Our 4 Year Old VPK Program
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Introduction to our Curriculum One of the things that has made Bethel Preschool so beloved over the years is our solid curriculum. Here is a brief introduction of what we are working to achieve with each age group. VPK Classroom Goals The goal of our VPK Program is to provide a safe, nurturing and caring Christian environment for your child while also getting them ready for Kindergarten. It is very important that it be fun, safe and engaging. Circle Time: During Circle time our Teachers work on language development as part of their early literacy education. Learning to communicate is very important. We work on new vocabulary in correlation to our weekly theme. Carpet games are used at this time and it is a fun way to work on Letter/ Letter Sound/ Number recognition. Learning from books is a joy learned young and we read to them as often as we can throughout the day both at our 2 circle times and we provide them with book time on the carpet during some of the transitions. We love to sing and teach the children songs with motions as well as words so they can join in. Motion is also important and we work on gross motor development with stomping, crawling, tiptoeing and other fun motion dance routines. Snack Time: Snacks and Lunches are all provided by the family. Please avoid sending in items that can be a choking hazard like grapes, popcorn, hot dogs cut in dimes or not at all and others on our lunch suggestion list. We open the items for them if needed. Please send in any utensil they may need. Water bottles/ cups from home are used during lunch time only; during snack time we give each child a 5 oz single use water cup and refill as much as they need. Center Time: Table toys, puzzles, stickers, sensory play, blocks, crafting and coloring are just a few of the activities the children will experience during Center Time. This time allows for individual play, taking turns, and sitting for activities. Working with stickers, play dough, kinetic sand, sensory bins or crayons helps build their fine motor skills. We also work on early writing skills and practice name and word tracing with pencils, highlighters or markers. Arts and Crafts: We do fun arts and crafts with the children daily, but each day’s activity might not be a take home project. We love to let them color on pages, smear paint, play with whipped cream art, finger paint and play with other sensory items. Crafts will come home weekly and some are saved for a special gift at the end of the year. Potty Breaks: Each child in our VPK program is expected to be potty trained. This means they are able to take down their own pants, potty and wipe then put their pants back up. They are expected to be able to wipe on their own. The 4 year olds wash hands upon arrival, after bathroom use, before and after meals and after coming in from the playground as well as when they are soiled. Christian Education: Our VPK students pray before meals and during morning circle time. We read our weekly Bible lesson each day. We also teach them some of our most favorite Bible songs such as “This Little Light”, “Jesus Loves Me” and “Only God can make A Rainbow” to name a few. The main components of our curriculum are: Early Literacy – Letter and letter sound recognition, vocabulary, compound words, syllables, onset and rime Reading comprehension- Reading to children is only a part of the story. Children learn sequencing of events, the who/what/where/when of a story. Gain extra use of new vocabulary. Math - Number recognition, one to one correspondence, sorting, sequencing, shapes, beginning addition and subtraction Science- Use of basic science concepts such as observation, classification, prediction Social Studies- The child’s world and their place in it. Such as family, community, social customs. Fine Motor Skills- Fine motor skills are key to gaining hand strength for the use of writing utensils. Gross Motor Skills- Gross motor skills such as jumping, running, climbing, pedaling |
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What Is VPK?
If you live in Florida and your child will be 4 by Sept 1st, then you are eligible to participate in Florida's FREE Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program.
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click her to learn more about FL VPK |