Back to School Night Information

Literacy: What Readers Do

¨ Read the words on the page.

¨ Use pictures to support comprehension.

¨ Make inferences about characters and plot.

¨ Make connections to other books.

¨ Make connections to their world.

¨ Summarize.

¨ Ask Questions.

¨ Make Predictions.

Reading Program

¨ Harcourt Curriculum: School adoption taught whole class and in small groups.

¨ Practice Phonemic Awareness

¨ Practice Reading Strategies

¨ Vocabulary

¨ Sight words

¨ Spelling: Authentically assessed using student writing instead of tests.

¨ Daily 5 Routines: Develop the habit of reading, writing and discussing work everyday.

¨ Builds Independence

¨ Read independently and with a partner

¨ Listen to books on tape

¨ Write in their journal

¨ Work with a small group led by teacher

Writing: 6+1 Traits

¨ Ideas and Content: Has a clear topic.

¨ Organization: Beginning, Middle and End.

¨ Sentence Fluency: Simple sentences convey meaning.

¨ Voice: Individual expression.

¨ Word Choice: Use of accurate words.

¨ Conventions: Phonetic spelling and sight words. Using capitals and end punctuation.

¨ Presentation: Letters are correct and writing is accompanied by a detailed picture.

Everyday Math

¨ Numbers and Numeration: Counting, estimating, representing and comparing numbers.

¨ Operations and Computation: Exploring the meaning of and developing strategies to solve addition and subtraction.

¨ Data and Chance: Collection and organizing data.

¨ Measurement: Using nonstandard tools to estimate and compare weight and length.

¨ Geometry: Exploring 2- and 3-dimensional shapes and lines of symmetry.

¨ Patterns, Functions and Algebra: exploring patterns, sorting by attributes learning the +, - and = symbols.

Science

¨ Comparing and contrasting living and non-living things, as well as animals and plants.

¨ Show that the sun warms land, air and water.

¨ Identify objects seen in the sky.

¨ Make observations about the natural world.

¨ Create structures, disassemble and reassemble them.

Social Studies

¨ Citizenship at home and at school.

¨ Identifying basic human needs.

¨ Reading maps.

¨ Identifying important events in our lives and sequencing them on a timeline.

Homework

¨ Homework will be sent home on Monday and is due first thing on Monday morning.

¨ Homework emphasizes skill practice from what we have learned in class.

¨ Occasionally students will be asked to work on long term projects like the “Star of the Week” 
poster.

¨ The goal of kindergarten homework is to provide extra practice and to begin developing organizational skills for your child’s educational career.

Weekly News and Communication

¨ Monday Memo:  This will be sent out every Monday (or the first school day of the week).  It will include the general learning targets for the week, announcements, and a general outline of what will be going on in class.

¨ Save a Tree: I prefer to send these out electronically (no excess paper use and easier for you to find!).  Please make sure I have your email address so I can send this to you.  Emails remain private in group message.

¨ Important messages, announcements and deadlines will be sent to you via email.