Kindergarten - Getting Ready Before Day One

Below is a checklist of nuts and bolts helpful to consider when getting ready before day one. It’s a lot! Before digging in, seek support from your site admin and colleagues. Likely many of the goals here are already taken care of at the site level, once you ask.

Below is a checklist of student materials helpful to consider when getting ready before day one. It’s a lot! Before digging in, seek support from your site admin and colleagues. Likely many of the materials here are already taken care of at the site level, once you ask. These materials are not specific to content. Please refer to content checklists for student materials needed for each content.

Below is a checklist for setting up your kindergarten classroom. Design towards setting up the classroom  environment to support student’s independence, access and belonging. It’s a lot! Before digging in, seek support from your site admin and colleagues. Likely many of the materials here are already taken care of at the site level, once you ask. These materials and ideas are not specific to content. Please refer to content checklists for student materials needed for each content.

Here are some possible scenarios that might occur in the first day or first few weeks of school and ideas for how to address them offered by veteran kindergarten teachers. It is definitely incomplete! Taking time to anticipate scenarios and plan proactively will help create a welcoming, culture of learning from day one. Please connect with colleagues for anticipating support as well.

This is a list of read aloud books that can be helpful with welcoming students into kindergarten, fostering belonging and community and introducing SEL skills such as growth mindset, conflict resolution, and identifying feelings. This is just a top of mind list from veteran kindergarten teachers. Please seek support from colleagues, librarians, and coaches for additional ideas. If you have other favorites please add them as a comment.

Here are some common procedures and routines to teach on the first day(s) of school. There are some notes on how to prepare to teach each procedure/routine with the script of what you might say in green.

See this example of a kindergarten classroom that is ready for day one. See how intentionally sparse the walls and materials are. Anchor charts and scaffolds are kept at kindergartener eye level to the extent possible. Notice the design choices the teacher made and how student materials are organized for access, ownership and independence over their learning environment.

See this example of the same kindergarten classroom one month later. Notice artifacts of student learning, anchor charts, student-created scaffolds, and pictures of students on the walls. Also see how student materials are organized for access, ownership and independence over their learning environment. 

See this example of another kindergarten classroom that is ready for day one. See how intentionally sparse the walls and materials are. Anchor charts and scaffolds are kept at kindergartener eye level to the extent possible. Notice the design choices the teacher made and how student materials are organized for access, ownership and independence over their learning environment.