Christopher Academy offers a developmentally appropriate curriculum that challenges students to do their personal best. By developing a strong foundation in language arts, math and science, our students become confident learners ready for future academic challenges.
PreSchool Curriculum
The Three Year Old program is self-contained with an emphasis on learning through play. Enrollment is limited to 14 students taught by a teacher and teaching assistant. Students may be enrolled in either the 2-day program (Tuesday and Thursday) or the 3-day program (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Class times are 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. daily.
Children's social interaction is encouraged through free play activities. Opportunities to dress-up, play house and build provide a chance for children to share, take turns, and use their wonderful imaginations.
Fine motor skills such as cutting, gluing, painting, drawing and tracing are promoted through daily art activities. Technology instruction is provided weekly in the computer lab by the technology instructor.
Daily music and story time reinforce memory, focusing, and listening skills. Finger-plays, songs, and stories often emphasize seasons and holidays.
Each day, weather permitting, children play outside on a well equipped playground. Climbing, running, jumping and learning to pump on swings are just a few of the gross motor skills that are encouraged. On rainy days, marching, dancing, and playing rhythm instruments serve as ways to exercise those muscles and expel the abundance of energy that 3 year olds have.
A team of three teachers coordinate instruction for our Pre-K 4 students. Pre-K 4 students attend school Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
The Pre-K4 classrooms serve as learning centers for the students. They spend part of each morning in each of these learning centers acquiring new skills that will help prepare them for Kindergarten.
The Language Arts and Math Center promotes vocabulary and listening skills through activities as diverse as storytelling, shared books, role plays, and craft projects. Through class projects, students begin to develop number and letter recognition. A "Book Buddy" Program, in which our second graders "adopt" Pre-K 4’s for a weekly story sharing, further inspires an interest in the written word.
The Art and Science Center, supportive of the Language Arts curriculum, promotes the development and refinement of small motor skills and the free and creative use of a variety of art materials. Verbalization is encouraged through play and show-n-tell.
The Music and Enrichment Room features songs, fingerplays, dancing, listening activities and the playing of rhythm instruments. Music is used to reinforce concepts covered in language, math, science and art classes; but also for the fun of exploring music in a child's world. Students also participate in creative and dramatic play, emphasizing cooperation and consideration in group situations.
Technology instruction is provided weekly in the computer lab by the technology instructor.
Each day, weather permitting, children play outside on a well equipped playground.
Elementary Curriculum
The Scott Foresman Reading 2000 curriculum provides a comprehensive language program using a thematic approach. A rich variety of materials support the theme units including student books featuring literature selections, big books, phonics readers, trade books, practice books, journals, charts, tapes and games. Students develop a strong foundation in language arts skills: comprehension, vocabulary, phonics, spelling, oral language, listening, writing and grammar. Leveled Readers enable the teacher to work with small groups to meet individual needs whether to reinforce new skills or to challenge more advanced students. Computer programs are used to reinforce new skills and to provide enrichment experiences.
Through the Everyday Math program, thinking with mathematics becomes as natural as thinking with language. While building a strong foundation in basic math skills, the program also emphasizes the development of critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students learn new concepts and practice familiar ones by using manipulatives, playing games, and applying math to real life situations. Each student has his/her own tool kit which consists of a calculator, ruler, tape measure, template, counters and container of coins. These “tools” enable students to explore math situations and solve problems.
Classes involve hands-on experiential activities designed to encourage in-depth exploration of a variety of topics. Science topics include: the interdependence of plants and animals, habitats, liquids and solids, magnets, aquatic habitats, animal adaptations, solar system, air and space travel, dinosaurs, simple machines, weather, ecology, impact of human actions on the environment. Being good stewards of the environment is stressed throughout all science units. Each grade participates in field trips to enhance instruction and complete science projects.
Regular instruction in the computer lab by the technology instructor supports curriculum objectives while developing computer skills. Students also use classroom computers to support instruction.
Weekly classes offer basic conversational skills. Vocabulary skills and cultural awareness are enriched through music and dance.
Students look forward to weekly classes in music, art and physical activity. Third, fourth and fifth grade classes participate in weekly classes at the neighboring YMCA.