Winn Holt Elementary August 19, 2012

Meet the Teacher This is my 6th year of teaching at Winn Holt. I have taught EIP, Kindergarten, Fourth, and Fifth during the past 6 years. I graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration and a Bachelor’s of Arts. I have also received a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Walden University. I grew up in Gwinnett County and currently live in Loganville with my husband Ben, and my 4 year old son, Taylor.

Kindergarten Focus Create a learning environment based upon the workshop model where students receive individualized instruction in a small group setting.

E - Exceeds Expectations S - Satisfactory **** N - Needs Improvement U - Unsatisfactory

-building number concepts (identify, build, addition, subtraction) -comparing sizes (measurement), quantities of numbers, recognizing shapes, colors and similarities/differences. -manipulating materials that give meaning to terms such as smaller, larger, more, less, equal to as well as positional words

-creating and extending patterns using shapes and objects. -estimating, collecting data and building graphs. -telling time by hour and half hour, organizing daily schedules and telling time of day. -identifying coins and their amounts. *Math Calendar

-Learning that oral telling of stories can be written. -Drawing pictures to illustrate their stories. -Learning to write their name correctly, using capital letter for the first letter and lower case letters for the rest of the name. -Using phonetic “inventive” spelling, sight words and environmental print in stories.

-Sentences start with a capital letter, followed by lower case letters and end with punctuation with spaces between words. -Authors have a focus and recognize their audience. -Writing a story with a beginning, middle and end.

-Building vocabulary and new interests through media -Demonstrate concepts of print (front and back of book, cover, title, left to right page sequence, left/right; top/bottom when reading, different between letter, word, sentence and pictures ) -Identifying letter by name (uppercase, lower case and sound) in random order.

-Recognizing that words are made up a series of sounds. -recognize rhyming patterns and sounds. -identifying beginning, middle and ending sounds. -Blends sounds to form a words.

-predicts what will happen in a story based upon illustrations or title. -identifies beginning, middle and end. -summarizes a story. -participates in discussion about text and supports responses with information from text. -makes connections with text (self, author, world, media)

Word Study We will have a new poem each week. With the poem we will be working on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and other skills each week. Each week a list of words will be sent home for you and your child to practice. The poem will be included as well. Please review the reading words for the week daily. We will have a reading test each Friday. By the end of the school year we will cover 100 words!

-Observable Properties (five senses, sort and classify objects by their physical attributes) -Comparing Plants and Animals -Force and Motion -Gravity -Day and Night Sky -Rocks and Soil -Living and Nonliving Things

-Where We Live -Observing Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day -Personal Finance (people must make choices) -Our Nation (symbols)

-High expectations for students. -praise!!!! -warnings and consequences. -positive reinforcement -Champion students will: -Be Ready -Be Responsible -Be Respectful -Behavior Chart

-All Kindergarten students will receive the same packet. -Focuses on Math and Language Arts concepts. -Homework timeline: Monday-Thursday. Due on Friday. -Please do a little each day, they have had a long day.

Nightly Reading -Please read with your child every night and discuss what they read. This will help build their vocabulary and understanding of what they read.

Assessments Daily work GKIDs Report Cards each nine weeks

Daily Folders Behavior Chart Parent Communication Homework Additional Resources Classwork Please return your child’s black homework binder each day and initial their behavior chart each night.

A few more things… Field trips: -Yellow River Game Ranch -Geoff Johnson -Our Community tour -High Tech, High Touch Website: Click: >school staff >Brandi Milliken Snack: We will have snack from 10:15-10:35. Please send a healthy snack and water. Lunch: You are welcome to come eat with your child! 12:40-1:10 Recess: 2:00-2:20 -Connections (PE, Science, Health, Art Music, and Writing) -Morning Arrival: 7:45-8:15 -Dismissal: 2:45-3:15 -Weekly Newsletter -Volunteers We have several special projects this year for your child. -Vocabulary Parade (Spring) -Our Community Museum (December 14 th ) -Symbols of the U.S.A. Museum (May 17 th )

Thank You… for taking the time to attend Open House! I look forward to working with you and your child this year. It is going to be a wonderful year filled with exciting learning activities!