Woodside School District

The following summary of the instructional program provides an overview of the Transitional Kindergarten year, with expectations modified or expanded to meet an individual child’s needs and abilities.  Additionally, TK students have an opportunity for “Choice Time” to make their own choices, create, pretend, communicate, solve problems and enjoy interactive play with their peers.  The children make a plan of what they want to do and are responsible for their own chosen activity including clean-up.

The curriculum used includes Houghton Mifflin Splash into Pre-K, Living the Life of a Writer by Lucy Calkins, Everyday Math Pre-K Program, and Developing Number Concepts by Kathy Richardson.

In Transitional Kindergarten, each student will…

Social and Emotional Learning

• Perform basic self-help tasks

• Demonstrate impulse control and self-regulation

• Verbalize needs and feelings appropriately

• Show interest when approaching new activities

• Demonstrate persistence when trying challenging activities

• Resolve conflicts with others with limited adult assistance

• Play cooperative with others

• Take responsibility for own actions

• Show empathy

• Develop healthy friendships

• Follow classroom rules and procedures

• Share materials or space

• Seek adult help when appropriate

• Transition easily between activities

• Accept limits and advice from adults

Language Arts

• Write own first name with lowercase letters

• Write letters

• Demonstrate alphabet knowledge:  identify upper and lower-case letters

• Demonstrate awareness of letter sounds

• Recognize rhymes

• Orally blend and segment simple words

• Recognize sight words

• Participate in discussions about stores and begin reading aloud

• Retell simple stories accurately

• Understand the difference between letters and words

• Identify various parts of a book

• Understand left-to-right reading pattern

• Dictate stories and participate in pre-writing activities

Speaking and Listening

• Follow one and two-step directions

• Speak audibly and in coherent sentences

• Describe personal experiences

• Take turns during conversations

• Be engaged and participate in small and large group discussions

• Understand and use simple and complex vocabulary words

Mathematics

• Identify 2D geometric shapes

• Recognize numbers 0-20

• Count orally 1-30

• Count up to 10 objects with 1:1 correspondence

• Understand simple patterns

• Compare number values

• Compare objects by weight, length, and capacity

• Sort objects by two characteristics

• Write numbers 1-10

Motor Skills

• Demonstrate awareness of personal space

• Demonstrate general coordination

• Engage in outdoor play

• Show proper grip and control over scissors and writing tools

• Trace lines and shapes with accuracy

• Draw a person:  face, body, arms, legs

• Use small manipulatives effectively

Physical Education

• Learn and practice small and large motor skills

Art

• Learn about shapes, colors, shading, clay and different forms of art

Music

• Sing and play rhythm instruments in various keys, time signatures, and genres

• Gain musical skills such as singing in tune and keeping the beat

• Explore musicianship on rhythm instruments

• Practice self-expression through speaking, playing and moving

• Experience life skills related to teamwork, respect, and responsibility

Design

• Learn about Design Skills:  Research, brainstorming, sketching, testing, sharing

• Practice implementing design skills through projects