Kindergarten Curriculum Night Dear Parents, Welcome to Curriculum Night at Cornerstone Christian Academy! Thank you for coming.

It is great to see you. I would like to share some of the exciting things going on in our classroom, as well as discuss information regarding school procedures. School Procedures STUDENT CHECK IN/CHECK OUT: When a student arrives late for school, an adult needs to check the child into school at the front office. The student has already been recorded as absent for the day and that status will need to be changed to tardy. This is the only way that we have to record a child as present after 8:15 am.

CHANGE IN AFTERNOON TRANSPORTATION: Students will be sent home using the manner of transportation noted on the registration cards unless the office is NOTIFIED IN WRITING that a change in transportation is to occur. If you need to make a change due to scheduling, etc., send in a written note on the morning of the requested change and it will be sent to the office. In addition, if something comes up during the school day and a change must be made, please call the office to inform them of the change. BIRTHDAYS: You may send in cookies, cupcakes, or fruit snacks for your childs birthday. Please do not send in a large treat that must be cut into individual pieces. We are not allowed to have knives at school. Please deliver the treat to the front office and someone will notify us that it is there. The children always get such a kick out of going to the office to pick up their treats!!! If your child has a summer birthday, we can celebrate his/her half-year birthday, or on a day close to the end of school. Just send me a note concerning your wishes. We will also try to make this day a special day for your child with or without birthday treats. SNACK TIME: Please remember to send in a nutritional snack with your child each day. Fruit, dry cereal, raisins, crackers, etc., are all good choices. Please remember we are a peanut free classroom. We will be having snack around 9:30 every morning.

GUESTS FOR LUNCH: Our lunch is from 11:35-12:05. We suggest that you come to lunch on special occasions only due to limited seating in the cafeteria. When finished eating, PLEASE SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR CHILD AT THE CAFETERIA DOOR. Many children have a difficult time separating from their parents, and this will help with the transition back to the classroom. LIBRARY BOOKS: Please look for the book that your child checks out from the Media Center on Wednesdays. Please return the book on the following Monday or Tuesday, so your child will be able to check out a new book on Wednesday. Classroom Procedures DAILY SCHEDULE: (attached) BEHAVIOR: Classroom Rules The following is a list of our classroom rules: 1. 2. 3. 4. H-Have respect for self, others, and property. O-Obey school rules. P-Please God with actions and words. E-Exercise self-control.

When a child forgets a rule, a verbal warning is given. If the student is still having a difficult time, then the student will have thinking time for five minutes. If the behavior continues, a note will be marked in their daily folder. Our goal is to promote POSITIVE behavior!!! COMMUNICATION: Daily folders are sent home every day. Inside you will find important communications from the school and the classroom along with student work samples. Please review the folder, sign the folder on Fridays, and return on Monday mornings. You will need to visit our class website to view the weekly newsletter. The websites address is: http://mrseith.weebly.com

Reports cards are issued every nine weeks. Not every area on the report card is assessed each nine weeks. As skills are introduced and evaluated, a grade will be assigned. Twice a year, during the fall and spring, conferences are held to discuss your childs academic progress. However, if you ever feel the need to meet with me in addition to these times, please let me know and arrangements will be made to meet. I will also contact you if there is a problem or concern. I am looking forward to a GREAT year with your child! I am amazed at the progress we have made already this year. I am excited to see the growth each child will experience during the rest of our time together. School is truly a partnership between parents and teacher. Please feel free to write or call anytime if you have a question. My email at school is teith@cornerstonecougars.net Thank you for your support, Tricia Eith

Daily Schedule 7:50-8:15 Arrival 8:15-8:45 Calendar/Devotion 8:45-9:30 Shared Reading/Writing/Phonics 9:30-9:45 Snack/Read 9:45-11:15 Literacy Centers 11:35-12:05 Lunch 12:05-12:45 Writing Workshop 12:48-1:30 Enrichment Classes: Monday- Technology Tuesday- PE Wednesday-Music, Spanish, Library Thursday-PE Friday- Technology, Art 1:30-2:15 Math 2:15-2:45 Recess 2:45-3:00 Pack-up for dismissal, Review Day and Pray Friday-Chapel 8:30-9:05

Curriculum Packet 1. Poem 2. School and Classroom Procedures 3. Our Curriculum 4. Developmental Patterns for Emergent Writers 5. Snap Words 6. D Nealian Handwriting 7. Reading Club

DNealian Handwriting Your child will be learning DNealian handwriting during language arts instruction. Our goal for this program is to help your child write legibly. Most lowercase letters and numerals are written with one continuous stroke. Therefore, your child should not lift the pencil from the paper except when writing a letter that has a cross stroke or a dot. By following the DNealian handwriting, your child should make the transition from manuscript to cursive more easily. Please reinforce the writing skills taught at school as you work with your child at home. I have attached a copy of the DNealian letters and numerals and directions for forming the letters as well as the directions for forming the letters.

Our Curriculum At Cornerstone, we consider our curriculum to be of paramount importance to the effectiveness of our classroom instruction and a key distinguishing factor between private and public schools. Our curriculum presents a balanced view in the areas of history (social studies) and science as well as biblical integration. Language arts instruction includes a strong phonemic approach. In math, we emphasize mastery of basic skills before progressing to concepts that are more complex. Our curriculum is a hands on approach to learning. We believe that if the children are involved then they will understand and remember.

Bible: We use Positive Action Bible Curriculum for our unit of studies. In kindergarten, the program focuses on familiar childrens stories of the Bible. We use the stories of Creation, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Jesus, and many others. The students will learn about and appreciate the lives of famous heroes, who by example provide s foundation for living. God Loves Me will be the theme throughout the year. Language Arts (Speaking, Listening, Writing, and Reading): The Saxon Phonics and Spelling Series is one of the many resources that we use to meet the individual needs in each of these content areas. Saxon provides essential foundational skills of phonemic awareness, alphabetizing, decoding, fluency, and spelling. In addition to Saxon, the practices of Orton Gillingham will be used throughout our language arts program. At CCA, we encourage creative written expression. Writing is a developmental process that can be observed through your childs writing patterns. Your child is encouraged to write words as he/she hears them. Math: We use Math Their Way philosophy for math, which is a hands-on approach to learning the math concepts. Our goal is to develop an understanding and insight into the patterns of math through the use of creative materials. The activities are designed to help young children see relationships and interconnections with numbers. Science: Our science curriculum is an innovative study of life, earth, and physical science from a clear Christian perspective. Our goal for our students is to help each child become scientifically literate.

The students thinking advances from concrete to abstract as they accumulate experiences and ideas. They develop more effective techniques for observing and testing nature. Social Studies and Health: The kindergarten students study about themselves and our relationships with our family, community, state, and nation. Enrichment Classes: PE, Spanish, Music, Technology, and Art are the enrichment classes that your child will attend weekly. These classes are integrated with all of the other subject area courses of the curriculum.

When children come home at the end of the day, the question theyre asked as they scurry to play is Tell me, what did you do today? And the answer they give Makes you sigh in dismay Nothing. I did nothing today. Maybe nothing means I made a graph of how many kids had a lunchbox, or counted to twenty with Mrs. Eith. Maybe I learned a new song from beginning to end or played outside with a brand new friend. Maybe I wrote a story with Mrs. Eith or learned how objects are made from a recycled tire. When youre only five and your heart has wings Nothing can mean so many, many things!
Adapted from Instructor, 1985

Kindergarten Social Studies

Kindergarten students at Cornerstone Christian Academy will explore specific areas of study through the overarching topic Me and My Country. Kindergarten students will relate to and will begin to understand themselves as well as the country in which they live. Therefore, throughout the course of the year, we will explore the following units: *National Holidays *National Symbols *Historical Figures *Timelines *Cultural Diversity *Map and Globe Skills *Citizenship *Community Helpers *Character Development *Needs vs. Wants Our school website will advise you of current and upcoming topics of study in Social Studies.

Kindergarten Science
Kindergarten students at Cornerstone Christian Academy will explore specific areas of study through the overarching topic My World and Me. Five and six year olds have a natural interest in the world around them; therefore, throughout the course of the year, we will explore the following units: *Physical Properties of Matter *Gravity and Motion *Day and Night Sky *Living and Non-living Things *Animals *Plants *Rocks and Soils *Five Senses *Nutrition *Weather

Our school website will advise you of current and upcoming topics of study in Science.

Snap Words The following is a list of the snap words that we will be working with in the classroom. I emphasize to the students that they should recognize these words in a snap! These words make up 50% of our written language. Please review these words with your child at home throughout the year. The students feel more successful in their reading and writing when they know these snap words. *the *of *and *a *to *in *is *you *that *it *he *are *by *one *had *not *all *we *can *your *if *she *play *as *go *come *play *but *were *there *an *which *will *so *for *with *they *at *be *this *I *or *like *my *go *his *was

Our Vision The vision of Cornerstone Christian Academy is to graduate boys and girls whose elementary experience lays the foundation for Christian leadership in the world. Our Mission Cornerstone Christian Academy will partner with parents to provide a quality academic education designed to develop students who will follow Christ, embrace biblical truth and live lives that glorify God.