Embedded Files
Kindergarten has two, one hour ELA blocks of instruction. The first hour is a Skills Block which focuses on foundational reading skills aligned with the science of reading. The second hour focuses on using those skills to create authentic learning experiences. They have four overarching topics of study through the school year. The first module of study focuses on Building Literacy in a Collaborative Classroom using Toys and Play.
Unit 1: The school year begins by setting the stage for student norms and behaviors for sharing and interacting with peers. Kindergarteners have structured conversations utilizing role play and guided discovery of toys while reading the anchor text, Llama, Llama Time to Share.
Unit 2: The next unit has student think about what makes a toy and toy, and what makes them fun? They learn to sort and describe using attributes and begin to discuss and write about their own toy preferences using ideas from the text, Toys Galore.
Unit 3: In this last unit students learn about historical toys by reading the text, Playing with Friends: Comparing Past and Present. Students then interview a classmate about their preferred toy and produce and informational writing piece and illustration about that toy. The unit culminates by using the Engineering and Design Process to create a toy of their own to share with the class.
Guiding Questions:
What can we do to make playing together fun?
What makes toys fun?
Which classroom toy do I prefer? Why do I prefer that classroom toy?
What toys do others prefer? Why do they prefer them?
Module 2 focuses on Learning through Science and Story while learning about Weather Wonders.
Unit 1: Students use a variety of informational texts to study weather and create journals to track their learning and create individual meteorologist's notebooks. This unit also has brought in our own local experts with visits from WAOW meteorologists Justin Loew.
Unit 2: This unit has students analyze how weather affects people differently throughout the world. Students engage in texts such as, Come on Rain!, One Hot Summer Day, and many more while continuing to track our local weather in their journals.
Unit 3: The last unit in this Module has students listen to te story, The Snowy Day, and use this to jump start discussions of how weather affects what people do and wear on a daily basis. Students end the Module by writing and illustrating an imaginary narrative about how weather on a particular day affected what a person did and wore. They go through the revision process and prepare a final draft to share at a Weather Expo as a culmination activity.
Guiding Questions:
What is weather? How can I be prepared for any type of weather?
What is weather like around the world?
How does weather affect people? How can I write a story that teachers my reader about weather?
Module 3 explores living things in the natural world with a case study on trees and all the living things that depends on them.
Unit 1: Students learn what makes things living and nonliving utilizing the text, What's Alive. They also plan and conduct investigations by observing and caring for seedlings while recording their observations in their Research Notebooks.
Unit 2: Students turn their focus to the needs of animals and how trees help to meet those needs. They read the story, Be a Friend to Trees, and do research on how trees provide food for animals.
Unit 3: This unit builds on students understanding as they utilize their research skills to research a specific tree. They then complete science talks where they report on the tree's needs and how it supports other living things. Students turn this learning into tree collage with an informative writing piece to share with families and friends.
Guiding Questions:
What do all living things need to live and grow?
What do researchers do?
How do we know that something is living?
How do living things depend on trees to meet their needs?
What patterns can we observe in how living things meet their needs?
Module 4 turns all of this learning into a focus on how we can contribute to a better world. Using thier knowledge built in Module 3, students explore how they can make a meaningful contribution in their own community.
Unit 1: This unit focuses on how people enjoy trees by analyzing texts like, A Tree for Emmy and Oliver's Tree. Students learn about how these character's enjoy trees and gain ideas of how they could fill a need in our own community.
Unit 2: Studdnets will study the informational text, A Tree is Nice, to learn about author's opinion and supporting reasons. They will also read, Trees of Kenya, to learn about where people plant trees and ultimately use that information to write an opinion piece about where they would plant a tree and why.
Unit 3: Students apply the knowledge and skills built to create a Tree Appreciation Card and advocate for the appreciate of trees in their community.
Guiding Questions:
How and why are trees important to us and our communitites?
How can we inspire others to appreciate and enjoy trees?
Mrs. Logan Bezlyk
Mrs. Logan Bezlyk
lbezlyk@spencer.k12.wi.us
Mrs. Sheri Tomke
Mrs. Sheri Tomke
stomke@spencer.k12.wi.us
Mrs. Janet Wolf
Mrs. Janet Wolf
jwolf@spencer.k12.wi.us
School District of Spencer
School District of Spencer
Student First | Rocket Family
Mission
We nurture students to be resilient, collaborative problem-solvers who strive to be lifelong learners.
Vision
Graduate successful individuals who will positively contribute to society.
Values
Integrity | Accountability | Teamwork | Growth | Achievement
Motto
Inspire, Educate, and Celebrate
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