Kindergarten Curriculum Overview
	Mission The mission of Holy Spirit Episcopal School is to provide a unique and outstanding high school preparatory education which combines the best traditions of learning with relevant and contemporary programs that promote excellence in scholarship, richness of soul, godly character, and physical well-being.   Core Values   A heart stands for our loving, nurturing, joyful environment, which is essential to the healthy development of our students.   A sunburst represents our spirit of optimism and a commitment to diversity, which prepare our students for the larger world.   An open book symbolizes our strong, research-based academic programs, which combine traditional and experiential learning methods.   A leaf signifies enrichment and growth through offerings that allow each student to follow their unique path.   These elements are bound together by the symbol of the cross, in recognition of the strong core of faith-based character that we strive to build in every member of our school community.   Curriculum The kindergarten program gives students the freedom to develop naturally at their own rates. The aim of the class is to enable students to develop positive self-images through important accomplishments. Through this nurturing environment, the children gain language and social skills, grow in problem solving and creativity skills, lengthen attention spans, advance in coordination and motor skills, and grow in maturity and confidence.   The language arts program has a review of pre-reading skills. Reading is taught through the use of phonics instruction, sight word exercises, and language techniques that integrate reading, writing, and language. Both the Rowland Reading Program featuring The Superkids and The Houghton-Mifflin 2005 reading series are incorporated into the kindergarten program. Manuscript handwriting (printing) is taught following the Zaner-Bloser form and is integrated throughout the language arts and math programs.   The goal of the math program is to develop understanding of and insight into the patterns of mathematics through concrete materials. The activities are designed to help young children see relationships and interconnections in mathematics and to enable them to deal flexibly with mathematical ideas and concepts. Addition and subtraction equations are introduced at this level as well as place value. Concept strands include: geometry, measurement, concepts of money, and beginning algebraic thinking. Using Harcourt Math, the math program becomes a part of the ongoing daily routines of the classrooms, outdoor play, and of those transitional moments that occur during every school day.   Social studies and science are studied through highly motivational units integrated in to the language arts program. The students study the family as a unit, communities and their helpers, the state of Texas, and beginning map skills. In science students will explore the topics including; living and non living organisms, our earth, weather and space, matter and energy in motion. Particular emphasis is placed on observational skills using all the senses, describing and classifying objects or events, organizing information, and thinking critically. Students are introduced to the scientific method to practice the methodical study of the world around them. Many creative writing and art activities accompany the factual study.   The visual arts program students develop an awareness and sensitivity to natural and manmade environments. Students are presented opportunities to explore elements of line, color, texture, shape, value, form, and space. Through the elements of drawing, painting, print making, and sculpture, students will express their ideas through a variety of art media. Students learn to compare content in artworks from the past and present for various purposes and develop a critical eye when evaluating art of their own creation.   Christian education is facilitated through participation in global outreach, as well as chapel and Holy Eucharist services. During Chapel twice a week and weekly Christian education classes, students come to understand that they are uniquely created and loved by God. The students study the lives of various biblical characters on order to better understand God’s providence, provision and protection of his children.   Incorporating monthly themes presented over a three year rotation, the classroom character education curriculum uses a variety of instructional activities to help students develop good ethical values by reinforcing positive character traits, as well as teaching specific life skills. Classroom activities might include discussion, hands-on activities, relating character traits to characters in literature, role play, and videos. This year students will focus on the virtues of: Self-discipline—Self-control, self-restraint, self-reliance, independence Choices and Accountability—Making decisions, accepting consequences, being responsible for your choices Empathy—Understanding, compassion, charity, sensitivity, concern Honesty—Truthfulness, sincerity, honor, fairness, trustworthiness, being genuine Leadership—Setting a good example, leading others, being a good follower Courage—Bravery, boldness, daring, confidence, resolve Conservation—Preservation, thriftiness, moderation The health and fitness program provides an opportunity for students to acquire lifetime skills, knowledge, and positive attitudes toward their health and physical well-being. Individual physical conditioning, coordination and fitness, team sports, and health education are integral parts of our program.   The LRC (Learning Resource Center) supports the classroom language arts program. It provides instruction for using the computerized card catalog system and in conjunction with classroom projects introduces students to the The Big Six Steps of Research. A variety of reading incentive programs including; Accelerated Reader, Read Together Grow Together, Reading Is Magic, and The Texas Bluebonnets, encourage the students love for reading for pleasure. Accelerated Reader tests a students’ comprehension as they read and earn points towards prizes. After reading a book, either as class work or for pleasure, students may go to the LRC to take computerized test that check their comprehension. Students accumulate points based on their performance on the tests. Prizes are awarded based on the number of points accumulated. At the end of the year, Accelerated Reader trophies are awarded to students earning at least a certain number of points by the end of the year: 1st graders need 25 points, 2nd graders need 50 points, 3rd graders need 75 points, and 4th graders need 100 points.   In addition to Accelerated Reader, we enrich our language arts curriculum through the Texas Bluebonnet and Texas Two by Two programs. Each year Texas librarians choose 20 recently published books for the appropriate grade levels. Accelerated Reader supports the program by providing tests for each of the award-winning books. Students who read all of the Texas Two by Two or Texas Bluebonnet books and successfully take all 20 AR tests receive a trophy at the end of the year.   In performance arts students will be participate in an exciting, well rounded, age appropriate music and theatre arts curriculum. Within each of those experiences the students, will be offered engaging opportunities to express themselves through song, dance, and the written word. Students will be introduced to the elements of music, music theory, music genre, music history, and the joys of musical and theatre expression. Students’ develop poise and confidence through their involvement in various musical performances, including one staged musical production each year.   Technology is integrated across the curriculum. Students will be using and developing their skills in keyboarding, word processing, Excel, Word, Kidspiration, KidPix, Time Liner, Print Shop and Power Point. Students will be introduced to using the internet as one of several sources to collect information for research and other classroom activities. A dedicated Lower School computer lab, in addition to classroom computers, enhances the overall learning experience.   Spanish is taught through experiential activities and interactive conversations. Starting in kindergarten students are exposed to the Costa Rican culture as reflected in daily practices in public and private life. A familiarity with Spanish-speaking countries enhances the motivation for learning the language and provides a global perspective. The social science and foreign language disciplines are enriched through interactions with St. Michael’s School, our sister school in Costa Rica. Middle school students from St. Michael’s and HSES have the opportunity to exchange visits staying with host families every other year. The St. Michael students come to visit cultural sites in Houston and Galveston while learning more about our culture. When in Costa Rica, Holy Spirit students explore the rain forest, see a volcano, and experience the Costa Rican culture first hand. These experiences have given our students an authentic reason to learn the Spanish language.   Field trips are an integral part of the Lower School curriculum and are arranged by the teachers to correlate with what the students are studying.   The ECO-link program offers trips of varying length dependent upon grade level and difficulty. These trips provide students a hands-on look at man’s impact on the environment. Fourth grade students spend three days and two nights at Camp Allen, outside Navasota, learning teambuilding and outdoor skills. Activities include: canoeing, horseback riding, aquatic studies, hiking, orienteering, rock climbing, and participating in a living history hike complete with interaction with famous Texans and early Texas settlers.   Special Interests Special interests are cultivated through clubs that meet before or after school throughout the year. Clubs vary from year-to-year depending on student and teacher interests. Students and parents receive information about these clubs at the beginning of each school year.   The Holy Spirit Chess Club strives to instill a general love for the game of chess. Its secondary goal is to develop a scholastically competitive team. Meetings are held once a week after school under the guidance of a chess coach, a school faculty sponsor and parent volunteers. Membership is open to anyone in grades K- through eight. Prior knowledge of how to play chess is not required. The club annually registers with the National Chess Federation and several times a year sends students to local scholastic chess tournaments.   Opportunities to develop athletic prowess are available to Pre-K through 4th grade students through the Youth Sports programs. Soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter and T-ball, softball and baseball in the spring are parent coached and offered through affiliated church leagues.