The following schedules have been submitted by classroom teachers who were willing to share their daily schedule on the internet. Thank you to all who have contributed! If you wish to share your schedule, send it with permission to publish on the Web Corner to cokids@nauticom.net.
Sample Schedules:
Full-Day Kindergarten Schedule: Submitted by Debbie Whiting
I've taught full-day kindergarten for 5 years, and this is how I've worked my schedule:
8:00 Breakfast/playground open
8:30 Class Starts
Puzzles are open so I can fill out attendance form
The children graph their choice of white or chocolate milk
Second semester the leader picks a friend and they change the
calendar date and day.
8:45 Meet on the rug for Opening Activities
I write all names on the board (boys in one column, girls in
another. We use this to add each column (one to one correspondence), compare
number of girls and boys with unifix cubes, and they love to see their name.
Throughout the year we talk about which children start with the same first
letter or first sound, count letters in some names, and look for names that
have the same letter in the middle.
Occasionaly we play hangman where the kids need to figure out the
main meal for lunch that day. I write the lines corresponding to the number of
letters in the word on the board and each child gets a chance to say a letter.
Math Their Way Calendar Activities:
1. Read a full sentence identifying the helpers of the day "The leader is
_______" "The lunch helper is _______" The teacher and later the leader
tracks the words with the pointer.
2. Count the number of days we have been in school and adding one number to
the number line (I color code the numbers....Purple numbers except multiples
of 5's are red and multiples of 10 have a black circle around them. Underline
even numbers.
3. Add a straw to the place value cups. For kinder I tell the kids that in
the one's house there are only 9 beds, 9 plates, 9 cups, etc. When they reach
the number of 10 they have to move to the ten's house.
4. Sing a Days of the Week song and figure out today's day. Add to Calendar
Board.
5. Count dates on calendar and add today's date.
6. Read the "Today is _____ " sentence.
9:00 Shared Reading: Familar songs, poems, chants (4-6 daily), New songs,
poems, chants (2-3), Familiar Big Book, New Big Book (every 2 or 3 days).
9:30 Recess
10:00 Workshops (4 rotating small groups)
We meet on the rug, I introduce the groups (which means many times I set
up only 3 groups so I have time for KWL activities or other brainstorming or
introductory activities. I work these into thematic units as much as possible
and set up one language, one math, one computer, and one other small group.
11:00 My aide goes to lunch
McMillan/McGraw District Reading Series (This is pretty good. It
has real books and songs).
11:15 Free Reading Time
Since I have the Rigby Books with large and small books and story
tapes, some children read books out of the class library, and others go to the
listening center with the books and tapes.
11:30 Lunch
12:00 Recess
12:30 Short rest time
I also use this time to read to the kids as they are resting
quietly. Second semester we might play "Heads Up, Seven Up." They love this
game!
12:45 Whole Group Activity: graphing, group games, cooking, almost anything
can go in here.
1:15 Journals: I set up a word wall in which the kids and I decide on
appropriate words for that month. Simple pictures are drawn next to the words.
As far as journals, each month the children get a new journal. In this journal
are the pages that are half lined and half plain paper, an alphabet and number
page for reference, and "fun" pages like dot to dot with the abc's or numbers.
The first day they decorate they're journal, the next day they number the page
and write.
1:30 worktime (or choice time): The students choose the centers they want to
work in.
2:15 Cleanup, and meet on rug for recall of the day.
2:30 Silent reading or group game like "Duck, Duck, Goose" in front of the
classoom.
2:50 Dismissal
I also try to schedule local field trips about once every 4-6 weeks.
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Full-Day Kindergarten
Schedule: Submitted by Gayle
Mcalhany
7:55 Table Games( We do this until all students arrive
During this time, I check roll, lunch money and notes from home. The
students also take care of personal needs.)
8:15 Math/Calendar( I use the Math Their Way Activities for this)
8:35 Math Tubs and Math Groups(During this time I divide my class
into groups. Each group spends 20 minutes doing math tubs with
activities from Math their Way and also 20 minutes in a group math
lesson such as graphing, learning games or introducing new activities
or concepts for the tubs.
9:20 Daily Message Board (We read our daily message such as Today
is__________. The leader is____________. Then we have a talking time
to allow each student to say something positive.
9:35 Shared Reading ( I read at least 2 to 3 books one of which is
our Book Of the Week. We read it everyday and do a short activity
with it. We use it to add words to our word wall.)
10:30 Lunch
11:00 Recess
11:30 Quiet time reflections, I play music to wind down from recess.
11:45 Language Arts Lessons-The class is divided into 4 groups and
they go to one of the following centers daily. We rotate so they will
go to each one at least once during the week.
Listening Centers
Guided activities which could be games
Art lesson with letters
Library and Computer center-
Brainstorming words that begin with certain letters.
12:20 Theme time- We sing songs and fingerplays with a different theme
weekly. Then we go to centers and have a free choice time. I try to
have activities to acconpany the themes available. The centers
include all that are in the room. I put limits on the number of
students that may go to a certain center.
1:30 Clean-up
1:45 Snack time/quiet time
2:05 Picture/Chart Lesson
2:20 Journal time and daily reflections of our adventures of the day.
2:40 Review from today and prepare for tomorrow.
2:50 Dismissal
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Half-Day Kindergarten: Submitted by Carolyn Bouchillon
Our daily schedule is based on a balanced literacy program. We use the components from Marie Clay and Don Holdaway to create what we feel is a balanced literacy program. I have included AM and PM times.
Thank you,
Carolyn Bouchillon
Cummings Elementary
Alief Independent School District
Houston, Texas
7:45 - 7:55 Journal Writing/Familiar
Reading
12:15 - 12:25
8:00 - 8:10 Morning Message MWF
12:25 - 12:35 Daily News T Th
8:10 - 8:30 Shared Reading, Interactive
Writing, or
12:35 - 12:55 Phonemic Awareness
8:30 - 9:00 Read Aloud, Reading Response
MTWTH
12:55 - 1:25 Writing Workshop Friday
9:00 - 9:45 Academic Work Time (Learning
Centers & Small Groups W/Teacher)
1:25 - 2:10 (guided reading, readers'circle, recreational reading,
independent writing, word work, conferencing & running
records)
9:45 - 9:50 Clean-up & Music
2:10 - 2:15
9:50 - 10:00 Independent Reading (DEAR Time AM Class Only)
10:00 - 10:10 Authors' Chair
2:15 - 2:25
10:10 - 10:40 Math & Science (Every Day Counts Calendar, Math free exploration & 2:25 - 2:50 reading in the content areas.)
10:40 - 10:50 Read Aloud
2:50 - 3:00
3:00 - 3:10 Independent Reading (DEAR Time PM Class Only)
We are flexible with our times and adjust them to the needs of our classes. We use this as a guideline.
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Half-Day Preschool Schedule: Submitted by Marilyn Ericson
Here is our schedule for morning preschool:
9:00 Greeting Circle
9:15 Planning Time
9:30 Work Time
10:15 Clean-Up and Recall
10:30 Snack Time
10:45 Small Group Time
11:00 Outside Time
11:30 Dismissal
Afternoons are the same order, starting at 12:45 and dismissing at 3:15. We are not "tied" to these times and can be flexible whenever the need arises, but this is our "framework."
Small World sworld@midusa.net
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My
Pre-K schedule for full day is: Submitted by Terri
Quiet activities during arrival times
Class Meeting (different from circle time) (child planning, verbal
sharing, & reconnecting after our time away from each other)
Center Time & Small Group (including snack center)
Outside Time
Storytime
Lunch
Nap
Outside Time
Center Time & Small Group (including snack center)
Class Meeting (with review of the day)
Storytime
Quiet activities until departure
I don't do a formal circle time. I don't feel that the children really benefit from it and they have voted not to do a circle time. I do work singing, puppetry, story telling, story reading and fingerplays into the day. Sometimes in a small group or with just a few children. Since ours is an emergent curriculum the children are very familar with brainstorming, problem-solving and voting as part of the process of class meetings.
Our learning centers include:
Art (including daily easel painting center, invention center, clay, & play dough) (does not include a formal art time but does provide almost any medium or materials that a child might desire to work with)
Science
Animal Care & Observation Center
Math/Manipulatives
Dramatic Play (varies)
Blocks
Puppet Theater & Puppet making
Music
Literacy (including writing, library, listening center, computer, &
journaling)
Sand
Water
Sensory Table (usually oatmeal, rice, beans, etc.)
Light Table
Solitude Center
Submitted by Terri (Terri, if you see this, please send us the name of your school and the rest of your name!)
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Schedule from Project Approach Classroom Submitted by Dot Schuler dschuler@plantnet.com
Our schedule is the result of my learning about and using the project
approach, and my desire to incorporate learning centers in my classroom.
My friend and colleague, Eileen Borgia, Assistant Professor at Southern
Illinois University of Edwardsville, who introduced me to project work in
the summer of 1995 when I took her class (The Project Approach) for
teachers, encouraged me as I experimented with the change in my classroom.
I approached the scheduling change as an experiment; the children knew it
was an experiment, too, because I told them. To this day, whenever we do
anything a little differently, they will ask me if we are doing an
experiment. I like to have their input on all of our "experiments," so
that I will know how effective they are. The children frequently write in
their daily journals about how much they like project work and learning
centers; I share their feelings, so I am happy to share my schedule with you:
8:30-10:00 am: Project Work, preceded by a class meeting to discuss plans
10:00-10:15 am: Recess
10:15-11:00 am: Systematic Instruction, during which each child fills out
an assignment sheet
11:00-11:15 Silent Reading
11:20-11:50 Lunch
11:50-12:20 Recess
12:20-12:40 Gathering on carpet for story
12:40-1:00 Group meeting for sharing of project work in progress
1:00-1:40 P.E., Art, Music, IMC classes
1:40-3:00 Learning Centers, for completing assignments
3:00-3:25 Gathering on carpet for sharing of daily journal writings
3:30 Dismissal
What was once a segmented day, with separate times for each subject,
allowing less than an hour for Science and/or Social Studies, now has
become an integrated day with far less time needed for systematic
instruction. Much of that can now be done in the form of guidance at
learning centers, if needed. The end result is a relaxed environment,
allowing more personal communication with each child. The children
appreciate the freedom to move around, the chance to work at their own
speed, the interaction with their peers, and the opportunity to assume the
responsibility for completing assignments.
Yes, we have reading and math textbooks. The reading series is a
literature-based series. The children have anthologies containing
selections of literature. It is very easy to apply the tested skills from
the textbooks to our project work. I will give you some examples of how I
did that last week:
In reading, the children were to be taught about fact and opinion. At the
reading center, instead of using the worksheets that accompany the reading
series, I had the children think of facts and opinions about caves, bats,
salamanders, ferns, moss, etc., that individuals and small groups have been
investigating in their project work. They discussed their fact and/or
opinion with the teacher there; we documented them on a chart, to display
in the room. At the spelling center, the children practiced their "cave"
words from the list that they had created together. At the writing center,
they proofread a story about our walk to a neighborís root cellar. They
also wrote in their daily journals; many of them write about their project
work, field experiences, or other related entries. We have been learning
fractions in math; at the math center, they drew cave equipment, living
things, formations, etc., and made up questions to accompany their
pictures, such as, "What fraction of these flashlights is yellow?", or
"What fraction of these bats is brown?" After sharing our pictures, we
compiled them in a book for all to enjoy; this activity took the place of
the math worksheet that had them draw rockets, or other unrelated items.
At the art center, they worked on thank-you cards to the neighbor who
shared her root cellar with us; they also painted or used other art forms
to illustrate the root cellar that they sketched on the walk. They have
also developed a list of more than 30 things that they can do as extra
work, if they have time. The Title 1 teacher is in my room Monday through
Thursday; she facilitates at a learning center, as well as I. In addition,
I frequently send notes to remind parents that they are welcome to help in
the room during project work and/or learning centers.
The sharing time at the end of the day is a special time for all of us.
During all phases of a project, there are usually many journal entries
about the topic. For this project on caves, one of the children began
writing cave riddles and jokes, and that has been a favorite of many who
are trying their skill at writing some more. Many personal stories about
caves have been shared. Now that we are in Phase 2, many of the children
have investigations to share as they make progress on their work. Needless
to say, they are very proud to share their project work; many times, other
children will give them constructive criticism on how to improve their
investigations. Yesterday, Trista was sharing the published directions for
her Fern and Moss Game; when she was finished, the children applauded and
began telling her things that they liked about her game directions.
Whenever they have made games, they usually select two or more children to
play the game, as the rest of us circle around and watch the fun! When
they share models, charts, posters, etc., they especially appreciate seeing
what their peers have accomplished and participating in their learning.
I hope this schedule can be of some help for you. Please note that,
although the curriculum fits naturally and easily into project work, as
needed for investigations, there are also many opportunities for the
teacher to relate systematic instruction to the project. However, the
most important part is that the children are practicing curricular skills
while engaging in activities of their choice, learning things according to
their interests, sharing their knowledge with peers and adults, enjoying
their work, and taking pride in the results. What a wonderful atmosphere
that creates for the children and the teacher; an atmosphere of collective
interests, contributing to a common topic, in a mutually supportive
environment.
Dot Schuler
Second Grade Teacher
Grafton Elementary School
P.O. Box 205
Grafton, IL 62022
618-786-3388 dschuler@plantnet.com
Project Approach in Half-Day Kindergarten
Program submitted by Laura Giles Teacher
at Lehi Elementary School in Lehi, Utah
Here is my half-day Kindergarten "general" schedule"
9:30 The children arrive, sign a "sign-in question" then read books while
everyone arrives.
9:40-10:00 Together time: book, song, calendar, daily "talk" time, etc.
10-10:45 Centers: The children choose from several centers. Most of these
change daily or weekly and some are part of the project that we happen to be
working on at that time. I usually make sure there is a writing/reading
center, art center, science center, math center, small-motor, dramatic play,
etc.
10:45-11:15 8 of my children go to Title 1. The remaining 12 stay with me and
we do reading/ writing activites. These vary from day to day.
11:15-11:30 Recess
11:30-12:15 This is when we do project work, or hands-on Math activities that
we do together. Some days, we do Science Experiments together or
Music/Movement Activities.
The children leave at 12:20. This is very general, as when new interests come up, we can change our schedule at any time!!
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