Pre-1st Curriculum
	Bible  Bible is taught daily using a flannel graph visual of stories that focus on biblical heroes from the Old Testament. An age appropriate introduction to the life and ministry of Jesus from the New Testament, engages students in their need for a Savior.  Handwriting  The D’Nealian manuscript is reviewed and mastered through a variety of hands on activities. D’nealian manuscript is introduced through a variety of hands on activities. The D’nealian style of writing was designed to ease the learning of cursive and print handwriting by offering a complete audio, visual, tactile, kinesthetic approach to teaching handwriting. This style of writing aids reading by giving immediate letter to word associations in drill and practice work and building basic vocabulary thus making reading and writing correlated subjects as opposed to separate subject skills.  Mathematics  Using a hands-on activity approach which includes manipulatives, teacher modeling, technology, games and songs, math is taught from a sequential and concrete perspective that allows students to gain age appropriate mastery of skills and an understanding of related concepts. The ACSI Purposeful Design curriculum includes addition, subtraction, money, geometry, fractions, and measurement.  Language Arts  Students continue to develop language skills through the use of the Multi-Sensory Orton-Gillingham approach. This methodology entices each learning style to excel and master skills in phonics, language, reading, writing, and spelling. Coupled with a desire to instill a love of printed and oral language, students develop for mastery decoding skills, and phonemic awareness while enjoying a wide variety of activities including reading groups, individual phonics assessments, journaling, and field trips that enrich their reading and writing skills. Literacy theme units are included during the course of the year.  Social Studies  Taught from a Biblical perspective, social studies in the Readiness classroom includes studies in American History including colonial days, pilgrims, wild west, famous African Americans, and many presidents including our current White House resident. A large unit on foreign countries including Africa, China, and Holland are studied every other year alternating with topography units on grasslands, rainforest and swamplands.  Science  Students participate in “hands-on/minds-on” activities with a fun approach to science. Students will participate in experiments in the science lab and learn beginning research skills in the Media Center as they explore the world God has created. Some units included are rocks and minerals, ocean, trees and leaves and weather.  Art  Students in Pre-1st will have the opportunity to experiment with color mixing as we review primary and secondary colors. We will review warm and cool colors and spend time learning the color spectrum or “rainbow order” as we call it. Craypas and watercolor paints will be favorite mediums for art projects. Ask your Readiness student to “seek and find” warm and cool colors as you go about your day together!  Music  Our God is an awesome, creative God. We are created in His image. Music is a gift from God given to us to glorify Him, as well as, to enrich our lives and the lives of others. The purpose of music at Providence is to engage students in the active making of, listening to and responding to music in order to praise God, relate to others in positive ways and to enjoy and develop the gifts He has given. Music activities contribute to the total development of the child mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually and aesthetically.  Elementary music is an active process in which the student explores the nature of movement and sound through excellent folk and composed materials. Students reproduce sound and learn to interpret the unique system of musical notation. Improvisation enables students to create music that is uniquely their own.  Essential experiences and assorted activities are included in lesson plans. The following elements are sequences within each grade level as well as spiraled from grade to grade: RHYTHM MELODY HARMONY FORM EXPRESSIVE QUALITIES Pre-1st students encounter the elements in the following ways: Rhythm: Steady beat with movement, instruments, rhythmic speech, quarter/eighth, half notes/rests (reading and notating), duple meter, organized dance vocabulary Melody: High/low pitches, melodic direction, sol/mi/la songs, singing a variety of songs, using singing voice Harmony: Major/ minor tonality recognition, performing ostinato patterns, playing instruments including bordun accompaniment Form: Same and different phrases, AB form, ABA form Expressive Qualities: Contrasts in tempo, dynamics, timbre, legato/staccato Activities are directed toward these goals and objectives using speech, singing, movement, listening, drama and playing instruments.  Pre-1st students have music 3 times a week for 30 minutes. First grade students have music 2 times a week for 30 minutes.  PE  The physical education curriculum is designed with the objective to teach all students to enjoy personal fitness, sport, and an active life as a fulfilling and life-long habit (I Corinthians 6:19). All information is presented in a manner that reflects God’s Word and His purpose for us.  Our philosophy is that exercise and sport at a suitable skill level are enjoyable, character-building experiences for children of all ages. Life-long exercise and sport inevitably invoke most of the great human emotions of triumph, defeat, joy, sacrifice, pain, and contentment. Through participation in games and sport, we learn how to lose graciously, to win with modesty, and above all, how to participate with others in the teamwork required to achieve what often seems like an unreachable goal. Through exercise, games, and sport, students extend their limits of courage, ability, self-knowledge, and selflessness – and alter themselves for life (Galatians 5:22-23).  Several Biblical concepts are stressed throughout the physical education curriculum. Kindness to one another is extremely necessary in the class (Ephesians 4:32). Encouraging one another is also extremely important (I Thessalonians 5:11). Emphasis is placed on making wise choices (Proverbs 1:5).  Through the various skills and games taught, the students will develop physically as well as spiritually and socially. Through participation in fast-moving aerobic games and activities, the hope is that the students will realize that exercising is fun as well as beneficial! The positive physical education experiences will develop a healthy lifestyle.  The physical education curriculum for the readiness class is designed to work on competency in select motor skills. Continued emphasis on rhythmic and parachute activities is given. Games, centers, and obstacle courses are designed to strengthen throwing and catching, striking, kicking, ball handling, tumbling, gymnastics and fitness skills.  Spanish The purpose of this program is to present the Spanish language, K-4, as an enrichment to the general curriculum. The classes will emphasize practical spoken Spanish as a communication tool. Build upon oral mastery, reading and writing will be introduced. Students do some writing in the Computer Lab using the U.S. International Keyboard which offers Option Keys for correct punctuation.  All learning styles will be integrated into each class. Students will also be taught about the culture of Spanish speaking countries.  Library The students visit the library one time a week. Students are introduced to a variety of genre through the librarian. Students independently locate and select books based on personal interest. Additionally, students will learn some basic research skills in the library including the following: Know library checkout procedures and expected behavior Know proper care of books and other materials Locate areas of the library for E fiction and E nonfiction Identify parts of a book (cover, spine, title page) Recognize author, illustrator, and their functions Recognize award-winning books (Caldecott, Georgia Picture Book, etc) Develop listening skills through read-alouds Experience a variety of literary forms Technology  Students are exposed to additional basic keyboarding, word processing, selecting a printer, and identification and proper care of hardware. The computer programs used by students are Kid Pix, Kidspiration, and Jump Start.