Adams County Head Start implements only research-based, proven-effective curriculum elements in its classrooms. Among the elements used are: Creative Curriculum, Dinosaur School. Zoo-phonics, and Kids Play Math. Creative Curriculum cycles through study topics throughout the year, exploring areas of study through high quality books, teacher-led large and small group activities, child-selected activities, and intentional, supported play. Dinosaur School uses puppets, role play, small group activities, videos, and classroom discussions to promote pro-social skills. Zoo-phonics uses movement, music, and other fun activities to teach children the sounds and names of both upper- and lower-case letters to introduce the basic skills of reading and pre-literacy. Kids Play Math is used throughout the year as a resource for games, routines, transitions and activities to build the mathematics skills to succeed in school.
Our teachers use Teaching Strategies Gold to assess children’s skills in multiple developmental areas: language, literacy, cognitive, social/emotional, mathematics, and physical. They then use the assessment results to plan targeted activities within the curriculum frameworks to help their students’ progress to ever higher abilities in each area. In addition, teachers share the assessment outcomes with parents multiple times per year, and collaboratively plan student goals with them to make sure each child is ready for Kindergarten.
