Kindergarten

This document outlines the Kindergarten curriculum. West Hartford’s comprehensive program is based on standards for teaching and learning adopted by the Connecticut Board of Education/State Department of Education including Connecticut Core Standards, Connecticut Social Studies Frameworks, and Next Generation Science Standards. The West Hartford curriculum also includes integration of state standards for visual and performing arts, physical education, and library media services. These standards guide development of curriculum and instruction to support student learning necessary for success on district and state assessments and for students to have the knowledge, skills and dispositions for future college and career readiness.

Through seven units of study, students will focus on both the content of Math Standards (WHAT they will learn) and Mathematical Practices (HOW students engage in learning of mathematics) that are both part the CT Core Mathematics Standards for Mathematics.

In Kindergarten, instruction focuses on five critical areas of mathematics content learning:

• representing and comparing whole numbers (Counting and Cardinality)
• working with numbers 11-19 to gain foundations for place value (Number & Operations in Base Ten)
• understanding addition as putting together and adding to, and understanding subtraction as taking apart and taking from (Operations & Algebraic Thinking)
• describing and comparing measurable attributes (Measurement & Data)
• identifying 2D and 3D shapes as well as composing shapes (Geometry)

Click here for some helpful resources that you can use to gain a better understanding of the elementary math curriculum as well as ways in which you can support your Kindergartener in math at home.

• Weather - a combination of sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and temperature - has measurable patterns by region and season
• Living things (plants and animals) have specific needs to survive & grow and can change their environment
• Pushes and pulls of varying strengths and directions have different effects on the motion of an object

Kindergarteners will demonstrate their understanding of these core ideas by engaging in eight science and engineering practices throughout their science units of study.

This year, your child will develop an understanding of and mastery toward Kindergarten Common Core Standards for English-Language Arts. These standards integrate all aspects of Language Arts development and are categorized under reading, language, writing and speaking & listening. Your child will participate in whole and small group instruction to support progress toward mastery of these standards. An outline of the year's units are included below.

Unit 1: Me & My Community: Who am I?

Unit 2: Me & My Community: What makes a community?

Unit 3: Me & My Community: Our Natural Neighborhood

Mini-Units: Waiting for Weather in Fall, Winter, and Spring

Click here for some helpful resources that you can use to support your Kindergartener with reading at home.

Writing instruction is now embedded into the literacy block. Teachers will use both sentence-level writing routines, as developed through the Writing Revolution, along with a gradual release model for process writing to guide their writing instruction. Students will continue to engage in process writing and complete narrative, informational, and opinion pieces.

Click here for some helpful resources that you can use to support your Kindergartener with writing at home.

Handwriting is a key component in the Fundations program. Kindergarten students will learn correct posture, paper position, and pencil grip. Kindergarteners also learn to write the upper-case and lower-case manuscript alphabet with proper letter formation.

Kindergarten students will engage in weekly lessons from the Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum as well as a Morning Meeting structure (greeting, sharing, group activities) implemented in all Grade K-5 classrooms. As part of our WHPS commitment to equity and anti-racism, your child will also engage in supplemental lessons that support Second Step programing as it relates to identity, diversity, justice, and action. Students build the following social-emotional learning (SEL) concepts and skills throughout their WHPS elementary experience:

• Self-Awareness: Develop a positive self-concept
• Self-Management: Identify, understand, and regulate emotions of self and others
• Responsible Decision-Making: Make constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions
• Relationship Skills: Develop positive interpersonal relationships
• Social Awareness: Develop an understanding of rules and responsibilities within communities

Your child will engage in an integrated social studies curriculum developed with guidance from the Connecticut Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Standards passed by the State Board of Education in October 2024. The Grade 1 standards, which include Inquiry, History, Geography, Economics and Civics, are embedded into Course Questions and Course Topics.

Kindergarten Course Questions:

• What makes a community?
• How do we learn about our community?

Kindergarten Course Topics:

• Roles & Responsibilities in a Community
• Familiar Places and Communities
• Communities Past and Present

As part of the English/Language Arts curriculum, Kindergarten students will will participate in two integrated Social Studies units:

1. Me & My Community: Who am I?

• Students will consider what makes them unique, how their own family is similar to or different from other families, and why it is important to understand and appreciate differences in cultures.

2. Me & My Community: What makes a community?

• Students will study the most important places in a community or town and the people who help make that community or town a better place.

Instruction about Religion:

• Discuss family holidays, celebrations, and traditions.

Visual Arts: The visual arts curriculum provides a sequential and meaningful focus on skills and concepts while emphasizing art production, art history, aesthetics and art criticism. Your child will engage in inquiry, exploration and development of visual literacy skills, technique and expression of personal style through child-centered experiences.

Physical Education: The department strives to help children create healthy, active lifestyles through a balance of activities in a positive, responsible and cooperative environment. Your child will engage in activities that include the movement areas of body management, use of manipulatives, educational gymnastics, dance, fitness and adventure/cooperative education.

Music: The study of music fosters artistic development, critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and the pursuit of life-long learning. Through performing and responding to music, your child will develop individual skills, realize a sense of belonging, and establish connections to the community.

Library-Media: The library-media department provides instruction, resources and services necessary for students to become lifelong learners in a global community. Your child will engage in weekly sessions with the library-media specialist to develop a flexible set of skills throughout their elementary experience to prepare them to be independent knowledge-seekers, critical thinkers, and creative-problem-solvers.

Computer Science

Early Childhood (PreK)

QUEST(Gifted and Talented)

World Languages

Additional information on the district website (whps.org):

Elementary Handbook

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Office

Information and Technology Services: Tech Tips for Families and Staff

West Hartford Cares Crisis and Community Resources