Note: It is NOT necessary that learners complete first semester or second semester part-one classes prior to enrolling in this class. 

This class will provide a POD for learners. The same students will meet together each day to learn and work together. Friendships and bonds will be created throughout the class.
 
This course is designed as a complete kindergarten core curriculum class which follows the Science of Reading/Writing, Next Generation Science Standards and proven math and social studies activities. Student led and teacher facilitated this course will provide exposure to all skills to prepare for first grade.  

The learning targets will build upon each other and will be repeated throughout the course. This allows for review and repetition. Opportunities will be provided regularly for students to apply new and previously taught skills. This strategy will ensure students solidify content. The teacher will spiral up or down for each student as the course progresses and student individual needs are identified. 

Students will meet daily with the teacher and each other. A routine will be established inclusive of a welcome song, daily circle time to practice calendar skills, alphabet recognition and phonics sounds, sight words, place value and other math concepts. Students will then be involved in a daily interactive read aloud which will develop literacy skills and comprehension strategies.

After the daily routine meeting will be skill time. Each day the skill will focus on a different content area:
Monday-literacy
Tuesday-writing
Wednesday-science
Thursday-social studies
Friday-social/emotional or self-help skills

Weekly Learning Targets:

Week One:
I can retell a story with details from the beginning of the story.
I can use resources (sight words and word wall) to help write a story.
I can demonstrate the forces push and pull.
I can identify a need.
I can engage in dialogue with my classmates. 

Week Two:
I can retell a story with details from the middle of the story.
I can draw, label and write to tell a story.
I can demonstrate the effects of gravity.
I can identify a want.
I can sort foods into groups based on healthy or not healthy.

Week Three:
I can retell a story with details from the end of the story.
I can draw, label and write a story with increasing stamina. 
I can create a ramp with household materials to demonstrate forces and motion.
I can identify coins (penny, nickel, dime, quarter).
I can tell ways to keep my body healthy.

Week Four:
I can discuss a problem and solution in a story.
I can draw, label and write a story with increasing stamina.
I can explore magnets and identify objects that attract to a magnet.
I can practice identifying coins. 
I can use scissors and glue to create a piece of art. 

Week Five:
I can read with a classmate.
I can refine a piece of writing by adding details to an illustration or labels and sentences.
I can explore shadows.
I can begin to understand coins have value.
I can practice using oral language by engaging with my classmates. 

Week 6:
I can use pictures in books to help me understand the story.
I can use resources to help me write.
I can make shadows with a variety of objects.
I can count coins and determine value (pennies and dimes).
I can participate in a craft activity.

Week 7:
I can read with independence and apply strategies to help me read.
I can draw and label a picture to use in writing a story.
I can use the engineer and design process to create a design with the manipulative of my choice.
I can sort paper money from coins.
I can participate in a class game.

Week 8:
I can show what I have learned in this half of the semester?

Learners will have a choice:
1. I can read a book to my classmates and tell the beginning, middle and end of the book.
2. I can create a project to demonstrate push/pull/gravity.
3. I can show how coins and bills can be used to purchase items. 

*students will work throughout the week to complete a book or project. The teacher will support students as they create their final project for the course.

The class will be structured as teacher facilitated and interactive. Learners will be engaged in games, discussions, videos and hands-on projects. My teaching style is relaxed and inclusive. I encourage learner participation and questions. The classroom is 'ours' not 'mine'. 
This is a rigorous course and is academic in nature. I allow for social interaction and free talk as possible while keeping focus on meeting class objectives. I ensure learners have many opportunities to interact with me and their classmates each week.