Kindergarten

What are we doing in the library?

In September, our kindergartners will embark on an exciting journey to discover the world of books by learning how to use the school library. They will be introduced to the library space, explore different types of books, and understand the importance of taking good care of them. Additionally, they will learn the steps for borrowing books, helping to build early responsibility and a lifelong love of reading. This foundational experience will support their literacy development and foster a joyful connection to stories and learning.

Here are some books that we will be reading together:

• Manners with a Library Book by Amanda Doering Tourville

• Do Not Bring your Dragon to the Library by Julie Gassman

Biographies - We will be diving into biographies.  As we read, students will practice using text features like timelines, headings, and pictures to help them better understand what we're reading.

We’ll also focus on putting events in order and seeing how one event leads to another, helping students connect real people to the events that shaped their lives. These lessons support our reading goals by building strong skills in reading nonfiction, using text features, and understanding the sequence of events. We are using the Little People, Big Dreams book series, starting with Shakira.

Hispanic Heritage Month

From September 15th to October 15th, we are honoring Hispanic Heritage Month. We will read the Caldecott Honor book Frida by Yuyi Morales—a beautifully illustrated story about the life of artist Frida Kahlo.

To deepen our understanding, we’ll also watch a virtual author talk with Yuyi Morales on BookBreak. This will give students a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process and help them learn how the author and illustrator brought Frida’s story to life.

October

This month, our students will be using Code & Go Mice to explore the basics of programming! Through fun, hands-on activities, students will learn important skills like sequencing, problem-solving, and giving step-by-step directions. These early coding experiences help build critical thinking in a playful and engaging way! 

We will be reading In a Dark, Dark House by Midori Pham. Students will focus on identifying the characters and setting of the story and will practice retelling key events to demonstrate their understanding of the text. We'll also be reading How to Catch a Witch! Students will practice retelling the story using the words first, next, and last, and will discuss the characters and setting to deepen their understanding of the text. In connection with the ISTE Standards for Students, learners will become Innovative Designers by taking on a creative design challenge—they’ll use their imagination and problem-solving skills to design a clever way to catch the witch!

November

Students will explore the essential question: What Makes a Community? They will read Thank You, Omu by Oge Mora while practicing making and checking predictions, describing characters, and identifying descriptive words from anchor charts. This lesson helps students deepen comprehension, engage with the text, and expand their vocabulary as they learn about the people, places, and roles that make up a community.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, kindergarten students will enjoy a virtual storytime of Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard, learning about culture, family, and tradition. After the story, they will use Playdoh to create their own fry bread, exploring creativity and hands-on learning!

Students will read How to Catch a Turkey, focusing on identifying key details and problem-solving strategies in the story. After reading, they will take on a hands-on design challenge using KEVA planks to create a structure that could “catch a turkey,” applying ISTE standards as Innovative Designers. This activity encourages creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on problem solving while connecting reading comprehension to real-world design and engineering skills.

December

Students will dive into coding this month as they explore the basics of programming with our Dash robots. Through guided challenges, they will practice sequencing, problem-solving, and creative thinking while learning how code can bring a robot to life.

Students will also participate in a festive Book Tasting, sampling a variety of titles across nonfiction, fiction, and early readers. This engaging activity encourages students to explore new genres, discover fresh interests, and build excitement around reading as they “taste-test” books they might not have tried before.

January

This month, kindergarteners will learn about online safety using the Common Sense Education Digital Citizenship curriculum. We will also read Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart, focusing on activating background knowledge to construct meaning and draw inferences. In addition, students will enjoy The Mitten by Jan Brett while practicing making predictions. We will also read Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner and create a Chatterpix of what students think their snowman does at night. 

Starting in January, we will be reading the Colorado Children’s Book Award picture book nominees. Students will explore all 10 titles, vote for their favorite book, and help cast our school’s official vote.              

2026 Colorado Children’s Book Award – Picture Book Nominees

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe

Bitsy Bat, Team Star by Kaz Windness

Broken by X. Fang

Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb and Erin Kraan

Cat Nap by Brian Lies

Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) by Corey R. Tabor

Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat

Old MacDonald Had a Farm E-I-UFO by Zach von Zonk and Benjamin Chaud

Odder: An Otter’s Story by Katherine Applegate and Charles Santoso

To Catch a Ghost by Rachel Michelle Wilson