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Catharine Blaine K-8 School |
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Welcome to Kindergarten! |
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Catharine Blaine K-8 School Principal: Heather Swanson heswanson@seattleschools.org 2550 34th Avenue West Seattle, Washington 98199 Office: 252-1920 Fax: 252-1921 24-hour Attendance Line: 252-1924 |
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At Catharine Blaine we have three kindergarten classes which allows the class sizes to remain small, averaging about 20 students per class. We offer a half day program and a full day kindergarten with the Pay for K tuition program. Our successful reading program uses multiple components of The Writing Road to Reading and phonemic awareness. Throughout the year our kindergarten curriculum explores poetry, science, math, art and music. Our parent & caregiver involvement is very strong at Blaine. |
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Blaine’s Kindergarten Curriculum
Mathematics: We use the Investigations Curriculum which means: · Students spend time exploring problems in depth. · They find more than one solution to problems. · They invent their own strategies and approaches, rather than relying on memorizing procedures. · Students choose from a variety of concrete materials and appropriate technology. · They express their mathematical thinking through drawing, writing and talking. · Students work in a variety of groupings—as a whole class, individually, in pairs and in small groups. · They move around the classroom as they explore the math in their environment.
Reading and Language Arts: In addition to read aloud and quiet time with books after lunch, all kindergarten students receive 30 minutes of structured reading instruction everyday! The basis of instruction involves building phonemic awareness through listening and speaking activities. The method we use is called the Writing Road to Reading or the Spaulding Method. Students learn phonograms (there are 70 of them) so that they can read and write. When they learn phonograms well, they will be able to spell words they hear or think.
We also work on comprehension skills throughout the day. Handwriting fundamentals are also taught in kindergarten—from the correct way to hold a pencil to proper letter formation. We write in the air, on the whiteboard and on lined paper.
Science: At Blaine we use the National Science Foundation Curriculum. · In the fall our kindergarten scientists will explore the physical properties of fabric with a series of hands-on experiments. · In the winter our unit on life sciences begins with excitement as the students observe and compare live animals. · Our spring unit will explore the physical properties of wood. We’ll even get to use hammers and nails to create wood sculptures, blending both science and art together.
Art in Kindergarten: In addition to the half hour each week with our Art teacher, the students create lots of art in the classroom. Your refrigerator door will soon be covered with priceless masterpieces!
Music: Students attend music class for one hour each week. They explore instruments, sing songs and have fun. You’ll be touched to hear your student perform at our winter concert and our Evening of the Arts where they show off their love of music. Also, our kindergarten day is full of music as we incorporate music throughout reading, math and science. Sometimes we just need to dance our sillies out!
PE: Kindergarteners attend PE classes several times a week with Ms. Pickens and Mr. Miller where they have fun while keeping fit with many activities. |
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The Kindergarten Team
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Important Kindergarten Information Regarding Appropriate Shoes for Students |
