Welcome, Parents!

Curriculum Night
Aug. 2014
Mrs. Foster

If you have an internetdevice with you, please go

here:

http://today.io/1498n

Contents
Class Schedule

Money/Ice Cream

Writing

Snacks

Reading

Tardiness

Science/Social Studies
Math
Testing

Conferences
Field Trips
Rules
Class Dojo

Fish Folders/Homework

Volunteers

eClass (technology)

Communication

7:45-8:30

Breakfast, Morning Work, Announcements, Calendar and

Morning Message

8:30 8:50

Calendar

8:55- 9:40

Classroom
Schedule

Specials (PE, Music, Art, PE, Computer Lab, Spanish)

**PE shoes

9:45-10:15

Writers Workshop

10:15-10:30

Phonics (poems, rhyming, sight words)

10:35-11:05

Lunch, then hallway restroom break

11:15-11:25
This is a typical day in our
classroom.
11:25-12:25

Read a loud from a chapter book

Guided Reading, Literacy Centers

12:25-12:55

IB Unit (Science/Social Studies)

1:00-1:20

Snacks and Recess

1:30-1:50

Math Problem Solving

1:50-2:20

Math Workshop

2:20-2:40

Closing, Pack Up

Writing Workshop
Your child will learn the conventions of writing
by practicing writing.
Kindergarteners are expected to write a story
with beginning, middle, and end and include
some details.
Mini lesson with example, 20 minutes of quiet
writing with soft instrumental music playing, 5
minutes of sharing their stories.
We sound out everything!

Reading Workshop
Concepts of Print (rhyming, syllables, book parts)
Recognition of uppercase and lowercase letters,
letter sounds
Left to right directionality and return sweep
Punctuation recognition

. , ? !

Workshop model consists of (daily):

Guided Reading with Mrs. Foster
Skill group with Mrs. Brown
Independent work

Literacy Centers
Here your child will practice the skills that are
learned during the mini lesson or review skills
Some standards your child will be working on in
centers are:
Recognizing and matching uppercase and lowercase
letters, letter sounds, sounding out words
Sight word games ,spelling, and writing
Story Activities (sequencing, characters,
problem/solution, comparing to other stories)
Vowels, rhyming words, syllables, real/nonsense words

Reading Levels
Meets - Your child is expected to reach
level D by the end of kindergarten.
We assess using fiction texts in the fall and summer and use
nonfiction texts in the winter and spring
Reading level includes fluency and comprehension

Reading At Home
Can Make A HUGE Difference!
Make Reading A Part Of
Your Family Time!
Family time is so important Why not
make reading part of this valuable time
with your kids?
Here are some tips for integrating reading into our daily family activities:
-Read bedtime stories
-Play a board game
-Visit your local library
-Read a recipe and cook something yummy together!
-Create a comfy reading space in your home.
-Put your child in charge of reading the grocery list at the store.
Choose Books That Are At An Appropriate Reading Level
For Your Child
-Use the five finger rule. Open the book to any page and ask your child to
read. Put up a finger every time your child does not know a word. If you have
put up more than five fingers before the end of the page,
-this book is too hard for your child.
-Choose books that match your childs likes and interests.
Keep plenty of reading materials in your home: books, magazines,
newspapers, and comic books. Children enjoy having a variety of reading
materials!
Read Books Online!
There are many fun and interactive
websites for literacy.
Here are a few FREE online resources:
www.starfall.com
www.speakaboos.com
www.spellingcity.com
www.wegivebooks.org
http://interactivesites.weebly.com

How To Read With A Beginning Reader:

Encourage your child to use his/her finger to point to each word.
Read a sentence and have your child repeat it.
Take turns reading a sentence each or a page each.
Talk about the story as you read it. What do you think will happen next?
What does this story remind you of? How do you think this character feels?
Dont be afraid to read the same book again! Repeated reading helps build
reading fluency!
Check For Understanding
Start the book by making predictions. What do you think will happen in
this story?
Ask questions and make comments during the reading process.
After reading a book, have your child tell you the events from the story in
the correct order.
What was the problem in this story?
How did the character feel when?
Encourage your child to make connections. Does this story remind you of
another book you read, an event in your life, a movie?
15-20 minutes is plenty for a beginning reader!
@ All Students Can SHINE 2014

Social Studies/Science

Inquiry and Research Guided

Books
Websites
Experiments
Projects
Group work

Math Workshop
20 minutes of centers where your child is
practicing the skills that are learned in the mini
lesson.
Time Management (no center rotations) and Accountability (checklist)
Center Types:

Games

Worksheets

Journal activities

Interactive hands-on learning activities

Problem solving

20 Minutes of direct instruction with either Mrs. Foster

or Mrs. Brown (daily)

Math Exemplars
What is a math exemplar?
It is a problem to help your child improve
mathematical thinking.
Example: Tom has four ducks. How many feet are on the farm?
Example: On the way to recess the teacher passes out shapes. The first
student got a square, the second got a circle, the third got a square, and
the fourth got a circle. If this pattern continues, what shape would the 10 th
student get?
Example: Mary is building a pen to hold her pet dogs. She bought 6 sections
of fencing. What shapes could she build?

Testing
In Kindergarten most testing is completed by
observation or one on one hands-on activities
GKIDS- (Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of
Developing Skills) assesses state standards
through observation and some formal
assessments
Fountas and Pinnell- determines reading level
Writing Rubric- determines writing ability level

Fish Folders/Homework
**Please keep all papers in Fish Folder sheet protectors in good condition-refer to
the guide inside.
Students have homework every day Monday through Thursday with review
activities over the weekend- Students will loose a Class Dojo point each day
homework is not completed or returned
All homework MUST be done in the green spiral notebook. Please help your child
to use the book pages in order, front and back. The notebook needs to last your
child all year
Instructions and complete example are in sheet protectors in your childs Fish
Folder. Please do not remove or write on these.
We have a bi-weekly schedule (week 1, week 2, week 1, week 2)
Homework will change every nine weeks to keep up with the standards
Homework is leveled (Pre-Readers and Readers)

Clear Pouch and Flashcards

I am in the process of making each student their own set of
flashcards. Most students will begin with letter flashcards. They will
have 2 sets- one with the uppercase and lowercase letters they
already know and one with a few letters they are working on
learning. I ask that you practice their learning flashcards daily as
part of homework and their mastered cards 2-3 times per week
to keep them fresh. With letter flashcards work on the letter name
and its sound.
When your child has mastered ALL uppercase and lowercase
letters and their sounds, I will send sight word flashcards home in
flashcards
theAllsame
way. must be kept in the clear pouch inside their Fish
Folder. When we begin Guided Reading a book will also be kept
here. These items plus the reading log must be returned daily. We
use them in class. Please sign the reading log daily- we teach the
students it is their responsibility to get someone to sign it. They
will loose a Class Dojo point each time it is not signed.

EClass
Intro to eclass
In the Winter we will begin using eClass for a weekly discussion. I
will post a question related to our current learning and your child
must login at home and answer my questions.
You may help them login and read the questions, but please have
them answer independently. I will not be grading responses for
right/wrong but I will use it as a tool to see if re-teaching is needed.
As with all classwork and homework, students must sound out all
words themselves. I promise I will be able to read it. This is a major
step in learning to read and write on grade level.

Money and Ice Cream

All money must be sealed in an envelope and placed in the
front pocket of your childs Fish Folder
Please label your childs name on the envelope and the
purpose for the money. Unmarked money will be sent back
home.
Ice cream is only served to Kindergarten on Fridays. All items
cost $1. If your child has negative Class Dojo points at lunch
time, they will not be allowed to get ice cream that day.
You may send in a few dollars at a time and I will lock it in
my desk with a checklist.

Snacks
Please send in a healthy snack for your child each day
No candy- even around holidays
I like to provide snacks for those who forget here and there, but we
go through these class snacks very quickly if you can please
donate boxes of crackers, cereal, chips, fruit snacks, granola bars
(individually wrapped snacks are best)
Snack is eaten at recess, then students may dispose of trash and
go play
If your child chooses not to eat or finish their snack, they may save
it until the next day.

Tardiness
School starts at 8:15 A.M.
Running late? You must check your child in at
the school office before he/she may come to
class.
If your child is tardy four times, the school will
contact you.
Attendance and promptness are very important!

Conferences
Conferences will be held the week of September 21-25
Early Release Days are Wednesday 23 rd and Thursday 24th at 12:15
PLEASE BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR A CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS YOUR CHILDS
PROGRESS sign ups are online (the Parent Center can help)
Sign up for conferences will begin September 1 st!!!!!! BE ON THE LOOK OUT!!!!

We will discuss where your child stands academically for the upcoming report
card, how you can support them at home, and your childs Class Dojo
percentage
I can answer any questions or concerns you have

Field Trips
Typically kindergarten has two field trips
As of now, I have not heard about when and
where we will be going
Past examples are Lego Land, Stone Mountain,
Aurora Theater

Classroom Rules
Rules

Consequences
Positive Consequences

Listen and follow directions

Be respectful
Complete your work
Keep hands, feet, and unkind
words to yourself

Verbal praise, green Class Dojo

point, special privilege, candy
Negative Consequences
Verbal warning, red Class Dojo
point, walking laps at
recess/missing recess, silent
lunch, no ice cream (on Friday),
and Note/phone call home/Class
Dojo message

Class Dojo All about Dojo!

DAILY GOAL: 3 points earned = I followed all expectations today!
Above 3 points in one day: I went above and beyond following
school rules, routines, and procedures in class!!!!
Less than 3 points in one day: I needed several reminders today
and might have had a consequence.
Less than 0 Points: I had a rough day. Please check the Class Dojo
website for details and talk with me.
**Points are awarded for all IB profiles and taken away for
breaking the rules or not following procedures
***Monthly Class Dojo parties for those who make their goal

PBIS
Our school uses a system to encourage students to always act principled and
respectful.
Hallway: students can earn blue tickets from other teachers and staff members. A
whole
class can earn a class ticket as well. Each Friday the class from each grade level with
the most
class tickets earns a trophy for the week and a picture on the wall. Individual
students names
will be drawn and they will earn a PES pencil and free ice cream.
Cafeteria: students can earn green tickets. Each Friday the class from each grade
level with
the most class tickets earns a table trophy for their lunch table for the week.
Students who break the rules will earn red tickets and have a consequence.
Bus: students can earn yellow tickets.
Any time a blue, green, or yellow ticket is earned, that student will earn a Dojo point.

IB - International Baccalaureate
Encourages a positive attitude toward learning by
engaging students in inquiries (questioning) and
developing their awareness of the process of learning
so that they become lifelong learners. Encourages
international minded children who strive to be global
citizens with the goal to take care of the planet and
create a peaceful world.

Promueve nios de mentalidad internacional quienes se esfuerzan por

ser ciudadanos globales con la meta de cuidar el planeta y crear un
mundo pacfico.
Promueve una actitud positiva hacia el aprendizaje involucrando a los
estudiantes en indagar (preguntar) y desarrollar su conciencia de el
proceso de aprendizaje para que as ellos se conviertan en aprendices de
por vida.

Parent Volunteers
We would love to have parent volunteers in our classroom!
*Please take a look at the volunteer form you filled out at Meet Your
teacher and see if anything has changed.
This week we have begun literacy centers (11:25-12:25) and next
week we will begin math centers (1:50-2:30). These are the times
we need volunteers to help with the independent groups.
Dont feel overwhelmed or nervous I will completely explain the
center(s) you will be assisting

Communication
Class Dojo Messenger (my #1 form of communication)
My email: toni_foster@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
My phone: Peachtree Elementary (770) 448-8710- Call and leave a
message for me to call you back.
Classroom website
http://www.tonifoster.weebly.com

Questions?

Plickers
This is a fun technology activity I have
done with the students already this
year and will do multiple times
throughout the next 9 months

Lets Have a
Great Year!