CURRICULUM

PRESCHOOL

Contact our Admissions Director, Mrs. Tiffannie Thom for Preschool inquiries & tours: admissions@nativityschool.com

Preschool at Nativity

Montessori based Preschool

The philosophy theorizes that every child contains unique and boundless potential where the role of the teacher is to guide children and help them develop at their own pace.

  • Natural development

  • Creativity

  • Problem solving

  • Critical thinking

  • Uninterrupted concentration

  • Children in touch with environment

  • Children learning through their five senses

Curriculum Overview

Mathematics

  • Reality based curriculum - Hands-on Montessori materials to present abstract mathematical concepts

  • Pre-Math activities: One-to-one Correspondence, Books about counting, songs (Three little speckled frogs, Five Little Ducks), Sorting/classification, Sequence-Patterns- Calendar Patterns, bead after bead.

  • Numeration Sets - Number Rods, Sand Paper Numerals

  • Linear Counting - Short Bead Bars, Teen Boards- quantity, symbols; Ten Boards - quantity and symbol (10-90 with ten bars); 100 Board and numerals

  • Base Ten - Decimal System - Introduction to Unit, Ten Bar, Hundred Square and Thousand Cube. Quantity and Symbol Association

  • Understanding of the logical thinking

  • Introducing materials and concepts in sequence:

    • Concrete before Abstract. Understanding place value

    • Quantity

    • Symbol

    • Quantity and Symbol Association

Science

  • Dinosaurs - Carnivores/Omnivores, learning about fossils, paleontologist, excavation,extinction.

  • Anatomy - Body parts, Internal organs, digestive system

  • History - Native American History

  • Geography - Land and Water Formations, Continents, Oceans, Countries and cultures

  • Geology - Layers of the Earth, Volcanoes, Rock formations, minerals

  • Astronomy - Solar System, Constellations, Asteroids, Comets

  • Botany - Plants and the process of Photosynthesis

  • Zoology - Animal Classification

Reading & Writing

Students develop beginning reading skills. Learning to read and write is motivated by the student’s natural enthusiasm

  • Pre-reading and writing activities- picture to picture matching, word matching

  • Practical Life activities such as buttoning, zipping, lacing, scooping, using chopsticks,tweezers, spoons to develop and strengthen the pincer muscles

  • Phonetic object boxes

  • Introduction to simple phonic rules

  • Short vowel words

  • Puzzle words

  • Poems and Rhyming, enrichment of vocabulary, sound games

  • Story Sequence

  • 3-Part Cards

  • Sandpaper Letters

  • Moveable Alphabet

  • The Metal Insets

  • Handwriting

Music

  • Composers such as Strauss- Blue Danube and Haydn’s Creation Story

  • Folk Music/Dances from all continents

  • Nursery Rhymes

  • Christmas Carols

  • Music equipment such as scarves for dancing on rhythm, rhythm sticks, egg shakers and a variety of other non-pitched percussion instruments.

  • Introduction to glockenspiels (xylophones), boomwhackers, recorders, ukuleles.

  • Motions are used to show high & low, fast & slow, loud & soft, as well as the different sections of a song. All of these experiences can be scaled for all abilities to allow all students to engage with the content.

Spanish

Learning Spanish basics through songs and hands on activities

  • Colors, Days of the week

  • Months of the year

  • Holidays

  • Body parts

  • Animals and Plants

  • Numbers and Letters

  • Seasons/ Weather

  • Shapes and Sizes

  • Space orientation and other directions

  • Introduction to various Latin Artists such as Frida Kahlo

Art

  • Awareness of the elements and principles of art

  • Famous artists such as Paul Klee, Monet, Michelangelo, Mary Cassatt, Van Gogh

  • Different historical periods of art: Renaissance, Baroque and Impressionism

  • Enrichment of vocabulary- Abstract, accent, asymmetrical, balance, composition, contrast, depth, design, diagonal, exhibition, expressive, gallery, harmony, horizontal, illusion, intensity, landscape, line, linear, museum, pattern, portrait, still life, symbolism, symmetrical, texture, translucent, vertical, visual.

  • Negative/positive space

Religion

  • Creation Story, why God made him/her

  • Guardian Angel

  • Christmas and Easter; Advent and Lent

  • Saints Francis, St. Patrick and St. Joseph as well as Blessed Mother Mary

  • Mass

  • Basic prayers: Guardian Angel, Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be; understanding forgiveness, grace and courtesy.

  • Virtues- Orderlines, Gratitude, Humility, Generosity, Courage, Charity, Self-Control, Joy, Faith, Perseverance.

  • Church and Liturgical Calendar

Socio-Emotional

  • Talk about their feelings with teachers and peers; using words to describe their feelings like sad, happy, angry and excited

  • Use their words constructively when building friendships; carrying an appropriate dialogue with peers

  • Ask questions based on interests and/or school curriculum

  • Take turns and share educational materials or toys

  • Work in small/large groups during work time or outdoor play

  • Follow up daily routines independently

Library

  • Visiting school library

  • Stories read by our very own Librarian

  • Learning about Authors, Illustrators

  • Story Sequence and Predictions

  • Enrichment of vocabulary

  • Learning Library procedures