Kindergarten Information Kindergarten Graduation Begins in Kindergarten, Registration Information FAQs About Kindergarten At what age can my child attend kindergarten? Georgia provides kindergarten programs for children who are five years old on or before September 1. What do I need to enroll my child in kindergarten? Click Here for Video Tutorials about Kindergarten Registration Parents should be prepared to provide the following records when enrolling their child in kindergarten: *These Georgia certificates may be obtained from the Clayton County Health Department or private physician. What school supplies will my child need? All materials and supplies are provided. What should my child wear to school? Send your child to school in comfortable clothing in accordance with the school's dress code. Click here for specific school uniform colors Will my child have to take a nap in kindergarten? A period of about thirty minutes is built into the kindergarten schedule to allow children the opportunity to rest.
FUN Critical Thinking Activities For Students in Any Subject The experts on STAAR, such as the Texas Education Agency, the Lead4Ward team and Regional Service Centers tell us that there are some very specific things that we need to do, and other things we should let go of in order to prepare our students for the state assessment. In addition, these strategies can also deepen and broaden their knowledge. Allow for more collaboration on rich content between students (student-centered)Provide higher level thinking questionsGive ample wait timeIncrease critical thinking through authentic instructionFollow the DETAILS of your TEKSKnow the vertical alignment of your TEKS and collaborate with other grade levels The following are ideas for activities that you can use in conjunction with our curriculum in order to help meet some of these criteria, as it is necessary to adjust our mindset from TAKS driven packets to STAAR rich conversations and activities. Talking Chips 1. Pair - Square - Share 3 Facts and a Fib 1. 1. Pass and Play
62 Kindergarten Websites That Tie into Classroom Lessons These are my 62 favorite kindergarten websites. I sprinkle them in throughout the year, adding several each week to the class internet start page, deleting others. I make sure I have 3-4 Photo credit: Chud Tsankov each week that integrate with classroom lesson plans, 3-4 that deal with technology skills and a few that simply excite students about tech. Here’s the list: Do you have any to add? To sign up for Weekend Websites delivered to your email, click Weekend Websites here and leave your email. Follow me Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-fifth grade and author of two technology training books for middle school. Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-fifth grade and creator of two technology training books for middle school. Like this: Like Loading...
Miss Kindergarten: Behavior Bingo Last year before summer break, I shared this behavior management tip that I was using with my students. They were having a tough time staying focused and following classroom rules! Well now that we have less than 2 weeks until Spring Break...we're feeling it again! Behavior Bingo Choose one behavior that you find your students are having a tough time with and let them know that you're looking for it. My kiddos are having a super hard time transitioning quietly. We need several reminds to transition quietly and quickly, so now we are going to be rewarded for doing it correctly. I put up our bingo chart and prize chart and the bingo pieces in the little bucket. {Sorry it's blurry...iPhone picture!} When we transition quietly and quickly, I will choose a ticket from the bucket. Then I will cover the corresponding number on the chart. They get bingo by filling an entire column. Hopefully, this will help a little, or this teacher is going to have a very few weeks ahead of her!
Spelling Practice with Dolch Sight Words ABCya is the leader in free educational computer games and mobile apps for kids. The innovation of a grade school teacher, ABCya is an award-winning destination for elementary students that offers hundreds of fun, engaging learning activities. Millions of kids, parents, and teachers visit ABCya.com each month, playing over 1 billion games last year. Apple, The New York Times, USA Today, Parents Magazine and Scholastic, to name just a few, have featured ABCya’s popular educational games. ABCya’s award-winning Preschool computer games and apps are conceived and realized under the direction of a certified technology education teacher, and have been trusted by parents and teachers for ten years. Our educational games are easy to use and classroom friendly, with a focus on the alphabet, numbers, shapes, storybooks, art, music, holidays and much more!
How to Use Social Media as a Learning Tool Social media is an ingrained part of today’s society. Our students are constantly on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and likely many sites we’re not hip enough to know about, and by reading this blog, you’re interacting with social media at this very moment. If you want to bring the “real world” into the classroom, consider integrating social media into your lessons. No Longer a Distraction Image via Flickr by Sean MacEntee When used carefully, social media can be a useful tool rather than a distraction. Education-based sites such as Edmodo, Edublog, and Kidblog provide alternative social media sites for posting status updates and announcements, blogging, and microblogging. Create a Class Facebook Group Facebook is known as a place to post status updates, announcements, photos, and video — all things that we likely use in our classes anyway. A Facebook group also creates a space for students to ask and answer questions. Start a Topical Twitter Feed Require Students to Blog In Short
How to Organize for the First Day of Kindergarten: A Guide For New and Veteran Teachers The first day of school is always exciting for both students and teachers. In fact, I still remember my first day of school as a kindergarten student! But the first day of school can also be very overwhelming. You will probably find yourself wondering: Do I have all the supplies I will need? Are my students going to feel welcome and at ease in the class? And most importantly, what do I wear?! On the first day of school, few factors are more crucial than being prepared! 1. As your students enter your classroom for the first time, they need to feel at home. Since this board will stay up for most of the school year, you might want to laminate the nameplates so they won’t fade. 2. As you set up your classroom for your new class, set aside a couple of large gallon-sized Ziploc bags to create “new-student bags”. 3. If your school requires students to bring their own supplies at the beginning of the year, you can organize those, too! 4. 5. The first day of school can be scary.
Teaching Kids to Move Beyond One-Word Questions “Does anyone have any questions?” It’s the dreaded question of early childhood educators everywhere. This can-of-worms question often leads to non sequitur statements that range from “I like your pants” to long-winded stories that start with “Once my grandma gave me a . . .” These responses often resemble anything but a question. To avoid these tangents, teachers can turn the question “Does anyone have any questions?” What’s a Dollar Question? According to an anecdote from my parents, as a young child I would always ask, “Why?” I shared this personal story with my kindergarten students, who were eager to learn how to ask dollar questions themselves. Dollar questions have four main features. Penny questions can, however, be changed into dollar questions. In my kindergarten class, we begin practicing with dollar questions during Feature Creature, an activity where students hone their question-asking skills while working to uncover the identity of a mystery animal.
Simply Kinder: The First Hours of Kinder (& Beyond!) Does the first day of of Kindergarten scare you? You can plan for the first day... but you have to survive the first hours first! Here's some tips to get you through the first hours of kindergarten! 1. Plan an activity the kids won't tire with immediately when they enter. The kids need to be in their seats working. 2. A fun activity I do at the Meet the Teacher night sometimes is to make Name Tag Hats. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Head on over to PreK and K Sharing to see how to survive the whole day - from how to handle runners and criers to how to not lose kids on the playground!! Whew! Stop by Teaching with Z for other first day of kinder ideas as well!
100 Classroom Organizing Tricks New Uses for Old Things 1. Empty Tissue Box You always need plastic bags for sending home art projects and wet clothes. Tame that unruly mess that seemingly multiplies under your desk with an empty tissue box to keep bags corralled and ready for use. 2. 3. 4. 5. Terrific Timesavers 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Ingenious Organizing Tools 12-22 You might be surprised at the "free" organizing tools you can find in your attic, basement, or at least at a neighbor's garage sale. Vases Baskets Tackle boxes Silverware trays Muffin tins Oatmeal canisters Photo boxes Cookie jars Old suitcases Metal lunchboxes Mason Jars and tin cans Rethink Your Room 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. Just for Fun 29. A More Peaceful Classroom 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. Free (or Almost Free) Supplies 36-38 Too many teachers spend their own hard-earned cash to outfit their rooms. Freecycle.org: A nonprofit site where you can give (and get) stuff free in your own town. Tame That Paperwork 39. 40. 41. Keep Tech Organized 42. 43. 44. 55. 56. 57. 58.
Creative Drawing Ideas for Kids :: Drawing Prompts As one way to encourage creative drawing and the continued use of our chalkboard, I occasionally add a drawing prompt and wait for the kids to find it. (And by kids, I mean Maia and possibly any friend she has over. Daphne is yet oblivious to such suggestion.) It almost always results in a thoughtful and unique drawing that veers from the usual drawings that I see them make. Drawing prompts are one of many creative drawing ideas for kids that get them thinking and creating differently. The drawing prompts idea is something I’ve borrowed from Susan Striker’s Anti-Coloring Book series —I had one as a child! (By the way, you can find several printable pages from the Anti-Coloring Books as well as examples of what children have drawn on her website.) What I do is begin a simple drawing on the chalkboard, and add an invitation —in this case, the question, “What is inside this house?” For example, Maia has drawn lots of houses, but always the exterior. Maybe.
Mrs. Bohaty's Kindergarten Kingdom I decided to share some of my literacy center/ word work ideas. In the beginning of the year we do some of these as literacy centers, then once we introduce Daily 5 these become word work. It works nice because students understand expectations already and make a smooth transition. Playdoh words This a playdoh word building center. Clip, color, and write This center is featured in all of my Journeys word work units on TPT. Hammering letters I just got this foam letter mat at Wal-mart or the dollar store. Bean words I used little glasses. Magnetic words Aren't these so cute!! Linking words I used letter cards and learning links. Here are some of our favorite videos that we are singing and dancing to right now!!! Hope you enjoy! Lisa
First Grade Garden: Daily 5 and Writer's Workshop {freebies} Alright, I am finally back with some writing ideas and freebies I promised! Be prepared for the longest. post. ever! In February, my teaching partner forced coerced asked me nicely to present a half-day session with her for our divisional P.D. day. I get so nervous talking in front of peers, but we had a lot of fun! We decided to do a session on writing because that was something we both chose as one of our focuses for professional growth this year. 9:15am - Whole Group Literacy Activities Sight Word Work - I have been using Natalie's Daily Sight Words each morning and the kids love them! Read Aloud- I usually read a story by our author of the month or a theme/holiday book. Word Work - We usually do a whole group lesson or indivudual activity involving a phonics skill, word family, poem of the week, emergent reader, etc. 9:50am - First Round of Daily 5/Guided Reading I split my students into 5 centre groups. 10:10am - Clean Up and Round Two of Daily 5 10:45am - Recess 1.