Preschool Program (PK3 & PK4)

Preschoolers’ experiences with numeracy and mathematical symbols provide the foundation for developing logical thinking and problem-solving. Through concrete learning activities and projects, our students

• explore number sense, measurement, geometry, graphing, probability, and patterning
• use math tools and manipulatives to connect, discover, and demonstrate understanding
• build on their curiosity and enthusiasm for math in their everyday lives

Our Preschool Language Arts Curriculum, guided by CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) provides developmentally appropriate instruction and activities that do more than lay the groundwork for foundational skills. Instruction and activities support the development of emergent literacy skills such as phonological awareness, gross and fine motor movement, syllable segmenting, identifying initial sounds, rhyming, handwriting strokes and print knowledge. It is designed to prepare young children academically, socially and emotionally for later reading success by building foundational language and literacy skills.

Examples of domains of study for PK include:

All About Me: Nursery Rhymes and Songs with Movement
Families and Communities
Plants
Animals
Habitats
Classic Tales
Important People in American History

Preschoolers are natural scientists, exploring the world around them and posing their own hypotheses about why it works as it does. In their classroom and in our award-winning Outdoor Classroom, our students

• participate independently and in groups in simple investigations that develop the skills of scientific inquiry
• explore the processes of changes in matter, organisms, and the environment
• plant and harvest vegetables and herbs, learning the nomenclature and features of the many species they encounter
• learn to value, empathize with, care for, and feel comfortable in the natural environment

Preschool children are naturally interested in social interactions among individuals and groups. In experiencing the classroom as a new community, children

• explore the connection between themselves, their families, and community
• learn to engage in respectful and peaceful interactions with their peers and teachers
• develop greater self-help skills
• learn how to problem solve in everyday social interactions, to foster individual character and peace
• learn to take greater responsibility for their behavior
• begin learning the Pledge of Allegiance, developing the understanding that saying the Pledge helps express our gratefulness to live in the United States and fosters a deeper understanding of the concepts of fairness and unity
• share their family’s cultural heritage and become familiar with others’ world experiences

The arts serve as a vehicle for creative self-expression, even as they reinforce academic connections.

• In visual art, children explore a wide variety of media, discovering color, shape, and texture. Developmentally, they begin to move from a scribble stage to a more representational form of art.
• In music, children sing, move in rhythm, and play simple instruments. They experiment with musical concepts, including volume, tempo, and rhythm, and begin to appreciate different types and styles of music.
• In dramatic play, children demonstrate their unique interpretations of music, songs, stories, and real life.

The Branch curriculum offers daily activities to promote both gross-motor and fine-motor development. Gross-motor activities promote strength, balance, and coordination. Our preschool day offers ample opportunity for galloping, hopping, running, jumping, balancing, swinging, throwing—all movements of large muscles that enhance development.

Other activities develop fine-motor skills. Tasks involving eye-hand coordination and object-handling activities that emphasize precision of movement help accomplish this. Manipulating puzzle pieces, pegs, and playdough; cutting with scissors; and drawing and painting are foundational skills practiced in PK3 and PK4 to prepare students for handwriting, keyboarding, and manipulating more complex objects.

Additionally, students enjoy ample unstructured play at recess. At The Branch, we believe unstructured play, especially during the early years, contributes to healthy brain development and is essential to social-emotional growth. As children gather on the playground, imagining new worlds and creating new games, students learn and practice sharing, collaboration, and working through conflict.

Research confirms students think more deeply and creatively in a peaceful environment. The Branch School is committed to teaching our students the importance of engaging in peacemaking to resolve conflicts and improve communication with their friends and classmates. We patiently teach students to brainstorm logical consequences for their actions. They learn the steps of peacemaking as they develop a willingness to listen honestly. This helps them better understand, and be better understood, by others—which leads to the compassionate resolution of disagreements. Routinely participating in this process brings a more peaceful atmosphere to the classroom community, the school, and indeed their lives.