Transitional Kinder & Kindergarten Curriculum Guide
Welcome to Egremont's Transitional Kindergarten & Kindergarten combined class. While the classes will be joined together in all aspects of the following curriculum, differentiated instruction will be given to accommodate the individual learning needs of all students.
We have many exciting things planned for this year and look forward to working with your child. Please look at what the year entails.
Please review the following:
PHONICS & READING Introduction and mastery of reading begins with phonics as the basic foundation for all reading skills. We will be starting phonics this year through an exciting new program called, "Lively Letters!". This program will dive deep into the mechanics of speech and individual phonemic sounds, helping students to integrate and assimilate the correlation between phonemic skills and graphic representation needed for reading.
Our objectives are to develop the seven phonemic awareness skills, enhance recognition of consonant sounds, develop the ability to recognize and reproduce long/short vowel sounds, master rhyming words, blends, digraphs, and work with word families.
Guided Phonics and Beyond Guided Phonics and Beyond is a program used to focus on skills such as language arts skills, phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, word structure, grammar, and mechanics.
Additional resources will supplement the program. Students will learn how to identify the main idea of each story, as well as master sequencing. Our objectives are to develop a curiosity about books and an eagerness to read.
MATHEMATICS Along with number recognition and basic counting skills, we will work on the following:
2D & 3D Shapes
Numbers up to 120
Addition
Subtraction
Place Value
Geometry and Fractions
Measurement
Money
Time
Graphs and Data
HANDWRITING Handwriting skills are developmentally based, and each child will be at a different point in this development. Therefore, grading in handwriting will not be done until the second semester. Our objectives are as follows:
Developing basic foundational writing skills through hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skill exercises and activities.
Learning basic writing strokes and then practicing writing upper and lowercase letters.
Working to enhance formation of letters (keeping letters between the lines, developing strokes, etc.).
Developing the ability to write complete sentences.
Answering questions about a story.
Introducing creative writing.
SCIENCE We have science twice a week as well as integrated into other subject areas.
The topics include:
Health Education/Germs and Diseases
Safety
The Four Seasons
The Body & Heart
Bears & Hibernation
Weather
Trees
Plants
Insects
SOCIAL STUDIES We have social studies twice a week as well as integrated into other subject areas.
The topics include:
All About Me
Roles and Functions in Families
Important People in Our Lives
People Skills
Wants and Needs
Rules of Social Groups
Adaptive Needs Awareness
Growth, Learning, and Change
Workers in the Community
Environmental Awareness
Transportation
Special Americans
American Symbols and Traditions
Reading Maps
IN-CLASS ARTSAND CRAFTS Our seasonal and thematic in-class art projects will include cutting, gluing, painting, and coloring. These fun projects are used to nurture our students’ imagination, as well as enhance their fine motor skills.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE Spanish and sign-language will be incorporated in class throughout the year.
MUSIC Music is held twice a week on Wednesday and Thursday and taught by Ms. Katie in the Music Room.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION Physical Education with Coach Lee will be three times a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Tuesday. It is important to get up and move!
ART Art is taught by Ms. Rubi in the Art Lab. The children have Art once a week on Friday afternoons.
COMPUTER SCIENCE Computer class is held once a week on Monday and is taught by the Planet Bravo staff.
CALENDAR/MORNING MEETING Each morning, we will discuss the calendar. We will familiarize the students with the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and the weather. We also discuss the holidays throughout the year. We use music, movement, and songs in order to wake up their senses and get ready for the daily work.
RECESS AND LUNCH Our recess time is in the morning, from 10:00-10:30AM. This is a great time to take a break to play and enjoy a snack in the morning (although we try to have our snack a bit earlier if we can). Our lunchtime is from 11:00-11:20 AM and lunch recess is from 11:20-11:45 AM. Please pack an afternoon snack for your child to enjoy during our afternoon Read Aloud Story & Snack times.
SHARE DAYS Two – three students will share each day. You will be notified of your child’s share day at the beginning of school.
PROGRESS REPORTS/REPORT CARDS Progress reports and report cards are distributed quarterly throughout the school year (see below). Please make sure to track your child’s progress on GradeLink.
Progress ReportsReport Cards October 13, 2023 November 17th, 2023 January 19th, 2024 February 2nd, 2024 March 18th, 2024 March 27th, 2024 May 17, 2024 June 14th, 2024
GRADING SCALE E+ 100% E 91-99 E- 86-90 S+ 81-85 S 76-80 S- 70-75 NI 69 and below
Please remember that while we do some work “whole group,” it is also important for your child to complete work independently. This will help see where they excel as well as areas that need more practice. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS Birthdays are a very special time for both the children and their families. We welcome in-class birthday celebrations and you are welcome to send store bought (preferably individually packaged) treats for the afternoon snack. If you choose to do this, please email what the treat is a week beforehand. Some parents wish to provide party bags for the students which is also welcome. Both are optional and birthday students are always honored with a crown, sticker and certificate.
SCHOOL TIMES AND REGULATIONS Please make sure your child arrives to school on time at 8:15 AM. Your cooperation is appreciated in working together to make your child’s school year out of this world!
DRESS CODE All students must be in a uniform daily, unless notified. Neatness and cleanliness are expected. Please see the Parent Guideline for more information.
MANNERS AND CONDUCT Good manners and respect for self and others is expected from every student. Learning in this area will be modeled in class through stories, role play, activities and songs. Parents may be asked to help with support from home. Inappropriate language and gestures are absolutely prohibited.
A NOTE FROM YOUR TEACHERS Remember to praise and reward your child’s strengths and focus on spending quality time together on what brings them fulfillment. Building your child’s self-esteem must be a top priority. Therefore, let us keep the lines of communication open in order to achieve the progress and productivity needed for a great learning experience. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Looking forward to a great school year full of new adventures!