through read alouds each day and a monthly story time presented by the Lisle Library.
Art and fine motor skills will be developed with both free and process oriented art.