Grades & Graded Work

Hello Kindergarten Families! 
Some graded work went home yesterday and more graded work will go home today.  I wanted to explain some of the assignments and give some other information about grading since this is the first time any work is going home from our class (and because this is a brand new grading system to many of you).  I will not explain every assignment in detail in the future, but wanted to help give everyone a firm base to start from this year.  

• Handwriting Papers: These are not for a formal grade.  They are for a participation and effort grade.  On one side is a list of stations your child was supposed to attend and complete.  Mrs. Kang or myself checked the stations and signed-off on them for each child.  The expectation for a "check mark" is 3 stations completed.  Less than that receives a "check minus" and 5 or more receives a "check plus." 
• Late Again # Book: This book was completed at the beginning of the school year when we were studying numbers and how to spell them.  We spent several days going over numbers and the students created personal dictionaries with number words, pictures, and the number.  The words are also posted around the room with the numeral as a resource.  Mrs. Kang and I read the book/words to the students as many times as necessary, so that was not a factor if your child is a non-reader.  A "3" meets expectations and indicates that the child wrote the correct number words in the correct spaces (not based on spelling).
• -ock Word Family: We have been going over word families, how to create new words using the word family ending, etc.  We did several as a class before completing the -ock word family.  To earn a "check" your child needed to come up with 3 real words while more than 3 earned a "check plus" and less than 3 earned a "check minus.
• Today is Sunday book:  We worked on days of the week in math, similar to the number book, made a resource for our desk dictionaries of how to spell them correctly and write the abbreviations.  We have also been singing a song in class during calendar called "Today is Sunday" and the book is patterned after the song.  The expectation for a "3" was for children to write the days of the week in order and a food on each day to coincide.  Incorrect spelling, missing days/foods, out of order days, etc. are the reasons behind grades of a "2" or "1."  The days of the week are posted in order as a resource in the classroom and are also on the personal dictionary we created as a class for each child to refer to. 
• Monster number cutting word/numeral match:  This was an assessment the week after the number book and number lessons.  Students were supposed to cut and paste the number word next to the correct numeral. 
• Family Picture: This social studies grade was in conjunction with our studies about families and how they are similar and different.  The expectation for a "3" was that each child draw and color their family, label the members using the list we created in class, and write a sentence or two about their family.  I modeled how to draw and label a family.
• Transportation- Land, Sea, Air: The expectation for a "3" was that students followed the directions on the paper, which were explained and modeled.  They were to write modes of transportation in the circles and color based on if the mode traveled via land, sea, or air.  A word wall of transportation words and pictures was available for correct spelling but spelling was not part of the grade.  
• Transportation-vocabulary:  The expectation for a "3" is that students wrote a word for transportation and drew a picture of that word in the space provided.  A word wall of transportation words and pictures was available for correct spelling but spelling was not part of the grade.  
• Buddy Social Studies Comparison:  We studied a lot about how each child is unique and special.  We discussed similarities and differences.  Then the students were given random partners to talk to.  They were supposed to talk about their likes, dislikes, families, etc. as Mrs. Kang and I went around and facilitated the conversations.  Then, they were to write about the things they had in common and that were different from their buddy. Mrs. Kang and I read the sentences as many times as necessary.  Once the paper was completed the students were to draw a picture of them and their buddy at the bottom.  

Here are some overall reminders/information about assignments in general:

• Correct spelling is not a factor in your child's assignment grade on any of these assignments.  Spelling is only a consideration in your child's grade when it is the objective of the assignment/lesson.  If spelling is a consideration in your child's grade, we have provided resources for the child to use.
• Mrs. Kang and I read and re-read worksheets, books, assignments, etc. as many times as needed if your child is a non-reader.  Later in the year there will be assignments that we do not read for your child because reading is the goal/objective.
• If your child did not come home with any of the assignments above it means that he/she did not finish and turn in the assignment or he/she did not put their name on the assignment and there is no way of knowing who the assignment belonged to.
• Students are reminded multiple times to put their names on their papers when the assignment is given and when they are being turned in.  
• Mrs. Kang and I are continually walking around and assisting children with their assignments as needed as well as redirecting off-task behaviors to encourage your child to finish his/her assignments.
• Below I have included the grading rubric (it was also sent home at Teacher Talk).  Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns.