Preschool

Zion offers a Christ-centered Preschool and Daycare for ages three and four. The program for three year old children have 5 half day am classes, 3 half day am classes or 2 half day am classes. Our 4 year old program has a 5 half day am class, 4 half day pm class, a 3 half day am class or a 2 half day pm class. Our curriculum consists of the Scholastic Reading program, Everyday Math and the CPH religion programs. Our learning objectives follow the Colorado Content Standards/Building Blocks.

Our full time preschool and daycare program is available for limited space from 6:30am to 6:30pm. We also have before and afterschool programs for Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Objectives for Pre-Kindergarten

Things to remember about young children

Young children learn from and respond to controlled learning situations as well as unplanned moments of discovery. To make the most of real moments of learning, children need to be: independent, free to create and admire new activities, amused, free to experiment with a variety of media, having fun, learning responsibility, relating to adults other than parents, and free to be themselves. Much of this is done through play.

Pre-Kindergarten is not just Kindergarten a year sooner. There are many opportunities for learning experiences appropriate to the developmental level of the young child. The interest, ability and readiness of the child from learning is continually being evaluated and encourage by the teacher. This learning will occur largely by means of informal activities, play situations, conversations, environment, use of books, video cassettes, and other audio-visual materials, planned observations, many hands-on experience, incidental happenings and many other means devised by the teacher.

GOALS FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN

By using developmentally appropriate practices, we hope to:

1. Help children develop the spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and social parts of themselves.
2. Help children to know Jesus and His love.
3. Form a close home/school relationship.
4. Provide the pre-academic groundwork for later, more formal education.
5. Help children establish themselves away from home.

Curriculum

We want children to grow in the areas of spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development. In order for all of these areas to develop, we use the following objectives in our curriculum.

Spiritual

Through an integrated schedule throughout the day, we hope to teach the following concepts:

1. They will identify Jesus as their best friend.
2. They will learn about how Jesus grew up into a man who served God, His Father, and was perfect.
3. They will learn that the wrong things they do are called sins, and that Jesus died on the cross and rose again to take away their sins.
4. They will learn that God chose them and made them His children and they are all specials.
5. They will learn that God always loves them, even when they are sinful.
6. They will want to please God.
7. They will learn that the Bible is God’s Word and it is true.
8. They will become familiar with many Bible stories and learn that these stories are true.
9. They will show that they love Jesus.
10. They will learn that everything we have such as food, clothes, families, friends, and homes come from God.
11. They will learn to pray and sing.
12. They will learn that they sing, worship, work, and play with friends of Jesus.
13. They will learn to help their friends in school and at home.
14. They will want to forgive their friends.
15. They will learn that Sunday is special day for church.
16. They will identify Pastor as God’s special helper in the church.
17. They will recognize God’s creation and thank God for this. They will learn that God created them and they need to take care of themselves.
18. They will become familiar with items in the church such as the altar, pulpit, and baptismal font.

Language Arts

Through daily activities, the children will develop the necessary pre-academic language skills using the following concepts:

1. They will recite simple prayers.
2. They will sing simple songs.
3. They will “read” favorite books and identify characters.
4. They will sing their ABC’s.
5. They will learn common signs or logo words.
6. They will hold books correctly and learn left-to-right progression.
7. They will select books from the reading corner.
8. They will listen without interrupting.
9. They will follow one- and two-step directions.
10. They will use “Thank you,” “please,” and “You are welcome” courtesies.
11. They will pronounce names correctly.
12. They will speak in phrases and sentences.
13. They will recite finger plays and/or rhymes.
14. They will name the parts of their bodies.
15. They will learn about the seasons and holidays.
16. They will learn the names of the colors.
17. They will be able to retell stories.
18. They will use dramatic play to act out different roles.
19. They will use various writing tools for pre-writing skills (starting with scribbling, making letters, and then words.)
20. They will start the stages of drawing.
21. They will learn sequencing.
22. They will listen to stories and then discuss or identify comprehension facts.
23. They will be exposed to a print-rich environment.
24. They will dictate stories and make books.

Mathematics

Through manipulative play, songs, stories, and games the children will learn the following concepts.

1. They will learn to classify objects.
2. They will sort objects.
3. They will match pairs of objects.
4. They will repeat a sequence of objects (patterning).
5. They will match objects of a same color.
6. They count to 10.
7. They will start recognizing numbers from 0-10.
8. They will recognize a number of objects in a set of 1-5.
9. They will recognize more and less.
10. They will recognize sizes of big and little, empty and full, etc.
11. They will identify concepts of near and far.
12. They will determine a boundary as open or closed and whether an object is inside or outside.
13. They will match shapes.
14. They will recognize shapes as triangle, circle, square, rectangle, oval, and diamond.
15. . They will learn the concept of opposites.
16. They will identify a week as a 7-day period.
17. They will be able to assemble puzzles.

Science

There are many opportunities for the children to use hands-on experiences to learn scientific principles. The children will learn science through the following concepts:

1. They will learn the five senses and demonstrate the use of each sense.
2. They will classify objects by color, shape, texture, etc.
3. They will identify materials used to make objects.
4. They will distinguish between living and non-living things.
5. They will know about daytime and night time.
6. They will learn about the concept of shadows.
7. They will identify the progression of the day.
8. They will learn that there are 4 seasons.
9. They will learn about the characteristics of the seasons and what happens to plants and animals.
10. They will learn the differences in the weather.
11. They will classify objects that sink and float.
12. They will learn about seeds and plants and what makes them grow.
13. They will learn about the concepts of magnets.

Social Studies

By the age of 3, 4, and 5, children need other children their own age to have fun with and to learn how to relate in group situations. Gaining a positive self-image, learning how to enjoy each other’s company, caring for each other, use of free time, growing in physical growth and coordination, and having freedom to romp and play as well as gaining a sense of responsibility make up a good portion of what our program is all about. The children will learn about social experiences through the following concepts:

1. They will recognize that they grow and change.
2. They will recognize that plants and animals also change
3. They will distinguish between water and land.
4. They will identify position and directional words.
5. They will follow directions to find the way.
6. They will understand that rules are made to help them get along with others, and that they need to follow the rules for their safety and the safety of others.
7. They will understand that everyone has unique needs but also common characteristics.
8. They will be introduced to the calendar and use of charts.
9. They will learn that the library is a source of information.
10. They will learn that community helpers help them to stay safe and provide services.
11. They will use time words and phrases such as sometimes or later.
12. They will learn that they live with their family and move on to what city they live in, and at a later date, the state they live in.

ART

The emphasis is on open-ended activities that allow the children to be creative, use all of their senses. Through many different experiences, the children will learn the following concepts:

1. They will be able to develop through the normal stages in art. AT first they will only scribble. Then they progress to definite lines, shapes, outlines, symbols, and characteristics that may or may not be recognizable.
2. They will experiment with colors.
3. They will express themselves by painting in various ways such as finger-painting, brush painting, and blow painting.
4. They will name the basic colors.
5. They will develop their imaginations through activities.
6. They will be aware of different textures and hard or soft objects.
7. They will use and manipulate clay and attempt to have meaning.
8. They will recognize themselves as part of creation.
9. They will use various other materials to show expression. These could be paper, glue, nature articles, or anything else.
10. They will develop perceptually through the use of their senses.
11. They will take nature walks to appreciate God’s creation.
12. They will learn to appreciate the accomplishments of others.
13. They will feel successful.

Physical Education

Children need to develop perceptual motor abilities, large muscles, small muscles, and whole body coordination. Children will develop motor skills using the following concepts:

1. They will learn to bend and stretch.
2. They will shake body parts.
3. They will imitate actions of leader or teacher.
4. They will learn to use balls and bean bags.
5. They will walk.
6. They will run.
7. They will jump.
8. They will hop.
9. They will maintain body balance.
10. They will use balance beams.
11. They will move and sway to music.
12. They will play simple games.
13. They will march.
14. They will play simple singing games.
15. They will use playground equipment regularly.

Music

In order for children to learn about music, the following concepts will be taught:

1. They will use rhythm instruments.
2. They will sing simple songs.
3. They will listen to a variety of music.
4. They will create their own sentence songs.