Welcome to Kindergarten Curriculum Night

Teacher – Ms. DeanLake Wilderness Elementary - Room 1A

hdean@tahomasd.us

A Little About Ms. Dean I live in Maple Valley.I have two boys: Graham (10) and Liam (4).I have been teaching kindergarten for 10 years

(9 years at Lake Wilderness).My hobbies include:

RunningHot YogaFootballCampingStarbucks My boys’ activities

What is Kindergarten?

Kindergarten is the best grade EVER!

I love teaching this age and the excitement the kids have for learning and school!

Report CardsReport cards come home in November,

March and June

Parent conferences are in November only

Learning CentersWhat are centers?

Stations that are set up around the room that are designed for a specific activity

Literacy centers (AM) and Math centers (PM)

Why use centers?Promotes independence and responsibilityHelp develop social skillsEngaging – They are a favorite among

kindergarteners!Allows for pull-out time so that I can work one-on-

one or in small groups with students on specific skills

MathDistrict Curriculum: Math Expressions

Kindergarten Math Concepts/SkillsIdentifying numbersCountingShapesWriting numbersAddition and SubtractionReal-life applicationsCalendar concepts

ReadingIndependent

Silent readingCenter-time activities

SharedReading together on the carpet squares

GuidedSmall Group Reading – students are grouped by

ability or skills and taught in a small-group setting (during literacy centers)

ReadingWhat are your responsibilities?

Read the “I can read” binders – comes home this Friday, return on Monday, leave all papers in the binder.

Sight Word Cards (October) – sight word practice

Read At Home (November) – book bag that comes home nightly

RAZ kids (November) – online computer reading program that we use in class too

Writing WorkshopA few things I want you to know:

We write stories in kindergarten.We learn about different types of writing.Phonetic spelling is OKAY! DO NOT spell

words for your child!

Types of writing we do in kindergarten:Narrative (Fall/Winter)Informational (Winter)Opinion (Spring)

Narrative Stories(Writing Workshop)

Handwriting Handwriting Without Tears

Uses hands on, manipulative learning to teach the correct letter formation.

Encourage your child to:Start letters from the top!Hold a pencil correctlyUse the same “language” that is used in class

to form letters (see handout) – Big line, little line, big curve, little curve

Integrated CurriculumScience and Social Studies integrated with

reading, writing and math activities

Our units include:Fall: Communities Winter: Our WorldSpring: The Environment (lifecycle units)

VolunteersYou must complete volunteer paperwork

before you can volunteer at LWES or chaperone field trips.

I will send out a calendar at the beginning of each month to remind you of your volunteer days.

Field TripsPumpkin Patch Field Trip:

October 15th (permissions slips to come soon, you can request to chaperone at that time)

Fire Station Usually in December or January Walking field trip

Spring Fieldtrip Undecided at this time!

Fridays!Friday is Popcorn Day: Please send 3 box

tops OR 25 cents taped to a piece of paper or index card to school on Fridays if you would like to purchase popcorn. Popcorn is purchased at first recess for snack. There are other options like fruit leather.

Friday is school spirit day! Send your child to school in their Dolphin shirts or Lake Wilderness school colors (blue/green).

RemindersDistrict Calendar: Please note the days that

your kindergartener will not come to school.

Folders: Come home on EVERYDAY. Please return folders in your child’s backpack on EVERYDAY!

Book Fair is in library A all this week!

Ms. Dean’s Classroom Wishlist:Baby wipes (unscented)Kirkland/clorox wipesButtons Gallon Ziploc baggiesStickers/prize box prizesPete the Cat books by Pete LitwinPiggie and Elephant books by Mo

WillemsCrayola water color paintsCrayola crayonsBlack flair pens (fine tip)

Questions???