Kindergarten II is a full-day program available to students who have turned five by October 1st.  Our program is designed to engage students in hands-on learning through play.  We focus on early balanced literacy, math skills and social development.  In KG II, the program is enriched with specialist classes including art, music, physical education, ECE, Arabic Language, counseling and library.

Student Expectations

All AIS-R Elementary school students are expected to follow the AIS-R EAGLE Honor Code, which defines what it means to be an AIS-R EAGLE:  Ethical, Adaptable, Global, Learning, and Environmental.

Literacy Program

Students practice early literacy skills within the Reading and Writing Workshop model.  Students participate in reading and writing activities daily.  In addition to the workshop model, students are actively engaged in other components of balanced literacy such as interactive read-alouds, shared reading, word work (phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics) and guided reading.

Math

The AIS-R Elementary school uses the Everyday Mathematics program.  Everyday Mathematics connects math to real-world situations through the spiraling practice of basic skills and the use of manipulatives for problem solving and mathematical thinking. This program allows us to use cooperative learning, differentiated instruction, and approaches that meet the needs of multiple intelligences within the class.

With our math program, regular reinforcement of skills will appear multiple times and throughout a course of study. The key principle in regards to spiraling and spacing out skill practice is that proficiency in basic skills are goals that should be achieved long after they are first introduced, giving students needed time for repetition and review.

Program Goals in Kindergarten II include counting, recognizing and reading numbers, using manipulatives to demonstrate knowledge of base 10, fractions and numerical expressions up to 20, identifying join and take-away situations, creating tally charts, tables and bar graphs, estimating and comparing weight and length using standard and non-standard measuring tools, identifying coins and dollar bills, identifying shapes and lines of symmetry, extending, describing and creating patterns and reading and writing number sentences including the symbols +, -, and =.

Science

Science units explored in Kindergarten II include Health, Earth Science - "Looking at the Sky", Physical Science -"Observing Objects" and "Things That Move", and Life Science - "Animals".

Social Studies

Social Studies units explored are "All About Me", "Friends", "Family", "Thanksgiving", "Citizenship - Good Citizens of the Community and the World".

Home/School Communications

A folder is sent home each day and used for communicating messages between parents and teachers.  All important information from the school will be sent home in this folder. A weekly KG2 Grade Level Newsletter is posted at the beginning of every week on Moodle.

Birthdays

We love to celebrate birthdays, but please keep it simple!  Large cakes are difficult to serve.  Small bars, cookies or cupcakes make a birthday easy to celebrate in our busy school day.  Please provide any napkins, plates or utensils needed to help serve your child's treat.

Homework

In KG II we encourage parents to talk to children every afternoon about their day in school. It is expected that students will read each day for about 15-20 minutes and that parents read aloud with their children often.  Occasionally math Homelinks are sent home for homework and Take Home Reading Books will be sent home to be read with your child.

Reporting and Assessing

We collect learning data through formative and summative assessments.  Formative assessments may be in the form of observations (in-class, during specials, on the playground), class activities, anecdotal records, questioning, discussion, etc.  Summative assessments will take the form of formal assessments, such as performance assessments and DRA's.  Progress Reports may be sent out up to four times a year and Report Cards are send home at the end of each quarter.

Special Events

Kindergarten II students enjoy a wide range of special activities through the year such as their ECE Curriculum Day, Fall Parade, a Holiday Performance, Spring Concert,  Splish 'N Splash Day, Career Days, Portfolio Day, Field Trips and much more. KG II students will perform in an assembly close to the end of the year.  Students and teachers work together to create the show with singing, dancing and speaking parts.  Specialist teachers are also involved with the music, and the backdrop.  The assembly is usually performed in our beautiful Larkin Theater with parents and the elementary school student body attending.

If you would like to find out even more about or elementary school, please visit our ES Blog at http://blogs.ais-r.edu.sa/jcanar/