NAME: Lisa Young
CLASS: Kindergarten
SCHOOL PHONE: 330-750-1065 ext.41574
EMAIL: lisa.young@strutherscityschools.org
ABOUT THE TEACHER: Welcome to kindergarten at Struthers Elementary School! We are so lucky to have this beautiful building to learn in. Kindergarten is one of the most important times in your child’s life. The education that he/she receives here will be the foundation of your child’s educational career. In kindergarten, we will learn the basics of literacy and math. These basics will be built upon each year as your child continues his/her education. That is why it is very important that we work together to give your child the best foundation possible. Many things that your child will learn in kindergarten are taught in class through hands on activities. Studies show that children learn best when they do hands on activities. Therefore, it is very important that your child is here everyday, on time. When your child is not in class he/she is missing valuable lessons that cannot be made up at home. I am very excited to be working with your child this year. I have a lot of fun and exciting plans and I am eager to get started!
I want to start off by telling you a little bit about my self. I have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and primary education from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. This degree certifies me to teach preschool through grade three. However, the majority of my field experiences and my student teaching took place in kindergarten. I also have a master’s degree in elementary curriculum from Youngstown State University. I love teaching kindergarten in Struthers and plan to stay here for the duration of my career.
I am looking forward to working with you and your child.
ABOUT THE CLASS: Individual Classroom Important Information
Birthdays
Birthdays will be celebrated at 1:30. If you would like to bring in a treat to celebrate please let me know the day before. Cupcakes, cookies, snack bags, or other little treats are fine. However, please do not bring in a cake and candles. We do not have time in our day for that type of celebration. Your child will have a crown to wear for the day. The class will sing to your child. The children will eat the treat together before they go home. Please feel free to join us for the celebration and take pictures or videos. All summer birthdays will be celebrated the last month of school.
Classroom Rules
I will be writing the classroom rules with your children during the first week of school. When children are involved in making the rules they take ownership of them. Therefore the children have a better understanding of the rules. However, the basic rules will come from the ABC’s of Kindergarten.
The ABC’s of Kindergarten
A- Always keep your hands and feet to yourself.
B- Be kind and respectful.
C- Care for others and school property.
Classroom Discipline Plan
The discipline plan that I use in my classroom is the traffic light. All students will start on green every day. The students are given a warning then they are moved to yellow. If the behavior persists, or they break a rule by teasing, hitting, kicking, etc., they will be moved to red.
Red Light – Consequence -Time out, visit to principal, call or note home.
Yellow Light – Verbal Warning
Green Light – On Task
You can ask your child daily what color they were on. All students occasionally have a rough day and will have their name moved. If your child is on red frequently we will meet to discuss a behavior plan for him or her.
Educational Programs
Literacy Collaborative
Literacy collaborative supports a “balanced” approach to literacy learning that includes phonics instruction, vocabulary/ word recognition instruction, and text comprehension instruction. The goal is to provide students with the strategies they need to become independent readers and writers. The students will be grouped and read at various levels according to their reading ability by using a collection of leveled books.
Math Investigations
Math Investigations involves students in the exploration of major mathematical ideas. Students are encouraged to find more than one solution to the problems they work on. They invent their own strategies and approaches rather than relying on memorized procedures. They will have the opportunity to express their mathematical thinking through drawing, writing, and talking. They will work in a variety of groupings such as whole class, individually, pairs, and in small groups.
Handwriting Without Tears
Handwriting Without Tears is a developmentally appropriate way to teach handwriting. It starts by teaching the children the letters with wooden pieces, then on chalkboards, and finally on paper.
Math and Literacy Stations
In our classroom we have math and literacy stations. These stations will enable the children to learn math, reading, phonics, and language skills using a hands on approach. These stations last for thirty minutes. The children will have a choice of activities to do at the tables around the room. There will be approximately four literacy stations and four math stations. I will be pulling small groups of children to work on literacy skills. I will need volunteers during this time to set up, monitor and help students, and clean up at the end of station time.
Learning Centers
Every afternoon we will have learning centers. The learning centers will be set up around the classroom. Children learn more by doing than they do by just seeing or hearing. That is why centers are a very important part of children’s education. The children will be assigned to a group of four centers a day. On Friday, they have free choice. I will need volunteers at this time for setting up, facilitating and cleaning up centers. Snack will be provided for the children everyday at centers.
The Centers are:
Writing
It is very important for children to explore different types of writing. Children need to see words in print in everyday life. By seeing these types of print, they learn the importance of words and of writing. This gives their writing a purpose. Even scribbles seen on paper are the beginnings of children using writing as a means of communication.
Listening
It is very important for children to have the opportunity to hear a variety of literature. Even though they may not be able to read all of the words yet, they are learning to make connections between the written word and the spoken word. They also learn many important pre reading skills like book handling and turning pages.
Reading Carpet
There will be a variety of activities for the children to explore on the reading carpet. They can read books, big books, poems, pocket charts, and use the felt board and magnetic board. There will also be activities for them to do on the overhead.
Math
The math center will make number concepts come to life for children. They will have the opportunity to sort and identify items that will help them recognize the meanings of numbers. They will also use hands on activities to explore measurement, weight, patterns, shapes, addition, subtraction, and money.
Games
In the game center the children will be exposed to a variety of traditional as well as invented games. Games help children to understand rules, to share, compromise, and to take turns. Games also teach children good sportsmanship.
Puzzles
Puzzles help to develop important spatial relationship skills. They also teach children the importance of finishing a task and working together.
Computers
When children work on computers and respond to programs they learn how to follow directions as well as understand cause and effect relationships. When they use a mouse, turn on a computer, or put in a disc they improve their coordination skills and knowledge of how computers work.
Science
In the science center the children will be exploring nature, magnets, rainbows, colors, five senses, and many other concepts. We may also have outdoor critters visiting the classroom depending on the theme we are exploring. We will also have fish as a classroom pet. In addition, science experiments will be conducted to make abstract concepts more concrete in children’s minds.
Art
In the art center the children will have the opportunity to let their individuality shine through. They will explore art materials and create whatever they imagine. A wide variety of materials will be used in the art center such as the easel, markers, colored pencils, wire, beads, as well as many recycled goods.
Sensory Table
The children will have the opportunity to explore a variety of materials in the sensory table. There will be a variety of items used to fill the table including sand, beans, water, snow, dirt, snow, cotton, just to name a few. They will be exploring volume and capacity as well as cause and effect relationships.
Clay and Play Dough
Using clay and play dough helps strengthen children’s hands and fine motor skills. They will also use their artistic abilities to make creations using these materials.
Blocks and Legos
When children use blocks to construct buildings and towns they are recreating the world around them. This shows that they are starting to understand geography and architecture. When they balance blocks they are demonstrating muscle control and coordination.
Dramatic Play
This center allows children to dress up and act out stories and situations. Putting on clothes allows children to strengthen the small muscle skills needed for writing. By acting out situations, children learn to understand experiences better and develop abstract thinking and imagination.
Puppets
In the puppet center children learn the concept of what a story is. They have the opportunity to create stories that have a beginning, middle, and an end. The also learn the important skill of working together to create a show.
As explained above, there are many educational benefits that children receive from learning centers. That is why centers are such a valuable teaching tool in my classroom.
CLASS SCHEDULE: Mrs. Young’s Kindergarten Weekly Schedule
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Times
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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8:00-8:30
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Arrival,
Math investigations Routines
Manipullative Exploration
Journals
Attendance, Lunch Count, Morning
Announcements
Self Control Time
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Arrival,
Math investigations Routines
Manipullative Exploration
Journals
Attendance, Lunch Count, Morning
Announcements
Self Control Time
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Arrival,
Math investigations Routines
Manipullative Exploration
Journals
Attendance, Lunch Count, Morning
Announcements
Self Control Time
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Arrival,
Math investigations Routines
Manipullative Exploration
Journals
Attendance, Lunch Count, Morning
Announcements
Self Control Time
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Arrival,
Math investigations Routines
Manipullative Exploration
Journals
Attendance, Lunch Count, Morning
Announcements
Self Control Time
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8:30-8:45
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Opening*
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Opening *
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Opening *
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Opening *
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Opening *
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8:45-9:30
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Literacy Block:
getting to know you, word study/handwriting
Read Aloud Shared Reading
Phonics, Activity
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Literacy Block:
getting to know you, word study/handwriting
Read Aloud Shared Reading
Phonics, Activity
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Literacy Block:
getting to know you, word study/handwriting
Read Aloud Shared Reading
Phonics, Activity
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Literacy Block:
getting to know you, word study/handwriting
Read Aloud Shared Reading
Phonics, Activity
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Literacy Block:
getting to know you, word study/handwriting
Read Aloud Shared Reading
Phonics, Activity
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9:30-10:00
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Math/Literacy Stations
Guided
Reading Groups
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Math/Literacy Stations
Guided
Reading Groups
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Math/Literacy Stations
Guided
Reading Groups
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Math/Literacy Stations
Guided
Reading Groups
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Math/Literacy Stations
Guided
Reading Groups
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10:00-10:30
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Interactive Writing
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Interactive Writing
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Interactive Writing
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Interactive Writing
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Interactive Writing
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10:30-11:00
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Lunch
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Lunch
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Lunch
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Lunch
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Lunch
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11:00-11:30
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Recess
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Recess
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Recess
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Recess
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Recess
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11:30-11:55
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Quiet Time/Self Control Time
Handwriting
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Quiet Time/Self Control Time Handwriting
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Quiet Time/Self Control Time Handwriting
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Quiet Time/Self Control Time Handwriting
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Quiet Time/Self Control Time Handwriting
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11:55-12:25
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Library
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Nursery Rhyme Notebook
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Physical Education
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Library
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Physical Education
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12:25-1:00
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Math
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Math
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Math
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Math
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Math
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1:00-1:45
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Centers
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Centers
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Centers
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Centers
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Centers
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1:45-2:00
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Bus Riders leave at 1:50 Remainders clean –up centers, pack up, go home
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Bus Riders leave at 1:50 Remainders clean –up centers, pack up, go home
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Bus Riders leave at 1:50 Remainders clean –up centers, pack up, go home
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Bus Riders leave at 1:50 Remainders clean –up centers, pack up, go home
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Bus Riders leave at 1:50 Remainders clean –up centers, pack up, go home
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*Note: Opening includes calendar, weather, counting straws, daily schedule, morning
message, and any important information/news.
**Bus Riders must get ready to go at 1:45 and will go to the commons area prior to 1:50.