Our Classroom:
The classroom will be arranged into learning centers. Learning centers provide opportunities for children to develop social skills, set goals, make decisions, use individual learning styles, work at their own pace, develop creativity and expression and communicate ideas. Through quality play activities, children gather valuable information and develop the critical skills that will support their academic success. The following is a description of some of the basic learning centers that you may find set up in the classroom over the course of the school year.
Dramatic Play Center:
The dramatic play center allows children to recreate the social roles that they see in their everyday lives. The basic set-up center is an environment that is very familiar to most children, the home. However as the year go on, the center may evolve into a restaurant, grocery store or any other environment that the children would like. Dress up clothes and various props are included in this center.
What Children Learn: Communication and life skills, conflict resolution, vocabulary development, problem solving, human equity and diversity, understanding experiences through role playing
Art Center:
The art center is a place where the children can explore a variety of interesting materials. Young children show us what they know through their artwork. They learn by using the senses and the center provides a multi-sensory experience for them. The materials in the art center include: paints, crayons, clay, colored pencils, scissors, beads, stickers, stencils, pencils, pens and a wide variety of paper.
What Children Learn: Fine motor skills, creative expression, colors, shapes and size relationships, self-esteem , visual perception
Block Center:
The block center is an area that provides children with interesting construction materials for designing and building. It allows small groups of children to share materials, work together to make designs, and work our problems. Children learn about size, shapes, measurements, distance, and other building skills. The block center includes a variety of blocks, trucks, road signs and other related materials.
What Children Learn: Shape and size discrimination, spatial relationships, number skills, balance, cause and effect, classification, creativity, cooperation, measurement, physical coordination
Reading Center:
The reading center is a comfortable place for the children to explore and enjoy good books. Favorite books are displayed with a cozy space for reading alone or with a friend. Beanbags make the library center a comfortable place to practice beginning reading skills.
What Children Learn: Vocabulary, details, communication, reading readiness
Manipulative & Games Center:
The manipulative center provides children with interesting materials to explore. Exploration is essential to the development of mathematical and logical thinking. Some materials are given to the children in a lesson that gives them ideas on how to use them. Others are given to the children to explore and figure out on their own. There are a variety of materials in the manipulative center. Wooden beads with strings, bristle blocks, puzzles and games are some of the materials found in the manipulative center.
What Children Learn: Hand-eye coordination, classification, visual perception, problem solving, social skills, counting, patterning
Science/Sensory & Math Center (sand, water, rice table):
Science and sensory centers encourage children to explore a variety of different materials, which in turn, gives them a wide range of tactile experiences. At the sand table, children discover many opportunities for social interaction and communication with peers. Interactions such as turn taking and sharing are often practiced in shared group activities. At the math, science and sensory centers, children are able to practice problem solving, and are exposed to concepts regarding shape, size, spatial relationships, and often becoming highly involved in problem solving and negotiating such concepts.
What Children Learn: Observation, exploration & discovery, investigation, predicting, experimenting, cause and effect, measurement - problem solving, properties of matter
Music Center:
Music and movement activities give children an opportunity to explore body awareness and physical ability. Children are able to experiment with their coordination, body movement and spatial relations when dancing or moving in a group setting. Being engaged at the music center or in music and movement is also a great setting for social interaction and language, as children often become excited about new movements and songs.
What Children Learn: Rhythm, coordination, listening skills
When I Play I Learn.
|
When I Easel Paint I Learn: |
When I Finger Paint I Learn: |
|
To develop my imagination and creativity (intelligence) To develop eye-hand coordination (writing skills) To distinguish and purposely create shapes (math & writing skills) To express my feelings and ideas (language) That my ideas have value (self esteem) Relationships of space and size (math & science) Concepts of symmetry, balance and design (intelligence) |
To exercise my imagination and creativity About how to mix colors to make new colors (science) Concepts of shape, size and location (math & writing) Eye-hand coordination An acceptable way to make a mess, and have fun sharing ideas with others (self-esteem) |
|
When I Scribble And Draw I Learn: |
When I Glue And Collage I Learn: |
|
To hold a pencil or other drawing implement, and to control the pressure (writing skill) Eye-hand coordination To exercise my imagination and creativity That my ideas have value Concepts of shape, size and location To express myself with words when describing my drawing (language) The basic strokes of the printed language (writing) |
To exercise my imagination and creativity Concepts of shape, size, location and design, which is relevant to reading About different textures (intelligence) How to create patterns and designs (math) To distinguish patterns from a background (reading skill) |
|
When I Look At Objects At A Nature Table I Learn: |
When I Play On Climbing Equipment I Learn: |
|
New vocabulary (language & intelligence) Concepts of texture, color, weight and size (intelligence) To group objects into categories (math) To observe likenesses and differences (math) To appreciate nature and develop a sense of wonder (intelligence) |
Physical strength, coordination and balance To use my imagination To cooperate with others when involved in group play To solve problems Self confidence as I develop new skills |
|
When I Look At Books And Listen To Stories I Learn: |
When I Play In The Family Living Area I Learn: |
|
That books are important and enjoyable That print is written down words To express my own thoughts, feelings and ideas To exercise my imagination That pictures tell something just like words To make up my own stories To handle books with care To recognize certain words when I see them in print To use more complex language patterns in my own speech To follow the development of thought and ideas in the plot of a story That I like books and someday I would like to be able to read them, too, when I am ready (language, intelligence, love of reading) |
To be flexible in my thinking (intelligence) To express myself with words ( language) To try on difficult adult roles (self concept) To solve social problems through negotiation with friends (intelligence) To sort and organize play things (math) To make decisions (intelligence) To improve and use things in a symbolic way (intelligence) To have an object represent something else (intelligence) To carry out my ideas, with the cooperation of others (intelligence, self esteem, social skills) To exercise my imagination and creativity |
|
When I Play With Sand I Learn: |
When I Sort Things I Learn: |
|
To exercise my imagination concepts of size, shape and volume (math) How to use tools (writing) To solve problems (intelligence) Concepts of warm and cool, wet damp, dry, heavy, light (intelligence) How to play socially with others To create systems for classifying, ordering and arranging (math) To observe changes (science) |
To notice details, likenesses, differences and to form categories (reading & math) Concepts of color, size and shape (math) Numeral concepts for more and less (math) Logical reasoning (intelligence) |
|
When I String Beads I Learn: |
When I Dance I Learn: |
|
Eye-hand coordination Concepts of color, shape and location Number concepts like more, less, longer and shorter To create and reproduce patterns (math) Pride in accomplishment (self esteem) |
Balance and coordination To be conscious of moods and rhythms of music To express myself physically in an appropriate way About the space around me and the space of others |
|
When I Play With Pegboards I Learn: |
When I Play With Riding Toys I Learn: |
|
One to one correspondence (math) To make and repeat patterns (math) Possible left to right progression (reading & writing) Concepts of addition as I add one peg at a time Colors Symmetry, shapes, order and design (reading, writing, math) Eye-hand coordination |
Strength, balance and large muscle coordination To use my energy in a constructive way Concepts of speed, direction and location (math) To use my imagination To negotiate and take turns (social skill) To solve problems (intelligence) Self confidence, as I master my new skills |
|
When I Play With Rhythm Instruments I Learn: |
When I Sing Songs I Learn: |
|
To be conscious of rhythms in music (reading skill) Concepts of fast, slow, loud, soft, high, low (reading & math) To express myself in new and different ways Listening skills Auditory discrimination, recognizing sounds (reading) To interpret and understand signals and cues |
Principles of music and rhythm Vocabulary Memory skills and sequencing (reading & math) To be conscious of others Various concepts emphasized in songs Phonics and auditory discrimination (reading) Awareness and identification with my culture and other cultures |
|
When I Participate In Group Time I Learn: |
When I Play With Blocks I Learn: |
|
To listen, sit still, and understand spoken words That my ideas have value to other children and the teacher (self concept) To wait my turn while others are talking New vocabulary words To remember the words of songs and poems I have learned and to put things in proper order The names of others in the group To cooperate and be considerate of the needs of others To help plan what we will do and when we will need to do it |
Concepts of shape, size, length and location (math & reading) To create and repeat patterns (math) To exercise imagination (intelligence) To express ideas (language & intelligence) To cooperate with others (social) To solve problems (intelligence) To see myself from a different perspective (self concept) |
|
When I Cut With Scissors I Learn: |
When I Play I Learn: |
|
To control the small muscles in my hand (writing) Concepts of shape, size, color and location (math) To exercise my imagination and creativity |
That I am me, a small child who is valued, cherished and loved I count in the world |
