Seeds AM Program (ages 3-5)

Description

WHO: Students ages 3-5
WHAT: Two sessions per term of Handicrafts, Literacy, Movement & Safety, Visual Art & Performing, Nature Study, Math and Science, Animal Friends, Music & Dance, and Habits
WHERE: Loft & Field Farm
WHEN: Every other Friday 9:00am-12:30pm, see calendar
Seeds has two sessions to choose from — they are identical in every way — same content, same activities, and same teachers — so students should sign up for only one of the sessions. One Seeds day meets every other week on Art Days; the other meets on the opposite weeks on Science Days.
COST: $60/month or $163/trimester
MATERIALS FEE: $13 for spiral-bound art sketchbooks, bring cash or check to purchase at check-in desk.
HOW PAYMENT WORKS: Payments for classes will be charged immediately upon signing up. Payments are collected before the next term’s classes begin and will automatically continue until the end of the school year or cancel any time.  No refunds.
BONUS: When you sign up for any local class, your family automatically gets a Loft & Field Membership. Memberships include access to the Living Books Library, parent support, early sign-ups, and more. They will expire June 15th, 2024. If you’d like the benefits of membership without taking local classes, we have a “Membership Only” option on our Enroll page. Read more about the many benefits of a Loft & Field membership here.


General Information


Program of Study

Seeds will meet on either Art day or Science day.
See the Seeds AM on Art day time schedule here.
See the Seeds AM on Science day time schedule here.
Charlotte Mason Habits & Prayer – We start our day thinking about our personhood and the kind of people we are becoming by studying Charlotte Mason’s list of habits. Habits we will study include: attention, managing one’s own body, kindness, self-control, courtesy, diligence, reverence, regularity, self-discipline in habits, meekness, truthfulness, accuracy, imagining, fortitude, cleanliness, remembering, patience, reflection & meditation. Taught by Ms. Stephanie. (20 minutes)

Handicrafts – Taught with the Swedish “sloyd” technique, handicrafts classes build harmony between our hands and minds. While students will learn how to make crafts, our main goal is helping students learn problem solving through knowledge of many craft processes. Our Seeds will focus on many techniques through simple crafts – painting, drawing, sewing, punching, knot-tying, laminating, dyeing, pasting, cutting, folding, yarn, collage, clay, mask-making, beading, sculpting, stamping, weaving, paper máche, mock stained glass, mosaics, paper making, sewing machine, scissor work, and hammer & nail. We will reference Charlotte Mason’s “A Child’s List of Attainments” to direct the techniques we teach. Taught by Ms. Jenny and Ms. Miranda. (28 minutes)

Literacy & Library Skills – Students have a lesson in the library to learn how to browse for and check out books. We will have a short storytime and create stories together. They will encourage each other by having their first book club and share their favorite story or picture books. Taught by Ms. Mackenzie and Ms. Miranda. (28 minutes)

Movement & Safety – Students will have structured movement time, with group games, simple obstacle courses, or other outdoor adventures in nature. We especially want to teach them how to cooperate in traditional group games (Red Rover, Duck Duck Grey Duck, relays, etc.), develop body balance, and to see the value in having strong bodies. Students should wear footwear suitable for being active, and be dressed appropriately for whatever that day’s weather may bring. Taught by Ms. Miranda and Ms. Mackenzie. (28 minutes)

Snack time – A simple snack of crackers and carrots is provided; students with dietary limitations should bring their own snack. All students should bring their own water bottles. (20 minutes, midmorning)

Visual Arts & Performing – For fine arts, we will study the work of great artists through picture studies, and engage in drawing and performing to help us engage with the artwork we are observing. We will look at famous works of art that feature animals, children, and playtime in art. We will do a daily observational drawing and try to see how many details we can remember to add. Our goal is to develop strong observational skills and begin to develop hand-eye coordination. We will finish our time gently building public speaking confidence and early narration skills by doing show-and-tell and expressively reciting simple poems, Mother Goose rhymes, fingerplays, parables, and Aesop’s fables. This is a very simplified form of narration where we use tactile props to tell back something very short. Students will hear the story told with props, then will be invited to tell it back using the props as a group. Our emphasis here is on fun remembering play, it should not be burdensome or taxing on the child. Taught by Ms. Miranda and Ms. Mackenzie. (28 minutes)

Math & Nature Study and Science – For Nature Study, we will focus on wildflowers, soils, trees, butterflies and birds of prey in the fall, mammals, arachnids, fish, and nature signs in the winter and plants, insects, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in the spring, practicing our observation skills on mini nature walks around the farm. Hopefully students will be able to identify and make friends with animals in their backyards throughout the year! Taught by Ms. Mackenzie and Ms. Miranda. (28 minutes)

Animal Friends and Music & Dance – We will visit our animal friends at Loft & Field farm, following the changes of the seasons to guide our focus. We will visit and learn about one animal or farm activity, including: rabbits, chickens, hatching chicks, dogs, cats, dairy goats, gardening and other farm skills. We end our day by enjoying music through singing, dancing, playing rhythm instruments, and listening. We change the songs we learn each trimester, but always include a mix of folk songs, hymns, cultural music, and rounds. This year we will also focus on one composer each trimester. We will also play some percussive instruments and do some basics with the ukulele. We also scheduled to have some older students come in to introduce instruments. We will get to see how those instruments work and listen to a solo piece. Simple dances and choreography will be added to some of our songs this year. Taught by Ms. Stephanie (30 minutes)


FAQs

Does my Seed student need to bring anything to class? All students should bring a water bottle marked with their full name. Students with dietary restrictions should bring their own snack. If your child brings his or her sketchbook home, make sure it comes back for the next class.

Should parents stay with their kids? You, the parent, know more about your child and what will help him or her thrive. That means, you are the best person to make this decision! Some parents stay with their kids during classes, some stay nearby in case the child has a need, and most drop their kids off. You can choose what is best for your family throughout the year. There is an optional parent support class during the first part of our morning. You will be close enough to hear if your Seed needs you, but gives you time to invest in your own education and interact with other adults.

How should my child dress? – We go outside every day, regardless of the weather. You need to check the weather report and dress your child or send clothes that will keep them comfortable in all kinds of weather (rain coat in rain, snow pants in winter, shorts and t-shirt on hot days, etc.). Especially make sure your child is wearing sturdy shoes that cover the whole foot, we do a lot of running around and working with animals and want to prevent tripping or injury. It is especially helpful if you label clothes with a family name so we can get them back to you instead of losing them in the Lost & Found (a.k.a. “The Black Hole”).

What about pick-up and lunch? Seeds students must have a parent on site with them to either be picked up or stay to eat with a parent at 12:30 p.m. Students over age 6 are welcome to stay for lunch but must be picked up no later than 12:50 p.m. if they are not enrolled in the Art PM or Science PM Program. Students who are enrolled in the Art PM program should plan on staying for lunch, with an option for the parent to come eat with them if desired. We do not provide lunch. Please send a labeled bag lunch with a water bottle. We picnic when we can!

What should I do with my kids age 5 and under outside of their designated class time?  Please stay with your young ones at all times, we are not responsible for watching them. We have had issues with young kids wandering from their parents and engaging with caged animals, destroying books, or entering bedrooms and leaving a mess. It means so much to us that you would help us avoid this additional chaos while here. There is no program for Seeds in the afternoons. Please keep children under age 5 at home or directly accompanied by a parent while on-site.

What should I do if one of my kids is sick? Please refer to our Health & Safety Protocols, we make a clear list of when to definitely keep your kids home, and when you can make your own decision.