About Us :: Learning Centers
 

Facility | Playground | Meals | Learning Centers | Methodologies

 
 
At Shining Stars Academy, children have the opportunity to work and play in these centers by choice. The centers contain educational toys, materials, and games. They are used in small groups, with a friend, or individually. The centers provide practice in making decisions, following directions, working independently, and learning the care and use of materials. The classrooms are planned to promote learning and to develop social skills, while giving each child space to have individual time. The learning centers will encourage and promote children to engage in daily activities.
 

Blocks Art Language Manipulative
Science Sand & Water Pretend & Dramatic Music & Movement
Math Foreign Language Social Studies Outdoor Play

Block Center:
When children play block building, it allows them to think and solve problems. Children learn about sizes and shapes, solve problems, and help grasp and develop basic math concepts as well as use their imagination.

Art Center:
The art area is designed to encourage children to explore colors, textures and materials and in doing so develop their visual, motor and social skills. The freedom to create, explore and experiment with their own work gives them a positive self-image and a feeling of pride about what they have accomplished. Children have an opportunity to use art on the daily basis.

Language Center:
Through use of the Language Center children learn an appreciation of books, increase their vocabulary, learn specific concepts through literature as well as the meaning of written symbols (letters and words). The language centers consist on four areas of learning:

Library Center:
The Library is a comfortable, restful and inviting place. Books are placed so children can easily reach and then rotated to stimulate interest.

Writing Center:
Children experiment with writing through scribble, tracing, copying, and drawing. This helps strengthening eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills, recognition of printed symbols and proper pencil grip.

Computer Center:
This center introduces children to basic computer literacy which is so important today. The use of computers and software programs is a fun and exciting way to reinforce basic math, reading readiness skills as well as eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills.

Manipulative Game Center:
Children explore materials, experiment, and discover a variety of ways in which a toy can be used. The manipulative center promotes and support children in expanding their curiosity. Children learn about, classification, sequencing/seriating, size, shape, number, patterns, similarities and problem solving. These games improve small muscle coordination, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, visual discrimination (likeness and differences), and shape and space concepts. This area encourages children's growth in fine motor skills, thinking skills, and social-emotional skills. The child also learns the fundamentals of number concepts and abstract concepts.

Science Center:
The science center is located close to a low window that permits sunlight. Children are given a hands-on, real life activity that teaches cause and effect with open-ended conclusion and encourages a sense of exploration and discovery. Children learn about the world around them through a hands-on approach. In addition, children will be studying about concepts such as time, space, weight, temperature, weather, seasons, light, and color. This area promotes the intellectual growth of children through stimulating curiosity and develops problem solving abilities. Children are stimulated to use their five senses (taste, sight, touch, smell and listen). The child develops the ability to think, reason, infer, generalize, and classify.

Sand/Water Center:
The sand/water table is very calming activity to children and it is irresistible fascination for them. The sand play helps develop the senses, contributes to relaxation and conversation, builds social, cooperative play and problem solving skills, and the development of fundamental skills in quantities, measuring, etc. Water play provides specific concept development such as water pressure, volume, conservation, quantities, evaporation, etc. Children develop their senses through increased sensitivity of how things feel, smell. Concepts that are reinforced through this activity are floating, sinking, texture, weight, volume, size, and evaporation and measuring.

Pretend/Dramatic Play Center:
Children have the opportunity to incorporate what their learning about the world around them and how they feel about themselves in the world. They live in a world of pretending in which they are trying to understand. The children develop better understanding of themselves and others and it assists the child in working out ideas of self-identity, family relationships, identity with various adult roles, and the child's view of the world. Dramatic play also helps the children sort out fantasy and reality and it gives the children an opportunity to experience success and problem solving.

Music and Movement Centers:
Through participation in musical games, children build a sense of belonging to and functioning in a group. Creative movement improves their sense of how to move their body through space in an ordered, effective manner. Children learn different sounds, the parts of the body, discover rhythm, and experience the impact of music on their moods. Language, memory and vocabulary skills are increased through learning the songs and movements.

Mathematics Centers:
Mathematics area gives children a hands-on approach to developing basic math concepts. Mathematics activities stimulate children's curiosity, a very important factor in the learning process. Children learn about sorting, counting materials, measuring, weighing, pattering, and problem solving.

Foreign Language Centers:
Children will have an opportunity to explore another language. This experience is part of an emphasis on the richness of cultural diversity. Children will learn to respect and develop a sense of cultural awareness.

Social Studies Centers:
Children will have the opportunity to study family, cultural diversity, history and current events.