< Previous6 DAY 2 Focus Question 1 Our Families As children’s first teachers, families are the people who children feel the most comfortable around and can often be your strongest allies in supporting children’s development and learning. As you get to know the children, it’s important to learn about the people in their families to create a strong home-to-school connection. Today the children will continue to become familiar with the people in the classroom and will be invited to share information about the people in their families with the class. Vocabulary English: words related to family roles Spanish: palabras relacionadas con los papeles en la familia Question of the day: How many people are in your family? Transitions • Song: Mighty Minutes 68, “Say Hello!” • Game: Mighty Minutes 31, “Big Steps, Little Steps” There are many transitions in a school day, and when children don’t know what is expected of them and must wait with nothing to do, these transitions can be chaotic and overwhelming. Mighty Minutes ® activities can be used when transitioning from one activity to the next; when children need a break to get up and move; or when lining up to go to specials, lunch, or the bus. Large Group Discussion and Shared Writing • Welcome the children and express how excited you are to see them today. • Use Mighty Minutes 19, “The Drill Sergeant.” Ask the children to hold up their name cards when they hear their names in your movement instructions. • Invite children to share their responses to the question of the day with the group. • Describe the people who are in your family. You might say, “I have five people in my family: my dad, my mom, me, and my two sisters.” Be sure to keep an open mind about what constitutes a family. It’s important to remember that children’s families are the most important people in the world to them, and all families must be respected and valued. • Ask, “Who are the people in your family?” Invite the children to share who is in their families. As children share, record the family roles each child names (e.g., pop, abuela, auntie, mom, step-dad, little sister). Including all children The children in your classroom will most likely come from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Some may not refer to family roles using English titles such as “mother” or “father.” To be inclusive of all backgrounds, invite children to share their families’ roles using their first languages. Large-Group Extension As you interact with children throughout the day, consider the following: • Invite the children to draw a family portrait. • Ask, “What can you tell me about your picture? What are the names of the people in your picture?” Drawing a family portrait gives children an opportunity to talk about their families. What children say about their artwork can help you build relationships with them. When children say things like “My dad’s away with his Army unit” or “My nana lives with us,” you learn valuable information about their life experiences, interests, family backgrounds, and feelings. Beginning the year considerations Many kindergarten children love hearing and seeing their own names in the classroom. When you display children’s names prominently throughout the room and include them in fun activities, you support development and learning in important ways. For example, when children see their names on cubbies, on job charts, and elsewhere throughout the classroom, they learn to recognize letters, read and write their names, and see themselves as valued members of the classroom community. Who are the people in our classroom? The First Six Weeks: Building Your Classroom Community Focus Questions The Creative Curriculum ® for Kindergarten 7 Read-Aloud Read A World of Families. Before reading, show the children the cover of the book and remind them that this story is about what different families do together. Ask, “Do you remember some of the activities that the families liked to do together?” While reading, compare what families do in the book to things the children do together at school. You might say, “The family members in this illustration are reading a book together. We like to read books together at school, too!” After reading, ask a few children to share their family portraits with the class. Encourage the children to share what activity they like to do best with the family members they drew in their portraits. Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey Continue to observe for Objective 4, “Demonstrates traveling skills,” and Objective 5, “Demonstrates balancing skills,” using the Intentional Teaching Card ™ listed here or the questions and prompts in the Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey. • Intentional Teaching Card P04, “Hopping Relay Race” As you complete the survey, use the information you collect to individualize and plan activities that support children’s development and learning. For example, if you noticed that some children struggled to keep their balance while performing a variety of movements in the hopping relay race, you may choose to incorporate movement into other activities such as using Intentional Teaching Card LL12, “Balls in Action.” Large-Group Roundup • Invite the children who created family portraits to share them with a peer or with the whole class as time allows. • Ask children what family members they will see after school. • Say good-bye to each child individually and express your excitement to see them tomorrow. Having several places specifically designated for displaying children’s work sends the important message to children that their work is valued. Create the displays at children’s eye level and change them regularly so that children can see their progress throughout the year and others can see the learning taking place in your classroom. Reflecting on the Day • As you interacted with children, what did you learn about their families? • How can you use what you learned to strengthen your relationship with individual children? For example, if Chen said he reads books about superheroes with his father, you might add books that feature superheroes to the Library station and read with him.8 How can we express our feelings at school? AT A GLANCE Focus Question 2 Vocabulary English: relax, nervous, enthusiasm Spanish: relajar, nervioso, entusiasmo Day 1Day 2Day 3 Question of the Day What makes you happy? (Invite the children to draw a picture.) Have you ever felt nervous? How does this person feel? (Display a photo of a person making a very excited facial expression.) Large Group and Extension Discussion: Happy and Sad Feelings in Kindergarten Materials • two sheets of chart paper, one titled Happy and the other Sad Discussion: Nervous Feelings in Kindergarten Materials • one sheet of chart paper titled Nervous • Intentional Teaching Card SE15, “Everyday Feelings” • images of people expressing different emotions Discussion: What Is Exciting About Kindergarten? Materials • Intentional Teaching Card SE09, “Fascinating Feelings” • photos of children’s faces expressing different emotions • chart paper • weekly or monthly calendar • Happy, Sad, and Nervous charts created on Days 1 and 2 Read-Aloud Neighborhood SongNeighborhood SongNeighborhood Song Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey Objective 6 Intentional Teaching Card P19, “Practice Kicks” Objectives 7a and 11b Intentional Teaching Card P18, “Clay Creations” Objectives 7a and 11b Intentional Teaching Card P18, “Clay Creations” Additional Daily Resources Mighty Minutes ® 30, “The Letter–Sound Train” 53, “Catch a Question” Intentional Teaching Cards ™ SE04, “Classroom Calm- Down Place” Mighty Minutes ® 89, “Sleepy Fingers” 80, “Number Order” Intentional Teaching Cards ™ SE06, “Active Listening” Mighty Minutes ® 81, “Sensory Box” 34, “Sunshine & Raincloud Moments” Intentional Teaching Cards ™ SE10, “Ready for a Change” Family Connections • Invite families to continue following the guidance on the Starting Kindergarten: Welcome to the First Week of School! note with their children. • Remind families that they will continue to receive these notes over the next few weeks to help prepare their children throughout the beginning of the school year. Family tip One of the most important messages families can receive when they enter your classroom is that it is also a place for them. As you introduce yourself to families in the first few days of school, warmly greet them and their child. This shows families that you respect them and helps reassure them that they can trust you to provide care for their child. For additional ways to help families feel welcome see pages 171–174 in Volume 1: The Foundation.The Creative Curriculum ® for Kindergarten 9 Focus Question 2 How can we express our feelings at school? Alissa returned to the classroom after recess with tears in her eyes. Nora asked her, “Are you okay?” Alissa looked down, shrugged her shoulders, and turned away as she started to cry, saying, “I miss my mama.” Alissa is feeling some strong emotions and expressed that she misses her mother. How can I help her find a way to manage these emotions? (Objective 1a) I will talk with Alissa about how she is feeling and encourage her to label her emotions with words, such as sad or worried. I can refer to the pictorial daily schedule in my classroom to remind Alissa that her mom will pick her up during aftercare. I could also offer an activity for Alissa to do that can help her feel more connected to her mother, such as drawing a picture for her. EXAMPLE 1 ObserveReflectRespond EXAMPLE 2 ObserveReflectRespond While listening to a story, Ethan raised his hand and asked, “Why is the little boy so upset?” Ethan was able to identify that the little boy in the story was upset but did not understand the cause. How can I support Ethan to identify the emotional reactions of others and the causes of those reactions accurately? (Objective 2b) I can help Ethan make connections between the events in the story to support him to identify why the character may be upset. I might ask questions, such as “What was the little boy practicing every day to do?,” “After practicing so hard, was he able to paint the perfect picture?,” and “What happened in the story just before the little boy got upset?” In the beginning of the school year, children will experience a wide range of emotions. As they adjust to their new classroom, their new daily routines, and the personalities of their peers, some may feel excitement, sadness, fear, nervousness, or other strong emotions. It’s important to remember that these emotions are expected. As you build relationships with individual children, be sensitive to their feelings. Just like adults, children need their feelings to be taken seriously and never ignored or dismissed. As you observe and interact with children, support them to identify their feelings and give them the vocabulary they need to do so. When you listen to children and acknowledge their feelings without making judgments, you not only show respect and understanding, but you also teach children how to manage their own feelings and interpret the emotional cues of others. During this focus question, keep Objective 1, “Regulates own emotions and behaviors,” Dimension a, “Manages feelings,” and Objective 2, “Establishes and sustains positive relationships,” Dimension b, “Responds to emotional cues,” in mind. Most children enter kindergarten already knowing how to identify some basic emotions in themselves and others and how to use some basic strategies for managing their emotions. You can support children’s development in this area by talking about emotions often, discussing characters’ feelings as you read books aloud, and providing opportunities and environmental supports for children to manage their strong emotions in acceptable ways. For additional strategies that promote these skills, refer to pages 10 and 20 in Volume 2: Objectives for Development & Learning. As you interact with children this week, observe how they express themselves and manage their feelings. Take time to reflect on the behaviors you see and how you can respond to individual children to support their social–emotional development. 10 DAY 1 Focus Question 2 How can we express our feelings at school? Happy and Sad Feelings in Kindergarten When children experience strong emotions, it can be difficult for them to articulate what they want to say. By providing words that help them label their feelings, you encourage children to express and process their emotions in positive ways. Today you will coach the children to use the words happy and sad to practice identifying and explaining their feelings. Happy and sad are often the most identifiable emotions for young children. Once they are comfortable labeling these emotions, they can move on to more complex ones, such as nervous and excited. Vocabulary English: relax Spanish: relajar Question of the day: What makes you happy? (Invite the children to draw a picture.) Transitions • Song: Mighty Minutes 30, “The Letter–Sound Train” • Game: Mighty Minutes 53, “Catch a Question” Large Group Discussion and Shared Writing • Greet the children individually by name and invite a few children to share the pictures they drew for the question of the day. • Display two charts: one titled Happy and one titled Sad. Ask, “What could make someone feel happy in kindergarten?” Record the children’s responses on the Happy chart. • Ask, “What could make someone feel sad in kindergarten?” Record the children’s responses on the Sad chart. • Explain to the children that it is okay to feel sad sometimes when they are at school. Ask, “When you are feeling sad, what do you think could help you feel better?” Point out some items on the Happy chart that could help a child feel better. • Say, “Today when we walk around the classroom, we’ll look for places where you can relax, or take a break during the day if you are feeling sad or want to have a few minutes to be by yourself.” • Take the children on a tour of the classroom. Point out the quiet areas of the classroom that children can visit when they need a few moments alone. Reassure the children that you are there to help them when they need help. When children experience strong emotions, they often need adult support to calm down. Establish a calm-down place in your classroom where children can go to cool off, relax, or take a break. This offers children a positive alternative to acting out or losing emotional control during a conflict. Review Intentional Teaching Card SE04, “Classroom Calm-Down Place,” for guidance. Large-Group Extension As you interact with children throughout the day, consider the following: • Encourage the children to notice feelings that they and their classmates experience throughout the day. • Invite the children to continue adding what makes them feel happy or sad to the charts. Including all children Use gestures, simple phrases, and facial expressions as you talk with children about what makes them happy and sad throughout the day. These strategies are particularly effective for English-language learners as you help them develop a clearer understanding of words they can use to express how they feel. Beginning the year considerations During the first several days of school, you can expect that some children will be anxious and unsure about the new environment. When this happens, make sure you acknowledge the children’s feelings by comforting them: “Good morning, Eliza. I see you are frowning this morning. Are you feeling a little sad about coming to school today? I know it can be hard to come to a new place, but I’m glad you’re here. Would you like to sit on this comfy chair and read a book for a few minutes?”The First Six Weeks: Building Your Classroom Community Focus Questions The Creative Curriculum ® for Kindergarten 11 Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey Take time to observe for Objective 6, “Demonstrates gross-motor manipulative skills,” using the Intentional Teaching Card ™ listed here or the question and prompt in the Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey. • Intentional Teaching Card P19, “Practice Kicks” Large-Group Roundup • Invite the children to share what feelings they experienced today. • Review the Happy and Sad charts with the children and invite them to add additional ideas to the charts. • Invite the children to share with their families one thing that made them happy or sad today. • Explain to the children that tomorrow they will talk about what makes them nervous at school. Reflecting on the Day • How well were the children able to share what events made them happy and sad? • What are some additional strategies that you can share to help children identify and manage their emotions? For example, you might offer ongoing opportunities for children to emotionally reflect on their day via journaling, completing an exit ticket, or sharing feelings with a peer or the group as a whole. Read-Aloud Read Neighborhood Song. Before reading, show the book cover and read the title. Say, “This is a special book that can actually be sung! The authors created a song we can sing about people who live in a neighborhood. Do you know what a neighborhood is?” While reading, sing the words in the book to the tune of “Here We Go ’Round the Mulberry Bush.” Pause between singing each page to point to the illustrations and ask, “What do you see the people in this neighborhood doing? Is this something you do in your neighborhood?” After reading, talk about the events in the story. Say, “The people in the neighborhood like to do things together, and they also like to help each other. How do you feel when you help someone who lives in your neighborhood?” Many children find read-alouds to be an emotionally satisfying experience. As you read aloud to children, you project a sense of warmth and caring that helps promote literacy as a source of enjoyment. Through the enjoyment of shared read-aloud experiences, children can build their own passion for books and begin seeking out literature as a source of information and pleasure.12 How can we express our feelings at school? DAY 2 Focus Question 2 Large Group Discussion and Shared Writing • Talk about the question of the day. • Display a chart titled Nervous. • Explain that nervous means that you feel uncomfortable, worried, or scared. Explain that the new experiences and challenges that happen in kindergarten can sometimes make children feel nervous. • Share an example of an event or experience that may make a person (such as yourself) feel nervous, such as going to an event where you don’t know anyone or trying a new activity for the first time. • Ask, “What could make someone feel nervous in kindergarten?” • Record the children’s responses on the chart. • Say, “Talking about your nervous feelings can help you feel less nervous. It can also help to have someone tell you what a new experience is like so you’ll know what to expect. Knowing what to expect can sometimes help you feel less nervous.” • Review the chart and talk about the experiences listed, providing new information as appropriate. Including all children Some children may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed sharing their feelings in a group. Throughout the day, find moments when you can check in with individual children to make sure that they have an opportunity to share their feelings and be heard. Large-Group Extension As you interact with children throughout the day, consider the following: • Use Intentional Teaching Card SE15, “Everyday Feelings.” Include images of people who look nervous, happy, and sad in the activity. • Review the chart and identify any strategies you can incorporate into your routines to help children feel more comfortable. For example, if a child is nervous because he isn’t sure how to go through the lunch line and pay for his lunch, invite him to go through the lunch line with a “buddy” who can help him better understand the process. • Invite children to continue sharing what makes them feel nervous during different parts of the day. Add children’s responses to the Nervous chart. Beginning the year considerations Active listening helps you get to know children well while letting them know that you care about them. When you actively listen to children, you model the empathy and good listening skills they need to build successful relationships with peers and to describe and manage their emotions. See Intentional Teaching Card SE06, “Active Listening,” for ways to help children who are feeling nervous, worried, or sad. Nervous Feelings in Kindergarten Nervousness is an emotion that people feel and express in a variety of ways. It is often mixed with other emotions, such as sadness, excitement, and even fear. Today you will invite the children to share how they feel at school and talk through times when they feel nervous. Leading a discussion about feelings at times when children are not experiencing strong emotions will help them adjust to and feel more comfortable with the new routines and changes that come with the beginning of the kindergarten year. Vocabulary English: nervous Spanish: nervioso Question of the day: Have you ever felt nervous? Transitions • Song: Mighty Minutes 89, “Sleepy Fingers” • Game: Mighty Minutes 80, “Number Order”The First Six Weeks: Building Your Classroom Community Focus Questions The Creative Curriculum ® for Kindergarten 13 Read-Aloud Read Neighborhood Song. • Invite children to create their own “special classroom song” about things the class does together at school. • Demonstrate by sharing an example of how the song could go. You might sing, “This is the way we read a book, read a book, read a book. This is the way we read a book in our special classroom.” Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey Over the next two days, take time to observe for Objective 7a, “Uses fingers and hands,” and Objective 11b, “Persists,” using the Intentional Teaching Card ™ listed here or the questions and prompts in the Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey. You can observe for both dimensions today or continue your observations tomorrow. • Intentional Teaching Card P18, “Clay Creations” Large-Group Roundup • Review the Nervous chart and discuss the parts of the day that made children feel strong emotions. • Explain that tomorrow you will discuss what’s exciting about being in kindergarten. Reflecting on the Day • What experiences did children say made them feel nervous? • What are some ways that you can help children feel more comfortable and less nervous at the beginning of the school year? For example, a child might have shared that she feels nervous walking to the bus after school. You can support this child by personally walking her to the bus or by having a peer who rides the same bus walk with her. 14 How can we express our feelings at school? DAY 3 Focus Question 2 Large Group Discussion and Shared Writing • Discuss the question of the day. • Say, “Kindergarten is an exciting place where you get to try new things and have new experiences.” • Ask, “What are you most excited about now that you are in kindergarten?” Record the children’s responses on chart paper. • Discuss any special events or activities that are planned for the upcoming weeks. • Introduce the word enthusiasm and explain that it means feeling very excited about something and having a very strong interest in it. • Review the children’s responses and explain that, while they have named very exciting things to look forward to, new things can sometimes make children feel nervous, sad, or scared. • Ask the children to recall and share what they can do if they are feeling nervous, sad, or scared at school. To help children feel prepared for any upcoming changes in a daily routine, review Intentional Teaching Card SE10, “Ready for a Change.” Including all children Some children may feel uneasy about the days and weeks ahead. Use the information you have learned in the first few days to help strengthen your relationships with children, especially those who are having a harder time adjusting to school. For example, you might say, “Abraham, I see that you got upset when your mom left. She told me that you like to play with blocks. Let’s see if we can find some blocks for you to play with while the other children arrive.” Large-Group Extension As you interact with children throughout the day, consider the following: • Use Intentional Teaching Card SE09, “Fascinating Feelings.” Incorporate the emotions the children have explored into the song. • Display a calendar for the current week or month. Use pictures and words to mark any upcoming special events. • Point out smaller exciting things that happen throughout the day, such as discovering a bird’s nest or conducting a read-aloud outdoors. Beginning the year considerations Using “self-talk” as you interact with children helps them understand your actions and feelings. For example, you might say, “I am going to put all of the counters back in the container to keep the Math and Games station organized,” or “I’m feeling frustrated because I can’t get this jar of paint open. I’m going to take a deep breath and try again.” What Is Exciting About Kindergarten? As children begin to settle into school, they become more comfortable and familiar with day-to-day routines. Throughout the school year, however, you may have special events or activities planned that break from children’s normal routines. Some activities may be small, such as going on a “litter walk” around the school to help care for the environment, while others may be bigger, more involved activities such as field trips. Today you will discuss and build excitement for special events and changes in routines in advance to help children feel prepared and comfortable with what is happening at school. Vocabulary English: enthusiasm Spanish: entusiasmo Question of the day: How does this person feel? (Display a photo of a person making a very excited facial expression.) Transitions • Game: Mighty Minutes 81, “Sensory Box” • Game: Mighty Minutes 34, “Sunshine & Raincloud Moments”The First Six Weeks: Building Your Classroom Community Focus Questions The Creative Curriculum ® for Kindergarten 15 Read-Aloud Read Neighborhood Song. Before reading, show the children the cover of the book and ask, “What is this book about?” and “What did the people in the neighborhood do together?” While reading, invite the children to sing along as you turn the pages. While singing, notice how individual children participate in the activity. After reading, look at and talk about the illustrations together. Ask, “What kinds of things do people do in their neighborhoods that we also do at school?” Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey Continue to observe for Objective 7a, “Uses fingers and hands,” and Objective 11b, “Persists,” using the Intentional Teaching Card ™ listed here or the questions and prompts in the Kindergarten Entry Assessment Survey. • Intentional Teaching Card P18, “Clay Creations” Large-Group Roundup • Review the Happy, Sad, and Nervous charts that you and the children created during this focus question. • Display the charts in the classroom so you can revisit them as the children continue to settle into their new routines at school. • Invite the children to share what special events they are most excited about. • Explain to the children how much you enjoyed the first several days of school. Let them know how excited you are to see them tomorrow. Reflecting on the Day • What experiences did children feel the most excited about? • How can you continue to foster children’s feelings of excitement as the school year progresses? For example, consider taking time each week to discuss future events that the children might be excited about or look forward to, such as a classmate’s birthday or a special visit from someone who will be sharing a hobby with the class. Next >