In kindergarten, it's all about learning how to make friends, how to last through an entire day (or half-day) of school, and, yes, learning how to learn. In most programs, children learn how to interact with classmates, and to resolve conflicts, during unstructured imaginative play. Kids also begin to internalize the routines of the school day, as they shift between lessons in English, math, social studies, and science:
• English. Reading and writing go hand-in-hand in kindergarten, as children learn their letters and begin to put them into words. Beginning readers start with the ABCs: Teachers typically dedicate one week to each letter of the alphabet, helping students equate written letters, both upper- and lower-case, with their respective sounds and the words that start with them. Kindergartners also start to recognize common words by sight, such as you, see, and up. As the year progresses, successful sight-readers will be able to read some simple stories independently. At the same time, children begin to craft their own tales using the storytelling skills they acquire from listening to a variety of books read aloud in the classroom. Teachers encourage kids to draw detailed pictures of their stories, and then to write words to accompany those images, as best they can. Children are encouraged to use "invented spelling" to write words, based on their sounds.
• Math. The focus is on number, shape, and pattern recognition. Children will learn to write numbers, practice counting by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s, and read a calendar. By the end of the year, they may learn basic addition facts with the help of "manipulatives," a fancy word for hands-on materials such as blocks.
• Social Studies. The goal here is for children to envision a world beyond their neighborhood, and to understand their place in it. Many classes begin the year with an "all about me" unit in which kids share facts about themselves with classmates. Later lessons will focus on families and their traditions, and "community helpers," like police officers and mail carriers.
• Science. The best kindergarten teachers make science part of the daily routine, inviting children to observe the weather each morning and use "weather words" to describe the day's conditions. Other topics might include the five senses, habitats, ocean life, the four seasons, or the lifecycles of plants and animals.
The New First Grade? As recently as 20 years ago, most children learned to read in first grade. Now, some schools assess students' reading skills as they enter kindergarten, and reevaluate them several times during the year. Why the rush? Schools are being pressured to meet the standards dictated by state-mandated standardized tests, which require that students be "proficient" readers by third grade. So even as more school districts shift from partial-day to full-day kindergarten classes, education researchers have found that the extra hours of the school day are not being dedicated to finger-painting or creative play, but to increased literacy instruction. A child’s work, it appears, is no longer play.
• Many kindergarten teachers will dedicate weeks or months to favorite children's authors such as Jan Brett, Eric Carle, Kevin Henkes, Jane Yolen, Leo Lionni, and Robert Munsch. Before your grandchildren visit, find out which writers they are reading in school, then head to the library to load up on their works so you'll be ready for reading time.
• There are dozens of great ABC books on the market, but you can never tell which will be the one that helps your grandchild break through and start recognizing letters. Still, at least one of the books on this list compiled by Scholastic.com should do the trick.
• To learn more about the increasing academic demands of kindergarten, read Susan Ohanian's What Happened to Recess and Why are our Children Struggling in Kindergarten? (McGraw-Hill, 2002), or these articles from Newsweek and The Washington Post.
Hobby Time. Kindergartners love to do grown-up things, so let them take part in your hobbies. It's a great way to help them learn. If you’re a sports fan, let them help you add up a team's runs as you look at baseball box scores in the newspaper. If you’re a gardener, spend an afternoon teaching them about what plants need to grow, and let them get their hands dirty by digging and planting with you. If you’re more crafty, art projects are a terrific way for young children to hone their fine-motor skills.
Science Stroll. Take grandchildren on a nature walk around your neighborhood, and help them identify the flowers, trees, insects, and animals you see. While you’re at it, keep your eyes open for opportunities to clean up; kindergartners love to pick up everything in sight, and they love to be helpful. Let them pitch in.
Find Lessons in Aisle Three. A trip to the supermarket provides many learning opportunities for kindergartners. Quiz kids on the colors and shapes of vegetables. Challenge them to find certain words throughout the store. If the cashier gives you change, hand the coins to the children and ask them to identify each one. But don't be surprised if the kids are reluctant to give the money back.
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