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Curriculum

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Curriculum

Below is a general guide to my curriculum. It does not include all aspects of my teaching, but it gives you an idea of the areas we focus on in kindergarten. The NYS Common Core Standards can be found on my website for your reference.

Phonics & Handwriting

  • Alphabet Letter Study
    • Write, recognize and make sounds
  • Sight Word Study
    • 50+ Kindergarten Sight Words
  • Phonological Awareness
    • Rhyming, Syllables, initial/medial/ending sounds, Phoneme Blending/Segmenting…
  • Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears
    • Uppercase letters Sept-Jan and Lowercase letters Feb-June
    • Tools: mat with wooden lines/curves, mini chalkboards, magnetic boards, Ipad Apps

Reading and Writing

  • Reading: Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarks
    • Instructional Level B by January (end of Q2)
    • Instructional Level C by April (end of Q3)
    • Instructional Level D by June (end of Q4)
  • Guided Reading: small group instruction with teacher based on level
  • Lucy Caulkins: Writer’s Workshop
    • Unit 1: Narrative Writing
    • Unit 2: Information Writing
    • Unit 3: Opinion Writing
  • Skills Include: Drawing a picture(s) to tell a story, writing letters/sounds that match the picture, writing simple sentences without conventions, and eventually complete sentences with appropriate conventions and editing

 

Math

  • Math In Focus Program (4 part lessons)
    • Investigate: Children sing, clap, rhyme and discuss colorful, playful scenes presented in the Big Book while relating it to math
    • Discover: Hands-on work in small groups or pairs to allow children to act out or engage with a new math idea
    • Explore: Reinforces and enhances concepts as children go one step further with a concept
    • Apply: Provides children the opportunity to work independently with paper/pencil to practice a newly learned concept
  • Topics Include:
    • Numbers to 0-20, Order by Size, Length and Weight, Size and Position, Solid and Flat Shapes, Numbers to 100, Comparing Sets, Ordinal Numbers, Patterns, Counting on and Counting Back, Number Facts, Length and Height, Classifying and Sorting, Addition, Subtraction, Measurement

 

Social Studies

  • Linked to Common Core Standards
  • Units:
    • Unit 1: All About Me
    • Unit 2: How Can I Be a Good Citizen?
    • Unit 3: Understanding Economics

 

  • Other Topics Include:
    • Q1: Fall Season, Fire Safety, Patriots Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving
    • Q2: Holidays Around the World, Winter Season, MLK Jr. Day
    • Q3: Valentine’s Day, Hundredth Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Groundhog’s Day, President’s Day, Spring Season
    • Q4: Earth Day, Families, Summer Season

 

Science 21

  • Science 21 is composed of three Units of study
    • Unit 1: Weather and Climate
    • Unit 2: Forces and Interactions: Pushes and Pulls
    • Unit 3: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems; Animals, Plants and their Environment
  • Lessons include:
    • Whole group mini lesson
    • Literacy connections with a read aloud
    • Science Notebook for students to record their scientific thoughts
    • Opportunities for music and movement through engaging science related songs

 

MindUP

  • MindUP teaches social and emotional learning skills that link cognitive neuroscience, positive psychology and mindful awareness training utilizing a brain centric approach.
  • I utilize this curriculum as a set of expectations for students and classroom management.
    • Teaching children about their brain and its’ functions
    • Learning about and actively using methods to have self-control and how to self-regulate behavior
    • Nurtures optimism and happiness in the classroom
    • Helps eliminate bullying and aggression
    • Increases empathy and compassion
    • Check out the website for more information and use it at home: http://thehawnfoundation.org/mindup/