4K Curriculum & Instruction

Jolly Phonics is a fun and child-centered approach to teaching literacy through learning individual letter sounds while also learning to blend letter sounds and make words over time. With actions for each of the 42 letter sounds, this multi-sensory method is very motivating for children and teachers, who can see their students achieve. These are the five skills taught in Jolly Phonics:
Learning the letter sounds: Children are taught the 42 main letter sounds. This includes alphabet sounds as well as digraphs such as sh, th, ai and ue.
Learning letter formation: Using different multi-sensory methods, children learn how to form and write the letters.
Blending: Children are taught how to blend the sounds together to read and write new words.
Identifying the sounds in words (Segmenting): Listening for the sounds in words gives children the best start for improving spelling.
Tricky words: Tricky words have irregular spellings and children learn these separately.
Jolly Phonics Songs

The Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) curriculum draws from years of innovation and research to provide developmentally appropriate, multi-sensory strategies for early writing. The program follows research of how children learn best and includes materials that address all styles of learning.

Hands-on science exploration is an important part of the 4K curriculum.  Baraboo School District 4K students have a unit based on raising and observing caterpillars to butterflies, a classroom sensory table and classroom autonomy for student-led inquiry. Upham Woods from the UW-Extension office also provides additional hands-on learning about live creatures such as snakes, turtles and other reptiles and amphibians during the school year.  All of these examples provide our 4K students with ample opportunities to explore the world around them through play, observation, sensory exploration, technology resources and literacy connections.

Children love to play, and play often mirrors what is important in their lives. When asked about play children talk about having fun, being with friends, choosing activities themselves, and being outdoors. Play can be quiet or noisy, messy or orderly, funny or serious, strenuous or effortless. It can take place inside or outside and develops as children grow and change. Children play for different reasons. Sometimes they are exploring or learning new things. At other times they are consolidating existing learning or practicing a skill. Play can also be a way of building or strengthening a relationship.
Children often play simply for fun and enjoyment. They bring their own interpretations of situations, events, experiences, and expectations to their play. Children need time to develop their play. They like having spaces inside and outside, and often enjoy playing with other children and adults. They also need props such as toys, equipment and real objects to play with and manipulate. They love to make choices about when, what, where, how, and with whom to play.

In Bridges Math classrooms, students:

• Play an active role in their own learning and in the classroom community 

• Talk about math by sharing observations, explaining their thinking, and asking questions 

• Use hands-on activities and a variety of math tools and visual models to understand how mathematical concepts work 

• Build stamina for solving complex problems that require perseverance 

• Play games in small groups to practice what they learn

Each 4K classroom uses an LED TV to make learning visible as displayed from the teacher’s laptop. Classrooms typically have access to 4-5 iPads and use a variety of applications to provide additional hands-on learning opportunities for our young learners. Also, 4K students started using the Osmo resource on an iPad to enhance and differentiate learning for our students. This hands on interactive resource allows learners to practice literacy, math and fine motor skills while playing with and manipulating the pieces included.

Second Step provides instruction in social and emotional learning with units on skills for learning, empathy, emotion management, friendship skills, and problem solving. Second Step lessons and accompanying photographs incorporate a variety of cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds.