Knightly News

On any given day, this year’s PreK-3 students may be found playing with flashlights to observe their shadows, enthusiastically watching as a teacher creates a tornado in a bottle, asking a local meteorologist questions or paying close attention as a classmate touches a plasma ball to create electricity that looks a lot like lightning. This year’s class has a strong interest in the weather, setting the stage for interactive, weather-themed experiences infused with learning milestones.

Creative, Adaptable Learning through Play

There’s so much more than meets the eye when it comes to the PreK-3 classroom. Because the littlest Knights learn by doing, most lessons are play-based. For example, students blow pinwheels to learn about and see wind in action, and they bang on metal pans to simulate thunder. Another highlight of the weather lesson has been playing with homemade snow dough as students learn more about this chilly precipitation. What may look to some like children at play is actually children learning. Purposeful play allows students to explore their world and learn without even realizing it.

This type of learning experience requires creativity and adaptability from the teaching team, and veteran PreK-3 teachers Hollie Gasser and Jenifer Vinci are experts in both. Project-based learning is flexible in other grades, but with the attention spans of three year olds, that flexibility is even more critical in PreK-3. “We meet them where they are,” says Vinci. With a chuckle, Gasser points out that on any given day, they may be reading a book one minute and stopping to sing a song the next. In addition, PreK-3 learning can be messy; imagine simulating a rain cloud with shaving cream and food coloring. Gasser and Vinci wouldn’t have it any other way because they know that students of this age need to see, touch and experience the world to learn. This understanding of the students makes the PreK-3 classroom a special place for learning.

A “Big Kid” School Day Experience

The PreK-3 experience sets students up for their lifelong learning journey. The classroom functions like “big kid” school, and while the day moves quickly, there is intention and structure in the schedule. Like their older classmates, the littlest Knights participate in world languages, PE, religion and music. There is a designated time for each activity, and students learn to clean up before moving on to the next. Gasser says learning goals are naturally built into each lesson, and students regularly work on fine motor skills, following directions and literacy. At the heart of every experience is social-emotional learning.

At three years old, students are learning what it means to be part of a school and how to interact with classmates and teachers. With patience and support, the teaching team models school behavior. Students learn to share, ask questions and express how they’re feeling. They are also encouraged to problem solve, which helps them build independence and boost self-confidence.

Looking Forward to the Next Learning Adventure

With so much excitement for the weather, the teaching team continues to build on the lesson. Students are now learning about how the weather helps people by providing water and sunlight. The little learners have already asked how plants drink and how people get water, so the teachers will connect these concepts to upcoming lessons about Thanksgiving and food.

PreK-3 at Episcopal is a launch pad for a lifelong love of learning. Allowing students to explore their interests while incorporating skill-building makes learning fun and memorable. The students may be only three, but their curiosity and capacity for learning are extraordinary, and Gasser and Vinci are well-equipped to lead them on additional age-appropriate learning adventures.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.