Kindergarten Themes
Kindergarten Themes
Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion in Action = Choose Love
This Week in Choose Love: Gratitude
This quarter, our kindergarteners are focusing on the powerful ingredient of Gratitude. This week, our class will listen to The Thankful Book by Todd Parr. This delightful story will inspire wonderful conversations about appreciating the everyday things that make us happy—from warm bubble baths to big hugs.
Following the story, the children will creat their very own Thankful Turkey crafts! Each feather on their turkey represents something special your child is grateful for this season.
Bring the Learning Home: 🏠
Gratitude is a practice that grows strongest when shared together. Here are simple ways you can nurture gratitude at home:
Daily Gratitude Check-In: At bedtime or around the dinner table, invite everyone to share one favorite moment or thing they felt thankful for that day.
Model Thankfulness: Highlight small, everyday moments by saying things like, "I'm so thankful for this nice sunny walk," or "Thank you for helping me clear the table."
Gratitude Jar: Keep a jar and scrap paper on the counter. Write down small moments of joy throughout the week to read together as a family.
What Are We Learning in Language Arts?
Dear Family Member:
This week our class will be reading stories about sounds we hear in our neighborhoods and communities. Your child will experiment with ways to make sounds.
Here are some resources you can use with your child to help reinforce the skills we will be practicing.
Word Workout
Vocabulary: listen, volume Go outside together and invite your child to listen to the sounds in your neighborhood. Talk about what makes the sound. Describe the volume of the sound.
My Words to Know
High-Frequency Word: and Write the word and, then have your child trace it. Have your child search for and circle the word and in a newspaper.
Category Words: sound words Sit outside together and listen for different sounds. Ask your child to identify what is making the sound. Have your child describe the sound.
Phonics: n Search for objects that begin or end with the letter n, such as nails and pan. Write the words on sticky notes and have your child put the notes on each object.
Comprehension: Main Story Elements/Setting
Have your child look closely at the picture of the noisy city. Encourage your child to circle the details of people and objects that make sounds. Discuss what the details tell about the setting.
What Are We Learning in Mathematics?
These are the standards that were taught and assessed during the second quarter.
Criteria for GLOs:
GLO #1 - Self Directed Learner
Works independently on classroom tasks.
Raises hand to ask for help at appropriate times.
Keeps personal desk space and floor area clean and organized.
Completes work on time and independently.
Uses school tools safely and responsibly.
Sets a simple, achievable learning goal and completes important tasks first.
GLO #2 - Community Contributor
Cooperates with, helps, and encourages peers during group activities.
Helps the group stay focused with mindful behaviors.
Respects other people's feelings, ideas, and personal belongings.
Listens to and considers others' points of view without interrupting.
Follows school/class rules and demonstrates safe, safe behaviors.
Makes good choices based on identifying right and wrong.
GLO #3 - Complex Thinker
Applies prior knowledge and past experiences when learning new things or
fixing a problem
Explains his/her thinking and details why an answer is correct.
Double-checks work to independently notice and fix mistakes.
Attempts to solve tricky problems using different strategies before asking for
assistance.
GLO #4 - Quality Producer
Completes work neatly and accurately.
Uses success criteria, checklists, or rubrics to guide and check work.
Identifies a simple goal and uses self-assessment to check how they are doing.
GLO # 5 - Effective Communicator
Speaks clearly using an appropriate volume and eye contact with the audience.
Listens to gain information and understand new things.
Follows oral directions promptly and independently.
Communicates effectively through drawing, speaking, and writing
Expresses ideas in complete sentences
Communicates with age appropriate vocabulary
GLO # 6 - Effective and Ethical User of Technology
Uses technology (pencils, scissors, glue, iPads, etc.) appropriately and safely for
their intended purpose.
Uses devices (iPads) or media (books) to look up information and learn new
things.
Uses devices or classroom tools to make, build, or create projects.
Names and explains how technology helps us at home and at school.
Follows classroom tech rules and takes physical care of devices.
Language Arts:
Reading Literature:
RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RL.K.2 With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
RL.3 With prompting and support, identify characters and their feelings, settings, major events (plot), problems, and solutions in a story
SL.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting
and support, provide additional detail.
RL. 4 With prompting and support, determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
1. Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately (e.g., knowing duck is a bird and learning the verb to duck).
SL.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get
information, or clarify something that is not understood.
L.3 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content:
L.4 With guidance and support from adults, explore word
relationships and nuances in word meanings
RL.5 Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems) (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)
RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
RL.9 With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
RL.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
Reading: Informational
RI.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
SL.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented
orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key
details and requesting clarification if something is not understood
Ri.2 With prompting and support, identify the main/central topic and retell key details of a text.
SL.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting
and support, provide additional detail.
RI.3 With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
SL.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting
and support, provide additional detail.
RI.K.4 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
RI.5 Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.
RI.K.6 Name the author and illustrator of a text and define the role of each in presenting the ideas or information in a text
RI.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between visual aids and the text in which they appear (e.g., what person, place, thing, or idea in the text a visual aid depicts)
RI.9 With prompting and support, identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
RI.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
Reading: Foundational Skills
RF.1 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
a. Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.
b. Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.
c. Understand that words are separated by spaces in print.
d. Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
(only letters - Mm, Pp, Ss, Aa, Tt, Ii, Nn, Cc, Oo, Dd)
e. Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence:
First word capitalization
Ending punctuation
RF.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
a. Recognize and count individual words in a spoken sentence
b. Recognize and produce rhyming words.
c. Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in multisyllabic words
d. Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words
e. Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds
(phonemes) in 3-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words, not including those ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/
RF.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a.Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary sound for each consonant, and all 5 vowels. (only Mm, Pp, Ss, Aa, Tt, Ii, Nn, Cc, Oo, Dd)
b. Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the 5 major vowels (closed and open syllables) (short a, i, o)
c. Accurately read regularly spelled one-syllable words in isolation and in
text, including:
Vowel-Consonant (VC)
CVC
CV
All of the above word types with digraphs sh, ch, and th
d. Read common grade-appropriate decodable and irregularly-spelled high-
frequency words by sight (e.g., can, the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).. (I, can, see, we, a, the, like, to, and, go, you, do, zero, one, two, three,
four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple,
pink, black, brown, white, gray)
RF.4 Demonstrate emergent fluency through
a. Fluent letter and sound identification
b. Fluent decoding of taught phonics patterns in single words
c. Fluent decoding of taught phonics patterns in connected decodable text
Writing Foundations:
W.1 Demonstrate and apply correct handwriting skills
a. Write upper- and lowercase manuscript letters using correct letter formation with guidance and support (only Mm, Pp, Ss, Aa, Tt, Ii, Nn, Cc, Oo, Dd)
b. Write left to right using appropriate spacing between words.
W.2 Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words:
a. Write a letter or letters for consonant and short vowel sounds.
b. Represent phonemes in simple words, using letter-sound relationships, including phonetic spellings of unknown words.
c. Spell common, regular, single-syllable words
VC (Vowel-Consonant) (e.g., at, in)
CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) (e.g., pet, mud) word
d. Spell common, grade-appropriate decodable and irregularly-spelled high-frequency words
W.3 Demonstrate command of the conventions of English when writing simple sentences:
a. Produce and expand complete sentences.
b.Recognize and name end punctuation
c. Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I
Writing:
W.K.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).
W.4 With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from peers and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
W.6 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them
a. With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question
Speaking & Listening:
SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.K.1a Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
SL.K.1b Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges
SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
SL.K.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
SL.K.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
SL.K.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
Language:
L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Use frequently occurring nouns and verbs.
e. Produce and expand complete sentences in shared language
activities.
L.K.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.
Recognize and name end punctuation.
Write a letter or letters for most consonant and short-vowel sounds (phonemes).
Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.
L.3 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content:
Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately (e.g., knowing duck is a bird and learning the verb to duck).
L.4 With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings:
Sort common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods) to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent.
c. Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g.,
note places at school that is colorful
L.5 Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
Math:
Counting & Cardinality
K.CC.1 Count to 100 by tens.
K.CC.2 Rote count forward to 20.
Rote count forward to 20 from any given number.
K.CC.3. Represent numbers up to 10 using pictures, numerals, and number names.
K.CC.4 Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities.
a. When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order pairing each object with
one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object (one to
one correspondence).
b. Count up to 15 items demonstrating the order-irrelevance principle (The number of objects is
the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.)
c. Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.
K.CC.5 Count up to 20 items demonstrating the cardinality principle
Geometry
K.G..1 Use informal language to describe the position of objects.
Operations & Algebraic Thinking
K.OA.1 Represent equality in addition contexts
Represent addition with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds (e.g., claps),
acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations.
K.OA.3 Decompose numbers up to 10
K.OA.5 Fluently solve addition equations within 5.
Write numbers from 0-10 with proper formation.
Science:
Earth and Space Science:
K-ESS3-2 Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for,
and respond to severe weather.
Engineering:
K-2-ETS1-1 Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to
change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or
improved object or tool.
K-2-ETS1-2 Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object
helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
Social Studies:
History
SS.K.2.17.1 Sequence important events in your life
SS.K.2.19.2 Explain the effects of an event in your life
SS.K.2.18.3 Describe an event from two different perspectives
Career & Technical Education:
CTE.K.2.1 Explain that current learning relates to life outside the classroom
CTE.K.2.2 Identify various workers and their jobs in the community (custodian, health aide, veteran)
Health:
NHES.1.2.2 Recognize that there are multiple dimensions of health.
Fine Arts: Visual
CR - Conceiving and developing art ideas and work
1 Generate and conceptualize art ideas and work.
2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
3 Refine and complete artistic work.
Fine Arts: Performance
FA.K.2.2 Demonstrate simple representation of high and low, short and long, loud and soft, fast and slow.
Physical Education:
K-2.1.1 Use basic locomotor skills in initial (immature) form alone, with a partner, and in small groups
K-2.2.1 Use basic movement concepts related to space, time, effort, and relationships (e.g., personal space,
fast/slow, strong/light, under/over)
K-2.2.2 Identify basic rules for safe participation in physical activities
K-2.3.1 Participate regularly in physical activities
K-2.3.2 Describe the social and emotional benefits of participating in physical activities
K-2.4.1 Identify physiological indicators that accompany moderate to vigorous physical activities
Computer Science
1A-IC-16 - Compare how people live and work before and after the implementation or adoption of new computing technology.
1A-AP-11 - Decompose (break down) the steps needed to solve a problem into a precise sequence of instructions.
1A-IC-17 - Work respectfully and responsibly with others online.
1A-IC-18 - Keep login information private, and log off of devices appropriately.
1A-AP-08 - Model daily processes by creating and following algorithms (sets of step-by-step instructions) to complete tasks.
1A-AP-09 - Model the way programs store and manipulate data by using numbers or other symbols to represent information.
1A-AP-12 - Develop plans that describe a program's sequence of events, goals, and expected outcomes.