OUR PURPOSE AND CURRICULUM GUIDELINES

Curriculum Guidelines

Young children learn through their play experiences. Small groups, "hands on" experiences and multi-sensory materials all help define the educational purpose of our classrooms at UCP. The following curriculum guidelines help prepare each child for an age appropriate learning experience.

Christian Enrichment...

Visual and active presentation of easy to understand Bible stories, lessons, prayers and peer modeling.

Learning through play...

With a focus on "learning through play," our program provides a loving, Christian environment and fosters learning and readiness areas through "hands on" experience. We strive to build every child's self-confidence and to promote a positive image of the school itself.

Social Interaction...

• Playing (free choice of activities)

• Sharing (cooperation and respect for others)

• Working (independently and as part of a group)

• Expressing feelings and needs (understanding emotions and asking questions)

• Role Playing (imagination and make believe)

• Obeying Rules (self-protection and safety)

Physical Development...

Large Muscle (running, hopping, walking, sliding, galloping and skipping - P.E.)

Small Muscle (cutting, coloring, lacing, tracing, puzzles, playdough, blocks and other manipulative toys)

Health and Good Grooming (body awareness and self care)

Games and Creative Movement (exercise, rhythm and coordination)

Perceptual Motor Skills (balls, bean bags, ropes, hoops, balance beam, parachutes, foam discs, ribbons and scarves - P.E.)

Readiness Skills...

• Visual Discrimination (likeness and difference, left to right progression, name recognition, matching and classifying)

• Auditory Skills (listening to daily stories, following directions, learning nursery rhymes, poems, prayers and ~ finger plays, Pre-K name, address, phone number)

• Language Development (expanding vocabulary, show and tell and oral expression)

• Introduction to Alphabet and Phonic Awareness (Pre-K emphasis - one letter/week and review)

• Shape Recognition

• Color Recognition

• Size Relationships, Spatial Concepts and Opposites (big/little, over/under, up/down, in/out, on/off, hot/cold, soft/hard, loud/quiet, above/below, beside/behind, push/pull)

• Creative Expression

Arts and Crafts (scissors, crayons, paper, markers, paint, chalk, paste and glue)

Music (Christian and early childhood songs, instruments, dance and games)

Creative Dramatics (acting out nursery rhymes, pretending and pantomime)

Cooking (fun with food)

• Exploring Science (five senses, nature, living things, air, water, measure, weight, balance, magnets, magnifying glasses, shadow and light, temperature and seasons)

• Fun with Math

• Following Directions (vital and important for functioning in the classrooms)

• Social Skills Weekly units may include:

God Made Me	Community Helpers	Five Senses
Body Awareness	Safety	Transportation
Down on the Farm	Home, Family and Friends	America
Zoo Animals	Nutrition	Pets
Lifecycles	Birds and Bugs	Space
Sports and Water	Holidays and Seasons

• Classroom Celebrations (Holiday parties, birthdays and special in-school programs)

Current Events...

Learning about important happenings in the community, country, world, visitors from the community, such as Firemen, Policemen, etc.

Although a well-organized curriculum is necessary for learning certain skills in school, it cannot substitute for the experience that must precede and go along with formal education. This is why home and parents are so important.

University Carillon Preschool strives to provide an early childhood education with a strong Christian foundation that will benefit the child, parent, church and community.