Welcome to Kindergarten

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Washington Woods Welcomes... Our Little Leaves!

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We dedicate some time to our word study every day, Sound out and tap out what we write and what we say, Our friend Echo the Owl, encourages us as we go, Through the letters, and their sounds, and through keywords that we know. We form the alphabet, with direction and with care, First lowercase, then uppercase, and with words EVERYWHERE.

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Not all our lessons find their homes on pages full of ink. We practice all the effective habits that help us grow and think. We find our little voices - feed them each and every day, Because they are so hungry to discover our talented ways. And to reach our full potential, we’ll need wildly important goals, Take action steps to get there, to patch our learning holes. We’ll have to be proactive; say, “I’m in charge of me!” Put first things first, and synergize to get there collectively. Leaders seek first to understand and then be understood, Finding the way we both can win is effective and is good! So let’s begin with the END in mind, and tell you NOW what’s true, That your kindergarten journey is all about caring for you!

You can always count on math to add up to lots of fun, Counting, sorting, patterns, shapes… But wait, we’re not done! Subtraction and addition, teen numbers identified, Centers full of exploring all the strategies we’ve tried. Calendar is pretty cool; we tally up each day! Days of the week, months of the year… In our sing-song way! Evens and odds, tens and ones, equations we create, Don’t forget the 100th day…You better save the date! Manipulatives and counters, cubes stack and pile high, We find a dozen different ways to figure how or why. And then, of course, the unique tools we use to stretch our math, Special computer supplements take us on individualized paths!

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A special part of kindergarten is eating lunch at school! It makes us feel so grown up, and not to mention… cool! We have the opportunity to pack from home or buy, And with so many options, we can give new foods a try! Of course, on our way to lunch, we always wash up well, Before we greet the smiling faces of lunch personnel!

What letters make the sounds of all the words we've heard? We stretch them out, tap them out, to make each new word. Our stories will take shape, as we develop careful plots, Beginnings, middles, ends, as we organize our thoughts. In groups, and by ourselves, and with our teacher too, Words turn into sentences then into pages anew! We write ... and we write... and we write a bit more, At tables, on devices, and even on the floor. How-to’s and narratives make our journals overflow, With detailed hand-drawn pictures that we labeled just so! Problems with solutions and characters with sass,&nbsp; We all become authors in kindergarten class!

Bustling classrooms burst with lots to learn and do, A common routine comforts us when everything is new. Your teacher is here waiting, and welcomes you each day, With a smile, high-five, hug... your new adventure is underway. And what about new friends? Well, they are here as well. And all before you take a seat or hear that morning bell! Rev up your imagination, and charge that crafty mind, For all the kindergarten awesomeness that you will surely find! Friendly faces, bags unpacked, your day is on the move, Singing? Yes! Reading? Sure! We’ll even dance and groove. Colors, painting, experiments - pop up like peek-a-boo, As we navigate the careful plans we have crafted just for you!

It is just like magic when we come to school and read! And though you may not know how now, you will soon, indeed! Our reading is everywhere... in everything we do, It isn’t just a special book, it’s discovery of something new! Those tiny little markings that march in straight black lines, Slowly transform to mean much more, as we decode the signs. Color words, and number words, words we know in-a-snap, Combine with those we have to blend, as we carefully tap. We intently practice strategies, to become a reading pro, Examine stories thoughtfully... what does the author want us to know? Of course there’s new vocabulary, and reading collectively, And heaps and loads of practice reading independently!

Some of us are nature-centered, some more bodily-aware, Some are budding artists, some musicians extraordinaire, Others are bibliophiles, while some just build and tinker, All our special classes teachers encourage critical thinkers! We visit one each school day - to help us stretch and grow, With a variety of experiences, curiosity overflows!

Recess time! Recess time! Let’s go out and run!&nbsp; Twice a day we head outdoors for exercise and fun. We race on pedaled big wheels and climb and swing and slide, Let sand slip through our tiny hands with friends right by our side. Soccer balls and footballs... grab a basketball at the door, Kick it! Dribble it! Throw it! ...Find a teammate! ...SCORE!

We come from many backgrounds; our experiences distinct, Our pictures are right here for you, and introductions have been linked! One of us publishes children’s books, one taught boys in Ireland, One is a musical, crafting muse, one travels whenever she can! One opened a school in Africa, one is a grandmother to five, All pieced together perfectly to help our new friends thrive!

Little leaves, little leaves, my how you will grow! We cannot wait to meet you; we cannot wait to know… The parts and the pieces that make you, well,... YOU, From your tiny toothy smile to your squeaky little shoe. Your teachers are so excited, to help you sprout and bloom, So, let us introduce you to your new kindergarten room! First you’ll need a teacher, one that’s picked for you, She will be a perfect match and super-helpful too! You may not know her now, but it won’t take long to see, She will nurture your ideas with positivity! All you have to do, is turn the page to look,&nbsp; At all the cheerful faces and the places in this book!

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