Kindergarten Curriculum

The goal of St. Martin School's Kindergarten program is to create an atmosphere where the students will develop positive self esteem and succeed academically, spiritually and physically.  It is our belief that such an environment is conductive to creative thinking and challenged learning.

RELIGION

The focus of the religion program is the awareness of God's presence in all of us therefore creating our own uniqueness.

The students will learn about:

• God as a loving Creator
• their own uniqueness
• being part of a family
• being part of God's family
• self respect and respect for others
• sharing and taking turns
• making decisions and taking responsibility for their decisions
• working independently
• their five senses
• expressing their feelings appropriately
• praying both formally and spontaneously
• Bible stories (Old and New Testament)
• the new life of spring
• Jesus Christ
• The Church
• The Sacraments

LANGUAGE ARTS

Our reading program is a skill-based program.  The emphasis is on phonics.

Reading; the student will learn:

• recognition of letters out of sequence
• sound/letter relationships
• blending skills
• decoding and encoding simple words
• to recognize memory words
• to read and write simple sentences and rhyming words
• words and events that are opposite
• book making
   

Handwriting; the student will learn:

• correct pencil position
• to write from left to right and top to bottom
• correct formation of the letters of the alphabet

Literature; the student will learn:

• describe simple objects
• express their thoughts orally using a complete sentence
• participate in class discussions
• predict the outcome of a story
• dramatize a story
• create and illustrate a story
• participate in the making of class books
• dictate a story

MATHEMATICS

Our math program is a hands-on approach to learning.  By using manipulatives the children have a better understanding of the subject and therefore make the transition from the concrete to the abstract much easier.

The student will learn to:

• name the basic colors and shapes
• recognize numbers to 100 in random order
• count objects to 100
• sort and classify objects
• identify and extend a pattern
• compare and graph objects
• understand more/less, larger/smaller
• estimate
• print numerals correctly
• use manipulatives to problem solve
• do simple addition and subtraction
• understand sequencing
• understand measuring
• understand money and time

SCIENCE

Our science program is very closely integrated with math and religion.  Science units are integrated across the curriculum.

The student will learn to:

• know the difference between living and nonliving things
• describe the basic elements
• identify the components of an ecosystem
• know the food chain for the ecosystem
• try various experiments
• use magnets
• know parts of a plant

COMPUTERS

Computers located in our class are used or individual needs.

The students will:

• learn to use the mouse
• review materials taught in class
• reinforce math concepts
• learn to use the keyboard

SOCIAL STUDIES

The student will learn:

• about their community
• respect for the flag
• to identify the physical geography of the school neighborhood
• to show respect for all cultural differences
• to make class rules and goals for themselves

MUSIC, ART, & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Music is used throughout the day as background for activities.  There is also a scheduled time for formal music instruction with a music teacher.  Art is integrated into all areas of the curriculum.  Organized Physical Education is scheduled weekly and also used spontaneously throughout the day.