Our Curriculm
Overview
Imagination Childcare Academy, Inc. uses a spiraling curriculum, in which children are exposed to all academic concepts each year, with every year building on the prior year and becoming more complex. By Kindergarten, children have a solid grasp of the concepts they need to be successful learners in the classroom. All activities are differentiated to meet every child's individual needs.
Beginning in Junior Pre-K (3 year olds), children are exposed to numbers, letters, shapes and colors, with the understanding that they will not be expected to master these concepts. Children at this age do not understand that shapes, letters and numbers are symbols that we use to communicate. However, exposing children to these concepts builds up their background knowledge and sets the foundation for future learning.
The following year, in Pre-K (4 year olds), more time is spent on these concepts, as children at this age begin to understand that letters and words are symbols that we can use to communicate ideas. They understand that shapes and colors can be used to create things. They are also ready to begin using pencils and crayons to write letters and numbers, as their fine motor skills are more developed than their predecessors in Junior Pre-K. We begin to show children how to write numbers and letters, and provide them ample opportunities to practice with them using a variety of mediums: crayons, markers, colored pencils, magnetic letters, paints, stamps, books, etc.
By Kindergarten (5 year old), children are able to synthesize what they have learned in the years prior and are ready to use these numbers and letters at a higher level, understanding how they use these numbers and letters to communicate. In Kindergarten, our focus becomes on teaching children how to read and write by combining these numbers and letters that they have learned. We teach children how to add and subtract using real life objects. We provide them with opportunities to use these skills in real life situations: post office, restaurant, bakery, grocery store.
All activities, regardless of age group, are planned to enhance growth in the following areas:
- Communication, Language and Literacy
- Cognition and Knowledge of the World (Math, Science, Technology, SS)
- The Arts (Music, Visual Arts, Dramatic Play & Theater, Dance & Creative Movement)
- Social & Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Personal Health & Safety
The Whole Child
Communication and Literacy
Cognition and Knowledge of the World
Cognition and Knowledge of the World
Throughout the day children are exposed to fiction and non-fiction texts. Teachers use puppets and felt boards to make stories come alive. Troughout their day children are using their literacy skills, whether it be to sign themselves in, write a shopping list in dramatic play, or to create a story in the writing center.
Cognition and Knowledge of the World
Cognition and Knowledge of the World
Cognition and Knowledge of the World
Our curriculum offers vast opportunities for children to learn about the world around them, using hands on activities. Teachers incorporate math, science and social studies into each instructional unit. Children learn about numbers and how math is all around them. They learn about life sciences while studying butterflies and watching p
Our curriculum offers vast opportunities for children to learn about the world around them, using hands on activities. Teachers incorporate math, science and social studies into each instructional unit. Children learn about numbers and how math is all around them. They learn about life sciences while studying butterflies and watching plants grow from seeds. They learn about community helpers and how we get what we need in our community.
The Arts
Cognition and Knowledge of the World
The Arts
Our children have multiple opportunities to express themselves throughout the day using various media. Some children prefer to paint at the easel, others love playing beautiful music with our instruments, and others prefer to use their imaginations in our dramatic play area. We value children's unique interests and encourage them to explore all of the arts.
Social and Emotional Development
Social and Emotional Development
Social and Emotional Development
At Imagination Childcare Academy we celebrate every person's unique strengths. We teach children what it means to Be Safe, Be Kind and to Be Responsible. We show children how to problem solve with their peers, and we talk about what it means to be a Super Friend. Children learn how to recognize their emotions and how to express themsel
At Imagination Childcare Academy we celebrate every person's unique strengths. We teach children what it means to Be Safe, Be Kind and to Be Responsible. We show children how to problem solve with their peers, and we talk about what it means to be a Super Friend. Children learn how to recognize their emotions and how to express themselves when they are upset. We believe that it is these skills that create the foundation for children's future success.
Physical Development
Social and Emotional Development
Social and Emotional Development
We incorporate lots of movement throughout our day, including two opportunities for children to go out onto our playground and/or use our gross motor room. As part of our physical development curriculum, we focus on throwing and catching a ball, pedaling a bike, balancing skills, climbing skills, hopping and jumping. Teachers also discu
We incorporate lots of movement throughout our day, including two opportunities for children to go out onto our playground and/or use our gross motor room. As part of our physical development curriculum, we focus on throwing and catching a ball, pedaling a bike, balancing skills, climbing skills, hopping and jumping. Teachers also discuss healthy eating habits and the importance of eating a well balanced meal.
Personal Care Routines
Social and Emotional Development
Personal Care Routines
A primary goal at Imagination Childcare Academy is to promote children's independance. Throughout the day children learn how to get themselves dressed. They learn how to put on their coats, hats, gloves and shoes. They learn about being responsible, to take care of their toys and belongings and to put them away when they are finished
A primary goal at Imagination Childcare Academy is to promote children's independance. Throughout the day children learn how to get themselves dressed. They learn how to put on their coats, hats, gloves and shoes. They learn about being responsible, to take care of their toys and belongings and to put them away when they are finished using them. They learn the importance of washing their hands and covering their mouths so that they can reduce the spread of germs.
Learning Through Play
What Do We Learn When We Play With Blocks?
- We get a chance to problem-solve, troubleshoot, and test hypotheses about structure, gravity, and elevation
- Block play promotes a lot of oral self-expression, particularly in telling stories about what we have built
- Stacking blocks on top of one another and fine-tuning a wobbly tower require both fine motor skills and precise hand-eye coordination
- An intrinsic part of block play is pattern recognition, symmetry, fractions, and linear measurement
- We get opportunities to practice cooperation, problem-solving, turn-taking, sharing, and self-advocacy
- Blocks are considered “open ended toys” which mean that they can be played with in many different ways and be combined with other toys which helps our imaginations grow.
- We learn about sizes and shapes, weights and balances, height and depth, smoothness and roughness.
What Do We Learn When We Play in The House Area?
- We learn creative problem-solving skills alongside our peers
- We explore self-empowerment, because we have the opportunity to make choices and to act out our feelings.
- We learn math and literacy, particularly in play that includes playing with numbers (like the grocery store)
- We engage in language development, expressing ourselves in different ways, whether playing a role or playing as ourselves
What Do We Learn When We Cook?
- We learn how to follow directions
- We stimulate and uses all five senses
- We learn about the properties of matter and how temperature affects these properties
- We recognize colors and shapes from different kinds of foods and kitchen utensils
- We have an opportunity to use different tools and equipment to improve our small muscle coordination
- We learn about measurement
What Do We Learn When We Put Puzzles Together?
- We learn words such as above, below, and beside when we describe the position of puzzle pieces in relation to each other
- We hear and learn ordinal numbers and words that indicate relative position in a sequence, such as first, second, third, and last
- We learn to work through a problem and reach a solution as we fit the pieces together
- We build our ability to complete a task, and persevere through frustration
- We refine our fine motor and hand-eye coordination skills as we manipulate puzzle pieces to put the puzzle together
- We develop the small muscles in our hands that allow us to grasp and move puzzle pieces with precision
What Do We Learn When We Play With Manipulatives?
- We explore new concepts, practice emerging skills, and reinforce skills already mastered
- We develop fine motor practice
- We learn about classifying, sorting, predicting, problem solving, and analyzing results
- We develops our knowledge of the world around us using real objects and concrete examples
What Do We Learn In The Art Center?
- Painting, drawing, crafts, and scribbling encourage the connections between the brain and fine motor muscles in the hand and fingers
- Exercising these muscles helps with writing, tying shoelaces, turning the pages of a book, using scissors, and so much more
- It improves hand-eye coordination
- It builds language development
- It encourages imagination and creativity
- It provides us with an opportunity to work with different materials with different textures.
What Do We Learn While Playing in the Sand and Water Station?
- We finds it soothing to bury our hands in sand or pour water in and out of cups
- It gives us a great opportunity to learn about size and measurement, because we get to experiment with measuring spoons, cups and different sized containers
- We learn about which things float and sink in water
What Do We Learn While Playing On The Playground?
We learn how to use our body effectively
We improve our balancing skills
We learn how to share and take turns
We learn how to be safe and cautious when on the climbing equipment