Academic Guidelines for Kindergarten

Below is a list of guidelines that will aid you in determining your child's academic readiness for kindergarten. Your child will not be expected to have mastered all of these areas upon entering kindergarten. However, the more areas your child is secure in, the greater his or her chances for success.

Math
Can your child . . .
· · Count to 20?
· · Recognize numbers 0-10?
· · Recognize and name basic shapes (square, rectangle, circle, oval, diamond, and triangle)?
· · Sort objects by color?
· · Play learning games such as Concentration, Go Fish, and Hi Ho! Cherry-O with other children?

Language
Can your child . . .
· · Recognize most capital letters?
· · Recognize most lowercase letters?
· · Recognize some letter sounds?
· · Follow verbal directions?
· · Listen to a story without interrupting?
· · Tell a story in order?
· · Write letters or words to tell about pictures that he or she draws?

Small Muscle
Can your child . . .
· · Color a picture without scribbling all over the page?
· · Cut on a straight line?
· · Use glue appropriately (amount of glue is proportionate to size of object being glued)?
· · Copy letters, shapes, and numbers?
· · Hold a pencil correctly?
· · Button and zip independently for bathroom use?

Other
Can your child . . .
· · Say his or her full name?
· · Say his or her parent's full names?
· · Write his or her first name?
· · Tell another person his or her phone number?
· · Recognize basic colors?

Social Guidelines for Kindergarten

Social development is a major component of kindergarten. The ease with which your child can work and play with others fosters independence and self-confidence.
Below is a list of questions that will aid you in determining your child’s social readiness for kindergarten. Your child will not be expected to have mastered all of these areas upon entering kindergarten. However, the more areas your child is secure in, the greater his or her chances for success.

Does your child…
· · Take turns when playing games with other children?
· · Take part in group activities?
· · Join in new activities and new situations?
· · Adjust to new situations easily?
· · Show an interest in learning new things?
· · Get upset by changes in his or her routine?
· · Demand immediate attention or can he or she share the adult’s attention with others?
· · Control his or her anger and frustration?
· · Express his or her feelings appropriately?
· · Show concern for the rights and feelings of others?
· · Handle winning and losing gracefully?
· · Follow simple rules such as being quiet when asked to?
· · Accept personal responsibility for his or her actions?
· · Take care of materials and property?
· · Respond to adults?
· · Ask for help appropriately?
· · Listen attentively?
· · Separate easily from you?
· · Have responsibilities at home?
· · Attend to personal needs such as blowing his or her nose?
· · Distinguish between fantasy and reality?

Homework Helper

Dear Parents,
Below I have listed things we will be working on in the classroom for the next several weeks. Any extra practice you could give your child at home will be very helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Thanks for your help!

General Knowledge/Fine Motor
· Practice phone number, address, birthday, days of the week and months of the year
· Write first and last name correctly-first letter uppercase and the rest lowercase
· Buttoning and zipping jackets
· Practice tying shoes
· Practice cutting, pasting and tracing
· Practice holding a pencil correctly

Language Arts
· Recognize all upper and lowercase letters
· Write all upper and lowercase letters
· Identify letter sounds
· Make predictions about stories
· Sequence stories: beginning, middle, end
· Recognize sight words (This really helps with reading and writing. Please help review these.)
· Read 15 minutes daily with your child

Math
· · Recognize numbers 0-20
· · Count to 100
· · Count by 10’s to 100
· · Make sets of objects up to the number 20
· · Identify coins
· · Ordinal numbers-first, second, third, fourth and fifth

Below are some ideas and suggestions for how you can work on these things at home:

General Knowledge/Fine Motor
· Practice singing calendar songs
· Practice writing first and last name daily
· Teach a friend how to tie shoes
· Help cut coupons from the newspaper
· Trace your hand and cut it out

Language Arts
· Make an ABC book at home using wrappers, labels, etc.
· Sing the alphabet song
· Write alphabet on index cards and put in ABC order
· Visit the local library
· Make a concentration or memory game with index cards and alphabet letters
· While reading with your child, ask these questions:
1. What’s your favorite part?
2. Was the story real or pretend? Why do you think so?
3. What’s going to happen next?
Math
· Make your own path game
· Find shapes in your house, on the road, etc.
· Count 30 objects in your house
· Write numbers 0-10 on index cards and put in order
· Make concentration or memory game with index cards-Write numbers 0-10 on cards and make cards with corresponding sets of stickers or dots
· Sort different objects in your house by shape, size, and or/ color
· Practice drawing shapes and cutting them out