Haymarket Baptist Church Preschool & Kindergarten
A Ministry of Haymarket Baptist Church
Haymarket, VA
Curriculum
HBCP believes in helping children reach their full potential and become all that God created them to be. We believe in a balanced approach to teaching and learning; mixing developmentally appropriate activities with academic skills, Bible stories with character building, and thematic units to help us learn about our families, nature, seasons, history, literature, music and our world.
Our 2 1/2 year old children use the Abeka Language Enrichment Curriculum which includes a variety of themes, posters, related songs, stories and suggested art activities. The 2's also work hard on social skills, learning to share, separating from mom, how to work in a group, and how to use many types of manipulative learning toys. We will have short 'circle times' to introduce songs, and teachable moments about seasons, holidays, animals, weather, color, shapes and the world around us. We learn school routine behaviors, such as walking in a line, taking turns, having good snack time manners, and using playground equipment appropriately. We will reinforce proper restroom use and hand washing. We will expose them to a variety of art materials and encourage participation individually and as a class. This program helps prepare children for the 3 year old class and a larger group setting.
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We introduce a letter of the week, from Aa to Zz throughout the year with the help of Abeka’s Animal Alphabet Friends. Each week we meet a new animal friend, learn all about its life, learn new vocabulary words and a fun song to sing with it. Children will enjoy creative projects that go along with each letter, and the letter sound is repeated many times throughout the lesson as we hear words that start with that letter. |
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This beginning ABC book helps young children recognize letter shapes and learn letter sounds. Activities include using finger paint; glue, crayons, and writing practice and incorporate the same animal friends used in the flashcards above. |
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We learn about God during Bible time each day. We discuss basic Bible stories that teach us about good character, wise choices, the many miraculous things God created and what He continues to do for us. We also learn simple Bible verses each week. |
We work on developmental skills every day with manipulatives that help us learn to make patterns, sort, classify, problem solve, and use critical thinking skills. We participate in a circle time each day to learn about the calendar, the weather, the pledge to our flag, share time, and an area of study for the day. We take turns being the helping hand each day. We make time to use our big muscles on the playground and use our fine motor skills with a variety of activities in the classroom. We work on social skills, with manners, cooperation and respect for others. We practice obeying our teachers the very first time and earn stickers towards the treasure box for a job well done. Once a week we go to chapel and once a week we visit our Musical Moves class. We have a very busy day every day, and we will keep you informed with our monthly newsletter and calendar.
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This Abeka book introduces number concepts and the formation of numbers 1-20. Children enjoy counting and coloring familiar objects for each number and forming the numbers. Phonics-based reading readiness pages are full of carefully sequenced activities in recognition, sound, and formation of vowels (long and short), consonants, consonant-vowel blends, and one-syllable words of one or two vowels. Children color the pictures and complete the activities on a weekly basis. This coordinates with our letter of the week and many other themes and units of study. |
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The Abeka Writing tablet is correlated with K4 curriculum. Students will be tracing and practicing letter formation on the colorful pages. Pages have activities that help with recognition, sound, and formation of vowels, consonants, blends, and one and two vowel words. We teach manuscript (print) writing. |
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As children learn vowels and consonants, we begin to teach them how to put them together. Our 5 day 4’s class will work hard to learn this new skill, which is a great boost to reading skills. Children climb up the ladder by ‘reading’ the blends for every consonant they learn. |
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Bible stories are introduced each day with a variety of fun activities. We use storybooks, flannel graph, video, plays, puppets and God’s Word to instill character training, examples of Godly living and right choices, and the many miraculous things done for us. We learn simple Bible verses. We learn that God loves us so very much, and we are to love others and make wise choices in behavior. |
Our 4 year olds have a very busy schedule that includes circle time, calendar, weather, letter of the week, music class, movement class, chapel, recess, free choice play, math activities, writing practice, work with phonics, organized games, thematic activities/weekly special themes, developing friendships, problem solving, using activities that help problem solve, and think critically and creatively. We make it our goal to have all of our children prepared for kindergarten by the end of the year. The children that attend 5 days per week will get a more concentrated program in phonics and begin short ‘reading circles’ by January. The 3-day 4’s will progress to blending sounds. We will challenge all of our students to excel as far as they are able, and still have plenty of time for fun and playtime activities, celebration of special holidays, silly days, and discovery of the world around us. We will keep parents informed with our monthly newsletter and calendars.
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Number Skills: This colorful books reinforces number concepts and formation of numbers up through 100. It also covers simple addition and subtraction combinations, telling time, number sequences, number words and working with money. |
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Letters and Sounds: This book begins with reviewing vowels and consonant sounds, blends, one and two vowel words, words with special sounds and sentence comprehension. |
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My Blend and Word Book: A 48 page book of blends and words for practice at home and school. |
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Basic Phonics Reader Set: This set of 12 books are actually read along with phonics instruction and prepare the Kindergarten students for more difficult books in the curriculum. |
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God's World Science Text: Kindergarteners learn about God's plan for seeds, animals, the seashore, health, weather and seasons with the help of this big, colorful science workbook. |
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Social Studies: Students learn about community helpers, America- our great country, and children of 10 different countries in this semester long study. |
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Kindergarten Writing Tablet: Students will be tracing and practicing letter formation, in manuscript (print) while reviewing phonics. Students will use lines and 'letter houses' to help with correct placement. |
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Children practice correct formation and number recognition as they write numbers 1-100. They write numbers by "families" (20-29) as well as by 5s, 10s, and 2s. |
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"Wee Can Write" is a creative writing program for Kindergarten students, incorporating the 6 +1 Traits of Writing. The children will use familiar literature to develop vocabulary, critical thinking, decoding of words, punctuation, and creative story telling and illustrating. |
We will incorporate many of the Abeka teaching materials which includes a very strong phonics based system for beginning readers. Knowledge of letters and sounds prior to this class is very helpful, as it moves at a fast pace. We will continue to highlight developmental skills and activities in the classroom, and keep creative art work coming home, along with the challenging curriculum. A balanced approach helps prepare all children for future years of education, no matter where they attend school. Class size is 12 students. Children will also attend music and movement classes, have recess and a lunch period. There will be an opportunity to enrich their experience by selecting some after school special activities/classes that will be held once a week for a semester.