Core Knowledge Curriculum

What is “Core Knowledge?”

The "Core Knowledge" movement is an educational reform based on the premise that a grade-by-grade core of common learning is necessary to ensure a sound and fair elementary education. For the sake of academic excellence, greater fairness, and higher literacy, early schooling should provide a solid, specific, shared core curriculum in order to help children establish strong foundations of knowledge.

Lambs and Teddies (6 wks-1 yr)

The infant program at Children’s Choice is specifically designed to encourage the growth and development of babies through love, nurturance, and curriculum. The infants enjoy a wealth of activities including sign language, language development, and art enrichment.

Some Developmental Objectives Include:

Smile in response to smile
Baby plays with hands by touching them together
Laugh
Sit without support
Look for dropped object
Walk holding onto furniture, independent walk
Colors, shapes, numbers, body parts
Hand and feet art
Domesticated animals/wild animals
Maps
Artist and Musician of the Month

Hippos (1yr-2yr)

The younger toddler room at Children’s Choice is designed to promote social and physical development. The room is set up to encourage exploration and to enhance developmental growth. This class participates in Core Knowledge, Sign Language, Spanish, language and literature, math, art enrichment, sensory exploration, and creative play.

Some Developmental Objectives Include:

Introduction to the alphabet and letter sounds
Artist and Musician of the Month
Maps and Globes
Introduce counting 1-10, audibly and visually
Exposure to first name
Memorize and recite nursery rhymes and songs
Colors, opposites, and body parts

Kangas (2yr-2 ½yr)

This older toddler room at Children’s Choice is designed for our early two year olds. All materials and equipment are designed to promote social and physical development of the older toddler. This class participates in Core Knowledge, Sign language, Spanish, music and movement, language and literature, math, art enrichment, sensory exploration, and dramatic play.

Some Developmental Objectives Include:

Connect illustration with reading, teacher directed
Exposure to first name
Explore different types of maps
Sorting, shapes, and patterns
Artist and Musician of the Month
Use hands, fingers, paintbrush and crayons to produce written marks vertically and horizontally
Introduction of different environmental sounds

Monkeys (2 ½yr-3yr)

The younger preschool room is specifically designed to encourage the social and physical growth of the younger preschooler. The preschoolers are encouraged to participate in Core Knowledge, Sign language, Spanish, music and movement, math, language and literature, art enrichment, sensory exploration, creative play, computer time, and science. This program also concentrates on letters and books of the week.

Some Developmental Objectives Include:

Artist and Musician of the Month
Introduce writing strokes
Reinforce alphabet and letter sounds
Recognize first name and 1st letter of name
Compare groups of numerals 1-4 to determine more than/greater than/ less than
Introduce declarative sentences and practice using them
Map vocabulary – continent, country, state, city
Describe an event in an illustration

Crocodiles (3yr-4yr)

The older preschool room is specifically designed to promote the social and physical development of the older preschoolers. They are encouraged to participate in Core Knowledge, Sign language, Spanish, music and movement, math, language and literature, art enrichment, sensory exploration, creative play, computer time, science, social science, character development, and writing workshop. This program also concentrates on two letters and books of the week.

Some Developmental Objectives Include:

Artist and Musician of the Month
Recognize written first name
Introduction of all seven continents
Introduce money
Illustrate concept of “put together” and “take away” with up to 4 objects
Focus on letter sounds
Find the object illustration being described

Wild Things (4yr-5yr)

Our Pre-K program not only builds upon Core Knowledge, but also introduces Saxon Math that promote the creativity, social, and physical development of children. Our teachers encourage learning, sharing, asking, and answering of all questions. All Pre-Kindergarteners are encouraged to participate in sign language, Spanish, music and movement, math, language and literature, art enrichment, sensory exploration, creative play, computer time, science, social science, character development, writing workshop, and healthy bodies.

Some Developmental Objectives Include:

Identify a word that begins with a certain sound
Artist and Musician of the Month
Able to write first name
Science: observe, describe, and record some basic properties of water and light
Add and subtract problems represented by numerals 1-4
After listening to an oral description of a scene, recreate the scene in pictures.
Carry on a conversation with another child
After listening to an oral description of a scene, recreate the scene in pictures

Kindergarten - Zoo Keepers

Our private Kindergarten offers a full day program with a low child to teacher ratio to allow children the individual attention they desire. Our teachers encourage learning, sharing, and the asking of questions. Regularly written progress reports and parent conferences are scheduled. Our kindergarten program builds upon the Core Knowledge and Saxon math programs

Some Developmental Objectives Include:

Painting-line and color in such works as Matisse’s The Purple Robe, Picasso’s Le Gourmet, Mary Cassatt’s The Bath, Henry O. Tanner’s The Banjo Lesson, and Diego Rivera’s Mother’s Helper.
Sculpture-Statue of Liberty, mobiles of Alexander Calder, Northwest American Indian totem pole
Sense of self and personal responsibility
Working in a group setting
Task persistence and completion
Patterns and classification
Addition and subtraction
Measures of time
Human, Animal, and Plant characteristics, Needs and Development
Basic geographical concepts

These age groupings are not rigid directives but approximate guidelines based on research that, within a given area, suggests a progression of skills and knowledge. Because young children do learn at different rates, no child should be unduly rushed or held back solely based on the age groupings specified in the Preschool Sequence.

*Not offered at all of our locations*