Kindergarten



|Kindergarten/First Grade Handbook |

|Room 008 |

|2012-2013 |

Welcome to Ms. Bohnert’s Brainy Butterflies

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Welcome to Kindergarten. My name is Ms. Bohnert. I will be your child’s teacher this year in Room 008.

This will be my tenth year teaching Kindergarten at Woerner Elementary. I also have experience with grades 2, 3, 4 and 5. I love teaching Kindergarten and I hope I will be able to use all that I’ve learned over the years to give your child the educational experience he or she is entitled to. We are busy bees!

Being in a Single Gender Classroom

While some aspects of behavior management may be slightly different, the expectations of learning are exactly the same. When students are given the MAP test beginning in 3rd grade and every test they take through Middle, High School and College, there is no consideration of their gender. It is important to keep in mind, the purpose of creating a Single Gender School is to improve academic performance. With your help and support at home, you daughter now has a better chance to do just that! It is going to be a fantastic year!

Table of Contents

First Week To-Do List 2

A Developmentally Appropriate Early Childhood Classroom 3

Literacy Corners focus on reading and writing 3

Daily Schedule 4

Written Communication 4

Arrival and Dismissal 4

Backpacks 5

Supplies 5

Snack Time 5

Food Allergies 5

Birthdays 5

Homework Folders (Homework/Behavior/Reading Log) 6

Homework 6

Lunch 6

Money for Books or Fieldtrips 6

Rest Time 6

Character Education (Discipline) 7

Reporting Progress to Parents 7

Clothing and Shoes 8

Kindergarten Essential Skills 9

Kindergarten Writing Proficiency Checklist 10

LANGUAGE ARTS – GRADE 1- ESSENTIAL SKILLS 11

MATH – GRADE 1- ESSENTIAL SKILLS 11

GRADE 1: WRITING EVALUATION 12

Woerner Arrival & Dismissal Procedures 13

Morning Procedures 13

Absence Policy 13

Dismissal Procedures 14

Woerner Uniform Policy 15

First Week To-Do List

R Read and review packet from Mrs. Meyer. Remove front and back pages. Sign the appropriate forms and return packet as soon as possible.

( Check supply list. (SLPS list OK) Purchase missing items. Send supplies:

Most important: pencil box, back pack, change of clothes and 20

individually wrapped snacks for 1st month.

R Make sure your child has a standard size backpack. Deals and Dollar

Stores have cheap backpacks and uniforms.

R Check with office if you are not sure about lunch payment. (If you send

lunch, no soda or candy please.)

R Make sure you have sent one change of clothing, (pants, socks and

underwear are most important). Place them in a large zip lock bag

(if possible) with your child’s name written on the bag.

R Check Homework Folder every night. Initial calendar to show you

checked your child’s homework and behavior and fill out Reading Log.

R Do not send rest items, (PILLOWS, BLANKETS, NO TOYS OF ANY KIND AT

SCHOOL, INCLUDING BALLS). We only rest about 15 minutes with our

heads down on our tables in our room. If your child requires a longer

rest time, she will be allowed to rest with another Kindergarten class.

A Developmentally Appropriate Early Childhood Classroom

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• Student work is displayed in the room and in the hallway.

• Centers (we also call them Literacy Corners) which are child and teacher directed: (see list below)

• A pocket chart for names, matching sentences, predictable charts, shared reading, and more.

• Large area, for a big group, where the teacher does read-a-louds, shared reading, shared writing, predictable charts and mini-lessons to model writing, as well as some small group activities.

• Table or designated area on floor (we use a table) for doing small group instruction such as Guided Reading and Writing.

Literacy Corners focus on reading and writing

Because our instructional focus is on individualizing instruction to the needs of your child, many lessons will be taught in small groups of children sharing the same needs. One way to facilitate this and ensure that all students are engaged in high quality, meaningful instruction at all times is to develop their ability to self regulate their learning at centers. This is a sample of some centers we will be using in our classroom.

|Word Work:-Make names with magnetic letters |Put numbers in order |

|Word Work:-Beginning Sound Sort- Pocket Chart |Geoboards – Free Explore. |

|Word Work:-Word Family Sort -Pocket Chart |Tang rams: Fill in the patterns/make your own. |

|Word Work:-Making and taking apart words |Alphabet Sort |

|Word Work:-make sight words (white baskets) with magnetic letters |Word Family Sort |

|Word Work:-Letter Arcs |Categories Sort |

|Match, Trace and Write Alphabet Mats |Word Building Sort |

|Word Work – Sight Word Sentence Pocket Chart |Magnetic Daily Word Building |

|Writing Corner |Computer- Starfall and other educational games |

|Listening Corner |Handwriting |

|Big Book: Find ______. Write word and make tally marks. |Leap Desk (letters, numbers, words). |

|Library Corner: Find a book about ____________ and draw a picture. |Language Master |

|Write the title and author. | |

|Sort, count and tally Bears by color. |Radius Learning System: Language and Phonics |

|Re-read new book and add new sight words to dictionary. |Play-dough |

Daily Schedule

|9:10-9:30 a.m. |Do Now (Math Problem of the day or Journaling) |

|9:30-9:50 |Calendar time (Calendar Math activities) |

|9:50-10:00 |Restroom |

|10:00-10:30 |Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Instruction |

|10:30-11:30 |Small Group Work (Guided Reading) |

|11:20-12:00 |Lunch/Recess |

|12:00-12:30 |Rest/Restroom |

|12:30-1:15 |Math |

|1:15-2:15 |Science/Social Studies |

|2:30-3:15 |Workshop/Writing Strategies/Differentiated Instruction |

|3:15-4:00 |Ancillary (PE, Art, Music) |

|4:08 p.m. |Dismissal |

|Schedule may change on days when Ancillary is at an earlier time. All components above are still completed. |

Written Communication

|S[pic]peci |[pic]The district has provided Web Sites for each school. Each teacher will have a |

| |classroom page. The Woerner calendar and news will be on the home page. |

| | or the main SLPS sight |

| | |

| |and follow the links provided. |

| |[pic]Watch for monthly paper calendar and lunch menu from the office. |

| |[pic]Homework is sent home every day (Monday – Thursday). I use one folder for |

| |homework, behavior reporting, star student and a monthly reading log. Please check and |

| |initial this folder every day. |

| |[pic]Watch for notes from the principal and other school wide handouts. Also…make sure |

| |Mrs. Meyer has your current e-mail. She will be sending lots of news via email this |

| |year. |

| |[pic]Be sure your child has a backpack to carry her Homework/Behavior/folder. |

Arrival and Dismissal

Children eating breakfast must be at school by 8:45 a.m.

Children not eating breakfast need to be at school, (in the gym) by 9:05 a.m. Children will be escorted to class at 9:05 a.m. Please do not send your children to school before 9:00 a.m. if they are not eating breakfast. No one will be allowed to play on the playground before school this year. Instead, children will be expected to sit quietly in the gym with a book (that they need to have in their book bag). Please be prompt. We will be doing many things as soon as we enter the classroom which will set the tone and pace for your child’s entire day.

Children will be dismissed at 4:07 p.m. directly outside at the Rear North Exit. Kindergarteners will be brought out the door at approximately 4:05 p.m. to avoid the rush of older children.

Children will not be released from class to parents without a note (or phone call) from the office. You must go to the office first if you are picking up your child for early dismissal. The office will call our room and we will send your child to the office (with an Aid if your child cannot find the office). Please see the Woerner Dismissal and Arrival Policy attached.

Backpacks

are needed for Kindergarten. A regular size is best as a Homework Folder is sent home on a daily basis with homework on Monday-Thursday. Please check and clean out your child’s backpack on a regular basis.

Supplies

Please see the supply list you received when you enrolled your child. As indicated on the list, supplies will be shared.

The following items are not required, but would be appreciated as we use quite a lot of these through the year:

Baby wipes/Wet Ones Paper towels

Napkins Paper or plastic cups

Juice boxes for special treats Construction paper

Copy paper Band-aids

Snack Time

On the first day of each month, each child should bring 20 (number may change) individually wrapped snacks to share with classmates at snack time during that month. Please send items that may be stored for up to one month.

Food Allergies

Please be careful not to purchase snacks that contain peanuts/tree nuts (for those children with peanut or tree nut allergies. If your child’s allergy is severe, please speak with me. It would be best to supply your own snack from home every day.

Birthdays

are a very important time in your child’s life and we will acknowledge your child’s birthday in school on the closest day. This year, we will not be celebrating birthday parties in class. Sorry!

Homework Folders (Homework/Behavior/Reading Log)

I will provide the first folder for your child. Lost or destroyed folders can be replaced for a cost of $2.00. The Homework folder will be used for the following:

• Weekly Homework Packet (Sent home on Monday, returned on Friday).

• Monthly Behavior/Reading Log- There is a box above each day for you to initial. (See Behavior Information on next page)

• Memos and forms from the office. (Left pocket)

• Completed worksheets and art projects. (Right Pocket)

Please remove completed student work at the end of each day or at least weekly.

Homework

Homework will reinforce skills being taught that day or week. It will not be difficult and should only take about 15 minutes or less for each page.

Reading to your child: Part of your child’s homework assignment will be to read to your child and record the name of the book and time spent reading on the reading log. Your child is expected to be read to, or read an average of 15 minutes per day. You may choose any reading material (in your native language) that you and your child enjoy. Before you know it, your child will be reading to you. The closest library is the Carondalet Library on Michigan Ave. Carpenter Library on Grand and the Buder Library on Hampton have great children’s books too. It’s OK to read books in your native language.

Lunch

If your child has to pay either full or reduced lunch fees, it would be very helpful if you could pre-pay by check at the beginning of each week (or month). If you need to send cash, please put it in an envelope or plastic baggie with your child’s name and the amount enclosed, and then place it in her homework folder. I will see it in there. If you send lunch, please do not send large bags of chips, hot fries, soda or candy. These items are not healthy food choices for lunch and seem to affect children’s behavior and mood in the afternoon. They will be sent home or disposed of if they are open.

Money for Books or Fieldtrips

Please send any money for fieldtrips, etc., sealed in an envelope with your child’s name and the amount enclosed written on the front of the envelope.

Rest Time

In room 008, we rest with our heads on our desk.

Do not pillows, blankets, towels or toys. These will be returned home.

Character Education (Discipline)

We are continuing our PBIS program this year at Woerner. Students will be taught correct procedures and behaviors for “All Settings” at school.

To help reinforce the importance of good behavior I will enter a happy straight or sad face in your child’s homework folder every night. A note or phone call will accompany a sad face or repeated inappropriate behaviors.

Please see the school-wide discipline plan. If disrespectful behavior continues, the school-wide discipline consequences will be followed.

Reporting Progress to Parents

While we focus on developing individual skills in Kindergarten, we still need to use common guidelines to make sure your child is ready to move on to first or second grade at the end of the year. You should expect the following information on the dates indicated on the District Calendar.

Progress Reports are sent home at five week intervals if you need to be alerted to some difficulty your child is having at school. On these reports, the Scoring Guide is S for Satisfactory, N for Needs Improvement or U for Unsatisfactory. (Subject to change)

Regular Report Cards are prepared quarterly for all students. Parents are expected to meet with the teacher at the end of the first and third quarters to discuss your child’s progress. You will receive information about this sometime in October.

You may not always see a number or letter grade on your child’s paper in Kindergarten. Many times, children will receive a sticker or happy face. For example, journaling is a creative activity that I don’t usually grade, because I want your child to be positive and not worry about grades during this activity. Only quarterly writing assessments are graded. Some type of graded assessment will be given and recorded for all the skills listed below.

The district has created a new Progress Report for all grade levels to report your child’s progress. Here is a draft copy of the Kindergarten scoring key and a list of the skills that will be assessed. It is much shorter and easier to read than previous years.

KEY

| |Progress |Effort |

| |Consistently demonstrates expected performance |E = Excellent Effort |

|4 = |Independently applies skills |S = Satisfactory Effort |

| |Completes work accurately |P = Progressing |

| | |C = Area of Concern |

| |Usually demonstrates performance | |

|3 = |Needs minimal assistance in applying skills | |

| |Few inconsistencies in work and/or applications | |

| | |Objectives |

| | |+ (plus) = Consistently |

| | |- (minus) = Inconsistently |

| |Sometimes demonstrates expected performance | |

| |Limited understanding of concepts | |

|2 = |Often requires assistance in developing skills | |

| |Inconsistencies in work and/or applications | |

| |Seldom demonstrates expected performance | |

| |Minimal understanding of concepts | |

|1 = |Needs 1- on -1 assistance in applying & developing skills/concepts | |

| |Many inconsistencies in work and applications | |

Clothing and Shoes

Woerner students will be expected to wear uniforms again this year. (See Woerner Uniform Policy at end of handbook). On PE days, children must wear gym shoes. If your child cannot tie her own shoes, please consider buying velcro shoes. They are much safer for children walking in line and running at recess and P.E..

I hope this answers some of your questions. I am really excited about this year. Please call me if you have any questions at 481-8585, and I will return your call as soon as possible. Unless it is an emergency, I cannot take calls at school as there is no phone in my room.

Ms. Debra Bohnert

Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher, Room 008

Woerner Elementary

Kindergarten Essential Skills

The following is a checklist of the skills we will be working on this year.

|Reading Skills: |Communication Arts Skills-con’t: |Social Studies Skills: |

|Recite the alphabet |Writes a simple message of one to three |State first and last name |

|Recognize capital and lowercase letters Aa - Zz|sentences that communicate the writer’s |State address |

|Write Aa - Zz |purpose. |State telephone number |

|Identify rhyming words |Math Skills: |Know parents name |

|Associate sounds of Aa - Zz |Recognize basic shapes: circle, triangle, |State age and birthday |

|Combine known letters for simple vocabulary |square, rectangle, oval, diamond |Know the days of the week |

|words |Recognize colors: red, yellow, blue, green, |Discuss Holidays |

|Recognize beginning and ending consonant sounds|brown, purple |Follow the school and classroom rules |

|Recognize Kg sight words |Identify more or less |Respect for teacher and classmates |

|Match written words to picture |Complete patterns | |

|Preview vocabulary |Know ordinal, first - last |Science Skills: |

|Read at DRA Level 4 or above by the end of |Match similar objects by color, shape, size |Identify living and nonliving |

|Kindergarten |Identify left and right |Identify plants |

| |Count orally to 100 |Identify animals |

|Communication Arts Skills: |State positions: top, bottom, in, out, over, |Weather Changes |

|Listen to and follow directions |under |Seasons- fall, winter, spring, summer |

|Speak in sentences |Use one to one correspondence |Recognize land, water, air |

|Dictate sentences from stories |Recognize numbers to 30. |Parts of our body |

|Ask questions |Write numbers to 30 (and beyond) |5 senses- Hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, |

|Identify cause and effect |Put numbers in order to 30 |touching |

|Retell story in sequence |Tell time to the hour |Home and school safety |

|Predict logical outcomes |Identify money amounts |Health habits |

|Identify main idea |Identify penny, nickel, dime, quarter | |

|Identify characters in story |Addition to 12 | |

|Draw conclusions |Subtraction to 12 | |

|Distinguish between real and make believe· |Recognize 1/2, 1/4, 1/3 | |

|Use " is, are, was, were, not " in sentences |Use ordinals first, second, third, fourth, | |

|Label 3 parts of story (beginning, middle, end)|fifth | |

Kindergarten Writing Proficiency Checklist

(How Kindergarteners should be writing by the end of May.)

|End of 4th Reporting Period |

|___ Generates topic for writing with or without teacher assistance. |

| |

|___ Uses ABC chart, letter book, and name chart to support letter-sound match without teacher assistance some of the time. |

| |

|___ Uses spaces between words consistently. |

| |

|___ Writes more letters with correct formation. |

| |

|___ Edits by crossing out letters and uses practice page by trying out letters and experimenting with writing new words. |

| |

|___ Segments words into individual phonemes without teacher assistance most of the time. |

| |

|___ Hears and records most consonant letter sounds and some easy to hear vowels may appear in sequential order. |

| |

|___ Writes more (6-10) high frequency words accurately that reflect attention to print. |

| |

|___ Uses rereading strategy most of the time without teacher assistance. |

| |

|___ Uses mostly semi-phonetic and some phonetic spellings. |

| |

|___ Demonstrates increased awareness of end punctuation (placement occurs at the end of one sentence text and is misused when text contains more |

|than one sentence). |

| |

|___ Demonstrates increased awareness of beginning capitalization (first word of text). |

| |

|___ Writes a simple message of one to three sentences that communicate the writer’s purpose. |

LANGUAGE ARTS – GRADE 1- ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Reading

Blend sounds to read words.

Count syllables in words.

Count words in sentences.

Manipulate initial consonant sounds/letters to produce rhyming words.

Blend words with short vowels.

Blend words with long vowels.

Break words into individual sounds.

Use picture clues to aid comprehension.

Use strategies to reading independently.

Use context clues in text to increase understanding.

Read fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

Writing

Use manuscript writing.

Apply directional concepts to writing: (left to right, top to bottom and spaces between words).

Write complete sentences – subject/verb or who/what with end punctuation.

Capitalize I, names, and first word in sentence.

Write two related sentences.

Copy/write words from environment.

Label pictures.

Write legibly - use lines/spaces and lowercase letters where appropriate.

MATH – GRADE 1- ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Number and Operations

Read, write, combine, and compare numbers, (less than, greater than, equal)

Read and write numbers to 100 (consecutive, nonconsecutive)

Compose and decompose numbers.

Classify and describe numeric relationships (before, between, after).

Solve and create addition and subtraction story problems.

Apply properties of operations (commutative).

Describe or represent mental strategies to compute addition or subtraction problems.

Develop and demonstrate with fluency addition and subtraction facts to 12.

Compute problems horizontally and vertically.

Utilize problem solving strategies in relation to number and operations.

Algebra

Recognize and extend patterns of four or more elements.

Create and analyze patterns.

Classify objects and create representations.

Represent mathematical situations as an expression or number sentence.

Utilize mathematical models involving addition or subtraction with whole numbers.

Utilize problem-solving strategies in algebraic situations.

Geometry

Recognize and name 2- and 3-dimensional shapes using physical models.

Describe and name relative positions in space (left, right, above, below).

Interpret relative positions in space (left, right, above, below).

Utilize transformations on objects (slides, turns).

Recognize and draw three-dimensional representations.

Utilize problem-solving strategies to solve problems involving geometry.

Measurement

Select an appropriate tool for the attribute being measured.

Tell time and utilize units of time to hour/half hour.

Interpret a calendar (days of week, months of year, date, yesterday, today, tomorrow)

Identify and know the value of a penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and half-dollar.

Utilize standard or non-standard measurement (length using paper clips, pencil, etc.).

Utilize problem-solving strategies to solve problems involving measurement.

Data and Probability

Formulate questions and collect data.

Classify and organize data by attributes (characteristics).

Represent and interpret data – pictures, bar graphs.

Utilize problem-solving strategies to solve problems involving data and probability.

GRADE 1: WRITING EVALUATION

First grade students learn to respond constructively to others’ writing and determine if their own writing achieves its purposes. In Grade 1, students also identify the most effective features of a piece of writing using criteria generated by the teacher and class. Writing standards recommend that students keep a portfolio of their own written work to monitor growth as a writer.

Grade 1: Written English Language Conventions

Students in 1st grade are expected to write and speak with a command of Standard English conventions appropriate to this grade level. In particular, 1st grade writing standards specify these key markers of proficiency:

Sentence Structure

— Write clear and coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea.

— Use nouns and verbs to write complete sentences.

— Achieve subject and verb agreement in simple sentences.

Grammar

— Identify and correctly use singular and plural nouns.

— Identify and correctly use action verbs in simple sentences.

— Identify and correctly use contractions (e.g., isn’t, aren’t, can’t, won’t) and singular possessive pronouns (e.g., my/mine, his/her, hers, your/s) in writing and speaking.

Punctuation

— Distinguish between declarative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences.

— Use appropriate end punctuation for sentences (i.e., period, exclamation point, or question mark).

— Use commas in dates and items in a series.

Capitalization

—Use capital letters for the pronoun “I,” the first word of a sentence, names of people, days of the week, and months of the year.

Spelling

— Spell three- and four-letter short-vowel words and grade-level-appropriate high frequency and sight words correctly.

— Focus on regularly spelled patterns such as consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) (hop), consonant-vowel-consonant-silent e (CVCe) (hope), and one-syllable words with blends (drop).

— Write with more proficient spelling of inflectional endings such as plurals and verb tenses.

— Spell single syllable words that have r-controlled vowels (star); that have the final consonants f, l, and s (doll); and that have ck as the final consonants (back).

— Use resources to find correct spellings, synonyms, and replacement words.

Penmanship

— Print each letter of the alphabet legibly in both capital and lowercase, using correct formation, appropriate size, and spacing.

— Write text left-to-right and top-to-bottom on the page, with attention to margins and spacing letters, words, and sentences appropriately.

— Gain an increasing control of penmanship such as pencil grip, paper position, stroke, and posture.

Woerner Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

Woerner Elementary

Morning / Dismissal Procedures

Morning Procedures

School starts at 9:10 AM. Breakfast is served from 8:45 AM – 9:05 AM.

Students MAY NOT arrive at school before 8:45 AM. Students may enter the building through the northwest door at the rear of the building and go directly to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. After breakfast, students will be seated in the gym with their class. Each child will be expected to have a book to read quietly. All students will be escorted to their classroom at 9:05 a.m.

For the safety of our children, NO CARS will be allowed on the school playground. This includes rainy/snowy days. Students should be dropped off at any of the entrances to the playground.

Absence Policy

When your child is going to be absent, you must call the school that morning. Call 481-8585 and tell us your child’s name, room number, and reason for absence. You must also send a note when your child returns the next day, explaining her absence.

Early Dismissal

Students will be released to their parents for early dismissal for doctor’s appointments or emergencies only. Parents must come to the main office and sign out their child. Your child will be marked absent for the time they missed.

Dismissal Procedures

School is out at 4:07 (Room 008 about 4:04 )PM.

Woerner students are dismissed out of all four doors. Students in grades Kg., 1, and 2 will be dismissed out the northwest door in the rear of the school. They will exit the schoolyard through the north gate. Students in grade 3 will be dismissed out the southeast door in the front of the school. Students in grades 4 and 5 will be dismissed out the northeast door in the front of the school. Older students should meet up with parents and younger siblings by walking out the front doors, and around to the back schoolyard. Please see the diagram below for further explanation. Parents should park their cars around the perimeter of the school in parking spots. Please park your car on the street nearest your child’s dismissal door. NO CARS SHOULD STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET TO PICK UP THEIR CHILD.

Woerner Uniform Policy

Woerner Elementary

Uniform Policy

The Woerner Elementary uniform consists of the following:

• Dark blue or khaki pants, shorts, jumper, skirt, or skort.

• White, light blue or dark blue collared shirt.

• Covered, low-heeled shoes or tennis shoes worn with socks.

• Plain, dark blue, light blue or white sweatshirts and sweaters.

Note: Woerner Elementary logo shirts are considered uniform.

Please Note:

• Uniforms cannot be oversized, baggy, or tight fitting.

• Saggy pants are not allowed.

• Students may not wear hats, bandanas, or other headgear in school.

• Sweatshirts and sweaters must be solid blue or white, and may not have logos, sayings, or designs.

Kg. Note: If your child cannot tie her shoes, please consider purchasing velcro tennis or regular shoes.

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