Kindergarten Curriculum Overview

Reading
Kindergarten
children begin to realize that print conveys meaning. They are curious
about the print that is all around them and are beginning to find out
some of its secrets. They are familiar with a variety of types of books
and selections (e.g., picture books, caption books, short informational
texts, nursery rhymes, word play, puppet plays). Kindergartners are
offered many opportunities to read daily.
Writing
Kindergarten
students are becoming aware of the purpose of written language in the
environment. They write their own names and use a mixture of drawings,
random letters, and words. They are asked to write daily.
Mathematics
The mathematics curriculum is organized into five strands:
(1)
number and operations; (2) measurement; (3) geometry; (4) data analysis
and probability; and, (5) algebra. Problem-solving strategies are
embedded into each of the 5 strands.
- The early grades focus on building a strong understanding of number and fluency with mathematics to solve problems.
- Fundamental to these skills is knowledge of number facts, the
computational processes, and the appropriate use of each operation.
- Together with an emphasis on using mathematics to solve
problems, elementary students will build a depth of understanding
enabling them to apply the content in a variety of contexts
Social Studies
Students in kindergarten study themselves and their families, how they grow and change, and their similarities and differences.
Children
develop and expand their understanding about themselves and about the
family as a basic institution in society. They learn to understand that
here are basic needs common to all people, but that people my meet these
needs in a variety of ways.
Science
The
focus for kindergarten centers on students using all of the five senses
to make observations of events in both indoor and outdoor settings that
make up their world. Science Concepts: Plants and Animals, Use of
Tools, Weather, Properties/Movement of common objects
and organisms.
Art/Music
Arts
Education includes four separate and distinct disciplines; dance,
music, theatre arts, and visual arts. Involving the “whole child” in the
arts gradually teaches many types of literacy while developing
intuition, sensitivity, reasoning, imagination, and dexterity. Learning
in the arts nurtures active engagement, disciplined and sustained
attention, persistence, and risk-taking.
Health/PE
The
Healthful Living Education program promotes behaviors that contribute
to a healthful life-style and improved quality of life for all students.
The Healthful Living Education portions of the NC Standard Course of
Study support and reinforce the goals and objectives of its two major
components—health education and physical education.