In all elementary classrooms reading is taught in a workshop style format. Each lesson is taught in three parts; opening, work period and closing. Opening is a short minute mini lesson where the teacher will present a concept or read aloud a book. Work period is minutes. Students will be working independently and the teacher will be pulling small groups to work on specific skills. Closing is minutes where the class comes back together as a group and discusses what they may have learned that day or clarifies any questions that student may have.

Kindergartners read every day! From the first week, the teacher models and practices three ways to “read” a book: read the pictures, read the words, or retell the story. This builds motivation and stamina for independent reading and gives direct instruction on isolated skills more relevance (e.g., print awareness, phonics). Students also hear models of fluent reading as the teacher reads aloud every day, including narrative and informational texts. This also allows students to develop comprehension skills before they are able to fluently decode texts. The end of the year expectation is that students will be able to read independently for 10 uninterrupted minutes.

Kindergarten students are assessed three times a year on their reading skills. Teachers administer the DRA2 at the beginning, middle and end of the year. This assessment along with other tasks (beginning sounds, rhyming, letter identification, sound knowledge, sight words) allow teachers to determine what skills a students needs to work on to move to the next reading level. At the beginning of the year students should be able to: identify 15 uppercase letters identify 15 lowercase letters produce 10 letter sounds write their name using primarily lowercase letters read a simple book with repeated text (Level A)

Welcome to Nance Mrs. Ah Leong

Writing Workshop-What is it? *A daily component of balanced literacy. * Students write about topics as the teacher conferences one on one or pulls small groups of students who need the same kind of support.

What does Writer's Workshop look like in the Kindergarten classroom? Opening/Mini-Lesson: 5-10 minutes where the teacher teaches one new writing strategy, models the stratetgy and students practice Work Period/Independent Writing: minutes where students work independently on writing Conferencing: during independent writing teacher checks in with students to direct and instruct students one-on-one or in small groups Closing/Share/Wrap-Up: 5-10 minutes when students get to share with each other

Beginning of the Year * Student selects random letters, letter-like shapes, or environmental print. * Students draw pictures to represent their words. * By October their goal is to record 10 letter sounds from a passage read by the teacher. * Picture matches the topic.

Middle of the Year * Student selects letters representing several dominant sounds in a word and may use some environmental print to convey meaning. * Uses letters that progress from left to right, top to bottom on the page. * Records 20 letter sounds.

End of the Year * Student links one action/idea to a picture or assigned topic. * Capitalizes ‘I’, spells using dominant vowel & consonant sounds, spells some words conventionally. * Uses upper and lower case letters more consistently and leaves spaces between words. * Records 30 sounds.

Number Corner calendar/grid patterns counting estimation probability place value measurement money data A short, daily, skill-building program designed to introduce, reinforce, and extend mathematical concepts regarding:

Investigations Students will understand the fundamental concepts of: number and operations geometry data measurement early algebra

Math Workshop A typical math workshop includes: Opening Work Period Closing example

Math Workshop Example Work Period: “Toss the Chips” Students toss a fixed number of counters and then find the different combinations of that fixed number.

Assessment (in addition to concepts assessed from Investigations curriculum) Kathy Richardson – Mathematical Perspectives Beginning of Year Counting Objects Counting Out a Particular Quantity One More/One Less

Assessment (in addition to concepts assessed from Investigations curriculum) Kathy Richardson – Mathematical Perspectives End of Year Changing Numbers

Math Notebooks Most work created by a student will be recorded in a math notebook. This notebook will remain in the classroom in order to review, and expand upon, mathematical concepts throughout the year.

Math Homework After the first six-weeks grading period weekly homework will begin. The homework should review concepts learned from the previous week.

5E Instructional Model The 5E model is a learning cycle, or sequence, that enables students to build their own understanding from experiences and new ideas.

5E Instructional Model The 5 stages are: Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate

5E Instructional Model Engage: Raise curiosity and access prior knowledge

5E Instructional Model Explore: Hands on lab activities designed to encourage the generating of questions and possibilities.

5E Instructional Model Explain: Students communicate what they have learned and share ideas with each other.

5E Instructional Model Elaborate: Students expand on what they have learned, make connections, and apply their understanding through additional activities.

5E Instructional Model Evaluate: Assess how much student learning and understanding has taken place.

5E Instructional Model Frequently not all 5 phases are completed in one day. The student directed pace usually expands a lesson chronologically, but it also increases understanding.

Science Notebooks Most work created from the 5E model is recorded in a science notebook. This notebook will remain in the classroom in order to review, and expand upon, scientific concepts throughout the year.

Science Fair The district’s science fair is conducted in the spring. Whole classroom projects are entered, and they can all be viewed at a central location within the district.