Welcome to Kindergarten

Mrs. Downey Room 19
Special Events | Thematic Units | Curriculum | Homework | Classroom Management

 

 

Our Kindergarten morning is a busy one, we are constantly on the go!  Below is a schedule of a typical morning.

 

Daily Schedule

7:35 Open Door Morning Jobs

(Home folders, cubbies, safe box, sign in, class graph, question of the day, books, magazines, individualized practice)

7:45 First Bell

7:50 Learning begins with announcements from Mr. Andrews.

8:00 Circle time/Listening time/Shared Reading (Whole class calendar, math, and language arts skills, songs and poems, stories, morning message)

8:45 Bathroom break and recess

9:00 Reading instruction and literacy centers/literacy jobs (small group and individual instruction)

10:15 Writer’s Workshop (Whole group mini lesson, individualized writing instruction)

11:00 Lunch and recess

11:45 Story and “Resting/Reading Time”

12:15 Math

1:00 Science/Social Studies/Theme investigation

1:45 Centers

2:25 Walk to pick up area

 

A small snack if offered in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon.

 

*Our daily schedule changes for specials and special events.

 

 

 

Specials Schedule

Music ­ Monday 8:50-9:10 Tuesday 12:30-12:50

P.E. ­ Tuesday and Thursday 9:15-9:45

Multi-Media/Library ­ Friday 9:00-9:30

 

 

 

Extra Special Kindergarten Activities

 

Special Classroom Activities

 Class Theme Character ­ Pooh

Pooh’s writing briefcase

Book Bags

Poem and Song Books

Sharing Bags

Math Bags

Class pets: Jordan our fish and a hamster

 

Special Family Activities

Family Teddy Bear Picnic

Munchies with Mommy

Doughnuts with Daddy

Spring Play or performance

End of the year celebration

Other special events to be announced throughout the year

 

Field Trips

Stuffington Bear Factory

 

Tax Credit

Up to a $250.00 Donation to Jordan School for Jordan’s Kindergarten classes.  It’s a full tax refund used for extra-curricular activities or special events/field trips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Integrated Science and Social Studies Thematic Units

 

Teddy Bears

Bears

Family

Animal Families

Pets

Class pet

Fall

Food and nutrition

Restaurants/Menus

Pumpkins

Apples

Peanut butter

Thankful projects

Feast

Winter holiday fun

Snow

Cold weather

Polar animals

Valentine’s Day

Mail

President’s Day

Insects/bugs

Spring

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Curriculum and Instruction

 

Language Arts Reading

District adopted text

Sight word rings

Songs and poems

Daily Letter

Take home books

Teacher made books

Daily phonics practice

 

Writing and Language

Shared writing

Interactive writing

Handwriting

Class books

Writer’s workshop (making books)

Mini-lessons - authors craft

 

Math

District adopted text

Daily calendar activities

Math Their Way

Mountain Math

Teacher made materials

 

Science and Social Studies

Thematic Units

Teacher made materials

District curriculum and objectives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homework

 

Monday ­ The “Word of the Week” folder will be sent home with a new word.  Activities for this word are to be done throughout the week.  Please send the folder back to school every Friday.

 

Tuesday ­ A reading or math activity will be sent home to be completed and returned the next day.

 

Wednesday ­ A reading or math activity will be sent home to be completed and returned the next day.

 

A weekly reading book folder will be sent home with a book.  This book should be at you child’s individual reading level.  Please help your child practice reading the book and send the book and folder back when your child can read the book independently.  A new book will be placed in the folder within a few days.  Please write the title of the book on the cover of the folder and also note if the book was way too easy or way too difficult.  At times a book may come home higher or lower then the child’s reading level just because I think they will enjoy it!

 

 

The poem and song folder stays at home so your child can enjoy, share, and practice the poems and songs over and over again.  New poems and songs will be sent home to be added to the folder every few weeks.  We practice these same poems and songs weekly in class.

 

 

“Take home books” will be sent home every Friday.  These are books that we have worked on to develop reading fluency throughout the week.  These books will not always be at the child’s independent reading level.  I have asked the children to save these books in a bag or a safe place throughout the year to practice reading over and over again.

 

 

 

Classroom Management

 

This classroom is a “Learning Family”, we learn from each other, care, and share in opportunities for growth.  As the teacher it is my job to keep all students safe and the student’s job to help me with that task.  A few tips and tidbits that guide my classroom management philosophy include:

Ø     Tell children what to do.

Ø     Give children useable information.

Ø     Help children to be successful instead of attempting to make or get them to behave.

Ø     Encourage children during wonderful times and tough times.

Ø     Be the person you want your students/children to be.

Ø     Do not save children from the consequences of their actions.

Ø     Teach children how to handle their conflicts.

 

Discipline and student choices both positive and negative are viewed as an opportunity to teach, learn, and grow.  Disruptive behavior situations are viewed as and opportunity to teach, learn, and grow.  Positive reinforcement and logical consequences are used to help students develop appropriate social skills.