Winchester Academy preschool serves children ages 2-4. The school day begins at 8:45 and ends at 12:00.

Each month the preschool classes work from a specific theme. Teachers follow goals and objectives appropriate for their age group. They choose activities that best help the preschool students meet these goals. Weekly communication will be sent by email to keep parents up-to-date on school activities. Two’s classes receive music and chapel and Three’s & Four’s classes receive music, chapel and foreign language.

If you have specific questions about the curriculum used in the preschool, please contact us at info@winchesteracademy.org

 

-Select a age level- 2 Year Olds 3 Year Olds 4 Year Olds K-4 Curriculum K-4 Introduction

 

 

Objectives:  Age 2.5

Social & Emotional Concepts

2.1    Helps clean up after work and play
2.2    Is willing to try new experiences
2.3    Takes care of toys and equipment
2.4    Keeps hands to self
2.5    Plays beside other children but begins to play
        with other children
2.6    Starts to verbally express feelings
2.7    Begins to empathize with friends (not
         formerly assessed)
2.8    Shows kindness to friends (not formerly
         assessed)
2.9    Adjusts to transitions
2.10  In process of potty training
2.11  Shares with classmates
2.12  Sits quietly
2.13  Recognizes self in a photograph or mirror
2.14  Recognizes own coat and backpack

 

Language Concepts

2.15  Engages in simple pretend play
2.16  Increases vocabulary
2.17  Uses phrases such as please, thank you, I am
        sorry and I forgive you
2.18  Puts together two or more words to form
        a sentence
2.19  Joins in nursery rhymes and songs
2.20  Refers to self and others by name
2.21  Points to and repeats the names of body parts
        (head, eyes, nose, mouth, arms, legs, feet)
2.22  Begins to recognize own name
2.23  Practices tracing first name
2.24  Follows one step directions
2.25  Listens to stories

 

Math Concepts

2.26  Distinguishes objects that are the same and/or         different 
2.27  Identifies colors: red, yellow, blue, green,
        orange and purple
2.28  Identifies shapes: square, rectangle, circle and         triangle
2.29  Rote counts from 1 to 10

 

Fine-Motor skills

 2.30  Raises and drinks from a cup
 2.31  Builds a tower of six or more blocks
 2.32  Turns pages in a book one at a time
 2.33  Puts an 8 piece puzzle together
 2.34  Laces beads – 3 beads on a string
 2.35  Cuts with scissors
 2.36  Manipulates links, pegs, and legos (not formerly           assessed)
 2.37  Uses cookie cutters and rolling pins with
         playdough (not  formerly assessed)
 2.38  Art activities such as: painting, gluing, drawing,           tracing (not formerly assessed)

 

Gross-Motor Skills

Develops gross motor skills and coordination through movement involving:

 2.39  Running
 2.40  Climbing stairs holding onto railing
 2.41  Walking in a line
 2.42  Hanging up coat
 2.43  Seating self in chair
 2.45  Taking off coat
 2.46  Throwing a small ball
 2.47  Jumping on two feet
 2.48  Balancing on one foot for 2 seconds

 

Music Concepts

2.49  Is able to imitate a simple rhythmic pattern
2.50  Explores opposites within a musical context         (high/low, up/down, quiet/loud, fast/slow)
2.51  Correctly identifies familiar sounds from the         environment
2.52  Responds through movement to music of various         tempos and styles to express what they hear
        and feel.
2.53  Participates freely in music activities (not formerly         assessed)

 

Bible Concepts

           
2.54   Is exposed to morals through Bible stories

 

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Objectives:  Age 3

Note: Age 2 Objectives should be mastered at this point.

 

Social & Emotional

3.0  Develops positive self image (not formerly
       assessed)
3.1  Participates in transitions and routines
3.2  Responsible for personal items (backpacks, coats,        folders)
3.3  Expresses feelings and emotions through words
3.4  Develops an understanding of family members
       and their roles:  (mother, father, brother, sister,        grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, cousin)
3.5  Takes care of bathroom needs independently
3.6  Develops concept of sharing and respect and
       taking turns
3.7  Participates as a group member and works on        cooperation
3.8  Takes care of school toys, supplies and
       equipment

 

Language Concepts

3.10  Listens to short stories, poems, rhymes, songs
        and fingerplays
3.11  Follows 2 – 3 step directions
3.12  Masters auditory discrimination for common
        sounds
3.13  Listens without interruptions
3.14  Uses appropriate inside and outside voices
3.15  Names and identifies body parts: (head, ears,
        eyes, nose, mouth, hair, shoulders, neck,
        arms, hands, fingers, back, stomach, legs,
        feet, toes)
3.16  Speaks in 4 – 6 word sentences
3.17  Participates in conversation
3.18  Repeats short rhymes, songs, fingerplays,
        and stories
3.19  Responds relevantly to questions and ideas
3.20  Uses appropriate vocabulary focusing on objects
        in the child’s environment (not formerly
        assessed)
3.21  Introduced to concepts of days of the week,
        months of the year, and seasons
3.22  Identifies own name, traces and begins to spell
        own name Identifies uppercase letters A – Z
        and begins to write some letters
3.23  Introduced to lowercase a – z (not formerly         assessed)

 

Math Concepts

3.24  Counts a given number of objects up to at
        least 15
3.25  Rote counts to at least 15
3.26  Recognizes numbers 1 - 10
3.27  Compares and sorts by shape and color
3.28  Matches objects
3.29  Understands opposites
3.30  Understands same and different
3.31  Basic patterning skills
3.32  Understands positions of first and last; top and         bottom
3.33  Identifies shapes: (square, rectangle, circle,
        triangle, diamond, oval, heart, and star)
3.34  Identifies colors: (red, orange, yellow, green,
        blue, purple, brown, black, white, gray
        and pink)
3.25  Distinguishes sizes of big and little

 

Fine-Motor skills

3.26   Proficiently drinks from a cup
3.27   Builds a tower of 12 or more blocks
3.28   Proficiently puts together an 8 piece puzzle
3.29   Laces beads - 5 on a string
3.30   Manipulates links, pegs, and legos (not formerly          assessed)
3.31   Uses cookie cutters and rolling pins with
         playdough (not formerly assessed)
3.32   Cuts with scissors
3.44  Art activities such as: painting, gluing, drawing,          tracing (not formerly assessed)

 

Gross-Motor Skills

Develops gross motor skills and coordination through movement involving:

3.45  Running
3.46  Climbing stairs proficiently
3.47  Walking in a line
3.48  Throwing a small ball
3.49  Catching a small ball
3.50  Jumping on two feet
3.51  Balancing on one foot for 5 seconds
3.52  Hopping on one foot

 

Music Concepts

3.53  Uses voice expressively to speak, chant and sing
3.54  Experiments with a variety of instruments
3.55  Correctly identifies different rhythmic
         instruments visually
3.56  Correctly identifies different rhythmic
         instruments aurally
3.57  Participates freely in music activities

 

Spanish Language Concepts

3.58  Independently counts to 10 in Spanish
3.59  Identifies colors in Spanish (red, yellow, blue,
        green, orange, purple, brown, black, white,
        gray, pink)
3.60  Uses greetings: Hola, Adios, Gracias
3.61  Identifies seasons in Spanish (Spring, Summer,         Winter, Fall)
3.62  Identifies family members in Spanish (mother,
        father, brother, sister, grandmother,
        grandfather)

 

Bible Concepts

3.63  Is exposed to morals through Bible stories (not         formerly assessed)

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Objectives: Age 4/5

Note: Age 3 Objectives should be mastered at this point.

 

Social and Emotional Concepts

4.1  Participates in transitions and routines
       independently
4.2  Takes responsibility for personal items (backpack,
       coat and folder)
4.3  Knows parents’ occupations
4.4  Knows telephone number, address, city/state,
      and birthday
4.5  Knows proper manners and uses words such as       please, thank you, no thank you, and may I be       excused?
4.6  Shares, takes turns and shows respect to others
4.7  Respects school property
4.8  Works on conflict resolution by expressing
      feelings and emotions through words with others
4.9  Cleans up after oneself
4.10 Uses proper hygiene practices (not formerly
       assessed)

 

Language Concepts

 

4.11  Follows multi step directions
4.12  Phonetic introduction to basic letter sounds
4.13  Speaks in complete sentences
4.14  Takes turns in conversation (not formerly
         assessed) 
4.15  Contributes ideas (not formerly assessed)
4.16  Retells short stories, rhymes, songs, and
        finger plays 
4.17  Responds relevantly to questions and ideas
        (not formerly assessed)
4.18  Develops concept of left and right
4.19  Names and identifies body parts:  (wrists, ankles,         elbows, neck, cheek, chin, knees, and chest)
4.20  Understands concept of days of the week,
        months, seasons, and calendar year
4.21  Identifies colors (brown, black, white, gray,
         gold, silver and bronze)
4.22  Identifies own name (spelling and writing of
         both first and last name)
4.23  Journal writes with illustrations
4.24  Teacher writes direct quotes from child
        (not formerly assessed)
4.25  Recognizes lower case alphabet letters
4.26  Writes lower case alphabet letters

 

Math Concepts

 

4.27  Identifies shapes (octagon, pentagon, line and
         plus  sign)
4.28  Distinguishes sizes (small, medium and large)
4.29  Writes the numbers 1 - 10
4.30  Counts a given number of objects to at least 20
4.31  Recognizes the numbers 1 - 20
4.32  Rote counts to at least 20
4.33  Classifies and sequences by size, shape and color
4.34  Matches objects
4.44  Identifies patterns such as A B and A B C
4.45  Estimates
4.46  Knows ordinal positions (from 1st-5th)
4.47  Draws shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle,         diamond, line and plus sign)

 

Science Concepts

4.48  Learns about the world around them through
        hands on experiments

 

Fine Motor Concepts

4.49  Increases fine motor skills through manipulatives
        and art activities
4.50  Learns how to correctly draw a person
         (including proper location of head, ears, eyes,
          nose, mouth, hair, neck, torso, arms, hands
          with fingers, legs and feet)
4.51  Explores with different media
4.52  Holds a writing instrument correctly
4.53  Uses scissors independently

 

Gross Motor Concepts 

Develops gross motor skills and coordination through movement and use of:               

4.54  Balancing on one foot for 5 seconds then
        switches to other foot for 5 seconds
4.55  Jumps on two feet 5 times in succession
4.56  Hop on one foot 5 times in succession
4.57  Climbs
4.58  Throws and catches a small ball
4.59  Walks backwards

 

Music Concepts

4.60  Sings a variety of simple songs in various keys,         meters and genres alone and with a group
4.61  Improvises instrumental accompaniments to
        songs, recorded selections, stories and poems
4.62  Creates short pieces of music, using voices,         instruments and other sound sources
4.63  Invents and uses original graphic or symbolic         systems to represent vocal and instrumental
        sounds and musical ideas
4.64  Demonstrates an awareness of the elements of
        music (rhythm, pitch, harmony and timbre)
4.65  Demonstrates an awareness of music as a part
        of daily life
4.66  Participates freely in music activities

 

Spanish Language Concepts

4.67  Uses greetings in Spanish:  Hola, Adios, Gracias,         Como este
4.68  Counts to 20 in Spanish
4.69  Knows colors in Spanish (red, yellow, blue,
        orange, green, purple, brown, black, white,
        gray, pink)
4.70  Knows days of the week in Spanish
4.71  Identifies seasons in Spanish
4.72  Identifies body parts in Spanish

 

Bible Concepts

4.73  Is exposed to morals through Bible stories (not         formerly assessed)

 

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Objectives: K-4

The K-4 program will use the Virginia Foundation Blocks for Early Learning as the baseline standard for this age group. These standards address the areas of Literacy, Mathematics, Science, History and Social Science. To review the Virginia Foundation Blocks for Early Learning, go to http://www.vak12ed.edu/VDOE/Instruction/Elem_M/early.html.

 

Reading, Writing, Handwriting, Spelling – Riggs Institute & Wilson Reading Method

Student Materials: optional phonogram cards & tape

The following Riggs Institute information is taken from it’s website, www.riggsinst.org: The method of instruction by the Riggs Institute entitled The Writing & Spelling Road to Reading & Thinking, begins by teaching manuscript letter formation through dictated instructions (no copying or tracing), together with a sufficient set of sound/letter relationships to accommodate the Webster-Oxford collaboration that "standardized" English spelling in the early 1860's. This spelling system is virtually unchanged after 140+ years. These phoneme/grapheme relationships are taught together as "explicit" phonics, "in isolation" (without key words, pictures or letter names) as recommended in the federal synthesis of reading research done by the nation's leading reading professors, 1985's Becoming a Nation of Readers (BNR). 

The Wilson Method incorporates a multi-sensory approach to language learning where students learn by hearing sounds; manipulating color-coded sound; syllable and word cards; performing finger tapping exercises, writing down spoken words; reading aloud and repeating what they have read in their own words, and hearing others read as well. All skills and knowledge are reinforced through visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile senses.

 

Science & History

Students are given an opportunity to experience Science & History concepts in a hands-on interactive way.  All Virginia Foundation Blocks of Early Learning are addressed in this course, which include science topics such as Force, Energy, and Motion; Matter; Living Systems, and resources as well as history topics including Good Citizenship and Community Workers. 

 

Physical Education – Spark P.E. program

           
The following information is taken from the SPARK program website: www.sparkpe.org:
The SPARK (Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids) Programs began studying elementary physical education in 1989, and today, the name SPARK represents a collection of exemplary, research-based physical activity/nutrition programs. The original SPARK study was initially supported by the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

The SPARK Physical Education program is designed to encourage maximum participation during class time. Active participation and practice in a positive, non-threatening atmosphere, are the means for improving children's physical skills, fitness, social development, and personal enjoyment.

Math – Everyday Math

           
Everyday Mathematics (Everyday Math, aka Chicago Math) is a K-6 curriculum developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) and published by Everyday Learning Corporation, now part of SRA McGraw-Hill.

The following website,  http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/, gives parents and teachers insight into Everyday Math’s goals as well as ideas for enhancing the curriculum. Taken from the aforementioned website are Everyday Math’s goals for all of its students:

• Real-life Problem Solving
  Everyday Mathematics emphasizes the application of mathematics to real world situations. Numbers, skills and mathematical concepts are not presented in isolation, but are linked to situations and contexts that are relevant to everyday lives.
• Balanced Instruction
  Each Everyday Mathematics lesson includes time for whole-group instruction as well as small group, partner, or individual activities. These activities balance teacher-directed instruction with opportunities for open-ended, hands-on explorations, long-term projects and on-going practice.
• Multiple Methods for Basic Skills Practice
• Emphasis on Communication
  Throughout the Everyday Mathematics curriculum students are encouraged to explain and discuss their mathematical thinking, in their own words.

 

Bible – ACSI curriculum

Student Materials: Student workbooks    

Familiar Bible stories are presented which emphasize God’s love towards us and His help in our daily lives.

 

Music, Art, & Spanish
           
These three areas focus on activities which encourage students to become actively involved in the learning process.

 

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K-4 Introduction

Winchester Academy has seen the importance of offering a class that is a wonderful transition between Pre-K and Elementary.  This K-4 class was created to provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum for students who would benefit from another academic transitional year.  This academic curriculum will be specially designed to meet the individual needs of your child. This class will offer additional time in the classroom to prepare the students for an elementary school placement.   The hours of operation of this class will be Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the option of before/after care, if needed.

The student would still remain in a nurturing environment while being offered the highest achievement level of preschool.  This class will have 10 students with the focus being on fine motor development, social readiness and academic preparedness.  There will be a greater emphasis on reading and math while having the benefit of some of the appropriate Kindergarten curriculum, which will further prepare your child for elementary school. 

Qualifications:

Questions and Answers regarding the K-4 Class: