Grades K-2 the First Six Weeks of School

Week / Suggested Activities for K-2 / Material
1-2 / Establish your Classroom Community
Readers Workshop- Whole –Group Activities:
K-2
  • Read Aloud, Shared Reading, Shared Writing, Interactive Writing.
  • Introduce Independent or Buddy Reading (how to choose books, browsing boxes and reading Journals).
  • Introducing the class library and how to use it.
  • Model what is expected.
  • Build up a collection of interactive writing that will fill the walls with print and be used as a resource for the next week.
  • Read aloud often, introducing a core of books that are strong foundations for Shared and Interactive writing, and to be used in Writing Workshop and Reader’s Workshop.
  • Begin Mini-lessons for Getting Started: The First Twenty Days(Days 1-10)
  • Each mini-lesson may require more than one day.
  • Please follow the needs of your students.
K-2
Language/Word Study
  • Begin phonics lessons
  • Name chart for kindergarten and first grade
  • Work with children’s names
Writing Workshop
K
  • Storytelling
  • Sketching
K-2
Writing journals, books
  • Mini-lesson
  • Guided Writing
  • Independent Writing and Conferring
Establish Behavior Management /
  • Center areas should be labeled and well organized.
  • Alphabet linking chart is strategically placed in meeting area and word study center, etc.
  • Poems, songs, charts, student - created writing should be placed on walls for reading.
  • Place children’s names up in every part of the room (Name chart, helper chart, envelopes with their cut- up first names in them to put together, etc.).
  • Library well organized by genre and labeled.
  • Book- Guiding Readers and Writers, F&P
(chapter 9)
  • Reader’s Notebook
  • Book-Phonics Lessons: Letters Words and How they Work, Fountas and Pinnell
  • Refer to VCSD Writing Curriculum Map Guide
  • Choose a Management System
Go for the Green
Clip Chart Behavior Management System
Etc.
Week
3-4 / Readers Workshop Whole – Group Activities:
K-2
  • Continue mini-lessons
  • Introduce, model and open one center at time.
  • Be sure to fully explain and demonstrate expectations of how to use materials and how to put materials away when finished.
  • Be sure to end center time with a meeting to discuss what went well and what needs to change.
  • Begin to have children work in smaller groups in the centers that are being used. Observe the process, praising them for self –management.
  • Begin to meet on individual assessments while others are working in centers.
  • Continue Read Alouds and producing shared and interactive writing to establish a community.
  • Teach students how to use print resources such as charts, poems, writing, and word walls as resources in their own writing.
Language /Word study
K-2
  • Continue phonics lessons
2nd Grade Only
  • Buddy Study (Spelling) begins.
Writing Workshop
K-2
  • Daily writing should be established.
/
  • Centers should include but not be limited to ABC (phonics lessons), shared reading, writing, poetry, math, social studies, science, responding to reading, handwriting, library, art, browsing box and listening to books on tape.
  • Create an assessment table for yourself with your own materials ready so that you can observe the whole class at once while working for a few minutes with an individual.
  • Principles should be stated on charts.
  • Exemplars should be posted after the teaching of the lesson.
  • Refer to book-Phonics Lessons: Letters Words and How They Work, Fountas and Pinnell for five day lesson cycle.
  • VCSD Writing Curriculum Map Guide

Week #5 / Reading Workshop –WholeGroup Activities:
K-2
  • Continue Mini-lessons
  • Establish the routine time of working in small groups in centers for a period of time- perhaps as much as one hour in the morning.
  • Introduce the work board and center rotation system. Use only 2 or 3 activities at first. Monitor to be sure students understand the task and expectations before, during and after the work board time.
  • Emphasize the importance of independent group work and establish routines for questions students may have, so the teacher can begin working with small reading groups without being interrupted.
  • Create guided reading groups (Grade 1-2)
Language Word Study
K-2
  • Continue lessons
Writing Workshop
K-2
  • Continue lessons
/
  • Introduce new materials slowly.
  • Work Board
  • VCSD Writing Curriculum Map Guide

Week #6 / Reading Workshop
1-2
  • Continue mini-lessons
  • Begin working with one or two guided reading groups for 15-20 minutes each.
  • Continue all whole- group and center activities.
  • Establish rules pertaining to individual help, bathroom needs, and emergency situations when you are working with a guided reading group (you should not be interrupted).
Kindergarten
  • Continue centers
Language Word Study
K-2
  • Continue lessons
Writing Workshop
K-2
  • Continue lessons
/
  • Establish an area for guided reading with all materials being used.
  • Set up browsing boxes for each group from the beginning.

Resources
Books: Authors Fountas and Pinnell
  • Guided Reading
  • Teaching for Comprehension and Fluency
  • Guiding Readers and Writers
  • Phonics Lessons: Letters, Words, and How They Work
  • Genre Study: Grades K-8
  • VCSD Writing Curriculum
Updated 6/10/15

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