Curriculum
Our Curricula:
The Academy Day School offers a structured academic program for children ages 3 - 5. Our curriculum is designed and implemented to meet and exceed the Arizona Early Childhood Education Standards set by the Arizona Department of Education. The subjects of math, language arts, classical literature, science, and social studies are taught at all levels. The curriculum is enriched with art appreciation, computer studies, Foreign Language, physical education, music appreciation, and dramatic arts.
The Academy believes in Character Education Education of character is considered equally with academic education, children learning to take care of themselves, their environment, each other - cooking, cleaning, building, moving gracefully, speaking politely, being considerate and helpful.
Assessment is by portfolio and the teacher's observation and record keeping. The test of whether or not the system is working lies in the accomplishment and behavior of the children, their happiness, maturity, kindness, and love of learning and level of work.
At The Academy Day School, students are encouraged to:
· explore, wonder and question
· experiment and play with possibilities
· research and seek information
· make and test theories
· elaborate on solutions to problems
Our teachers utilize a variety of teaching strategies which enable our students (and teachers) to build and develop knowledge and skills from year to year.
The Academy Day School is a wonderful place for the early learner to begin.
Our small class sizes and our warm family atmosphere provide a great base for our academic programs.
Movement and Coordination: Physical Attention and Relaxation, Gross Motor Skills, Eye-Hand and Eye-Foot Coordination, Group Games, Creative Movement and Expression
Autonomy and Social Skills: Sense of Self and Personal Responsibility, Working in a Group Setting
Work Habits: Memory Skills, Following Directions, Task Persistence and Completion
Language Arts: Spalding: Oral Language, Phonograms, Nursery Rhymes, Poems, FingerPlays and Songs
Children's Literature; Reading Teams, Foreign Language Teams (Spanish Champs curriculum), Emerging Literacy Skills
Mathematics: Saxon (K): Patterns and Classification, Geometry, Measurement, Numbers and Number Sense
Addition & Subtraction, Money
Orientation in Time: Vocabulary, Measures of Time, Passage of Time (Past, Present, and Future)
Orientation in Space: Vocabulary, Actual and Represented Space, Simple Maps, Basic Geographical Concepts
Science: Human Characteristics, Needs and Development, Animal Characteristics, Needs and Development
Plant Characteristics, Needs and Development, Physical Elements (Water, Air, Light), Tools
Music (coordinates with monthly theme): Attention to Differences in Sound, Imitate and Produce Sounds, Listen and Sing, Listen and Move
Visual Arts: Attention to Visual Detail, Creating Art, Looking at & Talking about Art