Current Students - Kindergarten

What We're Working On:
(As reported in the latest Baraga Buzz.)

Kindergarten Kapers

Kindergarten has been very busy reviewing their letters; going over the sounds the letters make and where the letters are located in the alphabet. In science, they are learning about different habitats. They play store and buy items with pennies in math. For social studies, the class is learning about voting and the symbols of their country and state. They have made some beautiful green and red poinsettias and decorated them with glitter. These are hanging
on the wall in their room. Stop by their room and check out their Gifts to Jesus on the front bulletin board! They are very excited about singing in the Mary and Joseph Christmas Program and have been practicing songs with Mrs. Watkins. Kindergarten would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Class Curriculum:
Religion - The kindergarten religion curriculum is designed to open our children to God’s love through discovery of the many good things God has placed in their world, which lead them to an awareness of God’s presence in their everyday lives. They reflect on God’s goodness in creation, in the wonder of their own unique selves and in the love of the people around them. The children experience being brothers and sisters in God’s family. In kindergarten, we learn how to be kind (respecting ourselves and others), careful (protecting ourselves and being safe) and caring (taking care of our belongings and school environment). The children attend Mass twice weekly in the school chapel.

Reading - The kindergarten program seeks to instill a love of learning and desire to read. It is designed to give our children experiences in good literature and the tools to aid them in becoming successful, independent readers.

Reading concepts include:

Concepts of print:
- Directionality - moving left to right and top to bottom on a page
- One-to-one matching using fingers to point to words as we read
- Punctuation marks “voice marks” – using our voices to express meaning
Upper and lowercase letter recognition
Top-to-bottom letter formation in writing
Use of reading strategies to decode (read) words and writing strategies to encode (spell) words:
- Alliteration (groups of words that begin with the same sound)
- Rhyming
- Letter/Sound association
- Contextual clues
- Visual clues

The children also meet weekly with our third grade “reading buddies.” They read to us and we read to them.

Math - Kindergartners are active, inquisitive and eager to learn with short attention spans and boundless energy. The math program helps children to flourish in an active environment, learning best through hands-on exploration using a variety of manipulatives.
Math concepts include: Rote counting 0-100, number recognition 0-30, number quantity, comparing numbers, simple addition and subtraction, patterning – all done using manipulatives.

Technology - Kindergartners attend computer classes weekly and have access to computers within the classroom.

Physical Development / Health Education - Kindergartners attend physical education classes twice weekly, as well as daily classroom activities that develop large and small muscle groups through games, exercises and rhythm. The Michigan Model Comprehensive Health Program is experienced throughout the year.

Music - The children attend a weekly music class as part of our school curriculum. They also experience rhythms and songs daily in the classroom.

Social Studies - The children learn about themselves and how they relate to the world around them. Units of study include:
- Myself and others – how we relate to each other
- Exploring citizenship – how rules provide for order and safety
- Geography – places on earth and how to locate them
- Families & Culture – learning about similarities and differences in all families
- Time & Change – comparing families past and present
- Economics – identifying jobs that provide goods and services - interdependence

Science - The science program endeavors to build a solid foundation of basic science concepts. The relationship between science content and our children’s daily life is emphasized. Units of study include:
- All about me
- Nutrition
- Weather
- Exploring earth
- Exploring space
- Using energy
- Plant growth
- Animals
- Homes for Living Things (ecology)

Community Involvement – The students become involved in their community through several field trips (Knaebe’s Apple Farm, Cheboygan Animal Medical Clinic and Yogi Bear Campground) and also through interactions with guest speakers (Firefighters, Police Officers, Nurses, Dental Assistants). The kindergarten children are also included in schoolwide field trips and guest speakers' presentations, as appropriate, which are provided by the school.