Communication Arts

Assessment/Implementation Statement

Kindergarten

 

Communication Arts

      Kindergartners spend a major portion of their day involved in communication arts experiences.  Emphasis is placed on developing reading and comprehension, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing.

 

1.      Listening (enjoying literature, interacting with others, following directions):

      Recall numbers, names, messages

            Follow spoken directions 

2.      Speaking (using speech effectively, contributing to group situations, expressing needs, communicating ideas):

Develop vocabulary

            Express feelings and imagination

            Use Standard English

            Introduce retelling of stories

            Make contributions during discussion

3.      Reading (becoming aware of the significance of printed language, refining skills related to learning to read, letter-sound relationships):

            Identify letters of the alphabet (upper and lower case)

            Introduce and increase the use of vowels and consonant letters and sounds

            Introduce and increase the use of consonant digraphs (th, sh, ch)

            Introduce and increase the use of consonant blends

            Introduce and increase the use of the concept of word

            Introduce and increase the use of simple sentences

Introduce and increase the use of high frequency words, color words, and word families

            Understand parts of a book

            Understand author/illustrator

Introduce and increase the use of retelling stories, identify beginning, middle, and end, and other story patterns

            Recognize characters and setting

            Introduce and increase the use of rhyme, repetitive words, and phrases

            Introduce and increase the use of visual reference aids (graphs and charts)

            Recognize nonfiction literature

            Understand that reading makes sense

            Enjoy and read (wordless books, pattern books, rhyming books, beginning                                     readers) fiction literature

4.      Writing (expressing ideas in written form--dictating to teacher, acquiring muscle control necessary for basic writing skills).

Convey a message by writing – random letters, shapes, pictures, left to right

            Introduce and increase the use of correct letter formations

            Recognize and copy words around them

            Label pictures

            Write messages and lists

Introduce and increase the use of prewriting, drafting, and publishing through class stories

Introduce and increase the use of journals, free writing, listing, and brainstorming.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

Every student must read and write everyday!

In the interest of the individual child all efforts must be made to take each child as far as possible with an emphasis on communication arts.

 

Basic materials: The Board of Trustees adopted the Harcourt Trophies materials for the purpose of implementing the Communication Arts curriculum.  This program is designed to be taught sequentially. Readwell will continue to be used in conjunction with the Harcourt materials.  The use of these materials across the District will assure that students receive a well-balanced and consistent Communication Arts program, which is critical to the overall success of our students.

Infusion of the supplement "Where Did You Get Your Moccasins?" is expected in Kindergarten in order to support Indian Education For All. These books can be checked out from the District Curriculum Library.

 

The assessment guidelines that follow indicate Harcourt themes need to be covered to assure a complete program.

 

Supplemental materials: Teachers, principals and building staffs are encouraged to make necessary professional judgments as to the supplemental materials and instructional strategies that best meet the needs of the students in their classrooms/schools as well as their individual teaching styles.  To this end, Great Falls Public Schools has provided a number of training opportunities and/or materials.  These include: concept groups, computer software, strategies for literature, writing, and skill instruction as well as other communication arts topics. Zoo Phonics and Successmaker are also widely used throughout the district as a resource for the adopted curriculum.  It is important to note these additional materials are not to replace the Harcourt materials but to support them. 

 

ASSESSMENT

 

The assessment components for kindergarten include the Harcourt Unit 1 assessment, as well as other teacher designed assessments, and the optional use of the DIBELS and MAP Assessment for essential literacy skills.    These assessments are aligned with state standards and the benchmarks found in the Great Falls Public Schools Curriculum. Readwell  level tests will be administered.

 

Students will complete one piece of writing per quarter that will be rated using the attached rubric.  The writing goal is that students will perform at the proficient level.  The writing prompts for the year are as follows:

 

1st Quarter:  Write about your favorite pet or animal.

2nd Quarter:  Think about your favorite season.  Write about your favorite season and what you like to do in that season.

3rd Quarter:  Write a story telling what an ant might say to you to get you to share your picnic with him.  

4th Quarter:  District Writing Assessment

 

Kindergarten students will participate in the District Writing Assessment late in the spring.  Students will be scored using the K District Writing Rubric (which can be found on the Implementation Guide page of the GFPS website), with the goal again being to perform at the proficient level.

 

District Kindergarten Writing Rubric

 

THEMES NEEDED TO COVER THE CURRICULUM:

Themes – All of Kindergarten

Grade 1-1 Guess Who?

            Theme 1 I am Your Friend

            Theme 2 Just for Fun

Infusion of the supplement "Where Did You Get Your Moccasins?" is expected in Kindergarten in order to support Indian Education For All.