Curriculum is developmentally appropriate for the age of the children in the Junior Kindergarten class. Furthermore, it is recognized that children have individual rates of development in addition to individual interests, temperaments and learning styles. Jr K curriculum promotes early literacy with more emphasis on concepts in print, phonemic awareness and letter recognition. We offer increased opportunities to develop and enhance math skills. Counting, patterning, and graphing activities are planned. Social competence and self-regulation is emphasized and children are supported in problem solving. Children are provided opportunities for creativity and self-expression. They are also given opportunities for motor skill development. In addition, professional instruction in art and music is provided. Your child will begin to function more independently in a group setting, and will gain proficiency in social abilities and build a foundation of cognitive skills in anticipation for success in school.
The Junior Kindergarten class for 4.5- to 5-year-olds meets Tuesday through Friday mornings from 9:00 – 12:00. We typically follow the Poudre School District Schedule. This applies to holidays and breaks, when classes aren’t in session. Please email info@fortcollinspreschool.com for more information.
Goals for the Jr K Class/5-year-olds
Social Emotional
- To develop positive relationships with adults in the classroom environment
- To develop the ability to interact with peers respectfully and to form peer relationships
- To develop the ability to sustain complex play with three or more children involved
- To establish a sense of self and personal responsibility
- To promote the development of self-regulation skills
- To function and work constructively in a group setting
Communication/Language/Literacy
- To enhance the development of conversational skills
- To begin to recognize non-verbal features of communication
- To continue to develop increasingly complex vocabulary and syntax
- To use language skills to organize, relate and analyze information
- To engage and participate in read-aloud stories
- To develop literacy skills-concepts in print, phonological awareness and phonemic awareness
Knowledge Acquisition and Cognitive Development
- To enhance the development of visual and auditory memory skills
- To promote the ability to follow oral directions
- To promote the idea of symbolic representation – specifically with letters and numbers
- To promote the recognition of patterns, classifications and comparisons
- To develop a sense of rhyme
- To develop numeracy and number sense
- To explore the idea of cultural similarities and differences
- To begin developing simple geographical concepts
- To explore the characteristics of living things
- To explore the concept of weather and seasons
Physical
- To enhance knowledge of healthy habits and to be responsible for personal care needs
- To develop eye-hand coordination
- To further develop motor planning skills
- To further develop large motor skills such as running, jumping, galloping skipping, climbing
- To provide maximum opportunities to develop the fine motor skills needed for drawing and writing
- To develop scissor skills
Creativity
- To provide opportunity for movement and music activities
- To explore art with a variety of media- collage, paint, clay
- To provide opportunity for dramatic play experiences