Young Fives

English Language Arts

English Language Arts students will grow skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students in Young Fives will… 

● learn to follow words from left to right, recognize spaces between words, and know the parts of a book like the cover and title page 

● recognize letters and connect them to their sounds - both consonants and vowels 

● play with sounds in words, including clapping syllables, noticing rhymes, and beginning to blend and break apart sounds in simple words

 ● begin reading high-frequency words by sight and sounding out short words 

● explore fiction texts with support, by identifying characters, settings, and major events 

● explore nonfiction texts with support, by identifying the main topic and using photos and words to understand details 

● learn and use new words from books, conversations, and classroom activities

 ● practice speaking and listening respectfully, taking turns, and sharing thoughts clearly 

● use drawings or visuals to help explain their thinking

Mathematics

Kentwood math students: make sense of problems and persevere in solving them; reason abstractly and quantitatively; construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others; model with mathematics; use appropriate tools strategically; attend to precision; look for and make use of structure; and look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. Students in Young Fives will… 

● count objects to tell how many there are 

● say the count sequence to 20 

● recognize and write numbers to 10 

● compare two groups of objects to tell which group, if either, has more

 ● compares sizes - bigger, smaller, shorter, heavier 

● recognize and create patterns 

● name shapes and their attributes

 ● sort objects by color, shape, and size

 ● creates and interprets simple picture graphs

 ● add and subtract within 5

Science

Through inquiry, collaboration, and sense-making, KPS students use science to understand the world around them regarding… 

● forces and interactions - pushes and pulls 

● interdependent relationships in ecosystems - animals, plants, and their  environments 

● weather and climate 

● engineering design

Social Studies

Individually and collaboratively, students will engage in planned inquiries to investigate… 

● ways people learn about the past

● how the environment provides for people’s needs and wants 

● ways people get along with each other 

● how people meet their economic wants 

● classroom issues

Specials

Art

The KPS Art program supports creativity, self-expression, and skill development through hands-on learning and exposure to a variety of artistic tools and techniques.

Students learn class rules, procedures, and routines to establish a safe and respectful learning environment. They explore basic color theory, geometric shapes, and the elements of design. Through exposure to multiple forms of art, mediums, and tools, students begin developing strong artistic habits and an understanding that art is an important part of our world, both past and present.

Music

The KPS Music program offers all students from a rich and engaging experience grounded in Music Learning Theory. Music instruction emphasizes how children naturally learn music in a way similar to how they acquire language.

Students experience music through a variety of songs and chants in different tonalities and meters. Learning is playful and exploratory, involving steady beat activities, movement, and the use of classroom instruments such as shakers, drums, woodblocks, and xylophones. These early experiences lay the foundation for musical understanding and expression.

Physical Education

The KPS Physical Education (PE) program is designed to help students build essential skills through a wide variety of activities that promote fitness, teamwork, and fun. 

Students focus on following directions and developing basic locomotor skills such as skipping, galloping, and jogging. They also participate in engaging games using hula hoops, parachutes, and scooters. The year concludes with Field Day - an exciting celebration where students showcase their skills, support one another, and enjoy friendly outdoor competition.

STEM

The KPS Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program provides students with hands-on learning experiences that inspire creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking through real-world exploration.

Students are introduced to STEM through engaging, age-appropriate activities that build foundational skills in problem-solving, collaboration, and exploration. They work with a variety of materials and tools to investigate simple challenges, begin experimenting with basic technology, and discover how STEM connects to the world around them - all in a fun, supportive environment that encourages learning through trial and error.