Thunder Hill Elementary School Kindergarten 2015-2016.

Thunder Hill Elementary School

Kindergarten2015-2016

Meet the Kindergarten Teachers

Susan McAleerDiane BachekBarbara MichaelianHillary HollisJan BarnesBharti UppalSam StarkDiane Green UMBC

Intern

Daily Schedule9:15-9:25 Morning Routines/Attendance/Lunch 9:25-9:50 Opening9:50-10:00 Take Ten10:00-11:00 Math11:00-11:30 Recess11:30-12:00 Lunch12:00-12:20 Quiet Time12:20-1:40 Reading Block/Language Arts/Snack 1:40-2:40 Specials2:40-3:10 Content3:10-3:40 Choice Time3:40-3:50 Prepare for Dismissal, Dismissal

Common Core Fast Facts• State of Maryland adopted Common Core in June 2010• Forty-five states and the District of Columbia adopted Common

Core State Standards• Standards based statewide initiative• Mastery curriculum • PARCC assessments take place in grades 3-5 (Partnership for

Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers)

• For more information go to www.mdk12.org

Reading Group Block

*Reading Groups – Reading Levels– Leveled books that coordinate with benchmark book level– Big books / Shared Reading

* Language Arts Follow Up Activity– Seatwork is a follow-up activity to reinforce skills learned in

reading group or a written response to a class read aloud.– Student may be working with an paraprofessional, resource

teacher, and/or parent.

*DAILY 5– Students may work independently in the following

activities:READ TO SELFREAD TO A PARTNERWORD WORKLISTEN TO READINGWRITING

Language Arts

• Letter of the Week

• Star of the Week• Words Their Way

Math• Homeroom

Classes • Kindergarten

Curriculum-Investigations

• “Hands On” --use of manipulatives

• Common Core State Standards

Mathematical Practices1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively

3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

4. Model with mathematics

5. Use appropriate tools strategically

6. Attend to precision

7. Look for and make use of structure

8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

Content AreasSocial Studies

Home and School Peoples of the Nation and the

WorldMaps and Me Road Trip USA

The Market

ScienceScientists and Engineers

Earth Science (Weather)

Physical Science (Pushes and Pulls)

Life Science (Relationships in

Ecosystems)

Environmental Science (Human Impact on

Environment)

Health

Mental Health

Safety, First Aid, and Injury Prevention

Disease Prevention and Control

Nutrition and Fitness

•These subjects are taught in homeroom classes. Content subject matter is also integrated into reading.

STEAM

What is SOAR?

•S – Safe•O – Organized•A – Always Respectful•R - Responsible

5 Point System & Clubs• Students will begin the day with 5 points and every student should

strive to stay on 5 or above.

• Students will record their daily total in their take-home folder (primary) and agenda books (intermediate).

• SOAR Celebration Clubs will occur every 2 weeks.

• Teams will brainstorm ideas for Clubs with students and will offer 3-4 twenty-thirty minute rotations: active activity, quiet activity, arts and crafts, movie, etc.

• Possible ideas include: read with a flashlight, dance party, bring in a board game, arts & crafts, drawing, etc.

• To attend the Clubs, students will need 80% of the total possible points for the first quarter. This percentage will go up throughout the year and parents will be informed.

• If you’re interested in donating supplies or assisting with Clubs, please contact your child’s teacher.

SOAR Tickets• Students will continue to earn SOAR

tickets.• Two students’ names from every grade

level will be randomly pulled on Monday mornings for the SOAR School-wide Lottery. Names will be announced on the a.m. announcements.

• Students who are picked will have their picture taken with Ms. Bowen to be displayed on the SOAR bulletin board. Students will also pick a SOAR reward from a menu of choices.

Classroom SOAR Ticket Rewards

• When students have earned 10 SOAR tickets, they will be able to trade-in their tickets to their classroom teacher for something from the Coupon Bin or the Prize Bin.

After School• Students are permitted

to go home with another child only after they have provided the teacher with a note.

• Students will not be allowed to leave with any other parent without a note.

• Students who are not regular bus riders will not be allowed to ride on a bus due to insurance regulations.

Daily Folder• The Daily Folder will be sent home each night with class work

and notices. • We encourage you to look in the folder each night and also to

use the folder to communicate with your child’s teacher.

Homework• We will begin a take home book program in the second

quarter.• We will also participate in the Pizza Hut Book-It Program which

begins in October.• Other homework activities which will be phased in as the year

progresses: » Poetry Journal» Handwriting* Family Projects

Report Cards• Evaluation Codes

• I - Independent• W - With Assistance• N - Not Apparent

• Effort Codes1. Outstanding (consistent)2. Satisfactory (most of the time)3. Needs Improvement (inconsistent)

Progress Reports will come home about every5 weeks.

Field Trips• We are in the process of

planning the following field trips:

• Robinson’s Nature Center• Baltimore Aquarium• Sharp’s Farm• Howard County Public

Library

We will also plan several “In House” Field Trips

*Aviation Museum*Firefighters*Historical Society*Dentist

Kindergarten Parties

• We have four parties throughout the year.– Fall– Winter– Valentine’s Day– End-of-the-Year– Room parents will be

involved in the planning. Parent volunteers will be contacted for help at the parties

– Please be aware that food must be approved due to serious allergic reactions

Parent Volunteers• Parent volunteers are

needed to work with children in school during the week (time depends on program) and to work on projects at home.

• The teachers will contact you about the volunteer programs and schedule.

• We will need 2 room parents per class.

• We will contact you about a kindergarten volunteer meeting. There will also be a school-wide parent volunteer meeting.

• Siblings may not be brought with parents who volunteer.

• Parent Volunteer Programs will begin at the end of October.

Laura Davis/David Floyd will need immediate help with kindergarteners starting the week of 9/14. You can contact Mrs. Davis via email or give your name to the classroom teacher. Tues. 1:40 - 2:40 McAleerWed. 1:40 - 2:40 Hollis Thurs. 1:40 - 2:40 Michaelin Fri. 1:40 - 2:40  Bachek

Labeling

Please label all clothing, jackets, gloves, and lunchboxes.

Medication

•All students taking medication must notify the teacher and the nurse.

•Please document all medication and give this information to Mrs. Taneyhill.

•You may send in cough drops, however, they must be kept in Mrs. Taneyhhill’s office.

Vacations• If children go away

during the school year, have them keep a journal about their trip that they will share with the class when they return.

• There is a form you will need to get from the office for an extended leave.

Reminders

*Birthdays*Illnesses*Snack*LunchThank you!

Your Questions