Preschool Classroom 3
(Pre-Kindergarten)
4 — 5 years
The teachers’ goals for their children are to print their first name, know some letter names and sounds, recognize and write numbers 1-10, rhyme simple words (cat-bat), retell the events of a simple story, to experience a variety of art forms and express themselves through the creative process, to regard themselves as valuable and capable people, to evaluate knowledge and construct new ideas, to share their thoughts and feelings with others, to have the ability to understand when others express their thoughts and feelings, to develop confidence and control of their bodies, to develop the skills to have successful social interactions with their peers and adults.
Some of the favorite themes in the Royal and Purple rooms include simple machines, planets, dinosaurs, music and instruments, gardening and plants, pets, reptiles and amphibians, under the sea, and animals (domestic, working, & zoo).
The preschool 3 students have a chance to participate in a variety of fun activities, including gardening, an open paint area, cooking (often with parents), fieldtrips, being “buddies” with children in a younger classroom, creating a stage and putting on performances, having a classroom band, writing letters, exploring our outdoor environments, experimenting with water, and writing their own stories and illustrating them.
As an extension of the classroom, the preschool 3 teachers suggest parents read the lesson plans and talk with their children about their daily experiences, ask open ended questions about the weekly theme and try to relate what he/she is learning about to something at home, participate in the take-home projects, read to your child as often as you can and show him/her how enjoyable reading can be, visit the local library and select books related to the themes, ask your child to tell you what happened in the story after you read it or have him/her predict what he/she thinks will happen next, ask your child to help you prepare a simple meal and have him/her measure out the ingredients, volunteer to help in the classroom, and stay and play for a few minutes in the morning or evening.
Developmental Milestones
Preschool 3 |
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Cognitive |
Social/Emotional |
Language & Communication |
Large and Fine Motor |
Play with words and make rhymes; mimicking and creating sounds |
Begin to play games that involve sharing and taking turns |
Listen to and tell or retell stories, sometimes confusing the facts |
Cut with scissors continuously on a line |
Understand when daily activities happen |
Express more awareness of the feelings of others |
Clap hands to the rhythm of words |
Connect dots with a pencil or crayon |
Tell differences in sounds, such as loud or soft, high or low |
Like to solve problems without much adult help |
Follow three-step directions |
Walk backwards |
Draw somewhat recognizable pictures and name or briefly explain their drawings |
Enjoy imaginative play that may be closer to reality by paying attention to time, space, and other details |
Understand comparatives like big, bigger, biggest or most and least |
Catch, throw, and bounce a ball |