We believe our curriculum promotes active life-long learning and allows children to become independent thinkers and problem solvers. We also believe with teaching staff and families working together, our children can achieve anything!

Click Here to view monthly themes

In order to meet our goals for each child, we provide an environment that allows children to make choices, be treated as individuals and learn at their own pace. Our classrooms are designed using the activity center method. We organize the activity centers so that the children can choose their activities, facilitate their own play, and then easily re-organize independently. This allows children to move freely from the various activity centers and, again, make choices.

Our teaching staff plans activities, both free-choice and teacher-directed, to enhance the activity centers as well as the children’s interests. The Growing Years utilizes an excellent, state approved curriculum program to further ensure that our lesson plans are developmentally appropriate and that our teachers can accurately assess your child’s individual progress. Known as Creative Curriculum, this well-respected program provides teachers with age-specific guidelines, ideas, and learning objectives. It also allows time to identify both areas of strength and any potential weaknesses so that action plans can be put into place well before your child’s first day of kindergarten. You can check out the program for yourself at their convenient website, www.creative curriculum.net.

The Growing Years also uses developmentally appropriate assessments for each child. These tools track each child’s individual growth and allow teaching staff to appropriately plan activities for each child. We share assessments with families at our semi-annual conferences, at which time, teaching staff and families decide together a plan for continued growth and learning for their child.

We use monthly themes at The Growing Years. However, these themes are just guides used for each age group. There are many other activities being promoted that are not included in our monthly themes but are active components of our curriculum.

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Monthly Themes

Janurary
Theme:	Winter & Arctic Animals
Goals:	To introduce children to the concept of changing seasons through a variety of activities in each learning center, as well as, teacher directed activities. To introduce children to the season of winter through a variety of activities in each learning center, as well as teacher-directed activities. To introduce children to a variety of arctic animals through activities in each learning center as well as teacher-directed activities. To discuss the differences between animals that hibernate versus animals that do not.
Hoildays:	New Year’s Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Letters:	M, N, O
Number:	6
Color:	White
Shape:	Oval

February
Theme:	I'm Special
Goals:	To introduce children to the concept of individuality in people and they are each special. To introduce the children to emotions…letting them know it is “okay” to feel all emotions. To introduce child to the concept of friendship.
Hoildays:	Valentine's Day Dental Health Month Groundhog's Day
Letters:	P,Q,R
Number:	7
Color:	Purple
Shape:	Heart

March
Theme:	Our World
Goals:	To introduce children to the concept of taking care of our world. To introduce children to the importance and effects of recycling. To introduce children to the importance of replenishing the earth’s resources (planting trees, etc.) To introduce gardening by starting seedlings for garden playground
Hoildays:	St. Patrick's Day 1st Day of Spring
Letters:	S,T,U
Number:	8
Color:	Green
Shape:	Diamond

April
Theme:	Transportation & Safety
Goals:	To introduce children to a variety of types of transportation. To introduce children to safety…ex. crossing the street, helmets biking or skating, construction warnings, etc. To introduce children to traffic and safety signs and their meanings.
Hoildays:	Passover Easter
Letters:	V,W
Number:	9
Color:	Yellow
Shape:	Star

May
Theme:	Zoo Animals
Goals:	To introduce children to a variety of different zoo animals. To introduce children to the concept of extinct and endangered wildlife. To discuss protecting and respecting wildlife and its importance. To discuss dinosaurs.
Hoildays:	Teacher Appreciation Week Mother's Day Memorial Day
Letters:	X,Y,X
Number:	10
Color:	Blue
Shape:	Octagon

June
Theme:	Sea Life & Water Safety
Goals:	To introduce children to the ocean and a variety of types of sea life. To introduce the importance of caring for our waters and streams. To discuss water safety to the children.
Hoildays:	Father's Day
Letters:	Review
Number:	Review
Color:	Review
Shape:	Review

July
Theme:	Bugs & The Great Outdoors
Goals:	To introduce children to a variety of insects and bugs. To discuss a variety of activities that can be done outdoors. To include outdoor games and activities.
Hoildays:	Independence Day
Letters:	Review
Number:	Review
Color:	Review
Shape:	Review

August
Theme:	Jobs People Do
Goals:	To introduce the children to a variety of jobs through each learning center and teacher-directed activities. Invite parents to share jobs with class. Represent jobs in a non-biased manner.
Hoildays:	Graduation for rising Kindergartners
Letters:	Review
Number:	Review
Color:	Review
Shape:	Review

September
Theme:	Back to School & Making Friends
Goals:	To help children through the transitions of moving to new classrooms for the fall. To include a variety of socialization and transition activities. To help children feel secure in their new classroom environments.
Hoildays:	Labor Day
Letters:	A,B,C
Number:	1 & 2
Color:	Orange
Shape:	Circle

October
Theme:	Fall Fun & People Around the World
Goals:	To introduce children to the season of fall. To discuss the seasons and the changes associated. To introduce children to a variety of cultures and traditions in a positive, un-biased way.
Hoildays:	Halloween
Letters:	D,E,F
Number:	3
Color:	Black
Shape:

November
Theme:	Down on the Farm
Goals:	To introduce the children to farm animals and farm life. To discuss where food actually comes from (not the grocery store). To discuss the season and that this is the time of year for harvesting. To include the history and celebrate Thanksgiving, avoiding stereotypes sometimes associated with Native American cultures.
Hoildays:	Thanksgiving
Letters:	G,H,I
Number:	4
Color:	Brown
Shape:	Square

December
Theme:	Happy Holidays
Goals:	To introduce children to a variety of holidays around the world in an un-biased manner. Be inclusive of holidays that are celebrated within each classroom and invite families to share with the class. Emphasize the importance of traditions… such as, a time for giving, sharing, and family.
Hoildays:	Hannukah Christmas Kwanza
Letters:	J,K,L
Number:	5
Color:	Red
Shape:	Rectangle