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B A L D W I N’ S K I ND E RG A RT EN I S A F U N
P L A C E TO B LO O M A N D G RO W
The Kindergarten Teachers
When they are actively engaged in multi-sensory experiences. There are opportunities
to learn by seeing, hearing, touching, interacting with and moving. Multi-sensory
activities meet the children’s different learning styles and they make lessons more fun!
This is an amazing time because it creates children who are excited to learn to read!
They start out learning that they can read the world around them (environmental
print) and then they are drawn into conventional reading. They learn how fun books
are, the habits of a good reader, and reading skills!
Then each child practices reading self-chosen “just right” books in their book bags. “Just Right” books
are at an independent reading level where the child can read almost all the words accurately and fluently.
I reinforce the mini lesson and address the reading needs of the children in either individual
conferences, a small strategy group using books from the child’s “just right” book bag or a guided reading
group using the same differentiated reading book. The reinforcement varies with the reading skills
being developed.
Read Aloud Time
As I read aloud a picture book:
the children are drawn into the wonderful worlds created by authors.
the children grow their love of reading.
the children are exposed to new vocabulary and concepts.
the children are seeing the strategies and higher level thinking that readers have.
the children are hearing fluent reading and reading with expression.
Our 26 Zoo Animal Letter Friends help the children make meaningful connections with the
letters and sounds that they are learning:
Each letter of the alphabet matches a zoo animal with the same beginning sound.
The animal’s body is bent in the shape of a capital and lowercase letter and the animal
has a fun action for his or her letter/sound.
The children learn that they can put letter friends together to make words.
We also study each other’s names so that we can study letter formation, letter/sound
correspondence and syllables.
The boys and girls will transfer their knowledge of phonics when they read and write
throughout the day.
Shared Reading Time
This is a special whole group reading time where the children have an
opportunity to behave like readers with the teacher’s support
At Writer’s Workshop Time, the boys and girls learn that they are authors and illustrators;
just like their favorite authors and illustrators in the books that they read at home and in the
classroom!
The boys and girls learn that writers start with something to say and then draw and write to put that meaning
onto the page.
The children will learn to write true stories or stories about special moments in their lives. These stories will
grow from one page with a picture and labels to a sentence. Then the stories will grow to several pages with a
beginning, middle and end.
The children will learn to persuade others to believe what they believe with persuasive writing.
The children will learn to write “How To” books that teach others how to do something
that the child is an expert at.
Like Reader’s Workshop, Writer’s Workshop starts with a mini-lesson and then the
boys and girls practice what they are learning while writing independently. At this
time, I conference with the children. Guidance may include stretching out sounds in words
and finding the correct letters on the alphabet chart that match these sounds. I also
provide encouragement and support in helping the children grow their confidence.
Literacy Station Time also known as
Purposeful Play
Our kindergartners engage in meaningful and purposeful play and they
enhance their growing literacy skills at Literacy Station Time
because:
They can explore and expand their literacy skills in a playful, multi-sensory way.
They can have even more experiences with reading.
They can listen to books online.
They can respond to books through art or drama.
They can engage in conversations and develop oral language.
They can play with sounds, letters, words and writing.
They can play and talk about science/
social studies and math concepts.
Math Time
We start with a whole group mini lesson on a specific math skill or
strategy.
Then the children take part in practice and exploration time. This can
be either a specific activity that enables practice with the skill learned in
the mini lesson or the children are partnered up and rotate to a certain
math tub with hands-on materials.
Guided math practice with me in small groups during math tub time helps
the children better understand the math skills being learned.
Theme Time
Gym
Music
Art
Media/Library
More information…
mmarando@rochester.k12.mi.us