Kindergarten: SPIRIT Class
Reading
Building on kindergartners’ appreciation for reading and listening to stories, children practice comprehension strategies such as retelling a story, asking questions, and making connections to their own lives and to other books they know. They learn about literary genres such as non-fiction, folktales, biography, and poetry. Structured literacy includes developing the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in language, and learning the symbol-sound correspondence of letters within words.
Writing
The SPIRIT Class aims to foster a love for writing and an understanding of its purpose within genre studies. Through mini lessons and individual conferences, children learn the mechanics of letters and sounds, sight words, and punctuation. Children also learn how to give and receive feedback for growth, as well as implement the idea of “each one teach one,” where children are encouraged to look to their peers as teachers.
Mathematics
Learning math in kindergarten involves the creation of a classroom culture that nurtures, fosters growth, and encourages healthy risk-taking. Teachers and students spend days exploring, revealing and peeling away the layers of math, often discovering that math is so much more than just numbers and counting, and in fact exists all around us. Students explore a variety of mathematical strands through daily number corner routines, center time, inquiry studies, strategy sharing, read-alouds, and math conversations. Teachers facilitate the usage of math vocabulary in discussions by modeling, writing, posting and encouraging its use. Throughout the year, SPIRIT students cover topics including number sense, measurement and data, probability, and geometry.
Social Studies
The social studies program is an exploration of the theme of Roots and a discovery of concentric circles, beginning with the child and their many layers of identity. Students explore feelings, ancestry, holidays, languages spoken at home, and more. From there, the class explores different family constellations focusing on single parent, LGBTQ, multiple home families, children raised by elders, as well as other configurations. The children expand their notion of home by focusing on aspects of their school and neighborhood. A unit on manners and friendship helps students develop an understanding of social connection, peaceful conflict resolution, and build the skills of empathy and understanding.
Science
In the SPIRIT class, students explore chemistry, physics, botany, anatomy and nutrition in addition to environmental science. We use read-alouds, outdoor classroom experiences, field trips, and hands-on activities. Students build their critical thinking skills by asking questions, defining problems, and thoughtfully disagreeing. SPIRIT scientists learn to communicate information. They plan and carry out investigations, analyze and interpret data, and construct explanations. Students practice perseverance in the process of trial and try again!
Social Emotional Learning
In the SPIRIT class, we recognize that social emotional learning is greatly linked to academic growth and personal well being. Beginning with an exploration of our classroom values and agreements, the children begin to explore the language and “give and take” of friendships. Using the Toolbox curriculum, role playing, selective read alouds, class meetings, and facilitated small group check ins, the children learn the importance of empathy, perseverance, self-pride, generosity, self-regulation, and more. We learn to identify and express our feelings, the transformative power of anger, the importance of exercising our “disappointment muscle,” and the joy of human connection.
Social Justice
In the SPIRIT class, we explore the theme of Roots through a variety of curricular connections. We examine ancestral lands, family constellations, gender stereotypes, and spoken and written home languages. Students develop and express an understanding of who they are, and build bridges of appreciation for others. Some themes include name stories, family, heroes and sheroes, accessibility, and the science of hair and skin. We also explore the metaphorical thinking of windows and mirrors to explain differences and similarities.
Specialist Classes
Specialist classes are part of the daily schedule for all students, including art, music, physical education, wood shop, and Latin. Our rich specialist program ensures a well-rounded daily experience for all students.
