SGM Preschool Curriculum

St. Gerard Majella’s preschool program believes that each child is a special unique gift of God. We are dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing environment that fosters the spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional and physical growth and development of each child. Our curriculum is designed for children between the ages of three and five and allows the child to be challenged and still develop at their own pace.

Faith Formation:

The children’s faith is deepened by:

• making the sign of the cross
• saying prayers
• attending the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Language Arts:

The children will be introduced to:

• various genres of literature for example: books, poems, nursery rhymes and fairy tales.
• upper and lower case letters.
• rhymes
• beginning and ending sounds
• recognizing their names in print
• putting words to their stories
• creating class books
• taking a picture walk
• retelling stories
• sequencing – beginning, middle and end
• recalling details of a story
• large and small group discussions
• following directions in cooking

Math:

The children will be introduced to:

• rote counting
• one to one correspondence
• identifying numbers
• identifying shapes
• identifying colors
• sorting by size, color, shape etc.
• recognizing and imitating patterns
• graphing
• measurements in cooking

Social Emotional:

The children’s social and emotional growth will be developed by encouraging:

• being a good friend
• sharing
• using problem solving skills
• interacting with peers and teachers
• expressing feelings, emotions and ideas appropriately
• being respectful of others

Art:

The children are encouraged to:

• experience a variety of mediums
• participate in art projects
• recognize and identify colors and shapes
• take pride in their artistic creations

Science:

The children are encouraged to:

• experiment, observe and investigate the world around them
• observe, identify and graph weather patterns
• observe and investigate the life cycles of various living things

Fine Motor:

The children will develop their fine motor skills by:

• playing with puzzles and other manipulatives
• coloring, drawing and
• cutting
• stringing various size beads and lacing cards
• manipulating play dough and other materials

Gross Motor:

The children will develop their gross motor skills by being given the opportunity to:

• throw and catch balls
• run, jump, hop and skip
• climb and descend stairs using alternating feet
• participate in games (i.e. tag, kick the ball)

Music and Movement:

The children are encouraged to engage in:

• singing, rhyming, chanting, clapping to a beat, and finger plays
• keeping a beat with musical instruments
• marching and dancing

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based religious program designed for children ages three thru six. The atrium is a sacred space where children can nurture a personal relationship with God. The space is ordered, child-sized, and beautiful, allowing the children opportunities to interact directly and intensely with materials that are specially prepared by the catechists. The atrium is not a classroom, but rather a place prepared for the child to fully receive God’s love and feel His presence. Children are given opportunities to learn about and experience prayer, the Kingdom of God Parables, the Altar and parts of Mass, the Geography of Israel, the Infancy Narratives, the Paschal Mystery, Baptism, and Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Children have the liberty to move freely and choose works they feel drawn to. The eventual aim of the atrium is to prepare the children to develop and nurture their faith and to participate more fully in Mass.

Music:

Twice a month, the children attend a formal music class for 20 minutes. The children have the opportunity to experience music in a variety of ways by singing, dancing, marching, finger plays, and using musical instruments. Generally the music class ties into the season or theme the children are studying in class.

Yoga:

Twice a month, the students have the opportunity to provide yoga as a tool to discover the strength of their bodies, the power of their imagination and the peacefulness of a quiet mind.  This class is lead by Jessica Kerchoff

Lunch Bunch:

Lunch Bunch is an extended day option that is available Tuesday thru Thursday for children who are enrolled in either the 3/4 or Pre-K classes. Children have the option to attend one, two or all three days. The children bring their lunch with a drink to school. The extended day is filled with music and movement, lunch, crafts, games, stories and outdoor play.