We use a variety of resources to build strong foundational skills in phonemic awareness and phonics. Phonics Units of Study is our phonics curriculum. Michael Heggerty is a call and response phonemic awareness program used. Words Their Way is a phonics based curriculum that focuses on differentiated teachings of phonics rules and student practice with games and activities. We will also use teacher led small group work to provide differentiated phonics instruction. Students will be monitored throughout each trimester to match appropriate word sorts, activities and specific skills for their learning needs.

Reading Units of Study is an integrated curriculum that builds student foundational reading skills and strategies. Students in Kindergarten will engage in five integrated units of study throughout the school year. Each unit is connected with the Writing Units of Study and Phonics Units of Study curriculums. We will also be covering all of the Kindergarten Common Core Standards throughout the year. Reading instruction includes listening and reading comprehension, early literacy behaviors and concepts about print, learning to decode words, and make meaning from the words. 

Writing Units of Study (WUOS) helps students develop and refine strategies for writing. Students learn through explicit writing lessons and supported writing opportunities. Our units in Kindergarten will be narrative writing, opinion writing, “How to,” and information writing. Support will be provided through small groups and individual conferencing. Students will be taught to plan, draft, revise and edit their own writing. Developmental spelling is encouraged so that the flow of language and ideas are not interrupted. Additional writing will take many forms; including journal writing, shared writing and writing across subject areas.

One of the major goals of Kindergarten reading is to become fluent reading high-frequency words. We will help build sight word recognition during guided reading centers, morning work activities, sight word homework flashcards and using our word wall throughout the day to help with writing. We will send home sight word flash cards later in the year.

The Handwriting Without Tears program is our handwriting curriculum.  Skills that will be developed through the program include proper pencil grip and posture for writing, correct formation of letters and numbers, appropriate sizing and correct placement for letters and words, basic sentence writing structure, and consistent handwriting habits for writing fluency.  Students will practice their handwriting skills through workbooks and daily writing lessons. Mrs. Fried, our Occupational Therapist will also be supporting our classroom to support students' fine motor development if needed.

Reading and Math Intervention or WIN Time (What I Need) will take place 4 days per week for 30 minutes (30 minutes for reading intervention and 30 minutes for math intervention). During this intervention time, students will be divided into differentiated reading and math groups. Groups will be targeted to improve reading and math skills and will be specialized to fit each student’s specific needs. We are fortunate that Mrs. Jane Sheth, our Language Arts Specialist, will be a reading resource for the kindergarten classes and will work with the students in small groups as needed, as well as having two teachers and a teaching assistant, Mrs. Stanton to help make our small groups even smaller! 

District 97 has embraced a commitment for students to experience in-depth investigations in the physical, earth and life science frames by the conceptual themes of systems, models, stability, patterns of change, evolution and scale (THE SCIENCE REPORT). There are three science units provided by Foss Curriculum that emphasizes basic science concepts and content while developing the process skills. The units are inquiry based with a hands-on approach. Students will practice observing and questioning various scientific concepts. The science units kindergartners will explore this year are: Animals, Air & Water, Materials & Motion.

Social Studies will be integrated throughout all subject areas, especially through our reading and writing curriculum. The goal of this program is to promote the study of history, geography, and citizenship while also strengthening reading and critical thinking skills. Over the course of the year, students will learn the following units: community, weather’s impact on people, transportation, needs & wants, taking care of plants & animals, and biography research projects. 

Eureka Math, and other resources will be used to teach math.  We will follow a math workshop model where students will be exposed to a learning target each day during a ten minute mini-lesson and then break into small groups for differentiated centers. Throughout these concepts, the students will learn how to use problem solving strategies in real life mathematical contexts.  The use of manipulatives is a priority.  Students will experience rich activities and focus deeply on one strand at a time. We will also work on communicating mathematically and making real-world connections.

Second Step is Social/ Emotional curriculum that all of Beye School uses to teach students explicit skills to help them become better students and people! The Second Step program teachers skills for learning (listening, focusing attention, using self-talk, being assertive), empathy (other people's feelings, body language, point of view, offering help and kind words), emotional management (recognizing and naming your feelings, ways to calm down, and using positive self-talk) , and problem solving strategies.

Well that image kind of says it all ;-) Morning Meeting is the time of day where we meet as a class to say good morning, share something about ourselves and learn about our classmates. We work to create a safe place to practice character building skills (listening, speaking, sharing, turn-taking, empathy building, ...). This is done through sharing topics and low stakes/ engaging games and activities. It is also our time of day to preview the day's schedule and work expectations for the day.

Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Math learning and assessment are rooted in the Common Core Standards. These standards are shared across the nation to guide teachers and school districts in what curriculum needs to be mastered in each grade level. Our work in each grade level is meant to be mastered by the end of the school year. Therefore on each trimester's report card, it is typical and expected that many students will receive "Progressing" on many standards, as each standard is written for mastery as the goal for the end of the year.