In Kindergarten, students learn to identify 26 uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as the most common sound for each letter.  Students will also learn the 27 sight words in Fundations, our phonics curriculum.  Decoding strategies are used to help students develop a foundation that will propel them into thinking about text critically. Our goal is to have every child develop a love of reading.  Our new literacy program, Into Reading, provides students with a wide variety of text to engage all interests and ability levels.

We use Bridges in Mathematics as our guide for counting, number sense, number writing,  2 and 3 dimensional shapes, addition and subtraction stories, and algebraic thinking.  Our daily routine includes counting skills, subitizing numbers, building numbers within 20, working with 10 frames,  and learning to be flexible thinkers with problem solving skills.

Kindergarten will be working within 2 different science units this year. Wood and paper will have students identifying different types of wood and paper; observing how each of these can be changed and different ways they can be used in our world. Animals 2 x 2 will have students observe live fish in the classroom as well as isopods, or “rolly pollies.” Students will compare and contrast animals, as well as identify what living things need to survive.  

Social Studies engages our students into studies of the past, learning about using geographic tools to understand the world around them all while celebrating the diversity of our world. Students learn about wants versus needs and how people use money they earn in relation to wants versus needs. Finally, students participate in lessons around civic responsibility and how to take part in democratic traditions that are key to living in a democracy. We use a curriculum called Inquiry Journeys to support the standards in this learning.

Kindergarten uses Second Step for social emotional learning lessons. Topics include skills for learning, empathy, emotion management and problem solving.

For more information on specific standards, please visit https://www.cde.state.co.us/standardsandinstruction