Nursery Rhymes

A couple of years ago when we started implementing the Common Core, our district leaders found this website: http://www.commoncore.org/  It was when the Units they developed were free and you didn't have to buy the book or join the website to get the units.  For Kindergarten, the first one is called "A Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme". This unit focuses on nursery rhyme and color books. To provide us with something that aligned with Common Core, they purchased books that go with each unit.  No training was provided and the units didn't really match our district curriculum maps, but we used some of the books here and there with what we already did.  It wasn't ideal, but the district leaders figured they had to give us something.  And that's where is stands with our district- that's all they have given us to align with Common Core Standards.  I do love my district and I understand budget issues and there just isn't any money to provide a new reading series that aligns better than our 10 year old+ Houghton Mifflin series.  But it gets very frustrating when you have to re-invent your curriculum with very little district support.

So, out of our frustration and time constraints, we began exploring the web for things that people are doing.  I found a lot of great stuff for math on this Georgia website https://www.georgiastandards.org/Pages/default.aspx and Tennessee has some great information and resources as well: http://www.readtennessee.org/read.aspx

But then we discovered New York... Wow, they must have had a huge grant to do what they have done.  Make sure you have lots of time to explore but check out this website: http://www.engageny.org/resource/kindergarten-english-language-arts

They have a whole curriculum there that is all digital and all available for download!  It's pretty overwhelming and sometimes a little strange, but WOW!  It has a lot of stuff that can easily be used by anyone!  They also have math units that are coming out as well- some sample ones are already available.

One of their first units is Nursery Rhymes!  It's part of their Listening and Learning Strand and it's all done orally.  I think it's pretty detailed and in depth and really hits the Common Core standards pretty well.  We're beginning with that unit and I wanted to incorporate poetry journals more in my class this year, so I created some journal pages that go with each of the nursery rhymes that are included in this unit.  There are about 20 of them.  Here's the link to the freebie on TpT and here are some pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

Do any of you have favorite state websites that have great resources for Common Core? 

I would love to check them out.