KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION What your child will experience this upcoming year in kindergarten?

Kindergarten Standards: What are standards? Standards describe what students should know and be able to do in each subject in each grade. Standards set high expectations for all students. They are rigorous and internationally benchmarked; research and evidence based; and are aligned with college and career expectations.

English Language Arts and Literacy Standards for Kindergarten Naming upper and lowercase letters, matching letters with their sounds, and printing them Comparing adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories Retelling familiar stories using details from the text Stating an opinion or preference about a topic or book in writing Taking part in classroom conversations Speaking clearly to express thoughts, feelings, and ideas Understanding questions words (who, what, where, when, why, how)

Mathematics Standards for Kindergarten Counting objects to tell how many there are Comparing two groups of objects to determine greater or less than Acting out addition and subtraction word problems and drawing diagrams to represent them Adding with a sum of 10 or less; subtracting from a number of 10 or less Adding and subtracting small numbers quickly (i.e. 3+1, 2+2, etc.) Correctly naming shapes regardless of orientation or size

Curriculum that will Be used in kindergarten Language Arts: Mathematics: CCSS Units of Study New Program called Benchmark Advance Developing Math Concepts Number Concepts by Kathy Richardson Math Curriculum Guide Core Literature Books

What Your Child’s Kindergarten Classroom will look like…. Musical Instruments Block Center Writing Center Dramatic Play Classroom Library Science Exploration Stations

Kindergarten Assessment What is the DRDP-K? Desired Results Developmental Profile Assesses students on a continuum Focuses on the following areas: Mathematics Language and Literacy Science Health Social Science Visual and Performing Arts Social and Emotional Development Physical Development

Kindergarten Report Card: Report cards are created and distributed 3 times a year--November, March, June Will be able to have print outs to show growth in all areas at parent conferences Observational assessment conducted throughout the entire school year.

How will your child be prepared for first grade? The goal of the kindergarten program is to prepare each student to successfully meet or exceed the challenging California State Standards at the conclusion of their kindergarten year. Kindergarten will prepare them by: developing strong oral language and vocabulary skills reinforcing curricular connections through high-quality integration providing concrete experiences for all students to use their creativity and critical thinking skills adjusting the pace and intensity of curriculum for individualized students will assist in accomplishing this goal.

Tulare City School District Welcomes you to Kindergarten!