Nursery
1 | Nursery 2 | Pre-K 1 | Pre-K
2 | Kindergarten | Catechesis
of the Good Shepherd
The curriculum provides the children with a variety of learning activities that are developmentally age appropriate. SHV stresses socialization as well as academic learning. The curriculum has a balance of structured and unstructured tasks with both teacher-directed/facilitated and child-initiated activities. The program focuses on all areas of development: spiritual, social, emotional, cognitive, and physical.
Our Nursery and Preschool programs incorporate thematic teaching, HighReach Learning, or a combination of these methods. Thematic teaching involves a theme that is planned by the teacher and or students. The curriculum is built around this theme and activities are planned to enhance the particular thme. HighReach is a developmental program based on the whole-child philosphy. HighReach and thematic teaching address the following areas: language, literacy, mathematics, science, creative arts, cultural diversity, social/emotional approaches to learning, and physcial health.
The Kindergarten curriculum builds on the readiness skills formed furing the earlier years. This curriculum follows the state/archdiocesan guidelines.
Assessment
is conducted on a regular basis, both with the group and individually with
each child. Teachers use a
Developmental Milestones checklist as well as a developmental portfolio for each child. Pre-K students are screened
in the spring with the American Guidance Service Early Screening Profiles
(ESP) to assess students' abilities in cognitive/ language development,
gross and fine motor skills, and, articulation and behavior. The Brigance Screening assessment is given to Kindergarten students.
Curriculum
Enrichment
Teachers supplement the program
with:
- a variety of activities and experiences, both indoors and outdoors
- weekly music class
- prayer services and all-school presentations
- St. Louis Public Library loan program
The whole curriculum offers opportunities
for fun and consistent learning.
Nursery
1
Goals
- to stimulate intellectual growth and imaginative play
- to recognize colors and shapes
- to develop social interaction skills
- to develop language skills
- to strengthen fine motor skills and gross motor skills
- to introduce children to problem solving
- to introduce basic math concepts
Activities and lessons
- morning meeting
- messy play/art exploration
- use of manipulatives
- puzzles
- center exploration
- music
- exercise
- science
- sensory play
Nursery
2
Goals
- to develop fine motor and gross motor skills
- to enhance an awareness of the world as seen through colors, shapes,
numbers and values
- to stimulate creativity and foster a positive self-image in each child
- to procide time for center exploration
- to encourage development of higher-order thinking skills
- to model respect for each other and learning how to share
- to promote phonological awareness through songs, rhymes and alliteration
- to recognize colors, shapes, and number recognition 1-10
- to rote count and demonstrate one to one correspondence
- to develop sequencing, sorting, and graphing skills
- to develop problem solving
Activities and lessons
- teacher-directed games with the group; students learn how to take turns
- a new color, shape, value, and number are learned and practiced
- the teacher reads more than 50 books a month to the class; the teacher directs
questions and discussion to encourage a love for reading
- songs about the alphabet and the related phonemic sounds they make
- religious and seasonal songs are also included
- body movement and simple games with movement
- 30 minutes of free play with direction and guidelines-- outdoors or
inside
- instilling in the children the awareness of God being near them
- reinforcing children's respect for themselves and others
Pre-Kindergarten
1
Goals
- to build school readiness skills/preparation for kindergarten
- to introduce the alphabet
- to increase social interaction and learning how to be friends
- to reinforce color, shape, and number recogntion 1-12.
- to provide time for center exploration and play
Activities and lessons
- outdoor play on the playground
- indoor play or group games
- fine motor activites
- music and movement opportunities
- seasonal activities
- group time and story time
- art exploration
- block play
- introduction to math concepts
Pre-Kindergarten
2
Goals
- to combine phonemic and whole-language techniques
- to offer more detailed cross-curricular activities
- to enhance basic social, school skills that the students will need for
Kindergarten
- to encourage the development of the whole child through integrated, hands-on
activities and projects that make learning meaningful
- to allow children to explore and experiment with the world at their level
of development
- to enhance creativity in thought and action
- to encourage problem-solving and higher order thinking skills
- to strengthen the child's sense of self
- to encourage personal responsibility
- to introduce cultural awareness
Activities and lessons
- calendar
- story time (read-aloud, silent, books on tape)
- seasonal activities
- following directions
- block play
- centers for Math, Language Arts, dramatic play, library/reading, art,
large & small manipulative play, computers
- phone number/address
- circle time for communication & social skills
- music activities
- gross/fine motor activities
- science activities
- multicultural studies
Kindergarten
Reading
- to emphasize the development of listening skills, speaking, focusing
attention, organizing information and vocabulary
- to recognize capital and lowercase letters out of alphabetical order
- to learn the sounds of short vowels and consonant letters, and identify words beginning and ending with consonants
- to practice in identifying literary language skills such as rhymes and
repetition
- to differentiate individual letters, words and sentences
- to read with understanding
Math
- to introduce the principles of sorting, classifying and working
with shapes and patterns
- to compare and order shapes by size, height, and length
- to learn principles of graphing, identifying patterns and problem solving
- to introduce measuring, reading time (hour and half hour), counting
money (pennies, nickels and dimes)
- to reinforce and practice numeral writing and concept of 1 to 100
- to introduce addition and subtraction stories; recorded by the students
- to introduce sharing (dividing) fair shares of objects
- to practice counting by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s
Language Arts
- to learn how to speak in complete and clear sentences
- to practice expressing ideas well and telling stories in a logical
order
- to communicate ideas by writing stories in a book
Social Studies
- to develop students' awareness of self, family and community
- to study different places where people live in a community & world
- to develop an awareness of U.S. history
Science
- to develop an appreciation of nature and all of God's creation
- to encourage the development of the students' natural curiosity of the
world around them
- to introduce life, physical, earth, and environmental
sciences
Art
* to developan appreciation for color, design, texture, and creative expression
Penmanship
- to form letters & numbers correctly
- to trace lines and copy lines
- to copy work accurately
Physical Education
- to develop physical activity and gross motor skills
- to practice running, skipping, hopping, galloping, jumping rope, walking
a balance beam
- to practice ball-handling skills such as throwing, catching and dribbling
Fine Motor Skills
- to practice throughout the day
- to experience coloring, gluing, cutting and folding; clay & paint
- to work on zipping, snapping, buttoning and shoe tying
Personal and Social Development
- to knowf full name, address, phone number and birthday
- to practice observing rules, care for materials and property
- to practice and show self-control, respect for authority, and develop
self-confidence
Social Skills
- to listen, follow directions, and rules
- to respect others and their property
- to control anger
Work Habits
- to follow directions
- to develop adequate attention span
- to work quietly, neatly, and independently
- to clean up after work and play
- to complete tasks on time
- to listen to directions & follow them correctly
Catechesis
of the Good Shepherd
The Catechesis of
the Good Shepherd, our religious education program, is based
on the belief that there is a deep bond between God and the child, which
produces in the child the desire to draw near God. It is an intergral part of the Villa's religious education program.
The Catechesis provides an environment
called an Atrium, in which certain biblical and
liturgical themes suitable to the children's developmental needs are presented.
The Atrium contains concrete materials, consistent with the themes that
help children deepen their relationship with God. It is also a place where
the child works; it is a particularly quiet environment in which the work
easily becomes prayer and meditation.
Some atrium materials are:
- a miniature altar and its furnishings
- child-size vestments
- a Baptismal font
- maps of Israel
- miniature environments that represent the elements of the biblical
stories and parables
Each child has an assigned day
of the week to come in his/her small group to work in the Atrium. At that
time the Catechist will make a short presentation that will "call forth"
the child's response rather than "pour in" information. Next the
children are given time to choose an activity that will make possible their
inner conversation with God. Their time together concludes with prayer,
scripture and song.
More program information: www.cgsusa.org