Our TK Classroom Creations
Our classroom projects are created to help student build independence and self-esteem. They learn to love themselves and others, while they explore new things and new places. Each piece of our artwork is intended to bring joy to the heart and a smile to the face!
Frequently, students use glyphs and graphs with their artwork. Glyphs are pictures that represent specific pieces of information. They introduce students to graphical representation of data. Graphing is a way to introduce broader concepts of greater than/less than, or most and least. Graphs help children understand mathematical concepts such as analyzing, counting, comparing, organizing and sorting.
Some Things Change and Others Remain the Same
Class jobs rotate every week, from Class Courier to Recycling Engineer. Giving students jobs teaches ownership and responsibility. As a group we establish our "Classroom Rules." We strive to follow daily: 1) Be polite, 2) Be honest, 3) Be respectful, and 4) Be kind. Students are more likely to follow rules that they helped create. We celebrate birthdays and discuss the timing as they relate to our calendar. Our class Favorites Graph changes monthly. We try new things and determine which ones we prefer and why. The graph offers a mathematical visual that represents choices made by the students.
Our Class Role and Daily Schedule
As part of our morning routine, students are responsible to retrieve their names and place in our hanging pocket folder. This helps them with letter and name identification. In a short time, students are able to recognize their names and those of their classmates. Our schedule changes daily. We post it and go over it each morning, so students will understand what to expect for the day. This activity helps students comprehend transition and time management.
The Calendar and Weather
Each morning, we determine the day, month, and year. We sing the "Days of the Week" song. We go over all the months of the year. We count the days we have been in school. We discuss the weather and the seasons. These activities help students comprehend math, science, and verbal skills.
Weekend News
Every Monday morning, students draw and dictate a highlight from their previous weekend. Dictated journaling is a way for students to work on their handwriting, fine motor, and language skills.
Themes Dictate Activities
We work with a variety of theses based on seasons, holidays, and special events. Our goal is to plan activities that involve as many of the senses as possible. Sense related activities help children remember the information presented and give it meaning.