Collier County Public Schools
December 2020
Starting Fresh
Beginning this year, Teaching and Learning will be sending out monthly newsletters to highlight upcoming instructional Pre-Kindergarten content and strategies with interactive links to curriculum resources. If there are additional features you would like to see, please email us at TeachingandLearning@collierschools.com. Enjoy!
Social Emotional and Skill Building
Empathy – teaching children to manage their emotions and understand the feelings of others.
Talking about and naming strong emotions to build student’s emotional vocabulary and recognizing physical characteristics associated with that emotion.
What to look for: DNA (Describe, Notice, and Acknowledge)
- D - Describe what you see. “Your face is going like this!”
- N - Name the feeling. “You seem (angry, sad, scared, etc).”
- A - Acknowledge their desire. “You wanted _______.”
CLASS Dimension: Positive Climate
Facial expressions and physical presence are a large part of how people are used to connecting. With masks in classrooms, new ways you might build these connections and establish relationships so children might feel warmth from you:
- Give your time and attention by moving around room and checking in frequently.
- Show genuine interest in what children are doing; ask children about their lives outside the classroom.
- Participate in shared activities, even if you’re maintaining distance. For instance, read a book aloud or put on a puppet show.
- Give thumbs up, air fives, fist bumps, elbow bumps, claps and other celebratory gestures.
- Give air hugs, air hearts, “I love you” signs, and other affectionate gestures.
- Because we are using masks, think of creative ways to show children how you’re feeling, such as print a picture of yourself smiling to show children when you are feeling happy.
- Face children and get on their level when they’re speaking, even if you’re maintaining some physical distance. (Effective Interactions in Socially Distanced Classrooms during COVID-19/www.myteachstone.com).
TATS Monthly Topic - Fostering Equity
Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS) has provided us with a great deal of resources to support equity within the early childhood classroom. Within the TATS website you will find links to research-based culturally responsive classroom activities, panel discussions, book lessons, and culturally responsive teaching strategies. These resources focus on the interrelatedness of developmental domains along with suggestions for observing, planning, and implementing culturally responsive supports for all children in Pre-K.
Head Start/VPK Classrooms
The December ELLM Plus literacy-focused theme is “Families, My Neighborhood and Community.” The investigative topic from Creative Curriculum is the Building Study. Integrated practice opportunities through literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, motor experiences, social-emotional and physical health are facilitated through supportive teachers and engaging activities. Monthly activities are based on read-aloud books: Families and Places in My Neighborhood. Alphabet Knowledge: names 10 letters and sounds. Phonological Awareness: rhyming, beginning letter sound. Math Concepts: counts to 15, writes and identifies numbers to 5. Some activities to look for: letter, beginning sound and rhyming games, graphing how many people in my family, creating a neighborhood graphic organizer, drawing and writing about things you do with your family and in the neighborhood, and creating neighborhood maps, buildings and signs. Social-emotional focus for this month is on manners and kindness.
SharePoint Links:
- December Learning Goals can be viewed in the Year Long Plan Monthly Goals
- December Curriculum Month at a Glance documents
Pre-K ESE Classrooms
Scholastic Big Day theme for the month of December is “Awesome Animals”. Students will learn about life science through the exploration of animals and the animal life cycles. This month’s focus areas are “All Kinds of Animals” and “Animal Homes”. Content areas covered: different kinds of animals, animal habitats and caring for animals. Activities are based on theme related read-aloud books: Biggest, Strongest, Fastest, Is Your Mama a Llama and Animal Homes. Alphabet Knowledge: J and K. Math concepts: ordering by size/length and counting to 10. Some activities to look for: Big Wall Chart #4 animal identification, animal characteristics investigation, needs of animals and their habitats, caring for animals, and exploring and creating habitats.
SharePoint Link:
December learning goals can be viewed in the Year Long Plan Monthly Goals document
Collier County Public Schools, Teaching and Learning
Email: TeachingandLearning@collierschools.com
Website: https://www.collierschools.com/Page/169
Location: 5775 Osceola Trail, Naples, FL, USA
Phone: 239-377-0001
Twitter: @CCPS_Curriculum