A Reader Asks… Lesson Frames in Kindergarten
A teacher asks the following…
LYS,
My school district uses the Fundamental 5 as its primary instructional delivery system. In the book, The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird) there are some examples of elementary Lesson Frames. But I teach Kindergarten. Lesson Framing seems overwhelming because on any given day I teach reading, writing, handwriting, math, science, social studies, social skills, etc.
Are there any time saving ideas to change each subject’s frame daily in kindergarten?
LYS Response
There is a special place in Heaven for Kindergarten teachers.
We know that Kindergarten teachers teach a million separate things each day. To frame it all would be overwhelming. So we have to be pragmatic. We recommend that you just frame the WHOLE GROUP reading, writing and math lessons. Don’t worry about framing anything else.
This provides consistency for the students, supports them learning sight words, 1:1 matching, great modeling of the reading process and considers the developmental levels of children. If a Kindergarten teacher framed everything she did, she would be going over frames all day and no teaching would ever occur!!!
Kindergarten Lesson Frames are perhaps most rooted in demonstration – students have to “show” more than speak or write. We definitely want to push speaking and writing but that will come over time – so you may feel like the frames are “matchy.” For example: We will add. I will show how to put 3 groups and 4 groups together. While this seems simple – look at the mathematical language – this frame makes sure that kids translate adding with putting together. That will change over time to something like this. We will add. I will teach my partner how to put an even group and an odd group together.
Reading is similar. We will use pictures to predict what happens in a story. I will use the pictures in my book to tell my partner what is going to happen next.
At the end of the day you just ask yourself these questions.
- What are we doing today? That is your “We Will” statement.
- Then you ask yourself – How will I know my kids know it? Whatever they do to prove it to you is your I Will statement.
This is true for EVERY grade – just gets deeper every year.
Don’t forget that you can use our free online lesson plan developer:
https://leadyourschool.com/lys-forms/lesson-plan-developer.php
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
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