[MOSAIC] Kindergarten preparation

[Dr. Heidi Maier]

Hello;
Your idea of the welcome packet is FANTASTIC! 
Entering kindergarteners should "not" be reading sight words! They should be exploring their world and developing those emergent literacy skills (and numeracy skills) that will prepare them for the formal instruction they'll be recieving soon....
For the packet, I suggest....
...providing play do - along with ideas for what to do with the play do and the "WHY" (small motor, creativity)of it. Suggest the parent buy a cheap cookie sheet as a "play-do Board", so the child has a defined area in which to create (parents always worry about the "mess"!)
...what about a list of books to read over the summer, along with a pamphlet about Caldecott Award winners? This is easily obtained via your public library. In fact, you can make them a partner in this!
...Recipe ideas - simple things like the apple tarts you can make with canned biscuits and cinnamon sugar..and with that, provide a simple one page write up about taking your child with you to the grocery store, talking about the apples, comparing the different kinds of apples, weighing the apples - sharing how important it is to talk with you child, and the benefits of talking with them - in English or another language (just talk!)
....also recipes for bubbles, puffy paint, chalk, etc! 
...provide a list of "free" things going on in the summer. The library usually has a story time, and local bookstores (B&N, BAM) usually do too. 
...Compile a list of websites (argh - last resort) that are kid friendly and are more than just "moving ditto sheets). Make sure to include a disclaimer on there about content and your district's liability.
...Could you put together a calendar for the summer, with something each day (or every other day) to do? (ie: June 15 - make chalk and then make a hopscotch board;  July 3: visit the library to find out about why we celebrate the Fourth of July) 
....The calendar could also include things school specific ("Meet the teacher day"; "First day of school"
....maybe a checklist for the first day of school countdown, and have it culminate with a party for all entering kindergarteners right before school starts? This could be a special "Meet the Teacher" day for kindergarten kids only
....There is a great book called, "The Night Before Kindergarten" by 
E.J. Sullivan. YOu could read that book at the party!

Good luck with your project!
Regards;
heidi maier
-----Original Message-----
>From: Heather Wall <heather_wall_2000 at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Apr 18, 2008 7:24 AM
>To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <mosaic at literacyworkshop.org>
>Subject: [MOSAIC] Kindergarten preparation
>
>Does anyone do a "Kindergarten Welcome Packet" type of thing for their entering Kindergarteners in the Spring? Our superintendent is thinking of starting this - sort of a "Welcome to K" packet of possibly a book and/or sight words and/or parent tips - that would be for the kids we've registered to begin K in the fall. We'd try to get it to them before summer starts.
>I'm thinking perhaps we could get a free sample level A book from readinga-z.com (everything has to be very cheap to do it county-wide), and possibly some parent tips from readingrockets.com  I'm not sure about the sight words. What do you think? Should a pre-K student be studying sight words?  We're a rural, high ESL population in general, with pockets of middle class families. Any ideas you have that can help, or if you've done something like this before, would be greatly appreciated!
> Heather Wall/ Instructional Coach/ Georgia
>NBCT 2005
>Literacy: Reading - Language Arts
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