This enrichment class is offered to further inspire an appreciation of art and continued exploration with materials. The class focuses on the work of well-known artists and introduces themes from children’s books. As the students stretch their imaginations, they will create their own works of art based on their ideas. Projects included during the semester are collage, sculpture, clay, watercolor, etc. At the end of each semester, each class will culminate in a Gallery Showcase featuring the works of the children (parents are also invited and welcome to attend).
Andrea Agate
has a Masters in School Psychology and a background working with
children with special needs. She worked for 8 years in a therapeutic nursery
school program in Brooklyn. Andrea is a past GNCS Board Member and Fall
Festival Chairperson. She has completed her 3rd year in the Enrichment
program and her 4th year as an assistant teacher in the 3s and 4s.
Each week a different country will be selected to learn about and prepare an authentic “delicacy” indigenous to that area. Games, books and artifacts will be introduced.
Martha Chimienti has been a teacher at GNCS for 10 years. She has a Masters Degree and taught kindergarten for many years in the NYC public schools. She enjoys cooking and inspiring young children.
Kiddie Soccer is the only soccer organization that conducts on-site enrichment programs exclusively for preschool-aged children. Their specially trained coaches are all experienced in working with young children. A typical Kiddie Soccer class consists of soccer-oriented games that are specifically designed to ensure that the children have FUN while also learning some basic soccer skills. Every child receives a t-shirt at the first class and a medal at the last class.
Using the power of music, Kindermusik’s Imagine That! taps into your preschooler’s creative spirit and boundless energy and focuses on developing his learning strengths and self-confidence so he’ll be ready for school, prepared for future music lessons…or able to leap tall buildings.
What you’ll experience in class:
Pretend play activities are integrated with music, vocal development, storytelling, listening, movement and literacy aspects of each class. Activities include a mixture of musical genres and styles and provide a setting for your child to explore his many voices and to use a “singing voice.” Singing helps with memory and recall, physical development, creativity and socialization. Each class is built on the development of a story, so you’ll hear preschoolers search for the word to say what they mean and try to keep up with their busy minds, emerging wants, needs, likes, and dislikes. Preschoolers are learning to be self-sufficient in a group setting of peers. At Home Materials (40-page activity book, two literature books, game board play set, instrument, and two CDs of music from class) ensures the learning continues at home with your child’s best teacher—you!
The program is designed to prepare the young child who is eager for first experiences with musical symbols and instrument discovery but is not yet ready for formal lessons and traditional music reading with an instrument.
What you’ll experience in class:
It may sound like a foreign language when your child sings “ta” and “ti-ti,” but he’s using the language of professional musicians and composers and getting ready to read and write simple rhythm patterns. You’ll see your child dance expressively to music, giving him the practice he needs to coordinate his body movements to the sound of music. This kind of musical play not only improves musicianship, but his physical coordination as well. He’ll learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually she’ll even compose her own music. Your child will learn to identify a range of orchestra instruments and their sound qualities, while also gaining an early awareness and knowledge of composers and masterworks in Western arts tradition. Authentic percussion, string, pre-keyboard, and woodwind instruments expose your child to the many choices for future musical study, and at the same time provide your child with the opportunity to musically succeed before taking on more formal instruction. At Home Materials include: Children’s folder with stickers and Music At Home cards, Family Songbook, instrument (wind, string, or pre-keyboard instrument depending on the semester), CD of music from class.
This is an hour-long outdoor (weather permitting) activity program set to music. It expands upon the weekly movement classes in several key areas: a more challenging set of motor skills (from catching and throwing to basic gymnastics), individualized attention, taking turns, and the fundamentals of interactivity and cooperative teamwork. And of course, it reinforces Mr. Mike's mantra: children who equate moving around with having fun at an early age are far more likely to remain active and healthy throughout their entire lives.
Puppet Workshop
Each week your child will make a
different puppet tied to a familiar story. They will use the puppet to
retell the tale and learn a little about the history of each style of puppet
along the way.
Early childhood teachers, caregivers and parents are aware of the tremendous interest young children have in exploring their world, figuring out how things work and experimenting with new material. While science is embedded in many of the ongoing projects in the classrooms at GNCS, it can be further encouraged and stimulated through carefully designed interactive, hands-on activities. The children will explore the wonders of science by doing experiments and related art activities and reading related literature.
Annette Molina has been an Assistant Teacher and Summer Camp Teacher for over 10 years at GNCS. Annette enjoys working with Mrs. Simon and inspiring the children to be curious and make discoveries.