8 Changes to the Kindergarten Classroom for the 2017-2018 Year

By Alex Noudelman

#1: Schedule Changes

The schedule will be revised to include the following:

1. Uninterrupted 60 minutes of play time outside (not including lunch recess) per day.

2. Uninterrupted 40 minutes of play time outside during lunch per day.

3. Uninterrupted 100 minutes of literacy exploration block per day.

4. Uninterrupted 60 minutes of mathematics explorations per day.

5. A minimum of 40 minutes of uninterrupted physical education, arts and learning commons time.

6. A maximum of 20 minutes of direct instruction and circle time per day. Preferably 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon.

Tentative Kindergarten Schedule

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

8:00-9:00am Outdoor Play in the Kindergarten Play Area

9:00-10:45am Settling In (9:00-9:05)

Learning Centers (Literacy Focus with Opportunities for Book Exchange and Library Visits)

Self-Regulated Snacks

10:45-10:55am Focused Learning

10:55-11:05am Mini Body Break (Choices: Cosmic Yoga, Just Dance, GoNoodle)

11:05-12:05pm Learning Centers (Math/Science Focus)

Self-Regulated Snacks

12:05-1:05pm Outdoor Recess (12:05:12:45 pm)

Lunch (12:45-1:05 pm)

1:05-1:45pm ARTS GYM LEARNING

COMMONS

(CENTERS)

ARTS GYM

1:45-2:25pm Free Choice Play

(Focus: Thematic (i.e., Superhero, Halloween etc), Mystery, Wonder, Building Fluency and Computations)

2:25-2:35pm Focused Learning/Show & Share

2:35-2:45pm Home Time

#2: Self-Regulated Snack Time

We recognize that eating healthy snacks is

important! We also recognize that students are less focused and less

active on empty stomachs. We therefore have

eliminated set times for snacks. The snacks center will be open throughout the day and students can visit it anytime they are

feeling hungry.

Image Source:http://learninginroom122.blogspot.ca/2015/09/our-2015-learning-environment.html

Snack Tips

1. Avoid bringing peanut butter/by-nut products as well as items that give off strong scents.

2. Refer to the Food Guide for information about balanced meals.

3. Keep it healthy – sliced fruits and vegetables, cheese strings, Yoplait drinks, cereal, yogurt, etc.

4. Avoid food that are fried, high in sugar, and saturated in oils and fats.

4. Use re-usable containers to avoid unnecessary trash.

5. Create rotating meal schedules so that the child does not have the same snacks each day.

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/en/apple-slices-apple-fruit-560909/

#3: Self-Regulated Washroom Breaks

At the beginning of each year, we spendsome time teaching self-regulated washroom breaks through hands-on, playful learning:

• Students learn to determine the besttime for washroom breaks.

• Students learn to determine timeswhere washroom breaks are not ideal.

• Students learn not to hold “it” in until the last minute.

• Students learn about taking turns to avoid traffic collisions.

• Students learn to check the success criteria for using washroom before exiting.

Image Source:https://in.pinterest.com/explore/classroom-bathroom/

Poster to be added to washroom area.

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/classroom-bathroom/?lp=true

Poster added to washroom area near the exit. Students are to check off each step before exiting the washroom.

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/classroom-bathroom/?lp=true

#4: Student-Centric LearningIn the Kindergarten program, we encourage self-directed learning in all our children. Our goal is to empower each child to regulate the flow of their day on their own.

1. Planning Board – students use the planning board to see what activities are open at which time. They place a popsicle stick with their name under the activity that they would like to do. At the end of each day, students use a checklist to mark the activities they did. The goal is to try at least 5 activities by the end of each week.

2. Learning Goals/Success Criteria (with pictures) - are clearly posted at each station so that students know what is expected of them.

3. Resources – are clearly labelled for easy identification. They are also clearly laid out and are within reach for students. Each station will have cubbies (that are clearly labelled) with all the materials that they will need for their learning.

4. Timetable – is posted on the whiteboard so that students know what they will be focusing on in each period.

Every time a new center is introduced, some time will be spent explaining and modelling expectations using hands-on experiences.

Clearly communicated learning goals and success criteria.

Image Source:http://mondaymollymusings.blogspot.ca/2012/10/learning-goals-samples-part-3.html

Planning Board

Image Source: https://au.pinterest.com/explore/kindergarten-center-management/?lp=true

Sample checklist to facilitate easy transition and to be used for assessment purposes.

Image Source: https://au.pinterest.com/pin/555983516481103313/

#5: Classroom Management Expectations

All students in the Kindergarten program are taught to assess their own feelings, levels of

energy, moods, and pro-social behavior using Zones of

Regulation. Using a simple checklist/survey, students will be

required to check-in on their readiness to learn once in the

morning, once before lunch, and once in the afternoon. Should

they feel they are not in the “green zone”, they will identify

strategies that will help them get to it. Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/zones-of-regulation/

#6: Varying the Resources

We recognize that English may not be the mother tongue of many of our students. We also recognize the importance of teaching children other languages other than English at

an early age.

• The classroom library will be stocked with books in the following languages: Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Spanish Turkish, French and Hindi. Please let us know if

your child speaks another language that was not mentioned.

• The school’s learning commons will have a section dedicated to literature in languages other than English.

We are committed to building a strong foundation for literacy success in multiple languages.

#7: Themes

Each month, students will focus their play-based learning on 1-2 themes. A variety of learning activities will be made available to students. Students will receive a

checklist that they will complete and submit at the end of each week. Students will also apply their knowledge of tic-tac-toe game as they are completing each center

and checking them off.

THEME(S)

September SUPERHEROES, PETS

October HALLOWEEN, FALL

November STRUCTURES IN COMMUNITY

December HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

January WINTER

February VALENTINES, NURSERY RHYMES

March HEALTHY ME

April OUTER SPACE, PERSONAL SAFETY

May SPRING TIME

June COMMUNITY HELPERS

SAMPLE LIST OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES LINK TO MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCESDRAMATIC PLAY INTERPERSONAL, KINESTHETIC

WORK ON WRITING – LETTERS, STORIES, CARTOONS LINGUISTIC, INTRAPERSONAL

PUZZLES LOGICAL, MATHEMATICAL, SPATIAL

MINI BODY BREAKS KINESTHETIC, SPATIAL, MUSICAL

BLOCK BUILDING KINESTHETIC, SPATIAL

MAKE BELIEF PLAY (AT THE RESTAURANT, IN THE HOME

ETC.)

INTERPERSONAL, LINGUSTIC, SPATIAL)

SORTING ACTIVITIES MATHEMATICAL, LOGIC

BLOCK BUILDING BODILY KINESTHETIC

“I WONDER” AND “MYSTERY ITEMS” LINGUISTIC, INTRAPERSONAL

LISTEN TO READING LINGUISTIC, INTRAPERSONAL

READING TO SELF LINGUISTIC, INTRAPERSONAL, SPATIAL

#8: Multi-sensory

There will be at least one “I wonder” station in the Kindergarten Classroom. Students will use all 5 of their senses to identify and describe the item being presented. Books about each products will be displayed for student to learn more information about each item.

Items may include:

• Salt• Pepper

• Pine Cones • Leaves• Rocks

• Mystery Fruit• Sand

• Mystery Vegetables