Eco Friends: evidence of science learning : The Grove School: A seriously fresh new preschool in Cary and Plano!

Hopefully you've looked around and The Grove School feels like a great place for your child. Fantastic! We’d love to meet up with you in person, answer your questions and tell you more first hand. Shoot us an e-mail or give us a call and we’ll get back to you shortly.

The Grove School of Plano
p: (877) 664-7683
f: (972) 208-1341

The Grove School of Cary
p: (877) 684-7683
f: (919) 460-7450

We're looking for rare individuals. Teachers with degrees in early childhood or environmental education and a fire in the belly to make a difference. Administrators with a head for business and a heart for helping children reach their full potential. People who are so invested that they'll stay with us for years, growing and developing our educational community. Is that you?

Look around the site.
Do our goals mesh with yours?
Share your resume with us.
- The Grove School of Plano
  6800 Independence Parkway
  Plano, TX 75023
  p: (877) 664-7683
  f: (972) 208-1341
- The Grove School of Cary
  2590 Laura Duncan Drive
  Cary, NC 27513
  p: (877) 684-7683
  f: (919) 460-7450

Kids learn through play, but what about the grown ups? The Grove School is a playground for everyone. Join the fun!
(Psst, you can move the colored circles with your mouse.)

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The Grove School of Plano
6800 Independence Parkway
Plano, TX 75023
p: (877) 664-7683
f: (972) 208-1341

Find us
The Grove School of Cary
2590 Laura Duncan Drive
Cary, NC 27513
p: (877) 684-7683
f: (919) 460-7450

Find us

Each day, your child moves between structured group activities, one-on-one with teachers, and indoor and outdoor play. In everything we do, the focus is on developing critical foundational skills in language arts, math, science, social skills and personal expression. And we're always attentive to the unique personality, interests and needs of your child, suggesting appropriate activities to keep them happy and engaged.

The school day also includes learning opportunities structured
around these themes.
- - Nutritious eating habits and the importance of rest, fresh air and plenty of physical activity.
- - Self-expression through different types of media and the basics of shapes, dimension, texture and composition.
- - New experiences with rhythms, instruments, notes and musical terms.
- - Explorations of the world around us with an emphasis on ecology through the sciences.
- - Introduction to storytelling with props, puppets and costumes.

- EARLY PRESCHOOL
  Games, songs, movement and art help children reach developmental milestones for two year olds. They explore and discover at their own pace and gain confidence with social skills such as cooperation, sharing and taking turns.
- PRESCHOOL
  Children are encouraged to explore with an emphasis on self-confidence and mastery of learning. Three and four year olds develop and strengthen literacy, math and science skills through thematic units and activities that combine learning and fun.
- PREKINDERGARTEN
  Children learn to share, cooperate and practice independence through a curriculum designed to meet state and national early learning standards. We also introduce four and five year olds to projects, journaling and alphabet letters and sounds.

We also offer before and after school programs to continue the day’s learning. Activities might include yoga, phonics and Spanish. Since each school offers different opportunities, please connect with the school director about your options.

Eco Friends: evidence of science learning

Linda Loop | October 27, 2009 | Comment

Young children are “doing science” every day as they explore their environment and draw conclusions based on their experiences. The evidence of what they have learned is demonstrated in unique and different ways, based on each child’s level of understanding.
One child will represent his science learning through drawing or journaling. Another will use three-dimensional representation, such as constructing a vegetable garden with blocks to represent her learning, while still others will act out their rendition through dramatic play, puppetry, or in conversations with others.

In addition, children’s learning is episodic. Noting what children can do or what they express at a given moment in time might not give a teacher a complete picture of their overall
understanding of science concepts. Often time’s children need to digest what they are learning and fit the pieces together with what they already know before demonstrating understanding. Observing children over time enables teachers to watch the process of learning develop in each child. Therefore, the use of observation and portfolio collection is very much apart of the Eco Friends curriculum.

Linda is a program development specialist. Our curriculum benefits from her 23 years of expertise. She's also taught all age groups of children, with an emphasis on preschool and prekindergarten.