Curriculum

We believe that three to five-year-olds learn best through play. Marissa teaches a wide variety of topics that stimulate play in order to build social skills and enhance creative and cognitive development.

Our goal is to work together in cooperation with parents and caregivers to build a loving, caring environment that practices respect, cooperation and shares an enthusiasm for learning.

• We are a place of play and fun where children develop a positive attitude toward school and learning.
• We have an appreciation and understanding of diversity.
• We practice peaceful conflict resolution.
• We are a small community of big hearts and big spirits.
• Our class focuses on Kindergarten readiness with a Pre-K curriculum in the afternoon.​​

Kindergarten Readiness

​Garden & Class Critters

The afternoon portion of the 4-5 year old class, Teacher Marissa incorporates Kindergarten readiness activities.

Reading readiness happens through alphabet share and tell, phonemic awareness, and rhyming. We have fun with letters, sounds, and words. We also go on adventures with numbers, games, graphing, measuring, cooking, and hands-on experiments.

Students and parents work together to tend the multiple varieties of edible and ornamental plants in our outdoor class garden.

​Inside, we are able to observe insects from around the world: India, Madagascar, and Mexico. Life cycle discussions culminate in an exciting release of butterflies in the Spring.

Social Support

Teacher Marissa uses Second Step and the Seeds of Compassion curriculum. Second Step teaches and reinforces empathy, impulse control and conflict resolution. The Seeds of Compassion is an initiative to nurture kindness and compassion in the world, starting with children and all those who touch their lives.

​Emotional Support

We honor the emotional and social growth of each child through positive language and daily interactions that encourage cooperation, taking turns, sharing, helping each other, kindness and friendship. We explore the idea of feelings, emotions, and our senses, through a wide range of activities such as dramatic play, tending our garden and exploring the community. 

Embracing World Culture

Teacher Marissa enhances the curriculum by incorporating multiple languages, such as:

• Sign language
• Japanese
• Spanish
• Swahili
• Italian

Field Trips

​Some past field trips include:

• The Center For Wooden Boats
• Ballard Library
• The Farm at Swan's Trail
• Seattle International Children's Festival
• Ballard Food Bank