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Language Arts
Literacy for 3K students is experienced through the Zoo Phonics Curriculum. This program allows students to learn the letters and their sounds through connections to animal characters. While students engage in listening, speaking, and movement activities, they practice skills in word building, directionality, comprehension, and decoding print.
Oral communication is strengthened through use of story telling, nursery rhymes and song. Children will use oral language for social interaction and gathering knowledge of the world. They will communicate needs, feelings and ideas in response to activities in the class. Additionally they will use role playing and collaborative play to widen their use of language.
A literacy-rich environment featuring big books, storytelling, songs, chants and poems is created for children to engage independently, in small groups, and in whole class activities in pre-reading.
Drawing, mark making, pencil skills and emergent writing are examples of the writing experience of the 3K students.
Mathematics
The 3K mathematics program helps students to understand math concepts through the use of concrete materials. The focus at this age is counting skills and developing one-to- one correspondence while counting objects. Math manipulatives facilitate inventing, creating, communicating, negotiating, sorting, counting and community building. Through counting songs, rhymes, number literature, and a connection to the Zoo Phonics characters, children establish their knowledge of numbers to thirty. They match, categorize, sort objects with one attribute, describe simple 2D shapes, and recognize colors.
IB Units (Science and Social Education)
The science experience for 3K children is about using observational skills to investigate their world. Children explore changes in materials through cooking, sand and water play, and observational studies. Children will observe, track, and predict the weather, making conclusions about seasonal changes. The WIS 3K students will develop their natural curiosity as inquirers.
During an IB unit of inquiry, students explore the human body. The children learn about the external and internal body parts and their functions. They explore the changes that occur as we grow and develop. They also discover what we need to do to care for our bodies.
In an IB unit of inquiry exploring animals, students investigate the needs of living things. Students explore the different types of animals and their features. They discover how animals have adapted to their environment over time, in order to meet their needs.
During an IB unit of inquiry into journeys, students explore the different types of journeys people make. Children learn about different modes of transportation. They discuss the choices and decisions involved in making a journey. They also discover the changes that can be experienced because of a journey.
Through an IB unit of inquiry exploring song and dance, students discover how songs and dance express feelings, events in people's lives and give structure to expression.
Mandarin/Spanish Language
With little effort 3K can engage in a second language. Through songs and rhymes they are introduced to simple communication skills. They will learn greetings and phrases, counting and stories.
Art
Children in this grade use art to express feelings and explore ideas. They will explore aspects of design, color, shape, form and texture. Additionally they will begin to respond to and appreciate art from various cultures and develop fine motor skills.
Music
Music in the 3K classroom is designed for students to “learn through play.” By listening to a variety of music styles and responding with movement, the children will appreciate music. The children will develop a rudimentary sense of rhythm.
Physical Education
Movement education is the primary focus at the primary level, which includes activities to develop locomotor, non-locomotor, perceptual-motor, rhythmic, manipulative, control and balance. Different games and activities are planned to provide the children with opportunities to work together to improve social and cooperative interaction skills.
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