KindergartenRemember…

“All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.”

- Robert Fulghum

HOW to Find Our Circles within Our Squares

Lori Bowles

Focus on… Standards

Remember that Standards define end-of year expectations and progression

PLC – Get input from your Professional Learning Community

“Be aware of wonder.Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup:

The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.”

Focus on… Integrated Literacy

Students who meet Standards develop skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening that are foundations for creative and purposeful expression.

Focus on… Results

GOOD NEWS:Teachers are free to use their professional judgment and experience to meet goals.

“Live a balanced life - learn some and think someand draw and paint and sing and dance and play

and work every day some.”

Focus on… Range of Text Types

Literature - stories, dramas, poetry Informational text – non-fiction, historical,

scientific, technical (graphs, charts, maps)

“And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggestword of all - LOOK.”

First Step – Get Organized• Personalize your binder• Tab each area to make it

easily accessible• Standards• Resources• Themes• Strategies

MORE GOOD NEWS:Many things you are already doing teach the standards! Just add them to your binder!

Look at standards Identify your

biggest challenge

Work through challenges with PLC

Unit OneA Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

Look at Standards

Teachers Constantly

modeling

Students S.L.R.W.!

Speaking Listening Reading Writing

Great resources:• The Daily 5, by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

“the sisters”• The Café Book, also by “the sisters”• Literacy Work Stations – Making Centers Work,

by Debbie Diller• Co-workers• PLC

Next Step – Resource Page• Highlight materials you

already have (books, poetry, read-alouds, dramas, and more)

• Pull any books relating to Color and Rhyme that you might use• Keep text complexity in mind

Overview1st 6-weeks and ongoing:

Expose children to picture books, poetry, nursery rhymes, language filled with rhythm and rhyme.

Essential question… let’s dig deeper

Unit OneA Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

Essential QuestionHow does rhyme affect the way we hear and read poetry?

Remember:• Post in your classroom • It’s adaptable!• It’s the BIG IDEA you want your children to

take away!

Theme Connections:

See binder Pull any ideas

and resources that work for you

Continue using great teaching strategies already in place that address the standards

Unit OneA Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

Theme Connections: A Rhyme a Week

http://curry.virginia.edu/go/wil/rimes_and_rhymes.htm#week1

Music ♪♫♪www.kinderplanet.com/music.htm

LiteratureExamples of Interactive Read-alouds Reading Rainbow on

www.learn360.com www.storylineonline.net

Unit OneA Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme

Strategies, Activities, and Lessons

Standards Non-negotiable Expected to be

mastered by year end

STUDY the standards!

S.A.L. Negotiable Starting points Organize section in

binder with additional resources to support your objectives

Mini-lessonsEasily incorporated in • Morning meetings• Large group time• Small group time• ALL THE TIME!

Model, model, model!Focus on the standards!

Kindergarten“And it is still true,

no matter how old you are - when you go out into the world, it is best to hold

hands and stick together.”- Robert Fulghum

HOW to Find Our Circles within Our Squares

Lori Bowles