Classroom Overview
Kindergarten Families,
This year will be my sixth year teaching Kindergarten and 4rd year at GCS. I am very excited about this school year and hope you are too! Kindergarten is a wonderful time of growing and changing and the start to a successful school experience.
This is the start to a great year that will encompass learning, play, friendships, and exploration. We will spend our first six weeks focusing on building a sense of community, establishing rules, and getting to know each other and our classroom. To help the student get to know the materials in our classroom we go through a series of “guided discoveries.” A guided discovery is a method in which the materials are gradually introduced, practiced, and expectations are set on how we will use them. The first six weeks are incredibly important, as these weeks are intended to create a respectful, self-directed group of learners that will work together throughout the year. Below are some important things to know as we continue.
I have attached some classroom information you may want to be aware of, and a synopsis of our curriculum. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with me regarding any aspect of your child’s education. Feel free to write a note, email or call the school and we can talk, or set up a time to meet.
Warmly,
Ms. Davis
GCS phone #431-6723
Email: edavis@sau50.org
Every Day Folder:
This is your child’s Every Day Folder! It will be important for this folder to go home and come back to school each and every day. This folder will be the means of delivering newsletters, important school information, homework, and any work your child has done. Some days your child will come home with an empty folder and other days it will be full depending on handouts and if there is homework that night. Even if the folder is empty please be sure to continue the routine of taking it out each night and sending it back to school the next day. We hope to keep these folders all year so please do your best to keep them in the best condition as possible.
Specials (Unified Arts)
The children will have Physical Education, Art, Media, and Music. Two specials will take place on Fridays each week. Please make sure your child has sneakers for PE, and on Art days dress appropriately for paint, clay, markers, etc.
Snack:
Please pack your child with a healthy snack and drink daily. I try to encourage parents to pack water as the drink due to spills.
Lunch Money:
If you are sending in money for lunch exc. please be sure to clearly label your child’s name, and how much is supposed to be enclosed.
Extra Clothes:
Please pack your child an extra pair of clothes in case of an accident, spill, or any other messes that can occur in Kindergarten!
Dismissal:
Dismissal will be a whole new routine to learn and practice for the children so it will be very important to have lots of communication if there will be any changes to your child’s dismissal plan. If there is a change in dismissal it will be IMPORTANT to send a note in your child’s Every Day Folder AND call the office and let them know. If the office or myself are unaware or do not have a note we will be required to send your child to their normal dismissal destination. It will also be important to know that if your child is taking the bus home they will need to have an adult waiting for them at the bus stop. The bus driver will not let your child off the bus unless there is someone there.
Communication:
There is a telephone in the classroom but it does not give notification of a voicemail or missed call. Therefore if there is a voicemail left for me, there is a chance I won’t get back as fast. The best way to reach me is by email, and if there is a need for a phone conversation I’d be happy to set up a time to do so!
Field Trips
On hold until further notice due to COVID-19
Toys
Parents are asked to monitor their child’s backpack for toys. Toys being brought to school usually end up causing unwanted distractions, broken mishaps or lost. Please remind your child to leave their toys at home. Thanks!
Parent Volunteers
On hold until further notice due to COVID-19
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A brief synopsis of our K curriculum follows:
Language Arts and Reading
This is our second year implementing “Lucy Calkins Units of Study for Teaching Reading” in Kindergarten. This series of Guided Reading workshops provides comprehensive teaching points, mini lessons, conferences and small group and individual leveled reading. We will cover four units- “We Are Readers,” “Super Powers-Reading With Print Strategies and Sight Word Power,” “Bigger Books, Bigger Reading Muscles,” and “Becoming Avid Readers,” by the end of the school year.
Our prime focus will be the first two units for a strong trajectory of growth. Our phonics and handwriting program is called “Wilson Fundations.” Please see the attached explanation for this program.
Additionally we will be working with the “Write Source” writing program to build upon and develop our writing skills, through teacher modeling, whole group and independent instruction and student practice.
Math
GCS uses Math in Focus to guide our math curriculum. Math in Focus offers a strategic, articulated sequence of topics that are developed in depth to allow for true mastery. The Kindergarten program is fully aligned with the Common Core Standards-Standards for Mathematical Content and Standards for Mathematical Practice.
Science
We cover the three components of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for Kindergarten- Physical Science (Forces and Interactions: Pushes and Pulls), Life Science (Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems), and Earth Science (Weather and Climate). Many integrated thematic units are incorporated throughout the year and we use an online resource called “MYSTERY Science”- lessons to inspire kids to love science! Mystery Science features multimedia science units for K-5. Each lesson starts by posing a question commonly asked by kids, like "Do plants eat dirt?" or "Why are so many toys made out of plastic?" A series of short videos and prompts then guides a class discussion, followed by an experiment that can be done as a class.
Health
For health lessons we implement “The Great Body Shop” health curriculum into our day. It is a comprehensive health, substance abuse and violence prevention program for grades K through 6.
Social Studies
Our social studies curriculum is quite broad. It too is often integrated into other subject areas. Areas covered include: families, needs and wants, neighborhoods, geography, famous people in history, and holidays.
Social Emotional Learning Curriculum
Our Kindergarten SeL curriculum has 5 components
Relationship skills
Responsible decision making
Self awareness
Self Management
Social awareness
Activities to support this learning are embedded throughout our day!