Kindergarten Remember… “All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.” - Robert Fulghum HOW to Find Our Circles within Our Squares Lori Bowles

Focus on…  Standards  Remember that Standards define end-of year expectations and progression  PLC – Get input from your Professional Learning Community “Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.”

Focus on…  Integrated Literacy  Students who meet Standards develop skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening that are foundations for creative and purposeful expression.

Focus on…  Results  GOOD NEWS: Teachers are free to use their professional judgment and experience to meet goals. “Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.”

Focus on…  Range of Text Types  Literature - stories, dramas, poetry  Informational text – non-fiction, historical, scientific, technical (graphs, charts, maps) “And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.”

First Step – Get Organized Personalize your binder Tab each area to make it easily accessible Standards Resources Themes Strategies MORE GOOD NEWS: Many things you are already doing teach the standards! Just add them to your binder!

 Look at standards  Identify your biggest challenge  Work through challenges with PLC Unit One A Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

Look at Standards Teachers  Constantly modeling Students  S.L.R.W.!  Speaking  Listening  Reading  Writing

Great resources: The Daily 5, by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser “the sisters” The Café Book, also by “the sisters” Literacy Work Stations – Making Centers Work, by Debbie Diller Co-workers PLC

Next Step – Resource Page Highlight materials you already have (books, poetry, read-alouds, dramas, and more) Pull any books relating to Color and Rhyme that you might use Keep text complexity in mind

 Overview 1 st 6-weeks and ongoing:  Expose children to picture books, poetry, nursery rhymes, language filled with rhythm and rhyme.  Essential question… let’s dig deeper Unit One A Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

Essential Question How does rhyme affect the way we hear and read poetry? Remember: Post in your classroom It’s adaptable! It’s the BIG IDEA you want your children to take away!

 Theme Connections:  See binder  Pull any ideas and resources that work for you  Continue using great teaching strategies already in place that address the standards Unit One A Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

 Theme Connections:  A Rhyme a Week and_rhymes.htm#week1 and_rhymes.htm#week1  Music ♪♫♪  Literature Examples of Interactive Read-alouds  Reading Rainbow on  Unit One A Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

Strategies, Activities, and Lessons Standards  Non-negotiable  Expected to be mastered by year end  STUDY the standards! S.A.L.  Negotiable  Starting points  Organize section in binder with additional resources to support your objectives

Mini-lessons Easily incorporated in Morning meetings Large group time Small group time ALL THE TIME! Model, model, model! Focus on the standards!

Kindergarten “And it is still true, no matter how old you are - when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.” - Robert Fulghum HOW to Find Our Circles within Our Squares Lori Bowles