Kindergarten

Our program is designed to meet the learning needs of children who are five by September 1. Our program is a five-day full-day program and follows our elementary school schedule. Each student is evaluated before entering into our program. We use the Brigance Assessment, recommended by the Archdiocese of Detroit, which is a learning and development screener. Our Lady of Sorrows Kindergarten program is aligned to the Archdiocese of Detroit curriculum and learning standards. We believe that Kindergarten is the official start of a child’s school career and should be the best learning and growing experience for each child. Our curriculum and school day are based on your child’s developmental growth spiritually, academically, socially, emotionally, and in small and large motor development. Our goal is to help your child achieve the skills they need to learn and to build a love for learning.

Religion

The Kindergarten program follows "The Image of God" series by Ignatius Press. The Kindergarten program is called Who Am I. The ”Who Am I” Kindergarten curriculum is centered on an approach found in the writings and teachings of St. John Paul II. This approach stresses the dignity of each individual as a person made in the image of God. The “Who Am I” curriculum emphasizes two key truths of the faith; God and Creation! These key truths form the unifying element of the lesson. The material in each lesson revolves around the fundamentals of our faith stated in terms the children can understand and remember.  Each classroom has a prayer table, a copy of The Catholic Children’s Bible, and begins and ends the school day with prayer. The following seven topics are included in the Kindergarten curriculum.

God

Creation

Christ

Church

Grace

Sacraments

Commandments

The children are exposed to and participate in our church’s liturgical year throughout the Kindergarten program. They attend Mass once a week with our Elementary students and participate in special Masses, prayer services, and retreat days. Our Teachers and staff are certified Catechists and are required to update their certification yearly.

Language Arts and Literacy

A Kindergarten child’s ability to begin to communicate through reading, writing, and language is an exciting time of growth for teachers and parents. We use the Daily Five approach to literacy to expose your child to the specific skills they need and instill a love for reading and writing. The Kindergarten curriculum immerses the student in a classroom environment that is rich with choices and variety and exposes them to all genres of reading and writing. The children read in large group settings, small groups, and individually. Children are taught specific skills in phonics, word work, listening, and comprehension. Each child will have their very own Book Box with a collection of interest books and leveled books. Children are taught to write and draw stories along with specific skills to help them become proficient writers. We use the following reading and writing tools to advance a student’s literacy skills as a resource to use along with our Daily Five approach to language arts.

Mathematics and Mathematical Thinking:

The natural curiosity of the Kindergarten student to use and manipulate the world around them opens their minds to learning mathematical concepts. We use hands-on tools, math games, and computer sites to engage the students in using problem-solving techniques to solve mathematical concepts. The children work in large groups, small groups, and individually to acquire math skills and understanding.  Children are challenged daily with A Problem of the Day and use math journals to express mathematical concepts in words and drawing. We use an integrated approach with reading, writing, and math so children become fluent in their math skills and everyday challenges. We cover the following concepts in Kindergarten:

Sorting

Geometry and Patterns

Number Fluency and Pre Algebraic thinking

Addition

Subtraction

Tables Graphs and Fractions

Money

Time

Measurement

Science and STEM

The Kindergarten Science curriculum is integrated with our reading, writing, and math program. Children are exposed to nonfiction text that relates to the sciences. They begin reading and writing in these areas early on in their school career so that when they begin to use textbooks in the upper grades they are experienced with this form of text. Our curriculum uses The Next Generation Science Standards and includes the following concepts:

Forces and Interactions

Motion and Stability

Energy

Weather and Climate

Animal, Plants, and their environment

Earth Systems

Earth and Human Activity

Engineering Design

Social Studies

The Social Studies curriculum is integrated with our reading and writing program to expose the children at an early stage to reading and writing in nonfiction areas. Our curriculum uses familiar contexts for five and six-year-olds. Kindergarteners learn about social studies disciplines through the lens of “Myself and Others” The following concepts are taught in Kindergarten:

History

Geography

Civics

Economics

Public Discourse, Decision Making, and Citizen Involvement

Special Classes the children attend weekly