Kindergarten

Adopted curricular materials meet the needs of all students through a variety of instructional strategies that provide multiple opportunities for mastery of skills. These materials consist of decodable texts, multilevel sets of quality fiction and non-fiction literature, and a variety of text forms and features. Materials are used to support instruction in phonics, word analysis and comprehension in individual, small and large group settings.

Our adopted curricular materials for Reading include:

• Benchmark Advance (Phonics and Reading Comprehension Strategies)
• Heggerty Phonemic Awareness and Phonological Awareness 
• Decodable texts
• Bookroom sets
• i-Ready Reading Assessment, MyPath & Tools for Instruction

Additional Intervention Curriculum: 

• Really Great Reading (Phonics intervention materials)
• Steps to Advance (Reading comprehension intervention material) 

Below are the learning goals organized around the area(s) reported on the student report card.

Literacy

Development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to effectively comprehend, communicate, and engage with various forms of texts and information 

Reading: Informational Text
Comprehending and analyzing non-fiction text to gain knowledge and understanding. 

Reading: Literary Text
Exploring and interpreting stories to understand themes, characters, and literary elements.  

Language: Vocabulary
Understanding of words and their meanings in order to communicate and comprehend across subject areas. 

Tier 1 Comprehensive Literacy Block

Student...

• Displays a growth mindset while setting goals and reflecting on progress  
• Actively participates in a wide range of conversations   
• Shows respect for the ideas of others  
• Works collaboratively with a partner or small group, at times  
• Responds to literacy experiences including the use of tech core tools  
• Grows stamina as a reader and a writer  
• With support, apply reading and writing strategies learned in mini lessons to independent work  
• Chooses own topics and experiences when writing  
• Shows curiosity when thinking about patterns and meaning of words 
• Engages in word work 
• Applies knowledge of phonological awareness, phonics, and spelling patterns when reading and writing 

Teacher...

• Fosters a growth mindset, displays enthusiasm for literacy and a belief that all students can achieve 
• Intentionally select learning activities based on learning targets and student needs 
• Conducts daily reading, phonics, and writing mini lessons in which the learning target is communicated, and background knowledge is primed 
• Conducts small groups daily based on student need 
• Employs explicit and intentional instruction to assist students in reading accurately and with automaticity 
• Maintains a brisk pace during instruction 
• Sets students up to read and write independently, with partnerships, or in a group 
• Conducts shared reading and writing experiences to model, demonstrate, and think aloud  
• Responds to learner variability by meeting more often with students who need additional support, providing guided practice and multimodal opportunities to respond 
• Uses multiple strategies to support students in acquiring and using academic language and vocabulary  
• Uses digital resources to support and extend learning 

Essential Learnings 

In kindergarten, the emphasis is on creating a supportive and enriching environment where children can explore language, develop foundational reading skills, and cultivate a lifelong love for reading and learning. 

• Kindergarteners develop phonemic awareness by learning to recognize and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. This includes activities like rhyming, blending sounds, and segmenting words into individual sounds. 
• Kindergarteners learn that written letters represent spoken sounds. They begin to recognize, and name uppercase and lowercase letters, understand letter-sound correspondences, and start forming connections between letters and their sounds. 
• Kindergarteners learn concepts about print, such as understanding that text is read from left to right and top to bottom, recognizing the difference between letters and words, and identifying punctuation marks. 
• Kindergarteners build their vocabulary by encountering new words through stories, conversations, and informational texts. They learn to understand the meanings of words in context and use context clues to figure out unfamiliar words. 
• Kindergarteners develop basic comprehension skills by understanding stories and informational texts. This includes identifying story elements (characters, setting, plot), making predictions, retelling stories in their own words, and understanding the main idea of simple texts. 
• Kindergarteners begin to develop fluency by reading simple texts aloud with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression. They also engage in activities like choral reading and shared reading to build fluency. 
• Kindergarteners develop a love for reading by being exposed to a variety of books and texts that cater to their interests and curiosity. Teachers and parent/guardian/caretakers read aloud to them regularly, fostering positive associations with books and reading. 
• Kindergarteners begin to make connections between reading and writing. They explore writing through activities like drawing pictures and labeling them with words, creating simple sentences, and orally telling stories. 

Reading Foundational Skills Progression

Students are receiving Reading Foundational Skills instruction embedded within Benchmark Advance.

Reading Comprehension Learning Progression

Semester 1 

• Benchmark Advance: Launch 
  • Foundations and Routines 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 1 
  • Plants and Animals Have Needs  
  • Why do living things have different needs? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 2 
  • Every Story Has Characters 
  • How are Characters different?  
• Benchmark Advance Unit 3 
  • Rules at Home and School 
  • Why do we have rules? 
• Handwriting  

Semester 2 

• Benchmark Advance Unit 4 
  • Writers Tell Many Stories 
  • Why do people tell stories? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 5 
  • Technology at Home and School 
  • Why do we use technology? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 6 
  • Stories Have a Message 
  • How do we know what is right? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 7 
  • Holidays and Celebrations 
  • Why do we celebrate people and events? 
• OPTIONAL: Benchmark Advance Unit 8 
  • Weather and Seasons 
  • How do our lives change with the seasons? 

Adopted curricular materials meet the needs of all students through a variety of instructional strategies that provide multiple opportunities for mastery of skills. Materials are used to support instruction in grammar and conventions, opinion, information, narrative and prompt-based writing in individual, small, and large group settings.

Our adopted curricular materials for Writing include:

• Benchmark Advance 
• Handwriting Without Tears

Below are the learning goals organized around the area(s) reported on the student report card.

LITERACY

Development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to effectively comprehend, communicate, and engage with various forms of texts and information 

TIER 1 COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY BLOCK

Student...

• Displays a growth mindset while setting goals and reflecting on progress  
• Actively participates in a wide range of conversations   
• Shows respect for the ideas of others  
• Works collaboratively with a partner or small group, at times  
• Responds to literacy experiences including the use of tech core tools  
• Grows stamina as a reader and a writer  
• With support, apply reading and writing strategies learned in mini lessons to independent work  
• Chooses own topics and experiences when writing  
• Shows curiosity when thinking about patterns and meaning of words 
• Engages in word work 
• Applies knowledge of phonological awareness, phonics, and spelling patterns when reading and writing 

Teacher...

• Fosters a growth mindset, displays enthusiasm for literacy and a belief that all students can achieve 
• Intentionally select learning activities based on learning targets and student needs 
• Conducts daily reading, phonics, and writing mini lessons in which the learning target is communicated, and background knowledge is primed 
• Conducts small groups daily based on student need 
• Employs explicit and intentional instruction to assist students in reading accurately and with automaticity 
• Maintains a brisk pace during instruction 
• Sets students up to read and write independently, with partnerships, or in a group 
• Conducts shared reading and writing experiences to model, demonstrate, and think aloud  
• Responds to learner variability by meeting more often with students who need additional support, providing guided practice and multimodal opportunities to respond 
• Uses multiple strategies to support students in acquiring and using academic language and vocabulary  
• Uses digital resources to support and extend learning 

Essential Learnings 

In kindergarten, the emphasis is on creating a supportive and enriching environment where children can explore language, develop foundational reading skills, and cultivate a lifelong love for reading and learning. 

• Kindergarteners develop phonemic awareness by learning to recognize and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. This includes activities like rhyming, blending sounds, and segmenting words into individual sounds. 
• Kindergarteners learn that written letters represent spoken sounds. They begin to recognize, and name uppercase and lowercase letters, understand letter-sound correspondences, and start forming connections between letters and their sounds. 
• Kindergarteners learn concepts about print, such as understanding that text is read from left to right and top to bottom, recognizing the difference between letters and words, and identifying punctuation marks. 
• Kindergarteners build their vocabulary by encountering new words through stories, conversations, and informational texts. They learn to understand the meanings of words in context and use context clues to figure out unfamiliar words. 
• Kindergarteners develop basic comprehension skills by understanding stories and informational texts. This includes identifying story elements (characters, setting, plot), making predictions, retelling stories in their own words, and understanding the main idea of simple texts. 
• Kindergarteners begin to develop fluency by reading simple texts aloud with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression. They also engage in activities like choral reading and shared reading to build fluency. 
• Kindergarteners develop a love for reading by being exposed to a variety of books and texts that cater to their interests and curiosity. Teachers and parent/guardian/caretakers read aloud to them regularly, fostering positive associations with books and reading. 
• Kindergarteners begin to make connections between reading and writing. They explore writing through activities like drawing pictures and labeling them with words, creating simple sentences, and orally telling stories. 

Learning Progression for Writing 

SEMESTER 1 

• Benchmark Advance: Launch 
  • Foundations and Routines 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 1 
  • Plants and Animals Have Needs  
  • Why do living things have different needs? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 2 
  • Every Story Has Characters 
  • How are Characters different?  
• Benchmark Advance Unit 3 
  • Rules at Home and School 
  • Why do we have rules? 
• Handwriting  

SEMESTER 2 

• Benchmark Advance Unit 4 
  • Writers Tell Many Stories 
  • Why do people tell stories? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 5 
  • Technology at Home and School 
  • Why do we use technology? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 6 
  • Stories Have a Message 
  • How do we know what is right? 
• Benchmark Advance Unit 7 
  • Holidays and Celebrations 
  • Why do we celebrate people and events? 
• OPTIONAL: Benchmark Advance Unit 8 
  • Weather and Seasons 
  • How do our lives change with the seasons? 

In the 2016-17 school year, the Issaquah School District implemented Eureka Math, a comprehensive curriculum that provides elementary students with a solid foundation built on the three pillars above. Eureka Math was written by a team of teachers and mathematicians who took great care to present mathematics in a logical progression to help students achieve deep understanding. Eureka Math follows the Washington State Learning Standards and connects math to the real world in ways that build student confidence and ensures that today's young mathematicians will be prepared for futures where they will thrive. 

Eureka Math is supported by an accompanying digital tool, Zearn.

To provide additional resources and to monitor progress toward meeting standard, ISD utilizes i-Ready Math diagnostic assessments, the interactive My Path and teacher tools for instruction.

Below are the learning goals organized around the area(s) reported on the student report card.

Math Content:

Students demonstrate grade level conceptual understanding, procedural fluency and productive disposition in the following areas.

• Counting and Cardinality
  • Knows number names and the count sequence
  • Counts to tell the number of objects
  • Compares numbers
• Operations and Algebraic Thinking
  • Understands addition as putting together and adding to, and understands subtraction as taking apart and taking from
• Number and Operations in Base Ten
  • Works with numbers 11-19 to gain foundations for place value
• Measurement and Data
  • Describes and compares measurable attributes
  • Classifies objects and counts the number of objects in each category
• Geometry
  • Identifies and describes shapes
  • Analyzes, compares, creates, and composes shapes

Math Practices:

Students demonstrate grade level skills with the following processes and proficiencies.

• Makes sense of problems and perseveres in solving them
• Reasons abstractly and quantitatively
• Constructs viable arguments and critiques the reasoning of others
• Models with mathematics
• Uses appropriate tools strategically
• Attends to precision
• Looks for and makes use of structure
• Looks for and expresses regularity in repeated reasoning

Using Eureka Math Lessons and Zearn (the digital learning tool designed to be used with Eureka)

Concept Development Lessons & Debriefs. Teacher engages students to pose problems, engage in mathematical discourse, model problem solving and provide explicit instruction in math concepts.

Fluency Practice. Students engage in fluency development routines.

Application Problem and Problem Solving. Students work collaboratively and independently to solve problems and practice skills.

Using i-Ready Math

My Path.  Students may be assigned 30-50 minutes per week of personalized learning in My Path.  My Path may be used to:

• Provide instruction and practice in areas of weakness or skill gaps that may prevent a student from meeting standard.  
• Provide an opportunity to reinforce classroom learning and demonstrate the ability to apply learning in a different context.
• Provide an opportunity to work on above grade-level concepts and skills. 

Trimester 1

• Numbers to 10
• Two Dimensional and Three Dimensional Shapes
• Comparison of Length, Weight, Capacity and Numbers to 10

Trimester 2

• Comparison of Length, Weight, Capacity and Numbers to 10
• Number Pairs, Addition and Subtraction to 10

Trimester 3

• Number Pairs, Addition and Subtraction to 10
• Numbers 10 to 20 and Counting to 100
• Analyzing, Comparing and Composing Shapes

Amplify Science: A phenomena-based science curriculum, Amplify Science is a K–8 science curriculum that blends hands-on investigations, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools to empower students to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists and engineers.

Below are the learning goals organized around the area(s) reported on the student report card.

Understands and applies skills and concepts related to scientific principles taught in each of the following units:

Needs of Plants and Animals: Investigating plant and animal survival and growth.

Pushes and Pulls: Investigating cause and effect in the movement of objects.

Sunlight and Weather: Investigating the sun and weather. 

See Learning Progression Below for more information on each unit

Hands-on Activity.  Students work with partners and small groups, interacting with science tools, recording observations, sharing ideas, or creating models.

Teacher-led Discussion. Teachers ask questions and prompt students to make sense of their experiences in or out of class with the science concept.  Students share ideas and evidence.  Students listen to others and ask questions to understand others' thinking.

Student-to-Student Discussion. Working in pairs and small groups, students share science ideas and present evidence to support their ideas.

Digital Simulation or Modeling.  Students use digital tools to engage with concepts, extending hands-on science learning beyond what can be provided in a classroom setting.

ISD Created Units

The Issaquah School District developed our own social studies units for elementary. These units were created based on Washington State Standards, The Inquiry Design Model, and the C3 Framework of College, Career & Civic Life. Students who are equipped with skills of authentic inquiry and who know geography, civics, economics, and history can move forward with the confidence that they are prepared to engage with the world. You can discover more about the C3 Framework through the graphic and video seen below.

Below are the learning goals organized around the area(s) reported on the student report card.

Understands skills and concepts related to social studies lessons on the following TOPICS

• Rules

• Identity

See the learning progression below for more information on the supporting questions of each unit.

Our Social Studies curriculum provides and inquiry-based approach that focuses on building knowledge and skills as students engage in discussion and activities that center on compelling questions.

Discussion & Concept Development: Students learn from, build on and demonstrate understanding of different perspectives and points of view

Inquiry & Collaboration:  students recork their thinking in journals, organizers, and charts; students work independently, in pairs or small groups to complete learning tasks that apply skills from concept development

Rules

Compelling Question on Rules: How do rules help each of us at recess and other places?

This inquiry engages kindergartners in exploring the various ways people interact with and act upon rules and laws in society. The compelling question “How do rules help each of us at recess and other places?” assumes that while students generally enter school with some concept of rules and what it means to follow or break them, they may not yet understand who makes rules and how they change.

Supporting Questions on Rules 

• What rules do we have?
• What happens when rules are not followed or are broken?
• Why do we have rules?
• How do we know when rules need to be changed or added?

Identity

Compelling Question on Identity: What makes each of us special?

This kindergarten inquiry leads students through an investigation of self by recognizing that all humans have both unique and similar characteristics. By investigating the compelling question “what makes us special?” students begin to see how they are similar to and different from their classmates. The study of similarities and differences among individuals provides the foundation for students to demonstrate their understanding of and respect for others. 

Supporting Questions on Identity 

• What makes me who I am?
• How am I unique compared with other people?
• What is my story?

Kindergarten Social Studies Overview for Parents

Available in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish (see below):

Kindergarten Social Studies:

This year our class will be focusing on two big ideas in Social Studies, Rules and Identity. 

• Identity-This kindergarten inquiry leads students through an investigation of self by recognizing that all humans have both unique and similar characteristics. By investigating the compelling question “what makes us special?” students begin to see how they are similar to and different from their classmates. The study of similarities and differences among individuals provides the foundation for students to demonstrate their understanding of and respect for others.
• Rules- This inquiry engages kindergartners in exploring the various ways people interact with and act upon rules and laws in society. The compelling question “How do rules help each of us at recess and other places?” assumes that while students generally enter school with some concept of rules and what it means to follow or break them, they may not yet understand who makes rules and how they change.

幼儿园社会研究简报宣传语 (Chinese):

幼儿园社会研究：

今年我们班将侧重社会研究的两个大概念：规则和身份识别。 

• 身份识别：在幼儿园阶段的探讨，带领同学们研究自己，认识到所有人都有独特和相似的特点。在研究必须要回答的问题“什么使我们与别人不同”时，同学们开始看到自己与同学在哪些方面相似、在哪些方面不同。对相同点和差异的研究，为同学们展示对别人的理解和尊重提供了基石。
• 规则：这项探讨使幼儿园小朋友探索人们与社会的规则和法律互动、依照社会规则和法律行事的各种方式。必须要回答的问题“规则如何在课间休息和其他地方帮助我们每个人”，假定同学们在进入学校时一般对规则有一些概念，对遵守或者违反规则带来什么有一些了解，但是他们可能还不了解谁制定规则，规则如何改变。

유치원사회과목소식안내 (Korean):

유치원 사회 과목:

올해에 사회 과목 수업에서는 규칙 및 개성이라는 두 가지 대주제에 중점을 둡니다. 

• 개성 - 유치원의 이 탐구는 모든 인간이 독특한 특성과 유사한 특성을 모두 가지고 있음을 인식함으로써 학생이 자신을 탐구할 수 있도록 합니다. 학생은 "우리가 특별한 이유는 무엇일까요?"라는 주요 질문을 통해 자신이 급우들과 어떤 점이 비슷하고 어떤 점이 다른지를 알기 시작합니다. 개인 간의 유사점과 차이점에 대해 탐구하는 것은 학생이 타인에 대한 이해와 존경을 보이기 위한 기초가 됩니다.
• 규칙 - 이 탐구는 유치원생이 사람들과 상호 작용하고 사회의 규칙과 법에 따라 행동하는 다양한 방법을 찾도록 합니다. "우리 각자가 휴식하거나 다른 장소에 있을 때 규칙이 어떤 도움을 줄까요?"라는 주요 질문은, 학생들이 입학할 때 일반적으로 규칙의 개념과 준수 또는 위반의 의미는 알지만 누가 규칙을 만들며 어떻게 변화하는지는 모를 수 있다는 것을 전제로 합니다.

"Anuncios" del boletín informativo de Estudios Sociales de jardín de infantes (Spanish)

Estudios sociales de jardín de infantes:

Este año nuestra clase se centrará en dos grandes ideas de Estudios Sociales, Reglas e Identidad.

• Identidad-Esta indagación de jardín de infantes lleva a los estudiantes a una investigación sobre sí mismos reconociendo que todos los humanos tienen características únicas y similares. Investigando la pregunta obligada "¿Qué nos hace especiales?", los estudiantes comienzan a ver en qué se parecen y en qué se diferencian de sus compañeros. El estudio de similitudes y diferencias entre los individuos proporciona la base para que los estudiantes demuestren su comprensión y respeto por el otro.
• Reglas- Esta indagación lleva a los estudiantes de jardín de infantes a analizar las diferentes formas en que la gente interactúa y actúa en virtud de las reglas y leyes de la sociedad. La pregunta obligada "¿De qué forma las reglas nos ayudan a cada uno de nosotros en el recreo y otros lugares?" supone que si bien los estudiantes generalmente ingresan en la escuela con cierto concepto de las reglas y lo que significa seguirlas o romperlas, es posible que no comprendan quién impone las reglas y cómo cambian.

Our adopted Elementary Music Curriculum is Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music.

Below are the learning goals organized around the area(s) reported on the student report card.

Demonstrates behaviors that promote learning

• Stays on task
• Follows directions
• Contributes positively

Elementary Music Develops Skills in the following areas:

• Rhythms
• Melody & Pitch
• Timbre
• Form
• Harmony & Texture
• Expression
• Vocal Technique
• Instrumental Technique

Our adopted health materials include:

• Five for Life (Focused Fitness)
• SPARK PE (Spark) 

Below are the learning goals organized around the area(s) reported on the student report card.

Demonstrates behaviors that promote learning related to health and fitness from among the following areas:

• Respects the rights and feelings of others
• Actively listens and follows directions
• Stays on task
• Contributes positively
• Nutrition and the body

Physical education develops physically literate individuals who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity.

To pursue a lifetime of healthful physical activity, a physically literate individual:

• Has learned the skills necessary to participate in a variety of physical activities.
• Knows the implications and the benefits of involvement in various types of physical activities.
• Participates regularly in physical activity.
• Is physically fit.
• Values physical activity and its contributions to a healthful lifestyle.

Library lessons center on 4 overarching areas:

Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

• Digital citizenship & safety
• Managing technology 
• Responsibly reporting

Library Skills and Organization

• The library collection
• Library management procedures
• Catalogs & databases

Information Literacy and Research

• Genres & sub-genres of informational text
• Text features & formats
• Locating information & conducting database searches

Reading Engagement

• Connecting with literature & texts
• Awareness of different ways to choose a book
• Literature awards
• STEM integration