September into October: The focus for this month will be an introduction to school routines, safety and emotions. Students will learn about being safe on the bus and various other places around the school. We will also pay attention to following rules and being aware of oneself. By utilizing pictures, stories, books and discussions, we will explore emotions and how students can manage different feelings throughout their day. The idea of being well or healthy will be the foundation of the curriculum.
October into January: The students will be learning general hygiene practices during this time. The focus of the lessons will be germs - how they are spread and how they get into the body. How your body feels when you are sick and what you do when you feel sick will be discussed and reviewed. The students will also gain an understanding of how to be safe around medicine. The final weeks of this unit center around what teeth are for and how to care for them. The students will demonstrate the correct way to brush their teeth and discuss the importance of brushing in the morning and at night.
February: The concepts of calmness and relaxation will be the topic for this month. Students will discuss ways to be calm and and practice techniques to relax their bodies. Yoga, stretching, deep breathing and drawing exercises will be used. Books will be read to demonstrate how many different strategies can be used in various environments when a person needs to remain calm and relaxed. The importance of sleep will also be addressed.
March and April: This month the students will be learning about the body. The unit will begin by asking students to become aware of how the body grows and changes over time. The students will be asked to think about how their bodies are different now from when they were babies. The heart, brain and five senses and bones and muscles will be specific topics of discussion and exploration. The importance of exercise will be stressed as an important way to have a healthy body.
May: Nutrition will be the focus for the month of May. Students will learn that the body needs food for energy to play, learn and grow and how different foods provide different nutrients the body needs. Lessons during this unit will include vegetables, fruits, an introduction to My Plate and the importance of eating a variety of food throughout the day.
June: During the final month of school, the students will be focusing on their self-concept. We will practice making a plan to be successful at a task, perseverance if the plan does not work out and not giving up when things do not go as expected. Discovering what each student is good at doing in the lesson "I am a Star" will finish out the school year.
It has been such a pleasure teaching the Kindergarten students in wellness class this year! Have a relaxing and safe summer!
