All About Kindergarten

Rules and Behavior Expectations

There are four basic good citizen rules of behavior we are working on learning in the classroom.

- Follow directions the first time.

- Raise your hand to be recognized before speaking.

- Listen when others speak.

- Keep your hands, feet and other objects to yourself.

The kindergarten team believes in using positive reinforcement to encourage the children to do their best at all times. We believe that is necessary to build positive relationships in order for the classrooms to run smoothly. If there are behavior issues, we will deal with them based on the individual needs of each child.

Communication

Communication is a very important part of the parent, teacher relationship. Parents will receive a Monday Memo every week detailing upcoming events, along with a daily report letting you know how your child’s day was.

Website

Don’t forget to utilize our school website to pay lunch fees/put money in your child’s account, check for school wide volunteer opportunities and events. www.normalpark.com

Homework

Homework will be sent home every Monday. Students should complete the homework and turn it in no later than Friday of that week. Please remember that we do not expect perfection on homework, but we expect it to be done by the students. Homework is not meant to be stressful! It is simply to provide practice for what we have taught.

Snack

Snack should be brought in according to the schedule sent home in your child’s red homework folder during his/her phase in. The weekly snack schedule will also be on each week’s Monday Memo. If your child’s name appears on the schedule, please bring in a class set of snacks. If feasible, individually wrapped and healthy snacks are preferred. Another option is to buy snack in a large box and bag it in individual Ziploc bags at home. Please do not send in boxes of items that have not been bagged.

Module

Study of science and social studies
Every nine weeks there is a new learning expedition permission slip sent home. It is important to sign it each nine weeks and return it ASAP!
1st Nine Weeks: “My Place in the World”
2nd Nine Weeks: “We Are the World”
3rd Nine Weeks: “Going Wild About Animals”
4th Nine Weeks: “Mysteries of the Earth”
There are docents (a guide for our exhibit) chosen for each exhibit night. If your child is a docent there will be a permission slip sent home in their folder. Every child is given the opportunity to be a docent.

Travel Journals

Travel journals act as a student created textbook filled with all the information they have learned.

Math

Students will be assessed each quarter and those assessments will be used to create a pacing guide for the following 9 weeks of instruction. Students will explore math topics using hands on manipulatives, technology, and games. Each student will keep a math journal as well. These journals will serve as a log for student learning and a quick check of student learning throughout lessons.

Reading Groups

We will begin reading groups after Labor Day. We will discuss your child’s reading level during the October parent/teacher conferences.

Writer’s Workshop

Writer's Workshop is a method of teaching writing, which can build students' fluency in writing through continuous, repeated exposure to the process of writing. Children are often working in partnerships to support one another’s learning. In Kindergarten we will be focusing on author studies. Lessons will focus on a specific author each month, studying their style of writing and illustrations.

Below is a list of authors we will study this year.

Jan Brett Kevin Henkes

Lois Ehlert Dr. Seuss

Doreen Cronin

Leo Lionni

What Does Writer’s Workshop Look Like?

Mini-lesson

Writing Time

Mid-Workshop Teaching Point

Conferencing with individual students

Sharing/Celebrations of written pieces