Welcome, Families!

1. Welcome, Families! Curriculum Night 2012 Kindergarten Samuel Beck Elementary School

2. Tonight, parents will… • know and understand their role in the Parent Learning Community. • know ways they can be involved with their child’s classroom and school. • understand the expectations of a student at Samuel Beck Elementary

3. NISD Beliefs

4. Samuel Beck Elementary Mission Statement In partnership with the community, Beck Elementary is committed to success for all learners, ensuring a safe environment that implements rigorous, relevant curricula, and focused instruction.

5. Technology in Action • Student laptops and iPad carts • Electronic Chalkboards • Data Projectors • Document Cameras • Distance Learning • Media Cast • CPS Receivers (think George Jetson!) • Eduphoria • Home Access

6. Our Kindergarten Team Jennine Doughney 817.215.0487 jdoughney@nisdtx.org Diane Koestler 817.215.0461 dkoestler@nisdtx.org Shelly Moses 817.215.0475 smoses@nisdtx.org Julieanne Orr 817.215.0455 jorr@nisdtx.org Nancy Shuster 817.215.0467 nshuster@nisdtx.org Kristin Zimmerer 817.215.0468 kzimmerer@nisdtx.org

7. Kindergarten Schedule 7:25-8:00 Arrival/Word Work 8:00-8:15 Calendar 8:15-8:40 Skills Block 8:45-9:40 Specials/Conference Period 9:45-10:45 Writer’s Workshop 10:50-11:20 Lunch 11:20-11:50 Recess 11:50-1:00 Reader’s Workshop 1:00-2:00 Math Workshop 2:00-2:30 Science 2:30-2:45 Clean-Up/Pack-Up/Dismissal

8. the four seasons the science inquiry process/questioning healthy habits So, what do you learn in Kindergarten anyway? basic personal information: phone number, address... determining the weather calendar basics: months, days of the week, year… to classify and group objects according to such characteristics as shape, color, size, and texture (attributes) developing fine motor skills to recognize upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet and more!! collecting and interpreting data: graphs, surveys to match letters with sounds social skills count numbers up to 100 word families like “-at” (cat, sat, hat) rhyming words to read sight words like I, and, is, the, my use their five senses to make simple scientific observations holidays and what they mean when to use capital and lowercase letters begin reading words what a sentence is and how to write one different families and cultures how to be a good student/school procedures to write numbers up to at least 20 to write sight words like I, and, is, the, my understand how people in communities work together about my family identify and name shapes draw cut and manipulate shapes recognizing patterns basic addition and subtraction

9. Language Arts Book and Print Awareness Letters and Letter Sounds Syllables Beginning, Middle and Ending Sounds Blends and Digraphs Rhyming Words Blending to Read Words Basic High Frequency Words Writing Capital and Lowercase Letters Penmanship and Fine Motor Skills Write First and Last Name Read a Level4-6 Book Comprehension

10. Language Arts Reading Test: DRA2-- What is it? • DRA2 is a reading assessment that determines your child’s reading level. • Most Kindergarteners are able to read a level A or 1 at the beginning of the year. • By the end of Kindergarten, your child should be able to read a level 4-6.

11. Level 4

12. Level 6

13. Mathematics Count by Ones to 100 Write Numbers 1-20 Skip Counting by 2’s, 5’s & 10’s Patterns Shapes and Solids Positional Language Comparing and Sequencing Identify Half and Whole Identify Coins Read a Calendar Tell Time to the Hour Addition and Subtraction Problem Solving

14. Science Our Five Senses Observing and Gathering Information Simple Investigations Communicate and Record Findings Rocks, Soil, Water Weather and Seasons Light and Optics Living vs. Nonliving Things Animals Life Cycles Plants

15. Social Studies US and Texas Flags Customs and Cultures Celebrations and Holidays Landforms and Bodies of Water Jobs and Community Workers Location Terms Chronological Order

16. Technology Computer Basic Keyboard Skills Using a Mouse Technology Safety Start and Exit Programs Basic Technology Vocabulary

17. Kindergarten Grades • Report Cards: • A paper copy will go home each 6 Weeks • However, a Parent-Teacher Conference will be held for each child in October in lieu of the 1st Report Card. • Progress Reports: • A paper copy will be sent home after the 3rd week of the grading period beginning in the second six weeks. Progress is noted for each subject area as follows: • P= progressing • I= inconsistent progress

18. Kindergarten Grades • Grade Explanation: • Kindergarten uses a letter system on Report Cards based on academic and developmental growth • D:“developed”: child meets that academic goal with 100% satisfaction every time. • SD: “skill still developing”: child understands the skill, and can perform it most of the time, but may need more practice to achieve mastery level. • X:“experiencing difficulty”: the child needs a lot of help with the skill. They may not know what to do, or very little of the skill at all. These are areas which need extra practice at home as well.

19. Nuts and Bolts…

20. Family Communication • Student Handbook and Code of Conduct at • www.nisdtx.org/studenthandbook • Class Websites at www.nisdtx.org • Select Beck Elementary Staff Teacher Name • Daily Communication Folders • Pay Lunch Account Online: • Parents Menus/Food Services • Transportation Changes Must Be e-mailed to the front office at beckelem@nisdtx.org by 2:00pm. Please also “CC” your child’s teacher.

21. Communication Folders Communication Folders • Students will take these to and from school every day! • Be sure to initial calendar every night! Even on the good days!  • Zipper Pouch is used for sending money and important notes to and from school. • Be sure to check for important information, homework, etc.

22. Teaching with Love and Logic • What is Love and Logic? • Love allows children to grow through their mistakes. • Logic allows children to live with the consequences of their choices. • Love and Logic: • Shared Control: Gain control by giving away the control you don’t need • Shared Thinking and Decision-Making: Provide opportunities for the child to do the greatest amount of thinking and decision-making • Equal Shares of Consequences with Empathy: An absence of anger causes a child to think and learn from his/her mistakes • Maintain the Child’s Self-Concept: Increased self-concept leads to improved behavior and achievement • www.loveandlogic.com

23. Attendance & Absences • Attendance in Kindergarten is very important. We design many hands-on and interactive activities that are most meaningful when done in the classroom. • When your child needs to stay home, please notify the front office and your child’s teacher via email at • beckelem@nisdtx.org • Make-Up Work • Can be requested if your child is absent more than two days • Work will not be sent home with siblings, neighbors, or friends

24. Birthday Treats • We love to recognize your child on their special day! • If you would like to provide a treat for your child’s class in honor of their birthday, you may send them to school with your child or bring them to the front office. The teacher will determine the appropriate time in the afternoon for sharing the treat. • The birthday treat MUST be single-servings. (cupcakes, cookies, etc.) • Please also provide napkins for the treat.  • We request that you not bring party favors, • balloons, drinks, or decorations.

25. Clothes and Shoes Please be sure your child is prepared:  Be sure they have tennis shoes to wear during P.E. and recess. 2. Be sure to leave a change of clothes in your child’s backpack for unforeseen incidents (accidents, mud, who knows?) P.S: Students should be bringing their backpacks every day!

26. Independence • Kindergarteners are encouraged to be independent. They should be able to: • Take care of own bathroom needs • Do their morning jobs (put away folder, select lunch choice, put away backpack, etc.) • Button, zip and snap own clothing and tie/velcro their shoes

27. Library We had our first trip to the library last week! Here are some good things to remember: Help your child remember their library day. (A note on the fridge or by the front door always helps! ) Please reinforce how we take care of our books. (We don’t eat or drink around them, we carry it carefully, etc.) Always read your child’s books with them. Talk with them about the book they chose. Was it a good choice? Why/Why not?

28. PTA and Volunteering We love our parent volunteers! • If you would like to volunteer, fill out the PTA volunteer form if you haven’t already. • Parents/Guardians must have completed and NISD background check to volunteer. (These must be completed each year) • See the Beck PTA Website for more details • beckpta.com

29. A Little Housekeeping… To help your child be successful: • Be sure to leave all toys, jewelry, key chains, etc. at home. These can be distracting and risk getting lost if brought to school. Teachers are not responsible for lost student toys. • Please write your child’s first and last name on things you send to school: lunchboxes, jackets, backpacks, snacks, water bottles, etc. This will help us return lost items ASAP 

30. How Can I Help My Child? Here are a few things you can do to help your child be successful in Kindergarten: • Read with them every night. • Write with them as much as • possible. • -Magna Doodles • -iPads • Count anything and everything. • Make sure they get a good night’s rest. • Fill ‘em up right at mealtimes.

31. Questions?