Kindergarten

Snively Elementary Kindergarteners are acquiring skills in a wide array of areas. Not only are they learning how to follow schedules for bathroom and lunch, but they are empowered to demonstrate and continuously improve their ability to and forever be–responsible and independent learners.The Kindergarten teachers pride themselves in the challenge of teaching not only reading, writing and arithmetic, but also about life in general. The challenge is to nurture their growth in the academic arena, promote awareness of broadening topics and further aid their brain development, while accommodating individual growth rates, interests, learning styles and motivation factors. Snively Kindergarten teachers willingly take on the monstrous task of building a students educational foundation.

Besides the regular math topics of numbers, counting, time, money and measurement, Snively Kindergarteners learn to solve story problems which combines listening comprehension, subtraction and problem solving. They strive to earn their Mad Math Minute certificates for addition. Snively Kindergarteners take circle time to a higher level of academics. When talking about the basic calendar related topics, students’ brains are stimulated by pattering, increasing vocabulary and improving oral language skills.

Language Art skill acquisition at Snively relies heavily on music and songs. There are songs for counting, science topics, when to say please and thank you. Teachers and students go round and round and up and down on The Ferris Wheel song to learn vowel sounds and blending. They clap and stomp out rhythms, copy cat style, to develop an ear for phonemic awareness. They listen to songs that sing how to write the letters, what sounds the letters make, and one that encourages us to make that letter shapes with our bodies. The ready to read song teaches us about meta-cognition and process’s: I’m ready to read with my mind, I’m ready to read with my eyes. I’m ready to read left to right! A parade song celebrates recognizing beginning word sounds, and other songs teach us how to identify and make rhyming words.

Kindergarteners work on social skills like taking turns, shaking hands, expressing anger, in conjunction with ignoring someone doing wrong, not interrupting, working cooperatively.

Citizenship includes learning the words and meaning of The Pledge of Allegiance, how to checkout library books, concert etiquette, and respecting authority outside the classroom (on the bus, in the cafeteria, in after-school programs, etc).

Health and safety, violence prevention, and substance abuse issues are covered in discussions with actual people who are community helpers and with characters such as McGruff the Crime Dog, Chef Goody, and PC the Patrol Car.

Our Favorite Links For Students

Harcourt Publishers Learning Site:  http://www.harcourtschool.com/index.html

Scholastic School Learning Site: http://www.scholastic.com

Reading – Kids’ Lab: http://www.ahisd.net/campuses/cambridge/grade5/5thwebreading.htm

Our Favorite Links For Parents

Florida Department of Education: http://www.fldoe.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1

Standards: http://www.fldoe.org/educators/standards.asp