3 Year Old Curriculum Guide
We have 3 day and 4 day programs available for 3 year olds. Our 3 day program is held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Our 4 day program is held Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. A child is eligible for this class if he or she turns 3 on or before September 1st. Class ratios are as follows:
Three-year olds/10-12 per class: 2 adults
During the school year your child will work on the following skills. These guidelines are in correlation with the Christian Preschool Association and the Sunshine State Standards. Your child will be evaluated on the following skills according to the development expectations of his or her individual assessment. Three-year-olds are at the perfect age to begin expanding their oral language development and to explore the concepts that are the foundation for early literacy learning. Therefore, we ask that you avoid pressuring your child or becoming overly anxious about their efforts. Remember they are trying their hardest and praise and encouragement are all they need to start them on life’s long journey into education.
Language Lessons:
· Begins alphabet recognition
· Learns association of letter sounds (phonics)
· Learns rhyming word patterns
Social Development Skills:
· Respects others
· Respects environment
· Exhibits self-control
· Learns difference between thumbs up and thumbs down choices
· Interacts with other children/classmates
· Is able to express feelings
· Handles problems verbally
· Speaks comfortably in groups (circle time, show-n-share)
· Cooperates with teachers and other students
· Sharing and taking turns
· Manners (Please, Thank You, Excuse Me)
· Weekly classroom jobs
Gross Motor Lessons:
· Bounces/Catches ball
· Skips
· Hops on one foot
· Balance beam
· Coordinate large muscles
Fine Motor/Cognitive Skills Lessons:
· Begins to hold pencil with pincher grasp
· Begins to hold scissors with correct grip (developing skill)
· Uses templates for tracing/stencils
· Proper use of glue and glue sticks
· Knows left from right
· Uses puzzles, beads, patterns, legos, and matching games
· Learns days of the week
· Learns months of the year
· Recites Pledge of Allegiance
Math Lessons:
· Counting in order
· Recognizes numbers 0-15
· Counts up to 30 per calendar
· Counts tally marks
· Creates simple patterns
· Knows geometric shapes
· Sorting by color, shape, texture and size
· Counts sets of objects to 10
Science Lessons:
· Lifecycles of butterflies and pumpkins
· Sink or Float?
· Has knowledge of scientific experiments
· Make predictions
· Farmer Jay visits to campus (Vegetable Gardening, Beneficial Bugs, Snakes, etc.)
Social Studies:
· Has knowledge of geographic areas
· Celebrates the similarities and differences amongst people and families
· Learns basic Spanish
Christian Education Lessons:
· Participation in prayer
· Participation in Christian music
· Participation in chapel
· Develops good self-concept as a child of God and a person of value
· Opportunities to know the creative power of God and enjoy the world
· Share in the joys and benefits of the Christian community
· Experience God’s love and forgiveness through teachers and the church as a community of faith.
· Opportunities to experience trust of their environment and teachers through boundaries set for them and know of God’s love for all of God’s creation, including people of different cultures, races, and religions.
· Opportunities to build ideas, feelings, and understandings related to the Christian faith through bible stories, pictures, songs, bible verses, and play activities that uplift religious meanings that are age appropriate.
· Bible themed art centers and stories.
Music Education Lessons:
· Experiences with sound and music
· Opportunities for singing
· Rhythmic activities and movement with music
· Participating in musical games
· Experience listening and responding to different types of music
· Introduction of rhythm instruments, scarves, parachute, etc.
Your child will also be introduced to a variety of thematic lessons throughout the school year.
These lessons will include:
· School rules
· Getting to know you
· I’m me, I’m special
· I have feelings
· Fire prevention
· Community helpers
· Halloween fun and safety
· Pumpkins and Jack-o-lanterns
· Thanksgiving harvest
· Thanksgiving-food drive for our Weekend Food Bag Program
· Tour of our food bank/Packing of Weekend Food Bags
· Healthy Eating
· Families
· Good Manners
· Cooking classes
· Spanish classes
· Music and movement classes
· The Christmas story and program
· Advent adventure
· Winter, snow, and ice
· Snow day at school
· Valentine’s Day
· Healthy habits
· Healthy teeth
· Dental visit
· Dads’ Olympics
· Transportation
· Dr. Seuss
· St. Patrick’s Day
· Wind and kites
· Easter story
· Spring, plants and seeds
· Butterflies and caterpillars
· Mother’s spa day