Creative Learning in Kindergarten

With the guidance of Mrs. Dorothy Rotondo, and her instructional aide, Mrs. Sharon LaForge, the Kindergarten students at SBA experience a great deal of academic, social, and spiritual growth through engaging projects, activities, and events.

One day in December, the students spent a day aboard the Polar Express with their friends in Pre-K. After watching clips of the movie, the students rotated through various learning centers. In one of the math centers, marshmallows were used to count by ten and create number sentences. In another, students measured items using silver bells. In the reading center, they listened to a story and sequenced the story with pictures. In the science center, the children conducted an experiment with candy canes in which they hypothesized what would happen if hot water was poured on a candy cane. The students recorded their observations as Mrs. LaForge poured hot water on the candy and made conclusions based upon their observations. Polar Express Day was an imaginative and fun day designed to reinforce math, reading, science, and social skills.

Recently, the students learned the importance of caring for others by, first, reading the Jon J. Muth story, Stone Soup. In the story, three strangers, hungry and tired, pass through a war-torn village in which suspicious villagers hide their food until the clever strangers suggest making a soup from stones. Intrigued by the idea, everyone brings what they have until, together, they have made a feast! Next, each student brought an ingredient to make stone soup, and, finally, shared the soup with each other.

This week, the students will talk about peace while celebrating Martin Luther King Day. The students will learn about his life and make a mobile listing the ways they can help bring peace to their class, the Academy, and beyond.