Welcome to Kindergarten

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[9k]	Kindergarten 06-07 information form (2/2/06)
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Curriculum

Language Arts

In kindergarten, our language arts curriculum is composed of three components. The first area is reading. Our district reading curriculum includes MacMillan/McGraw-Hill and Rigby Literacy 2000 reading materials. This literature-based curriculum teaches through trade books, poems, songs, drama, games, read-alouds and big books. There are 16 different themes to be covered each including a star theme vocabulary word.

The next language arts component is phonics and phonemic awareness. Our curriculum includes Alpha Time and Letter People. The 26 inflatable Letter People aid in teaching students to recognize their letters, letter sounds and making words. Each Letter Person has a special name used to play "Prove It" and a special song.

The last component is handwriting. As students learn to recognize the capital and lower case letters, our curriculum incorporates the D'Nealian handwriting process. We practice writing each letter, both capital and lower-case, in the "writing house."

Mathematics

Our math curriculum is a hands-on, manipulative-based program that addresses the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards for kindergarten students. In order to maximize students' understanding of concepts and skills, three stages of instruction are presented using manipulatives:

	Exploration Stage - Students explore mathematics in informal and formal
	Connecting Stage - Students relate manipulatives to symbols.
	Symbolic Stage - Students use abstract symbols alone.

The mathematical strands of instruction are:

Patterns and relationships - (AB, ABB, ABC) create, extend, describe
Probability and statistics - Sort by color, shape, size, function, type, etc
Geometry - Plane shapes and solid shapes.
Number sense - Count to 100 by 1's and 10's & identify numerals from 1 - 20.
Measurement including estimating and graphing - Compare size and shape. Sequence. Measure length, volume and time.
Operations and computation - Combine groups with 5 objects. Reduce groups with 5 objects. Problem solve and communicate mathematically.

Science

Many topics are integrated throughout the year with other subject areas: math, language arts and social studies. In addition, kindergarten has four hands-on science units each year. These units are supported by science kits that provide resources for experimenting, predicting, and recording results.

	Magnets
	Ecology
	Water exploration
	Seeds to plants

A unit on stars, planets and constellations is also a part of the kindergarten science curriculum. A visit to the Waubonsee Valley High School planetarium is a culminating activity.

Health

A science unit supported by a science kit on the five senses and nutrition (including the food group pyramid) is also taught in kindergarten.

Social Studies

Kindergarten students are beginning to develop an awareness of the world around them. This awareness includes self/families, friends, school, community, and the world. The abilities to make decisions and to develop social skills are essential to students as they learn to function in their increasingly broadening environment. The kindergarten social studies curriculum uses trade books and supplemental activities, rather than publisher materials, to help students develop their social awareness.

Our district expects students to:

	Use their knowledge and skills of the social sciences to actively participate as productive citizens in a democratic society.
	Recognize and understand connections between the content learned and the world around them.
	Learn about the past to understand the present and make informed decisions about the future.
	Respect diversity while understanding the forces that unite us as a people.
	Strive to better the human condition.


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