General Supports
As you know, reading to your child daily is one of the most important things that you can do to help your child develop strong literacy skills. In this unit, we focused on non-fiction or informational text that discussed weather. We also paired this informational reading with some fiction. This allowed us to help develop our students' understanding of fiction and non-fiction, and to learn the difference between the text features. For example, non-fiction often includes a glossary of terms, an index, charts and graphs etc. Literature, on the other hand, typically includes chapter title and illustrations. At home, you can help develop your child's skills around fiction and literature by pairing texts and asking questions. Here is a link to some paired text options that are just right for kindergarten: http://www.islandparklibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/K-and-1-pairings.pdf
For children who are learning English as a second language, www.colorincolorado.org/reading-tip-sheets-parents consider these reading tip sheets. They are available in languages other than English at the bottom of the page.
Task Specific Supports
In this unit, we are focused on learning weather words. As a parent, you can help your child understand the weather by engaging in hands-on activities like these extreme-weather STEM activities.
We are also learning about transportation and its function within our culture as well as in different parts of the world. As a parent, talk to your child about the transportation types they have experienced. Show them different forms of transportation from around the world that they may have not experienced, and talk about its function and purpose. You may want to watch this video on journeys to school from children around the globe with your child. You may also want to read the book, My School in the Rain Forest: How Children Attend School Around the World by Margriet Ruurs
Finally, we are connecting this unit to significant events in America's History. As different holidays arrive, such as Columbus Day and Thanksgiving, read stories that celebrate these events in our history. Here is a link to 15 Thanksgiving Themed books for kindergarten.
We are also learning about transportation and its function within our culture as well as in different parts of the world. As a parent, talk to your child about the transportation types they have experienced. Show them different forms of transportation from around the world that they may have not experienced, and talk about its function and purpose. You may want to watch this video on journeys to school from children around the globe with your child. You may also want to read the book, My School in the Rain Forest: How Children Attend School Around the World by Margriet Ruurs
Finally, we are connecting this unit to significant events in America's History. As different holidays arrive, such as Columbus Day and Thanksgiving, read stories that celebrate these events in our history. Here is a link to 15 Thanksgiving Themed books for kindergarten.
