| Adult volunteers are needed at journal time, center time and math time.
Please contact Mrs. Jacobson if you are available to help on a day off
work or on a regular basis.
Our daily schedule remains fairly consistent. To see the time schedule for
our activities, return to my home page and click on "Class Schedule."
You are welcome to join us for lunch. (Call the office by 9:20 am if you
wish to order a school lunch for yourself.) Please sign in and pick up a
name tag in the office each time you visit the classroom.
ARRIVAL: Book-Look (After children have hung up their belongings, brought
their red folder to their table and posted their lunch plans; they go to
their table to read books with their classmates.)
MORNING MEETING: Everyday we greet each other in a special way (singing,
passing a hand shake, a music and movement activity), sit in a community
circle to share news, and read a morning message that I have written to
the children about the plans for the day.
READ-ALOUD: I read a story and encourage participation (connecting the theme
to the children's personal experiences, making predications, intrepretating
the illustrations, analyzing the story elements, comparing it
to others previously read).
SONGS AND POETRY: Singing and poetry recitation build both classroom
community and important literacy skills (rhyme, rhythm, pattern and
vocabulary building). After lunch we often get out our Song/Poetry
Notebooks for a group sing-along. It is fine if your child takes
the notebook home, but please send it back in your child's backpack the
next school day.
RECESS: We have three recesses each day. We share the playground with the
other kindergarten class during the first and third recess. Kindergarten-
third grade are out together at noon recess. We go out rain or shine!
JOURNAL TIME: Children draw a picture in their journal and then go to an
adult to write about it. Through this process children gradually develop
their ability to spell phonetically and spell some words with conventional
spelling. Children share their journal entry with a partner. Everyday I
provide a mini-lesson by modeling my own journal writing and presenting one
writing tip.
READING: Starting in February we move into a series of little books which
gradually introduce a few sight words and application of phonics to sounding
out words. Your child will bring each book home to read with the family
after we have worked with it several days. Books should be returned the
next school day in your child's reading folder.
LUNCH: We eat in our own classroom in style! Low lights, background
classical music and vases of flowers on each table make this a special time
as children visit with their friends.
SPECIALIST TIME: Your child will have music class and PE twice a week and
library/computer lab once a week.
CENTER TIME/CLEAN-UP/SHOW-AND-TELL: This is the time of day when children
are responsible to plan and carry out activities of interest to them.
Painting, art, block construction, writing, games, puzzles, dramatic play,
reading books, sensory table (sand etc.), listening center and books. This
is a highly interactive time which provides a rich opportunity to develop
social skills and self-discipline. After cleaning up the classroom, children
gather on the carpet to share products they created during Center Time.
SNACK TIME: Children take turns providing a small snack for the whole
class. We either gather on the carpet or at assigned tables.
SHARED READING: We read oversized books with enlarged print. These
wonderful books are specifically written to help children learn how print
works in the context of an enjoyable story. The large illustrations closely
match the meaning of the text. The text is often repetative, includes rhyme
or is predictable. After a few readings the children can often read/retell
the story independently. Sometimes we use a few simple props and act out
these stories.
MATH TIME: After a short group "number talk" children proceed to self-
directed math stations where they may work alone or with a partner. Children
build a solid sense of number when they work with concrete materials.
PREPARATION FOR DISMISSAL: We have responsible 5th grade bus escorts that
accompany the children to their buses and wait with them until they board
the bus. The walkers and children picked up at the passenger loading area
go with me. I have a detailed dismissal plan with the instructions parents
have given me. If you have a change in dismissal plan PLEASE call me or
send a not in your child's red folder. I CANNOT go on information
children tell me.
REMEMBER, WE WELCOME FAMILY MEMBERS IN OUR CLASSROOM AS VOLUNTEERS AND
OBSERVERS. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our
classroom (just not during the time I need to be working with the children).
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