Mrs. Flahaut's

Kindergarten Curriculum

2008-2009 School Year

 

General Goal:

1. Help each child feel good about his/her self.

2. Increase confidence in both academic and social areas.

3. To help each child increase their knowledge and appreciation in their Catholic heritage.

 

I believe that all children can learn and have great potential for learning. It is my responsibility to meet each child at their level of development and help them to become the best that they can be. My role is to create a classroom environment that supports young children's emotional, social, and academic growth.

The ABC's of Kindergarten

A

Absences: If your child is ill, please contact the office at 991-5700. If your child must leave early for a doctor's appointment, please check in the office first.

B

Birthdays: Birthdays are special occasions for young children. If your child wishes, he or she may bring a treat for the class. The treats must be prepackaged and peanut/tree nut free. We will celebrate summer birthdays on 1/2 birthdays or the last week of school.

C

Conferences:

Kindergarten students will not receive a report card the first quarter, but will get one the remainder of the school year. Conferences are held three times during the school year.

October 23rd 1:00 - 4:30 and 5:30 - 9:00

January 9th 1:00 - 4:30

March 20th 1:00 - 4:30

D

Discipline:

I believe that all children are different, and all actions and reactions are personal in nature. Situations are dealt with as they arise, with the focus enabling the child to grow and learn from his or her actions.

Students may engage in behavior that does not create a problem, does not jeopardize the safety, or the learning of anyone. They are encouraged to solve their problem in a way that does not create another problem.

Our class rules are:

1. Raise your hand to talk when the teacher is talking.

2. Work and walk in line quietly.

3. Be a good listener.

4. Respect people and property. (Keep hands, feet, and object to yourself/Share/Wait your turn/Help clean up)

5. Always do your best and be a friend to everyone.

Consequences will be designed to fit the problem of the individual students, and they may be different even when the problems appear to be the same. Equal does not mean fair.

I will provide consequences that allow the child to experience the results of their choice and help him or her make better choices in the future.

I will guide them toward personal responsibility and the decision-making skills they will need throughout life.

Rewards: Students will be given verbal and written praise often. Good News notes will be given. Students should feel good about what they are doing and not need prizes. We will build a classroom community where everyone is liked and accepted.

Students will be able to earn pom poms for a class reward. When the jar is full, students will choose a reward for the entire class.

E

E-mail: You can contact me via my email address: kflahaut@immacolata.org. I will check my email daily. If you need to discuss something urgently, please call the office at school (314) 991-5700 and Mrs. Gaskill will send me a note.

F

Fieldtrips: We will be taking two field trips this year.

October: "Peter and the Wolf" at Powell Hall

April/May: Zoo

Please let me know if you would like to be a chaperone.

H

Homework: Homework is to help you see what we are doing at school, a way for you to see what your child can do, and to get them in the habit of bringing back homework on a specified day. It will be due on the last day of the week. It may be turned in early. Homework will be posted on the Immacolata website.

Handwriting is integrated into the entire curriculum. Students will write in journals, work at the writing center, and use other materials such as: play-doh, clay, paint, whiteboards, stencils, and so much more.

We teach the traditional block printing with emphasis on holding the pencil correctly, correct size, spacing, and letter formation. Our textbook is Let's Write - The Letter People.

I

Independence:

Your child is learning to do more and more on his/her own. Please encourage this independence, especially in shoe tying, zippers, snaps, and cold weather dressing.

J

Journals:

Students will write in a journal each morning. As students are exposed to a variety of phonics and reading experiences, journal entries will move from drawings and "inventive" spelling towards more conventional writing.

K

Kindness:

Students will be asked to follow the Golden Rule and are encouraged to treat all members of the class as well as others, with kindness and respect.

L

Literacy Centers:

During literacy centers, students will practice reading and writing skills while the teacher works with individual students or small guided reading groups.

Language:

Reading readiness will be taught using The Letter People, Success, and Building Blocks. We will also be using Alphatales. Each week we will focus on one letter of the alphabet. We will learn nursery rhymes, poems, and songs that go along with the alphabet. These programs allow the child to develop his/her highest potential without feeling pushed or forced to learn. Students will be encouraged to express their ideas verbally, through written or picture forms, listening, sharing, lots of stories, poetry, and dramatic play.

Lunch/Snack:

Each day students will have the chance to eat a snack before lunch. Please remember to send snacks that do not include nuts. Hot lunch forms will be due a month in advance. You may purchase milk/juice for your child, but may also want to send an additional drink during the warm weather.

M

Math: We work on many math skills during the calendar time each morning. The math program focuses on hands on activities through the use of manipulatives. Math skills are acquired during the group work, direct instruction, and games. Our math texts are: Math P.A.L.S., Box It or Bag It, Math Their Way. Students will explore rote counting up to 100, skip counting, recognizing numerals up to 30, addition & subtraction, comparing numbers, time, money, shapes, measurement, problem-solving,and one-to-one correspondence

N

Newsletter:

Each week I will send home a weekly newsletter to tell about the upcoming week. It will be sent home with the child's homework. I also will post it on the Immacolata website and email a copy as an announcement through Teacherease. Please give me your email addresses so that I may put them on Teacherease.

P

Parties:

There are three main parties each year--Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day. Students do get to wear their costumes during the Halloween party. Students exchange cards on Valentine's Day. We will also have a feast before Thanksgiving break and a celebration on the 100th day of school.

Parent Readers:

The time and day is not yet set. It usually is at the end of the day on Friday, from 2:30 - 3:00. Please bring several books to share with the class.

Portfolios:

Each student has a three-ring binder portfolio that I will keep quarterly assessments, samples of work, pictures, and observation notes. This will be reviewed during the conferences, and will be sent home at the end of the year.

Q

Questions: Please contact me by e-mail: kflahaut@immacolata.org, by phone 991-5700 x408, or by note.

R

Report Cards are issued in January, March, and May. These reports reflect the progress your child has made toward various kindergarten objectives.

Religion is a part of each day. Students will pray, listen to bible stories, model the behavior of Jesus, and learn about their uniqueness. We use the Blest Are We textbook and Promise which teaches the students about the reading in the weekly masses. Students will attend mass on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays each month and a few other times throughout the year.

S

Special Person:

Each student will have 1 to 2 days each month to be the special person and share something with the class. Students will take home the "Mystery Bag" the night before their special day. They are to pick a couple of special items from home and something that starts with the letter of the week. I may give suggestions during various months, but it will be on the monthly special person calendar. Students will need to come up with three clues about their items so that the class can guess what they have in the bag.

S

Science: MySci will be coming to spend a week at our school. Kindergarten will be studying animals during this time. The focus of the kindergarten science curriculum is on developing an awareness of the world in which we live. Through scientific inquiry, concepts will be presented in the life and earth sciences, including the study of plants and animals, the five senses, general health, and the four seasons. These will be explored utilizing a literacy based, hands-on approach.

Social Studies:

Kindergarten students learn to adjust and modify their behavior in a larger group. Using Discipline with a Purpose, students will learn five of the 15 self-discipline skills. We will also learn about people, school, our community, geography, and holidays. We will use 'Let's Find Out", a periodical from Scholastic.

Supplies:

Thank you for all the supplies that have already been sent to school. We do tend to run out of wipes and paper towels first. I will inform you if more supplies are needed. For seasonal activities, we will need help with supplies like fiberfill, baby food jars, egg cartons, etc. I will send out a note when items are needed.

Specials:

Art is taught by Mrs. Warmke on Thursdays.

Computer lab is taught by Mrs. Pardo on Wednesdays.

Our librarian is Mrs. Apprill - Thursdays

*Make sure books are returned by Thursday*

Music is taught by Mr. Krausz on Tuesdays.

P.E. is taught by Mr. Menke on Mondays and Fridays.

Spanish is taught by Mrs. Torres on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Shared Reading:

Shared Reading is an interactive process used with the whole class. As the teacher reads the story, children join in on phrases or words that they know. During subsequent re-readings, children read more and more of the text, until they are able to read the story independently. Shared reading is an opportunity for the teacher to model conventions of print and the use of the reading strategies.

T

Teacherease: You may look at your child's grades on www.teacherease.com. Kindergarten does not lend itself well to the regular grading system.

Take-Home Reading (Bag Books)

Beginning in January, the students will begin taking home one book a week to read at home. This is wonderful practice to build reading fluency and to reinforce vocabulary words they have learned. When they return the book to school, they will read it to me, and I will send another book home. This is your child's chance to "show-off" their developing reading skills.

U

"U" are important in your child's education. Thank you for all that you do!

V

Volunteers will be needed for class parties, field trips, and reading to the class as well as other times during the school year.

W

Wednesday Envelopes are sent home each Wednesday with the oldest child in each family. They contain important school information. Please send them back to school by the following Tuesday.

Writer's Workshop

Students will participate in Writer's Workshop each day. This is the time where they will learn what good writers do! We will begin with personal narratives.

X

Xtra Special

The kindergarten students will have 8th grade buddies each Friday from October to April. The 8th grade will read with our class. The 7th and 8th grade students will accompany us to mass.

Z

ZZZ's

Students will take about a thirty minute rest period each day after lunch. We will watch movies and educational videos.

Please try to make sure that your child gets plenty of rest. It will help them to be alert and ready to learn each day!