Welcome to Kindergarten Fairwood Explorer Elementary Meet your - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Welcome to Kindergarten

Fairwood Explorer Elementary

Meet your Kindergarten Teachers!

• Ms. Ruthnaswamy
• Mrs. Thomas
• Mrs. Jacobson

Daily Arrival

• Please line up outside your child’s classroom

when the bell rings at 7:55.

Daily Dismissal

• Please wait outside your child’s classroom at

11:20 (first 6 weeks). The teachers will open the doors and dismiss the kids.

• Starting October 1, dismissal is at 2:15 M-Th and

12:30 on Fridays.

Snack

Please send your child with a healthy snack every day, even on short days. We eat snack at morning recess. Please send healthy snacks in containers your child can open independently. Great ideas include: fruit & nuts, cheese sticks, little sandwiches . . .

Our Typical Schedule

• School begins at 8AM
• Morning Meeting (Whole

Group)

• Reader’s Workshop
• Guided Reading and Literacy

workstations

• Snack/Recess
• Writer’s Workshop
• Lunch/Recess
• Math small groups and

workstations

• Science/Social Studies
• Free Choice Centers
• Dismissal

Starting Arts

These classes are taught by professional

• artists. We have 3 rotations per year.

Each rotation lasts a couple of months.

• Music
• Dance
• Drama

So what are we learning?

• Concepts about print
• Letter identification
• Sight word identification
• Letter and sound

relationships (Phonics)

• Text comprehension
• Phonemic Awareness
• Writing to convey meaning
• Using pictures and sentences

to express thoughts

• Adding details to pictures and

sentences

• Making our writing easy to read

Language Arts

Sight Words for Kindergarten

I we the can like see go a am to have is play are for you this do and what little said here was she he has look with my me went

• n

it no so up at do want

Differentiated Instruction

• We work hard to reach and teach every child at their individual level.
• Every class has some kids who are just learning letters, some fluent

readers, and every level in between.

• We are committed to making school as meaningful as possible for each

student.

• We work to help every child meet the Common Core standards and

challenge our students to exceed.

• Students are encouraged to take advantage of our ongoing challenge

and extension activities.

Book Level A (January Benchmark)

Covers a familiar topic. One line of text, printed in the same location on each page. Repeating language patterns. Limited sight words.

Book Level B (March Benchmark)

Covers a familiar topic. Two lines of text printed in the same location on each page (return sweep). Repeating language patterns.

Book Level C (March/April Benchmark)

Topics become less familiar. Text is printed in a variety of locations on each page. Simple dialogue is introduced. Less dependence on patterns.

Book Level D (June Benchmark)

Topics are increasingly less familiar. A greater range of sight words are utilized. Students must applying phonics knowledge to decode unfamiliar text.

So what are we learning?

• Positional Words
• Simple measurement
• Number relationships
• Number identification
• Number writing
• Geometry (flat and

solid shapes)

• Simple addition and

subtraction

• Problem solving

skills

Math

So what are we learning?

• Weather & Landforms - Earth Science
• Plants & Animals - Life Science
• Push & Pull - Physical Science

Science

So what are we learning?

• United States symbols
• Past & Present - how life has changed
• Needs vs. Wants
• Citizenship

Social Studies

What is a neighborhood?

–Why is a community important? –What/who is in your neighborhood? –How do I read maps and signs in my community?

Non-Fiction Books – Experts (animals)

–What is an expert? –How can I become an expert? –What are the features of a non-fiction book? –What do I need to know to be an expert?

• What do animals need to live?
• Types of animals?
• Animal adaptations?

Project Based Learning

Behavior Management

PBIS – Positive Behavior Intervention System PBIS is based on principles of applied behavior analysis and the prevention approach and values of positive behavior support.

• Be Respectful
• Be Responsible
• Be Safe

• Report cards (trimesters: November, March and June)
• 1-5 (not letter grades)
• Grades are determined through:
• Observation
• Informal assessments
• Evaluation of independent work

Grading

Supply List

• 8 big glue sticks
• 16 count large crayons
• 24 count regular crayons
• 1 box of colored markers - 8 count broad line set
• 1 box colored pencils - 12 count set
• 1 pair of headphones (over the ear, no buds please)
• 1 set of watercolor paints
• 4 pack fine tip dry erase markers
• 4 pack bullet tip dry erase markers

Wish List

• fine-tip permanent markers
• 2+ boxes of Kleenex
• baby wipes (we need tons!)
• 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
• 1 box of Ziploc bags (either quart
• r gallon sizes)

Please do not buy a backpack. We don’t use backpacks in kindergarten.

School Supplies

Please only label the headphones, we share all the other supplies.

Student Birthdays

• We celebrate birthdays with class traditions.
• Our wellness policy prohibits us from having

cake & other sweet treats.

• Please consider donating a book to the class

library in honor of your child’s birthday.

• To avoid hurt feelings, please do not pass out

invitations at school. The only exception is if you are inviting the entire class.

• We celebrate many cultural traditions & holidays

throughout the year.

• Please let us know what holidays are important to

your family - we want to make sure we celebrate!

Traditions and Holidays

How You Can Help?

• Plan to volunteer in our class 2 hours per week.
• Serve on a schoolwide Team
• Show interest in what your child is doing at

school through regular conversations.

• Set high expectations for your child. Expect

good behavior and academic success.

• Read with your child for at least 20 minutes

every day and talk about the books.

Communication

• Make sure you’re on Up-to-Us
• Email is the easiest way to contact

your teacher.

• Check your child’s folder/mailbag daily
• Watch for class & school newsletters

Looking forward to a great year!