Curriculum
The Creative Curriculum for Preschool
The Creative Curriculum for Preschool is a research-based curriculum, focusing on the whole-child. Inquiry, exploration, and discovery are used as the foundation of learning, providing children with meaningful experience and interactions.
3K Units of Study
The First Six Weeks - Building Your Classroom Community
Students spend the first six weeks of school is an exciting time for children, families, and school staff. Children will be making new friends, coping with the transition to going to school, learning about their school community, and what it means to be part of a community. Students will also explore themselves as learners and gain new rights and responsibilities.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What names do we need to know at school?
- What should we do if we feel sad or scared at school?
- What are our rules?
- When do things happen at school?
- Who works at our school?
- How can we make and keep friends? How can we be part of a group?
Clothes
Clothing is a topic that children are naturally curious about from infancy. Whether it is exploring textures or dressing in costume and discussing practical clothing based on the weather, children have an endless amount of questions to be answered. Studying clothing opens up conversations and allows children to deepen their understanding through firsthand experiences. Students also become more knowledgeable and aware of cultural differences around the world.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about clothing? What do we want to know?
- What different types of clothes are there? Why do we wear them?
- How do we take care of clothes?
- Where do we get our clothes?
- How do people make clothes?
Light
Everywhere we turn, light is all around us! We find light (natural and artificial) outside, in our homes, classrooms, places of work, appliances, electronics, and toys. This naturally leads children to engage with light each and everyday. This unit begins with children exploring light sources that are familiar to them (flashlights, lamps, etc.) and then expands to children exploring light sources beyond their background knowledge. Students are encouraged to build on their creativity through movement with shadows, and even how light shines through objects differently.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about light? What do we want to find out?
- What objects make light? How do we turn lights on and off?
- How do we use light?
- What happens when we block light?
- What kinds of things does light shine through?
Music Making
Children express their enjoyment in music at a very early age by clapping, bouncing, dancing, and smiling. Children even perform songs they hear frequently around them. They later on discover that different items make unique sounds and want to explore how they can become music makers by striking many different objects to see their unique sounds. Music is a crucial part of social, emotional, and academic development. This unit of study emphasizes social studies and scientific concepts while also helping children use skills in math, literacy, technology and the arts.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about music making? What do we want to find out?
- What instruments can we play by hitting, tapping, or shaking them?
- What other musical instruments are there? How do people play them?
- How can we make music with our voices?
- What different styles of music are there? How do they make us feel?
- Who works with music for their jobs? What tools do they use?
Pets
In early childhood classrooms children learn what it means to be part of a community, and the responsibilities that come with it. Exploring the study of pets offers children opportunity to see the concept of cause and effect firsthand, noting their direct actions of caring for a pet. Pets also teach children the importance of caring for others, being sensitive to others' needs, showing affection, and developing lasting friendships.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about pets? What do we want to find out?
- What kinds of animals are pets? What are some characteristics of pets?
- Where do pets live?
- What do pets eat?
- How do we care for pets?
- How do pets make us feel?
Boxes
Boxes may possibly be the most fascinating thing to a young child, even more than a game or toy. Boxes can spark imagination and creativity in young learners. Although simple, with just a folded piece of cardboard, boxes lead children to open-ended thinking, and can take them on adventures in an imaginary word. Children's natural curiosity is piqued when exploring boxes, and children are exposed to experiences that promote important skills such as gathering information, and learning more about the world around them.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about boxes? What do we want to find out?
- What can we do with boxes?
- What are the characteristics of boxes?
- Which jobs involves boxes?
- How are boxes made?
- How can we move boxes?
Gardening
Gardening lends itself to so many fun, hands on experiences using dirt! Sensory driven activities are highlighted during this study. Children will get their hands dirty playing in soil and taking a closer look at plants, leaves, flowers, and even foods. Students will work together to tend to their gardens and solve any problems that arise with their planting. This unit allows students to feel a sense of empowerment and responsibility as they watch their gardens grow and change over time all because of the care and nourishment they gave to it.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about gardening? What do we want to find out?
- How can we plan and care for our garden?
- What grows in gardens?
- Who helps gardens grow?
- How do gardens help people and the environment?
- How can we harvest our garden?
Balls
Children have a natural interest in balls from a very young age. When exposed to balls, children want to catch them, throw them, dribble them, kick them, and roll them. Learning about balls lends itself to children naturally discovering concepts such as gravity and friction, speed, and direction. This unit of study has a detailed focus on science and social studies concepts.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about balls? What do we want to find out?
- What different types of balls are there? How and why are they the same and different?
- How do balls bounce?
- How do balls roll?
- How do people use balls?
Pre-K Units of Study
The First Six Weeks - Building Your Classroom Community
Students spend the first six weeks of school is an exciting time for children, families, and school staff. Children will be making new friends, coping with the transition to going to school, learning about their school community, and what it means to be part of a community. Students will also explore themselves as learners and gain new rights and responsibilities.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What names do we need to know at school?
- What should we do if we feel sad or scared at school?
- What are our rules?
- When do things happen at school?
- Who works at our school?
- How can we make and keep friends? How can we be part of a group?
Trees
Children are fascinated by trees, and often have questions about what they notice around them. Trees are all around us, offering up so many experiences for learning about colors, shapes, sizes, fruit, flowers, climate, and species. In this study children will take part in a variety of hands-on experiences that support all areas of learning and development.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about trees? What do we want to know?
- What are the parts of trees?
- How do trees grow and change?
- What grows and lives in trees?
- What things are made from trees?
Clothes
Clothing is a topic that children are naturally curious about from infancy. Whether it is exploring textures or dressing in costume and discussing practical clothing based on the weather, children have an endless amount of questions to be answered. Studying clothing opens up conversations and allows children to deepen their understanding through firsthand experiences. Students also become more knowledgeable and aware of cultural differences around the world.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about clothing? What do we want to know?
- What different types of clothes are there? Why do we wear them?
- How do we take care of clothes?
- Where do we get our clothes?
- How do people make clothes?
Buildings
Young learners connect with learning when it is relatable to their lives. Buildings are everywhere in our communities, and children see buildings everywhere they go. Children love to construct tall towers and recreate their own homes. Students are often curious about they buildings they see being built/repaired and about where they live.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about buildings? What do we want to know?
- What different types of buildings are there? How are they the same and different?
- Who builds buildings? What tools do they use?
- What are buildings made of? What makes a building strong?
- How can we make a community with our buildings?
Pets
In early childhood classrooms children learn what it means to be part of a community, and the responsibilities that come with it. Exploring the study of pets offers children opportunity to see the concept of cause and effect firsthand, noting their direct actions of caring for a pet. Pets also teach children the importance of caring for others, being sensitive to others' needs, showing affection, and developing lasting friendships.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about pets? What do we want to find out?
- What kinds of animals are pets? What are some characteristics of pets?
- Where do pets live?
- What do pets eat?
- How do we care for pets?
- How do pets make us feel?
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Students have a natural curiosity about garbage, and things that get thrown away. This is the perfect starting point to explore what happens to trash after it is thrown away and how we as a community can reduce, reuse, and recycle.This study allows students to analyze problems with waste and brainstorms solutions for our community.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about reducing, reusing, and recycling? What do we want to find out?
- Wha does it mean to reduce? How can we reduce items we use?
- What does it mean to reuse? How can we reuse items we use?
- What does it mean to recycle? How do we recycle items we use?
Gardening
Gardening lends itself to so many fun, hands on experiences using dirt! Sensory driven activities are highlighted during this study. Children will get their hands dirty playing in soil and taking a closer look at plants, leaves, flowers, and even foods. Students will work together to tend to their gardens and solve any problems that arise with their planting. This unit allows students to feel a sense of empowerment and responsibility as they watch their gardens grow and change over time all because of the care and nourishment they gave to it.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- What do we know about gardening? What do we want to find out?
- How can we plan and care for our garden?
- What grows in gardens?
- Who helps gardens grow?
- How do gardens help people and the environment?
- How can we harvest our garden?
Getting Ready for Kindergarten
Similar to the beginning of the year, the end of the school year is a very exciting time! Although exciting, it can also be a bitter-sweet moment. Students will experience a lot of emotions as they say goodbye to their school, teachers, and even their friends. This unit of study will help students explore and understand their feelings as they transition to Kindergarten. Students will celebrate what they have learned throughout the year and reflect upon their experiences.
Students will explore the following Focus Questions:
- How is Kindergarten like preschool? How is it different?
- How do we feel about going to Kindergarten?
- How do we make and keep friends in Kindergarten?