Curriculum

The curriculum at GVPP is designed to maximize children's opportunities to reach goals we have set for them.  Through our daily, weekly and monthly lesson plans, we take an active role in defining the environment and providing each child with a balanced and personalized program, supporting his or her development. Because children learn best through hands-on exploration, we do not limit lessons to audio-visual learning.  From creative art projects and games using math manipulatives, to field trips to senior living homes and nature, we guide our children through thoughtfully planned activities.  Academic curriculum is balanced with ample opportunities for social and emotional development, such as public speaking, drama, and story circle time.  We plan carefully so that children are positively challenged but not frustrated, stimulated but not overwhelmed. 

 

JOY SCHOOL PROGRAM

Because we are not all experienced preschool teachers capable of developing appropriate lesson plans, we purchased a detailed curriculum from a well established provider of educational materials designed for home-schooling families. The program is called The Joy School, its most important tenet being that preschool-age children should be taught various capacities for joy, so that happy children become strong students and well-adjusted adults.  (http://www.valuesparenting.com/joyschool/)

 

The detailed lesson plans achieve richness, consistency and balance of topics from week to week.  They include music, stories, games, and activities to learn and teach one kind of Joy each month:

1.       Joy of the Body

2.       Joy of the Earth

3.       Joy of Honesty & Candor and Communication & Relationships

4.       Joy of Sharing & Service

5.       Joy of Order & Goal Striving

6.       Joy of Obedience & Decisions

7.       Joy of Interest & Curiosity

8.      Joy of Trust & Confidence

9.       Joy of Imagination & Creativity

10.   Joy of Family Security, Identity & Pride

Please check back at our upcoming Blog for a discussion of each topic.

 

INSTRUCTION TOPICS

Our preschool instruction includes:

Social skills/ Sharing: overcoming shyness, public speaking, vocabulary

Art: recognizing colors, motor development, pre-writing skills, artistic expression

Music: rhythm and singing, movement and dance, games and drama, social and group interaction,

Science: learning about nature and our environment

Letters: recognition of name and sound

Numbers:  recognition, counting, concepts and sequencing

Motor Skills: daily outdoor play, play structure safety, climbing wall skills

DAILY SCHEDULE

8:30-8:45 Arrival / Outside play

8:45-9:15 Opening Circle Time

• Good Morning song/Open School House Windows
• Calendar/Weather
• Songs/Fingerplays
• Sharing
• Letter and Number Practice

9:15-9:45 Centers

• Math
• Reading

9:45-10:00 Bathroom Break / Snack

10:00-10:30 Outdoor Time

10:30-10:55 Theme based project/Science

10:55-11:25 Joy School 

11:25-11:55 Freeplay

• Manipulatives
• Dramatic Play
• Blocks
• Arts and Crafts

11:55-12:15 Closing Circle Time

• Sharing
• Book
• Closing Discussion
• Goodbye Song

FIELD TRIPS

We try to plan our field trips so that they support our curriculum units and follow holidays/the time of year.  The upcoming year’s field trips will be decided by a vote on a list of suggested destinations.  Previous field trips have included:

• Solano Athletic Club
• Western Railway Museum & Pumpkin Patch
• Cordelia Fire Station
• Trader Joe's
• Nature Walk
• Nursing home visit
• Silveyville Tree farm
• MOCHA
• Bay Area Discovery Museum
• Library Tour
• Little Gourmet cooking lesson
• Sonoma Train Town
• Crissy Field Beach clean-up & picnic

PHOTO CREDIT: Heather Carollo Photography