Kindergarten Curriculum

The kindergarten experience:

• is based on the understanding that young children learn best through play, concrete experience, and a variety of academic activities, materials, and environments;
• is oriented to individual developmental patterns and learning styles;
• emphasizes interrelationships among reading, language arts, and other areas of the curriculum;
• emphasizes expansion of experiences: language development, listening and thinking skills, social-emotional development, and perceptual motor abilities;
• reflects the fact that a child’s positive self-concept is an essential ingredient for learning;
• is provided by Carden-trained faculty dedicated to maintaining a quality program that nurtures and develops the whole child, giving attention to all areas of development: physical, emotional, social, and intellectual
• integrates the Carden curriculum and philosophies with developmentally appropriate activities.

The specific objectives for kindergarten students are:

Reading:

• identify consonants, blends, and vowels to decode words applying Carden two-vowel and vowel-alone rules (controls)
• enhance listening skills, increase vocabulary, and develop comprehension skills through sentence analysis
• hear stories which emphasize valuable character traits and moral behavior influencing the heart of the student

Writing:

• print alphabet letters (upper and lower case)
• use periods, question marks, and capitals in writing sentences
• print numerals

Mathematics:

• experience math concepts through counting, matching, comparing, and manipulating objects from 0 to 20
• add and subtract 0 to 9
• develop understanding of: comparison terms (shorter - longer); spatial positions (inside - outside); quantity terms (more than - less than); and geometric shapes

History/Social Studies:

• recognize ethnic and cultural diversity through introduction of global concept, sharing of customs, traditions, and artifacts
• develop historical understanding of holidays and patriotic occasions through literature-enriched curriculum
• develop respect for self, others, and our country

Science:

• recognize the properties of matter: color, odor, taste, shape, texture, weight, substance, etc. (Physical)
• identify effects of weather and seasonal changes within our surroundings and other parts of the United States (Earth)
• differentiate between living and non-living objects in nature with a major emphasis on the stages of growth in animal and plant life

Art:

• become acquainted with the use of basic art tools: scissors, brushes, paints, markers, chalk, pencils, and crayons
• make personal choices in artistic expression
• identify colors, textures, line, shape, and space (three dimensional vs. depth perception)
• art appreciation

Music:

• learn songs related to our country, seasons, and holidays
• march, clap, and dance while listening to music and use unpitched rhythm instruments to copy simple rhythm patterns emphasizing steady beats and rests (silence)
• participate in classroom music and playlet presentations and in an all-school music presentation

French:

• learn familiar nouns and simple phrases
• sing songs and play games

Motor Development:

• experience rhythm activities that develop coordination and concentration
• develop agility, balance, and basic locomotor skills
• develop ability to follow directions

We encourage you to learn more about our curriculum by grade level:

• Back to main curriculum page
• Kindergarten
• First Grade
• Second Grade
• Third Grade
• Fourth Grade
• Fifth Grade
• Sixth Grade
• Seventh Grade
• Eighth Grade
• Art

If you not familiar with Miss Carden and the Carden Method, we encourage you to review the information we have prepared.