Overview & Purpose

The Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program serves as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten, designed to support children ages 4 to 5 years as they build the foundational academic and social–emotional skills needed for Elementary school.

We will focus on a developmentally appropriate, project based curriculum that integrates early literacy, numeracy, science exploration, art, and movement.

Education Standards

1. Develop school readiness skills — including early reading, writing, number sense, and self-regulation.
   
2. Foster collaboration, creativity, and communication through interactive, project-based learning and presentations.

3. Develop emotional awareness, self-regulation, and peaceful conflict-resolution skills in a small-group environment. 

Support a smooth transition into kindergarten by introducing students to topics they will encounter in kindergarten

dAILY SCHEDULE

Time	Topic	Example
8:50am- 9:15am	Arrival & Free Exploration
9:15am- 9:30am	Morning circle & mindfulness	Welcome song, calendar, weather, movement, and community sharing. Introducing theme for the day/week or planed project
9:30am- 10am	Language lesson	Identifying letters, sounds, syllables. Beginning tracing and hand writing
10am- 10:20am	Snack
10:20am- 11:00am	STEM activity	Thematic, hands-on projects aligned with monthly learning units—including garden science,introduction to addition and subtraction, health and hygiene, basic anatomy, space science  etc.
11am- 12:30pm	Outdoor time	Rotational visits to:  St.Marys Park (2x week), Glen Park Canyon (2x week), Glen Park library (1x week). Fridays are field trip days!
12:30- 12:50pm	Lunch	Organic home made meals + Milk
12:50- 2:30pm	Quiet time/ optional nap/ independent work	Resting cots provided to students that still nap. Older TK students can work on a guided quiet activity:  reading, puzzle or drawing.
2:30 – 3:30pm	Storytime, music, art and movement activity	Group movement/ Dance class, rhythm, music, and mindfulness activities.
3:30pm- 3:50pm	Afternoon snack
3:50pm-4:15pm	Outdoor activity/recess	Backyard games and activity/ free play
4:15pm – 4:50pm	Reflection and community circle	Weekly show and tell presentations Learning recall from the day. Homework review and assignment
4:50pm -5:00pm	Free play and pick up

Math Goals

• Strengthen visual-spatial and problem-solving skills through hands-on group projects.
• Build number sense: count objects
• Recognize numbers 1–20 (age 3) and up to 50 (age 4–5).
• Sort and classify objects by color, shape, size, or type.
• Recognize simple patterns
• Identify shapes and describe shapes using simple language (sides, corners)
• Compare objects using early measurement concepts: bigger/smaller, heavier/lighter, longer/shorter
• Develop early addition and subtraction skills using real objects. Understand simple addition as “putting together” Understand subtraction as “taking away” Solve simple problems using objects (e.g., “You have 3 blocks, I give you 2 more…”)

Science Goals 

• Explore basic life science (plants, animals, weather).
• Develop curiosity through collaborative hands-on group activity 
• Observe, ask questions, and describe simple cause-and-effect (e.g., what sinks/what floats).
• Group projects: ex: work as a group to develop a tower  that can hold the weight of a tennis ball, Egg drop, students will build a protective covering for an egg. 
• Use senses to compare features: texture, sound, weight, temperature.

Technology Goals  

• Understand that technology helps us learn, communicate, and solve problems.
  Use simple tools safely (magnifiers, droppers, flashlights, calculators,).
• Practice early digital literacy with age-appropriate devices (eg. taking photos, using a microscope, audio devices, basic coding toys (screen-free)

Engineering goals

• Build and design with blocks, Magna-Tiles, LEGOs, and recycled materials.
• Test structures for strength, height, balance, and stability.
• Practice planning, trying, revising — early problem-solving and iteration.

Art goals 

• Learning to describe their artwork
• Holding crayons/brushes with emerging fine-motor control
• Naming colors & shapes
• Pattern and texture recognition
• Using art vocabulary: line, dot, swirl, circle, warm/cool colors

Dance– 2x month enrichment class

• Build body awareness (where is my body in space?)
• Practice rhythmic timing
• Improve listening & following instructions
• Strengthen confidence & self-expression
• Encourage cooperation & group movement
• Work toward end of semester class show (parents are encouraged to come watch!)

Music– 2x month enrichment class

• Dedicated music class led by a music specialist to help students develop singing, rhythm, movement, and instrument exploration.

Field Trips

• Friday Rotating trips to:
  • Exploratorium
  • Academy of Science
  • Hawk hill Farm
  • Alameny Farm
  • SF Zoo
  • Randall Museum
  • Children Botanical Garden
  • Outpost park
• During each outing, students will receive a fun, age-appropriate learning sheet connected to our current thematic unit. These worksheets are designed to support intentional observation, inquiry-based learning, vocabulary development, and meaningful engagement during these class trips.

Presentations

• Weekly Show and tell presentation: Students will bring one object or experience  from home to present to their friends. 
• Biannual poster presentation:  Students select a topic they’re curious about, spend 1–2 months discovering more about it, and then design a poster to proudly teach their classmates what they’ve learned.

Homework

• Weekly homework folders will be provided on Fridays and the class will go through it together the following Friday in the afternoon. 
• The goal of homework is to build curiosity, support language development and practice motor skills. 
• Most homework packets should take less than 10 min a day and it’s a way for parents to participate in what they are learning in school in a home setting. 
• Examples:
  • Reading with an adult 
  • Sort laundry by color
  • Count fruit at the grocery store
  • Set the table
  • Match socks
  • Help measure ingredients