• Kindergarten Curriculum Overview

    Please click to learn more specifics about our program - Hillside School Modified Kindergarten Presentation

    Kindergarten is a year of rapid academic, social, and emotional development. With this in mind, Allendale's Kindergarten curriculum is focused on developing strong foundational academic skills and positive learning mindsets for all students.  

    Developmentally, young learners can progress at different rates. Therefore, Kindergarten classrooms in Allendale are intentional in utilizing instructional practices that allow for personalized instructional practices for all learners.  Children work with their teachers and with one another to grow their academic and social-emotional skills.

    Reader's Workshop
    Reader's Workshop is a framework that teaches students' skills and strategies to support their reading.  The model allows for ample independent reading time, where students practice the skills they have learned in highly-engaging, self-selected texts.  Teachers meet with students in small groups and 1:1 to provide differentiated instructional support.  Students also engage in interactive read alouds and shared reading experiences, where processes for joyful and effective reading are modeled and supported.

    Writing Workshop
    Our writing curriculum includes shared writing, interactive writing, and independent writing.  Students learn to write through mini-lessons about different writing genres. They are encouraged to use proper writing conventions such as capitalizations and ending punctuation.  Some writing units include lists, label, and pattern books, personal narratives, non-fiction/informational books, how-to/instructional books and opinion writing.

    Phonics/Phonemic Awareness
    Allendale's approach to literacy is balanced in approach.  Kindergarten phonics and phonemic awareness are aligned with the research on the Science of Reading and the development of strong foundational phonics skills as a precursor to effective reading.   Classrooms utilize resources from Wilson Language Training's Fundations program to cultivate strong reading, spelling, and handwriting skills.  

    Math
    Kindergarten students use the Everyday Mathematics program. The kindergarten math curriculum is hands-on and incorporates manipulatives to teach all skills.  The following concepts are emphasized number identification (1-100), addition, subtraction, sorting and classifying data, composing and decomposing numbers, as well as analyzing and creating shapes.

    Science
    Our science units are hands-on, discovery-based, NGSS aligned and follow a STEAM design loop.  We study weather types, patterns, forecasting tools, and how that impacts the children’s lives directly.  We also study the effects of the sun on the earth’s surfaces. We have a unit on forces and motion. We discover how pushes, pulls, gravity, collision and friction impact movement.  Lastly, we learn about the close relationship between plants, animals, humans and the environment. We examine habitats, ecosystems and developing world issues. Their young minds have the opportunity to generate creative solutions and build them together.

    Social Studies
    The social studies units are Family, My Place in the World and Rules and  Cooperation.  In the Family unit, we work to understand family roles and traditions, learn about cultures within the classroom and community and describe the roles and responsibilities of people in the family.  In our My Place in the World unit,  we develop an awareness of the physical features of the children’s neighborhood and community.  In addition, we work to identify and discuss the duties of community helpers. In the Rules and Cooperation unit, students learn about following rules both in and out of school.