Beginning of Kindergarten

EVERY year I forget how hard Kindergarten can be at the beginning. The very first day is magical, but as the spell wears off it can get a little crazy. Definitely like herding cats. I always start with reading a story on the rug- and lately this includes reminders on how to sit and listen. I copied this rhyme from another teacher:

Criss cross, apple sauce,

Hands in your lap.

Eyes on Mrs. Freeman

'Cause she likes it like that!

Then, we begin with line. Since our school year is divided into trimesters we focus the first one on line, the second on shape, and the third on color. Reading LINES THAT WIGGLE, by Candace Whitman is a great way to begin talking about and noticing lines. It leads into a search for lines around the art room, and then students create their own line designs on the folders we'll use for the first trimester to hold their art.

Another great book to use early on is the classic, HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON, by Crockett Johnson. It's such a strange but mesmerizing story! I followed this story up with time to draw on "magic" scratch art paper. Several students had already used it, but for the ones who hadn't it was very much like magic. Even the students who can still only scribble were engaged for most of our time. 

As students finish they learn to put their work in the designated "Finished Pile" and then choose from options in the Makerspace including clipboards and free draw paper, magnet boards and shapes, chalkboards, and art books to read.