#408...Below are the goals of the kindergarten program of Downers Grove, IL

District 58 - Kindergarten Goals

1. During the kindergarten year, District 58’s program will be directed towards the physical, social and emotional development of the children. Some of the many ways these goals will be achieved are through helping the children:

• develop coordination through organized activities,

• develop small and large motor skills,

• accept responsibility,

• follow directions,

• listen attentively,

• take part in group discussion and activities,

• follow general rules of the school and the room, and

• cooperate with classmates

2. Kindergarten provides an opportunity to broaden the children’s various backgrounds of experiences through the daily program that includes:

• good literature;

• dramatic activities, in which they can act out a story or imitate adult activities during play;

• music through songs, rhythms, and listening to good music;

• art through painting, drawing, clay, chalk, creative toys, and various other materials;

• science activities concerned with seasonal changes, animal life, plant life, water, health and aspects of nature that fascinate early learners;

• math activities such as counting, patterning, sorting, graphing, measuring, and    estimating;

• language activities such as learning that print is speech in a written format,  rhyming,

recognizing alphabet letters and their sounds, listening and retelling stories, expressing oneself verbally and in writing, as well as learning to love literature.

• reading activities such as recognizing, basic sight words, learning to decode

 unfamiliar words, reading appropriate grade level text.