Academic Programs
ELA (English Language Arts)
There is a great emphasis on helping preschool children learn literacy skills. To develop language and literacy skills, Shenker academy works with its students on a variety of capabilities:
- Oral language skills
- Vocabularies
- Conversations with other children and adults
- Proficiency in language
- Literacy skills related to writing and reading
- Letters of the alphabet
- Listening comprehension
- Motivation to read
- Print awareness
- Ways to use and appreciate books
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Mathematics
Our math curriculum is taught using preschool lessons including interactive activities, learning games, printable worksheets, assessments, and reinforcement. Manipulatives are vital for our math lessons. We rely on many learning tools – lessons with activities, worksheets, reinforcement exercises, and assessments. Shenker Academy’s math curriculum covers all the math strands, not just arithmetic. The major math strands are number sense and operations, algebra, geometry and spatial sense, measurement, and data analysis and probability.
We provide an opportunity for children younger than kindergarten age to get a basic understanding of counting, shapes, geometrical figures and objects, measurement of length, weight, capacity, time, temperature, use of money, graphs and charts used for data analysis and prediction, algebraic patterns and other math concepts which are also conveyed through stories, songs, rhymes, finger-plays, and other creative methods that make preschool math fun and tangible for our students.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
STEAM
Shenker Academy selected a new Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics program, focus on hands-on, experiential activities. From cleaning up an oil spill like a marine biologist to designing a blueprint like an architect, students get to be STEAM professionals.
Our STEAM program features:
- 24 lessons per grade level, each focusing on a STEAM career (e.g., engineer, urban planner)
- Scientific journals, visual aids, and videos accompany each lesson
- Videos and webinars to assist instructors in implementation
- Easy-to-use online portal with all instructional materials for instruct
Our program objectives are:
- Solve real-world challenges that STEAM professionals face in their careers
- Build 21st-century skills, like collaboration and problem-solving
- Prepare for a 21st-century workforce by learning about a variety of STEAM careers
Our students build, tinker, and explore while they learn about the STEAM.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Fine Arts
Throughout the year, the students will work on personal and class projects inspired by famous artists from various periods. The idea is to expose the students to a variety of painting styles from different eras and to enhance their creative skills through the inspiration of the greatest artists of all time. The colors, the paint, and the experience are invaluable, culminated with a family art exhibition evening & dinner.
In previous years, our younger group (12-18 month olds) took on their first steps in free style painting. Our two-year olds focused on painting modern abstract shapes inspired by Mondrian, our three year olds learned about Jackson Pollock, and each child painted a canvas with their own interpretation of Pollock’s style. Pre-K focused on Pointillism inspired art, a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image (originally developed by Seurat and Signac in the 19th Century). Kindergarten worked on Van Gogh (Sunflowers, Wheatfield with Crows, and more).
Shenker Academy holds a silent auction for classroom projects, and the raised funds will be used to support and elevate fine arts education in our school.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Music
Led by Mr. Blaine Senior, our music class is focused on the art of musical instruments, and the students learn about various music genres and styles through using percussions. The drums, djembes, xylophones, cymbals, triangles, shakers, tambourines, and many more, are in use every week as Mr. Blaine (a professional performer) teaches Jazz, Blues, Rock & Roll, Dixie, and more, and the students LOVE this class!
Spanish
Spanish class at Shenker Academy is taught by AMA Language Association. AMA Language Association Is an institution that works for the integral general formation of the 21st century citizens embracing cultural diversity associated with the Spanish Language.
AMA instructors are experienced as Specialist teachers and as private tutors for children, and our goal is to develop written and oral communication through real-life situations, through arts, and through culture. Our philosophy is that everybody is able to acquire abilities in different languages through a practical vocabulary in a learning natural process. Our lessons focus on verbal expression through songs, sight words, stories, and movement. The hands-on experience enables positive classroom decorum that supports the retaining of the learned language.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Hebrew
Hebrew class at Shenker Academy is taught by an on staff language teacher. Similar to Spanish, our focus is on experiential learning of a language, through songs, dance, and hands on activities. The Students will learn the letters of the alphabet. Each letter they learn will have texts, songs, and activities, and the students will develop their skills to express themselves in Hebrew through selected vocabulary.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Science
The science center encourages children to use their naturalistic, logical-mathematical, and linguistic intelligence. All four developmental domains are being developed during the exploration of science with the teacher and/or classmates. Language is being used to talk socially with others, questions that use the logical-mathematical intelligence are being asked to help develop the cognitive thought process, and most science starts with nature so the naturalistic intelligence is being utilized while other developmental domains are strengthened.
Teachers observe and assess how children learn and what is being learned, what they need to teach and how to teach the concepts by observing and assessing the children’s actions and abilities in the centers. Teaching materials can be added or changed to further the curiosity and experiences of hands-on learning for children. Children begin to use the new knowledge of concepts and add it on to previous knowledge. Teachers can then formulate lesson plans that will extend and expand children’s learning by using the eight intelligences so the children can continue growing in the four developmental domains. Increased knowledge, skills, and abilities are the progression of using intelligence and developing the four domains.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Academic Programs
ELA (English Language Arts)
There is a great emphasis on helping preschool children learn literacy skills. To develop language and literacy skills, Shenker academy works with its students on a variety of capabilities:
- Oral language skills
- Vocabularies
- Conversations with other children and adults
- Proficiency in language
- Literacy skills related to writing and reading
- Letters of the alphabet
- Listening comprehension
- Motivation to read
- Print awareness
- Ways to use and appreciate books
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Mathematics
Our math curriculum is taught using preschool lessons including interactive activities, learning games, printable worksheets, assessments, and reinforcement. Manipulatives are vital for our math lessons. We rely on many learning tools – lessons with activities, worksheets, reinforcement exercises, and assessments. Shenker Academy’s math curriculum covers all the math strands, not just arithmetic. The major math strands are number sense and operations, algebra, geometry and spatial sense, measurement, and data analysis and probability.
We provide an opportunity for children younger than kindergarten age to get a basic understanding of counting, shapes, geometrical figures and objects, measurement of length, weight, capacity, time, temperature, use of money, graphs and charts used for data analysis and prediction, algebraic patterns and other math concepts which are also conveyed through stories, songs, rhymes, finger-plays, and other creative methods that make preschool math fun and tangible for our students.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
STEAM
Shenker Academy selected a new Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics program, focus on hands-on, experiential activities. From cleaning up an oil spill like a marine biologist to designing a blueprint like an architect, students get to be STEAM professionals.
Our STEAM program features:
- 24 lessons per grade level, each focusing on a STEAM career (e.g., engineer, urban planner)
- Scientific journals, visual aids, and videos accompany each lesson
- Videos and webinars to assist instructors in implementation
- Easy-to-use online portal with all instructional materials for instruct
Our program objectives are:
- Solve real-world challenges that STEAM professionals face in their careers
- Build 21st-century skills, like collaboration and problem-solving
- Prepare for a 21st-century workforce by learning about a variety of STEAM careers
Our students build, tinker, and explore while they learn about the STEAM.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Fine Arts
Throughout the year, the students will work on personal and class projects inspired by famous artists from various periods. The idea is to expose the students to a variety of painting styles from different eras and to enhance their creative skills through the inspiration of the greatest artists of all time. The colors, the paint, and the experience are invaluable, culminated with a family art exhibition evening & dinner.
In previous years, our younger group (12-18 month olds) took on their first steps in free style painting. Our two-year olds focused on painting modern abstract shapes inspired by Mondrian, our three year olds learned about Jackson Pollock, and each child painted a canvas with their own interpretation of Pollock’s style. Pre-K focused on Pointillism inspired art, a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image (originally developed by Seurat and Signac in the 19th Century). Kindergarten worked on Van Gogh (Sunflowers, Wheatfield with Crows, and more).
Shenker Academy holds a silent auction for classroom projects, and the raised funds will be used to support and elevate fine arts education in our school.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Music
Led by Mr. Blaine Senior, our music class is focused on the art of musical instruments, and the students learn about various music genres and styles through using percussions. The drums, djembes, xylophones, cymbals, triangles, shakers, tambourines, and many more, are in use every week as Mr. Blaine (a professional performer) teaches Jazz, Blues, Rock & Roll, Dixie, and more, and the students LOVE this class!
Spanish
Spanish class at Shenker Academy is taught by AMA Language Association. AMA Language Association Is an institution that works for the integral general formation of the 21st century citizens embracing cultural diversity associated with the Spanish Language.
AMA instructors are experienced as Specialist teachers and as private tutors for children, and our goal is to develop written and oral communication through real-life situations, through arts, and through culture. Our philosophy is that everybody is able to acquire abilities in different languages through a practical vocabulary in a learning natural process. Our lessons focus on verbal expression through songs, sight words, stories, and movement. The hands-on experience enables positive classroom decorum that supports the retaining of the learned language.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Hebrew
Hebrew class at Shenker Academy is taught by an on staff language teacher. Similar to Spanish, our focus is on experiential learning of a language, through songs, dance, and hands on activities. The Students will learn the letters of the alphabet. Each letter they learn will have texts, songs, and activities, and the students will develop their skills to express themselves in Hebrew through selected vocabulary.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab
Science
The science center encourages children to use their naturalistic, logical-mathematical, and linguistic intelligence. All four developmental domains are being developed during the exploration of science with the teacher and/or classmates. Language is being used to talk socially with others, questions that use the logical-mathematical intelligence are being asked to help develop the cognitive thought process, and most science starts with nature so the naturalistic intelligence is being utilized while other developmental domains are strengthened.
Teachers observe and assess how children learn and what is being learned, what they need to teach and how to teach the concepts by observing and assessing the children’s actions and abilities in the centers. Teaching materials can be added or changed to further the curiosity and experiences of hands-on learning for children. Children begin to use the new knowledge of concepts and add it on to previous knowledge. Teachers can then formulate lesson plans that will extend and expand children’s learning by using the eight intelligences so the children can continue growing in the four developmental domains. Increased knowledge, skills, and abilities are the progression of using intelligence and developing the four domains.
Please find more details under the Curriculum Benchmarks’ tab