WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN!
SCHOOL IS… All about building relationships, establishing trust, creating working literate environments, and getting to know children as readers and learners — and remembering that our classrooms still need to be joyful places… Reading with Meaning, Debbie Miller
KINDERGARTEN IS… • The kinderg rgar arten en classr sroom oom stimulates ates childr dren en's s curios osity ity to learn n more about the world d around them. It's the job of the teacher er to help p children ren become comfort rtable able working ing in a classroom sroom setting ng and to o introdu duce e some basic c literac eracy y and math-relate elated d skills. lls.
OUR SCHEDULE… • Opening 9:00 • Writing • Language Arts • Lunch 11:40 • Recess • Math • Specials • Social Studies/Science • Dismissal 3:25
SPECIALS... • Art • Physical Education • Music • Media
HOMEWORK • Take home books located in “reading baggies” beginning in September • Addition and subtraction fact cards beginning in January • Family and student projects throughout the year
COMMUNICATION • Thursday Announcements • DCES Handbook/FCPS Calendar • DCES website and teacher webpages • Find Out First (Deer Tracks will come to you this way) • Teacher’s Voicemail/Email • Monthly Kindergarten Newsletter (on our website)
Language Arts Expectations… In language arts, students read to comprehend informational and literary text. Students communicate orally and in written form to inform, to persuade and to express personal ideas. During the course of the year, children will be offered a wide variety of opportunities to learn and develop these skills.
What’s the “Buzz” With the Daily Five? • We LOVE Daily Five time! If your child comes home and talks about it, we are so thrilled! Daily Five is our literacy block in our classroom. It is not a program, but a management system that allows students to work on authentic reading practice while I meet with small groups and individual students. In the beginning of the year, we will spend a great deal of time learning how to "bee"have (and how to NOT behave!) during Daily Five time. This explicit teaching of behavior allows Daily Five time to run smoothly, as all students know exactly what to do, so that I can focus my attention on very individualized reading instruction. • During Daily Five time, students will participate in a 100-minute block of teacher led mini-lessons on reading strategies , phonics, and grammar- all of which come from our Common Core Curriculum. Students also will participate in self-selected literacy activities. Your child will come to love and crave this time each day to "bee"come a fantastic reader and writer.
Read to self Students each have a book box full of "right fit” books that they read from during read to self. Read to someone Students can practice developing their fluency by reading to someone. This student is holding a cardstock "check" so she remembers to check her comprehension. Work on writing Students work on original stories, lists, poems, letters, etc... during work on writing. The writing area is stocked with idea starters, decorative papers, pens, markers, and spelling aides.
Work on words Students practice weekly spelling and vocabulary words through hands-on activities like Wikki Sticks, using magnets and stamps to make words, dot makers, and letter cutouts. They can also practice sight words. Listen to reading Students use RAZ-kids.com, CD players, Tumble Books, Book Flix, and tape players to listen to fluent reading.
Math Expectations… Mathematics is a way of thinking and communicating. Students must practice mathematical reasoning and skills with accuracy, efficiency and flexibility in order to: • Create and communicate strategies for solving a problem; • Choose appropriate tools to solve problems; • Discuss, listen, observe and ask questions to obtain mathematical information, and • Explore mathematical concepts as they apply to personal experiences. The goal is for students to demonstrate positive attitudes toward mathematics in school, culture, and society.
SOCIAL STUDIES… Students will demonstrate commitment to human dignity, justice and the democratic process, work cooperatively and accept group decisions while respecting individual rights and developing a common culture.
SCIENCE… Students explore the life, physical and earth/space sciences through a discovery, hands-on approach to learning. During each of these science units, students begin to build the foundation of developing the thinking and acting that is part of the practice of science by: • Constructing knowledge through scientific investigations; • Applying evidence and reasoning to support explanations, and • Communicating findings to inform others
OUR VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS • Schedules will be coordinated and sent home • Training session is required (even to chaperone for a field trip)…This will be web based this year • Consider the personality of your child when scheduling How can you help?
TRANSPORTATION • Please be sure to verify • If there is a change in your child’s transportation, your child’s please send in a note with transportation home with the date of the change, your child’s teacher at your child’s name, teacher Open House name and the change • Once given the transportation necklace, • If a change occurs after please be sure your child your child has left for wears it every day for school, please notify the the first two full weeks of office as soon as possible school so that your child’s teacher can be notified in a timely manor
BIRTHDAYS/FOOD • We are a food free • You may eat lunch with your child during their lunch time school. anyday … we kindly request • No snacks or birthday however that you do not do treats are permitted in this until after the first two the classrooms due to weeks in order to prevent food allergies with the difficulties with separating from parents exception of the Halloween and • Absolutely no invitations Valentine’s Day parties or thank you cards are permitted to be passed out in school even if the whole class is invited
SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY • Safety Committee to evaluate security plan • Sign in/out process, badge, computer • Exterior doors locked at all times • Drills: fire, lockdown and weather • Accurate information for your child • Dismissal changes by 3pm
MOST IMPORTANT… WE HOPE TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO LOVE LEARNING!!!
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