Kindergarten

Spotlight on Kindergarten

This is not your grandfather’s Kindergarten!  Twenty-First Century Kindergarten is very structured and very academic.  Gone are the days of ‘naps’ and playing all day-but we do have lots of fun.  Right now Kindergarten is learning to read and write the sight words: ‘I, see, like, my and we’.  We are using ‘Writer’s Workshop’ to write stories.  In Math we are learning the numbers 0 to 10.  Please visit: www.cde.ca.gov and www.husd.k12.ca.us to familiarize yourself with the current Kindergarten State Standards. We love having your children here at Southgate.

~ Mrs. Prontzos, Ms. Lopez & Mrs. Demoss

Activities Parents Can Do To Help Their Child Learn

• Talk with and listen to your child every day.
• Sing simple counting songs and finger plays; recite nursery rhymes.
• Tell stories to your child.
• Compare amounts using more than, less than, and the same as.  Also compare using longer, shorter, taller, lighter, heavier.
• Use objects (i.e. toys, blocks, etc.) to practice simple addition and subtraction.
• Check the calendar for the day of the week and the month.
• Talk about what time important activities happen, i.e. lunch is at 12:00.
• Point out simple shapes in the environment (i.e. circle, square, rectangle, triangle).
• Point out letters and numbers in the environment (i.e. stop sign, mph signs).
• Play word games:  (1) rhyming, i.e. what rhymes with 'hop;' (2) beginning sounds, i.e. what starts with "B."
• Read real and make-believe stories to and with your child every day.  Ask your child to predict based on the pictures what might happen.  Ask who was in the story, where it took place, what the problem was, and how was it solved.  Try to have your child answer in complete sentences.
• Have your child read to you:  (1) books with no words; (2) books they have memorized; (3) simple repetitive patterned books.
• Watch educational television with your child, i.e. PBS, Discovery Channel, Between the Lines, Reading Rainbow, etc.
• Use household items to practice math skills, such as addition, subtraction with pennies, cereal, dominoes, dice, etc.
• Have your child practice counting and writing numbers daily.
• Have your child practice identifying and counting coins.
• Play games, such as Checkers® and Chutes and Ladders.®  Play card games, such as Uno,® Go Fish,® Old Maid.®  Also play Yatzee Jr.,® Boggle Jr.,® etc.
• When cooking, have your child help measure ingredients (1/2 cup, 1/4 cup, etc.) for fraction awareness.
• Have your child help write the grocery list and read it in the store.
• Visit the library each week.
• Have your child use letter magnets (on the refrigerator) for spelling practice.