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Updated 8-9-2008
First Days of School
On this page, I will take some time to tell
you a little bit about our first days of school. Our school does a
staggered, half-day enrollment for the first week and a half or so.
Our kinders do not attend on the half-day registration day like
other students. They begin on the next day of school. We divide our
class into two groups by last name: Group A (A-K) and Group B (L-Z).
Group A attends one day, Group B the next day, then Group A, then
Group B, then Group A, then Group B. On the last two half-days, the
entire class attends so that we can mesh the two groups. Then full
days begin.
I am posting my 2006-07 and 2007-08 lesson
plans from the half-day, staggered days. I have also posted the
half-day plans for the 2008-09 school year. Although I cram in as
much academic learning as possible during the half-day schedule
(with nursery rhymes, books, songs, and name/number games), the main
purpose of this time for us is to learn classroom routines, do
baseline assessments as much as time allows, and make sure the
children are learning to work together and get along. I do not have
seat assignments on these days. I want to see who works well
together before I do that.
When I get set up for my class's first day,
I will post some photos of how I set up my room for the first day of
school: how to deal with supplies being brought in, making sure that
parents tell me who is picking up their child on half-days, what
kinds of manipulatives I use as table tubbing in the morning, etc.
(See Class Tour 2008-09 for some
photos of first-day set-up.)
2008-2009
Half-days 1-4
August 11-14 plans
Half-days 5, 6, & 7
August 15-21 plans
2007-2008
Half-days 1 & 2
Half-days 3 & 4
Half-days 5 & 6
Half-days 7 & 8
Half-day 9
First full day
2006-2007
Half-days 1 & 2
Half-days 3 & 4
Half-days 5 & 6
Half-day 7
Half-day 8
First Day Forms
Here are some of the forms
that I use on the first day or two of school to keep things running
smoothly.
Attendance template
Dismissal time sign (I prop this up on the table where parents
pick up a nametag for their child and write down who will pick up
their child on half-days.)
Supply table sign
Half-day calendar (We pass this out at pre-registration, but I
have copies available in case someone needs another one.)
Authorized pick-up sign-up for half-days (This is VERY important
because at this point we do not have data sheets on every child. We
HAVE to know who is allowed to pick up each child. I put this on a
table right by the door and verbally ask each parent to sign it.)
Half-day pick-up sign (Put beside the sign-up clipboard.)
Lunch
money note (Not all parents know yet how much lunch costs, and
many want to pay on the first day.)
Lunch
record sheet (for the teacher)
Pick-up letter (goes home on the first day so that we can get
them all returned before half-days are over. Parents designate on
this sheet whether or not their child will ride a bus or day-care
van once full days start, or who is allowed to pick up their child.)
Alphabet assessment record sheet
Number assessment record sheet
Sight word assessment record sheet
Colors and
shapes class checklist
Before school
to-do list
More coming soon!
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