Parent Resources
This page is intended to connect parents and families to our classroom! Find resources to support your children at home. Additionally, find important documents and links to events at HTeNC!
I believe that children learn best through meaningful and collaborative projects with real-world applications. Although our classroom dynamic may be a little bit different than other schools, we still use Common Core, California State and Next Generation Science Standards to guide project ideas and goals for student learning.
Browse the standards below to see some of what students will be learning in kindergarten:
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Wish List
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How can I practice at home?
You can access these websites that are used in class to supplement the academic instruction and our other project-based work. Students can benefit from additional practice at home.
- Type in "slance0"
- Click on your child's name
- Password for you child is first name initial (lowercase). (i.e. Stephanie = "s")
- Click on "On your own book room" to start reading!
More information on ST Math, their philosophy, and how the program works, check here: http://www.mindresearch.org/programs/
When your child is working on ST Math, try to avoid helping them with challenges by doing the activities for them, or telling them what to do. The program is designed to have students persevere through difficult tasks. Here are some questions you can ask to encourage your child to work through:
When your child is working on ST Math, try to avoid helping them with challenges by doing the activities for them, or telling them what to do. The program is designed to have students persevere through difficult tasks. Here are some questions you can ask to encourage your child to work through:
- What does JiJi need to do?
- How might you begin?
- What do you need to do next?
- Why did that happen?
- How can you help JiJi?
- How did the earlier levels work?
- What did you see that showed you the answer was wrong?
- Why do you think that was not the right answer?
- What will happen if you click on ____?
- What have you tried? What happened?
- What do you notice? What else do you notice?
- What did you try that didn't work?
- Please explain it in a different way.
- Show me how this will work on the next problem.
- What do you already know about?
- Why did you ___?
Kindergarten Sight Words:
These are the sight words we will be working on over the next school year. These words have been found to be important words for emerging readers to know. Thank you for taking the time to routinely work with your little one on learning our word list this year!
To practice sight words, we have been looking in books and putting post-it notes where we see the sight words. We also read books on Raz-Kids that focus on these sight words. We add them to our word wall, practice spelling them, and use them in our writing when possible. Help your child notice these words during your reading time!
To practice sight words, we have been looking in books and putting post-it notes where we see the sight words. We also read books on Raz-Kids that focus on these sight words. We add them to our word wall, practice spelling them, and use them in our writing when possible. Help your child notice these words during your reading time!
More kid-friendly websites for fun and practice:
Starfall - practice letter sounds and recognition
ABC ya! - educational computer games for K
Mr. Nussbaum - literacy and math games for pre K/K
Fun Brain - resource for fun, educational games
Discovery Kids - great science resource!
National Geographic Kids - science!
Between the Lions - reading with PBS kids
ABC ya! - educational computer games for K
Mr. Nussbaum - literacy and math games for pre K/K
Fun Brain - resource for fun, educational games
Discovery Kids - great science resource!
National Geographic Kids - science!
Between the Lions - reading with PBS kids
Ways to help and encourage your child at home:
- Reflect with your child about their time at school (See below for questions you can ask to encourage conversation)
- Go to the public library
- Read with your child often (try 15-20 minutes a night - read both books at your child's level, and "look books" you can read to them)
- Encourage writing in all aspects (Letters to grandma, pen-pals, labeling their drawings, writing cards, etc.)
- Provide opportunities for your child to express creativity and explore their curiosities
- Encourage problem solving and perseverance in difficult situations. In school we try to use "I messages." i.e.- I feel sad when you ____.
Questions to create conversation at home:
The trick is to ask questions that are specific, but still open-ended. Ask questions that require your child
to describe rather than comment. Don't be afraid to model by sharing your day with your child as it's just
important for them to hear about your day as it is for you to hear about theirs.
1. Tell me about the best part of your day?
2. What was the hardest thing you had to do today?
3. Did any of your classmates do anything funny?
4. Tell me about what you read in class.
5. Who did you play with today? What did you play?
6. Do you think math [or any subject] is too easy or too hard?
7. What's the biggest difference between this year and last year?
8. What rules are different at school than our rules at home? Do you think they're fair?
9. Who did you sit with at lunch?
10. Can you show me something you learned (or did) today?
11. What would you or what do you hope will change for tomorrow?
12. If I was at school with you today, what would I have been so happy to see?
13. What are the names of 3 kids who sat closest to you today?
14. Is there anything at school you wish you had that you don't have?
15. What is the best thing your teacher asked you to do today?
to describe rather than comment. Don't be afraid to model by sharing your day with your child as it's just
important for them to hear about your day as it is for you to hear about theirs.
1. Tell me about the best part of your day?
2. What was the hardest thing you had to do today?
3. Did any of your classmates do anything funny?
4. Tell me about what you read in class.
5. Who did you play with today? What did you play?
6. Do you think math [or any subject] is too easy or too hard?
7. What's the biggest difference between this year and last year?
8. What rules are different at school than our rules at home? Do you think they're fair?
9. Who did you sit with at lunch?
10. Can you show me something you learned (or did) today?
11. What would you or what do you hope will change for tomorrow?
12. If I was at school with you today, what would I have been so happy to see?
13. What are the names of 3 kids who sat closest to you today?
14. Is there anything at school you wish you had that you don't have?
15. What is the best thing your teacher asked you to do today?