Welcome to Kindergarten : A Month-by-Month Guide to Teaching and Learning

by Walmsley, Bonnie Brown

• ISBN13: 9780325007113
• ISBN10: 032500711X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-31
• Publisher: HEINEMANN (T)

Summary

This comprehensive resource will give kindergarten teachers new insights.

Author Biography

Bonnie Brown Walmsley has been a kindergarten teacher for eighteen years and an early childhood teacher for twenty-five years. She currently teaches at Karigon School in Clifton Park, New York Debra Redlo Wing teaches kindergarten at Westmere Elementary in Guilderland, NY

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Acknowledgments	xvii
Introductions: Starting the Journey	1	(8)
August Starting Again	9	(14)
Welcome to Kindergarten Letter	9	(2)
Getting Ready	11	(1)
Barn Raising	11	(1)
The Giving Tree	11	(1)
Meet the Teacher Book	11	(1)
Setting Up the Classroom	12	(8)
Building	13	(1)
Dramatic Play	13	(2)
Meeting Area	15	(1)
Library	15	(1)
Art Area	16	(1)
Writing Area	17	(1)
Math Area	18	(2)
Teacher Area	20	(1)
Screening	20	(2)
Summary	22	(1)
September Ready, Set, Go	23	(39)
Daily Routines	23	(19)
Full-Day Kindergarten Schedule	24	(1)
Half-Day Kindergarten Schedule	25	(1)
Coming-in Time	26	(1)
Class Meeting: Pledge of Allegiance, Meeting and Greeting Circle, Sharing, Calendar, Daily Message	27	(5)
Music and Movement	32	(5)
Read-Aloud	37	(1)
Relax and Read	37	(1)
Center Time/Choice Time	38	(1)
Snack	39	(2)
Cleanup	41	(1)
Outside Play	41	(1)
Closing	41	(1)
Communication	42	(2)
Parent Handbook	42	(1)
Conferences, Phone Calls, and Email	43	(1)
Newsletters	43	(1)
Website	43	(1)
Volunteering	43	(1)
Open House or Back to School Night	44	(2)
Names, Names, Names!	46	(5)
Letter by Letter	46	(1)
Name Bingo	46	(1)
Attendance Names	47	(1)
Beanie Names	48	(1)
Count the Letters in Your Name Graph	49	(1)
Boy/Girl Chart	49	(1)
Birthday Graph	50	(1)
Reading All Around	51	(1)
Write at the Start	51	(3)
Dramatic Play	54	(2)
Art: Something to Think About	56	(2)
Building Blocks: Don't Start Kindergarten Without Them	58	(2)
Summary	60	(2)
October Getting to Know You	62	(21)
Evaluation	62	(4)
Formative Assessment: Anecdotal Records, Work Samples, Individual Assessments, Social Observations	63	(2)
Summative Assessment: Progress Reports, Portfolios	65	(1)
Program Evaluation	66	(1)
Professional Development	66	(2)
1,000 Book Club Program	68	(1)
Themes, Topics, and Projects	69	(1)
Themes	70	(4)
Topics for Themes	70	(1)
Why Themes?	71	(2)
Where to Begin	73	(1)
Firefighter's Theme: How Is It Different from a Project?	73	(1)
Project Work	74	(8)
What Is a Project?	75	(1)
The Fire Station Project: Phase One, Phase Two, Phase Three	76	(3)
Scheduling Project Work	79	(1)
Representational Sketching	80	(2)
Summary	82	(1)
November A Closer Look	83	(9)
Native American Theme	83	(3)
Pilgrims	86	(2)
Writing Revisited	88	(1)
Parent-Teacher Conferences	89	(2)
Summary	91	(1)
December A Time to Celebrate	92	(10)
Holidays	92	(1)
Minithemes	93	(3)
Holiday Counting	93	(1)
Gingerbread Men	94	(1)
Trains	95	(1)
Winterfest	96	(1)
Author Studies	97	(3)
Jan Brett Author Study	99	(1)
Summary	100	(2)
January New Year, New Horizons	102	(10)
Raising the Bar	102	(1)
Evaluation	103	(1)
Borrowing Books	104	(1)
Months of the Year and Days of the Week Theme	105	(2)
Martin Luther King Jr.	107	(1)
Chinese New Year	108	(1)
New Routines	109	(1)
Science Museum	110	(1)
Summary	111	(1)
February Delving Deeper	112	(10)
At-Risk Students	112	(1)
Phonemic Awareness	113	(2)
February Themes	115	(5)
Friendship	115	(2)
Post Office and Valentine's Day	117	(3)
Money	120	(1)
Summary	121	(1)
March Capable, Confident, and Constructive	122	(8)
Looking Ahead	122	(3)
Registration and Orientation	122	(1)
Closing Celebration	123	(2)
Bedtime and Bathtime Theme	125	(3)
Time	126	(1)
Dental Health	127	(1)
Summary	128	(2)
April Feeling Like a Family	130	(7)
Writing Revisited Again	130	(2)
More Money	132	(1)
Egg-to-Chick Theme	133	(2)
Summary	135	(2)
May Well on Their Way	137	(12)
Gardening	137	(3)
Outdoor Center Time Activities	140	(3)
Water Play	140	(1)
Sink or Float	140	(1)
Painting	141	(1)
More Outdoor Activities	141	(2)
Read-Alouds for Experienced Listeners	143	(1)
Mother's Day celebration	144	(1)
An Artist Theme	145	(2)
Final Assessment	147	(1)
Summary	148	(1)
June and July Coming Full Circle	149	(8)
Father's Day Celebration	149	(1)
Thank You and Good-Bye	150	(1)
Class Reflections	151	(2)
Closing Celebration	153	(1)
Recordkeeping	154	(1)
Packing Up	154	(1)
Professional Growth	155	(1)
Summary	156	(1)
Epilogue	157	(2)
Appendix	159	(1)
Alphabet Books	159	(1)
Social Studies Books	159	(1)
Science Books	160	(1)
Math Books	161	(1)
Chant and Song Books	161	(1)
Poetry and Fingerplays	162	(1)
More Great Books	162	(1)
Professional Books	163	(1)
Music CDs	164