Welcome Kindergarten Families! Please find the table labeled with your child’s teacher. Take the folder with your child’s name on it. Sign up to volunteer, if desired! 9/4/2019

Welcome Kindergarten Families! * 07/16/96 Welcome Kindergarten Families! 2018-2019 School Year Cobbles Elementary School Mrs. Brasacchio, Mrs. Brewer, Mrs. Kosel, Mrs. Sauter, and Mrs. Usselman *

Reading and Writing We use a balanced literacy approach to help students become independent readers and writers as well as make literacy an integral part of their lives by using a variety of reading materials, resources and instructional strategies. Story Time Phonics Writing Workshop Reading Groups Word Study 9/4/2019 Poetry

READING Phonemic Awareness Skills Phonics Sight Words (Snap Words!) * READING 07/16/96 Phonemic Awareness Skills Recognize rhymes Clap syllables in words Recognize words that begin or end with same sound Tap each sound in words Blend sounds in words Phonics Naming Letters Practicing Letter Sounds, including vowels! Learning sounds for various letter clusters (th, sh, ch) Sight Words (Snap Words!) Dolch Sight Words (most common in books) Children should read in a SNAP! Most need memorization – do not follow rules!. Vocabulary Learn, understand and use new words 9/4/2019 *

We teach students these tools for solving unknown words independently! * READING 07/16/96 Decoding Strategies We teach students these tools for solving unknown words independently! Comprehension Making Predictions Discussing Favorite part of the story Answering questions Identifying story elements (characters, setting, problem, solution) Making connections with the book Retelling the story (beginning, middle, end) 9/4/2019 *

* WHAT CAN PARENTS DO 07/16/96 Why? Reading aloud models fluency and expression and introduces new vocabulary. Read a variety ~ Newspapers, magazines, fiction/non-fiction (whatever interests you and your child!) At least 15 minutes every night. Be positive! Encourage and praise, but stop if too frustrating. Let your child catch you reading, too! 9/4/2019 *

* WRITING WORKSHOP 07/16/96 Your child will learn the steps of the writing process and advance their writing skills at their own pace. Orally tell stories sequentially, then add pictures, labels, strings of letters representing a complete thought, and finally… Tell the beginning, middle and end of a story using pictures and complete sentences! Three main genres of writing Narrative (telling TRUE stories) *main focus Information ~ How-to (step by step) & All About Persuasive Be patient - Correct Spelling will come gradually – from random strings of letters to words you can decipher to some words spelled exactly right! We hope you will do as Lucy Calkin’s (author of our writer’s workshop guidelines) asks all of us to do . . . “Admire whatever your child brings home, make your child feel like a famous author, enjoy the brave, smart work your child does when he or she is just learning to spell and doesn’t yet have it right but is willing to try anyhow and, above all, be interested in whatever your child writes.”  9/4/2019 *

HANDWRITING Establishing good writing habits * HANDWRITING 07/16/96 Establishing good writing habits Using a proper pencil grip Correct, efficient formation of upper case letters, lower case letters and numbers Correctly write first and last name using upper and lower case letters Writing letters properly on the lines Children will learn how to properly form letters and numbers in a fun, engaging and developmentally appropriate way. 9/4/2019 *

MATH * 07/16/96 Kindergarten Common Core Learning Standards through the use of Math Expressions Know number names and the count sequence Count to tell the number of objects Compare numbers Understand addition as putting together and adding to Understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from Work with #’s 11-19 to gain foundations for place value Describe and compare measurable attributes Classify objects and count the number of objects in categories Identify and describe shapes Analyze, compare, create and compose shapes 9/4/2019 *

SCIENCE Weather Engineering Design and Technology Materials and Motion This year we will be exploring new units as we are adopting new and improved science standards. Our little scientists will be working with the following units: Weather Engineering Design and Technology Materials and Motion Plants Additional science concepts are embedded throughout our curriculum. Students will have numerous opportunities to explore, investigate and discover answers to their questions, as well as expand their vocabulary. 9/4/2019

SOCIAL STUDIES My School, My Family and Me Geography Our Nation * 07/16/96 SOCIAL STUDIES My School, My Family and Me People are alike and different in many ways. Roles and responsibilities at home and at school. My family and others are alike and different. Creating and following rules in school. Geography Use map and globe to locate places and use terms to describe their location. Identify physical features such as land and water. Describe how the environment affects our activities. Our Nation Showing respect for the rights of others. Become familiar with holidays and symbols of our nation. Identify events of past, present and future. Identify change over time. Economics Identify examples of goods and services. Identify what money is and how society uses it. Learn about scarcity and how it affects our choices. 9/4/2019 *

We are so thrilled to be working with you and your child this year! * Concluding Thoughts 07/16/96 Kindergarten is LOTS of fun for all of us involved! Your child will make tremendous growth and do things that will amaze you! It is a year to treasure! Thank you so much for coming! Your enthusiasm and support for learning will benefit your child immensely! You will find sign-up sheets on the back tables. We hope you will be able to volunteer for events and activities this year! We are so thrilled to be working with you and your child this year! 9/4/2019 *