Kindergarten Success

In this new addition to the Knowledge Essentials series, Kindergarten Success shows you how to enrich your child's classroom learning and take an active role in your kindergarten’s education by exploring:

• What your child is learning at school and the educational standards to expect in math, language arts, science, and social studies—as well as the developmental skills expected of your kindergartener
• Your child's learning style—visual, auditory, or kinesthetic— and how it affects the way your child learns and processes information
• Hundreds of easy-to-do activities designed to help your child meet specific learning requirements
• Environmental learning sections that identify learning opportunities in the everyday world
• Methods and checklists to assess your child's progress
• The developmental and social changes expected of your kindergartener as well as information on how to determine readiness to move up to the first grade
• Recommendations of age-appropriate books and software that will enhance learning

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

1. Getting the Most for Your Kindergartner.

Getting the Most from Your School System.

Getting the Most from Your Homeschool Curriculum.

Using Supplemental Materials.

2. Kindergarten Development.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development.

Developmental Goals for Five-Year-Olds.

Developmental Goals for Six-Year-Olds.

3. Kindergarten Learning.

Learning Styles.

Cognitive Learning.

4. The Standards.

Types of Learning Standards.

Learning Standards Resources.

5. Kindergarten Reading.

Beginning of Kindergarten Reading Checklist.

Phonemic Awareness.

Comprehension.

Environmental Learning.

End of Kindergarten Reading Checklist.

6. Kindergarten Writing.

Beginning of Kindergarten Writing Checklist.

Writing Readiness.

Mechanics ofWriting.

Grammar.

Environmental Learning.

End of Kindergarten Writing Checklist.

7. Kindergarten Math.

Beginning of Kindergarten Math Checklist.

Number Sense and Patterns.

Geometry and Measurement.

Environmental Learning.

End of Kindergarten Math Checklist.

8. Kindergarten Science.

Beginning of Kindergarten Science Checklist.

Science Processes.

Physical Science.

Life Science.

Earth and Space Science.

Environmental Learning.

End of Kindergarten Science Checklist.

9. Kindergarten Social Studies.

Beginning of Kindergarten Social Studies Checklist.

Holidays.

Neighborhoods and Community Helpers.

Rules and Safety.

Environmental Learning.

End of Kindergarten Social Studies Checklist.

10. Teaching Your Kindergartner Thinking Skills.

Beginning of Kindergarten Thinking Skills Checklist.

Problem Solving.

Concentration.

Comprehension.

Reasoning.

Logic.

Environmental Learning.

End of Kindergarten Thinking Skills Checklist.

11. Assessment.

Assessing Individual Student Abilities and Knowledge.

Measuring and Comparing School, School District, Statewide, and National Performance for Broad Public Accountability.

12. Kindergarten Society.

Tommy, Can you Hear Me?

Teacher’s Helper.

Let’s Get Physical.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow.

13. Moving On to First Grade.

Ready to Go.

Anxieties.

Minimizing “Brain Drain”.

Appendix A: Literature for Kindergartners.

Appendix B: Software for Kindergartners.

Appendix C: Kindergarten Topical Calendar.

Glossary.

Bibliography.

Index.

AMY JAMES, a former social studies teacher, is a nationally respected authority on educational compliance issues and the No Child Left Behind Act. Her company, Six Things, Inc., provides consulting services for national media, publishers, and school districts on compliance with state and national education standards, as well as professional development for K–12 teachers. The key to your child's educational success is in your hands

"Knowledge Essentials is a remarkable series that will benefit children of all abilities and learning styles. . . . I highly recommend it for all parents who want to make a difference in their children's education."
—Michael Gurian, author of Boys and Girls Learn Differently and The Wonder of Boys

"Finally, a book about teaching young children by somebody who knows her stuff!"
—LouAnne Johnson, author of Dangerous Minds and The Queen of Education

In this new addition to the Knowledge Essentials series, Kindergarten Success shows you how to enrich your child's classroom learning and take an active role in your kindergartner's education by exploring:

• What your child is learning at school and the educational standards to expect in math, language arts, science, and social studies—as well as the developmental skills expected of your kindergartener
• Your child's learning style—visual, auditory, or kinesthetic—and how it affects the way your child learns and processes information
• Hundreds of easy-to-do activities designed to help your child meet specific learning requirements
• Environmental learning sections that identify learning opportunities in the everyday world
• Methods and checklists to assess your child's progress
• The developmental and social changes expected of your kindergartener as well as information on how to determine readiness to move up to the first grade
• Recommendations of age-appropriate books and software that will enhance learning

Give your child the gift of your time—and help him or her get the most out of school with Kindergarten Success.

"Knowledge Essentials is a remarkable series that will benefit children of all abilities and learning styles. . . I highly recommend it for all parents who want to make a difference in their children's education."
—Michael Gurian, author of Boys and Girls Learn Differently and The Wonder of Boys

"Finally, a book about teaching young children by somebody who knows her stuff!"
—LouAnne Johnson, author of Dangerous Minds and The Queen of Education