Kindergarten Daily Schedule: Free Printable + Real Classroom Tips
- By Deedee Wills
- Updated on May 31
- 85 Comments
Table of Contents
Kindergarten Daily Schedule: What a Real Full Day Looks Like
A predictable kindergarten daily schedule is one of the best things you can do for your students and for yourself. When kids know what comes next, they settle faster, transition better, and spend less energy on anxiety and more energy on learning.
After teaching kindergarten for a long time, the schedule question comes up in every new teacher conversation I have. Where does everything fit? How do you protect phonics time and still get to science? What does the afternoon actually look like when kids are exhausted?
This is not a perfect schedule, but it is what worked in my kindergarten classroom. It aligns with the , Science of Reading principles and built around the way five-year-olds learn.
This is not a perfect schedule, but it is what worked in my kindergarten classroom. It aligns with the, Science of Reading principles and built around the way five-year-olds learn.
Below you’ll find a complete time-blocked schedule with notes on each block, and the free printable is at the bottom that you can use as guide to make your own schedule.
What Does a Full-Day Kindergarten Schedule Actually Look Like?
Morning Arrival and Morning Work (8:00-8:30)
My students walked in anywhere between 8:00 and 8:30. Most rode the bus, so they trickled in at different times. We also had breakfast running from 8:00 to 8:30, so kids were filtering in and out of the cafeteria. A whole-group lesson during this time just wasn’t realistic. Having a simple and predictable kindergarten morning routine was essential.
This part of the day had to be predictable. Kids needed to walk in, know exactly what to do, and get started without me directing every single one of them. So I kept a few options for independent work that I rotated through the week.
One of my favorites was sentence practice. At the beginning of the year, students traced the sentence. By mid-September, they were writing it. Early on I read the sentence to them. Before long, they didn’t need me to. They could read it on their own, and you could tell they knew it. That kind of independence at 8:15 in the morning is worth a lot.
I have a lot of versions of these sentence practice activities if you want to try them in your classroom.
We also used editable activity sheets for both letter identification and sight word practice. The consistent format made a big difference because students already knew what to do each time we pulled them out. That meant less time explaining directions and more time actually practicing important literacy skills. I could easily swap out the letters or sight words depending on the time of year and what students were currently learning.
The editable worksheets gave students repeated practice with letter recognition and alphabet fluency in a format that stayed familiar all year long.
For sight word review, my students practiced during centers and small groups. Since the activities were editable, I could easily change the words to match the skills we were working on while keeping the routines predictable for students.
When students finished their morning work, they grabbed their early finisher activities. These are simple activities that you set up that rotate on a simple schedule. Each day, students select activities that they had previously used in a prior center activity or as a whole group activity.
The goal is for students to have something meaningful they can work on when they have completed their task.
Morning Meeting and Calendar Time (8:30-8:40)
Morning meeting and calendar time was one of the most important parts of our day. We did it every single day, and it set the tone for everything that came after it.
Here’s what I mean by that. When kids come in from breakfast or off the bus, they’re scattered. Some are tired. Some are wound up. Morning meeting pulls them back together. By the time we were done, they were settled, connected, and ready to work.
We covered a lot of ground during this block. Calendar skills, weather, the day of the week, counting, patterns. But honestly, the academic piece wasn’t the only thing happening. Kids were practicing how to sit with a group, how to listen, how to take turns talking.
Those things matter in kindergarten just as much as knowing what day it is.
I kept the structure consistent so kids knew exactly what to expect. Same sequence, same format, same spots on the rug. That predictability is what makes it work. When kids aren’t wondering what comes next, they can actually focus on what you’re teaching.
I used interactive whiteboard slides to run this block, and it made a real difference. Having everything in one place kept things moving. No fumbling around, no downtime, no losing the group while I looked for something.
The slides walked us through the same sequence every day. Kids knew what was coming, which meant more participation and less “wait, what are we doing?” We covered the date, day of the week, and month. We tallied our days in school and built on that number every morning. We checked the weather and updated our chart. We did our days of the week songs. We had a question of the day that got kids actually talking.
Identifying the given day of the week, month, and date
Counting and building number sense (e.g., tallying the days in school)
Observing and tracking the weather
Practicing days of the week/month songs
Engaging in question-of-the-day prompts for oral language development
The interactive pieces mattered too. Kids could move objects on the board, make predictions, respond to questions, and participate as a group. That kind of active involvement helps keep kindergarten students engaged. Watching something happen is one thing. Actually doing it is what helps the learning stick.
Morning meeting also supported something just as important as academics: classroom community. Through greetings, sharing, and group discussions, students learned how to listen, participate, and function together as a classroom family. That’s a huge part of kindergarten success. A classroom that runs smoothly in October usually starts with strong routines and relationship-building from the very beginning, and morning meeting played a big role in that for us.
I used these morning meeting slides to help make this part of the day interactive, predictable, and easy to manage. The editable slides gave students opportunities to actively participate while building calendar skills, oral language, and classroom routines at the same time.
Poem of the Week (8:40-8:50)
Every week we started a new poem. We came back to it every single day, which meant by Friday most kids could read it on their own. That repetition is the whole point.
We weren’t just reading for fluency, though. We used the poem to work on a lot of literacy skills. Finding heart words. Locating letters we knew. Noticing punctuation. A short poem gives you a lot to work with, and kids don’t feel like they’re doing a worksheet. They’re reading something real.
How Do You Fit Phonics Into a Kindergarten Daily Schedule?
Phonemic Awareness Block (8:50-9:20)
We started this block with phonemic awareness practice before moving into explicit phonics instruction. We worked on letters, path of motion, and how words work together. This was the part of the day where students learned the code in a direct and systematic way. I never wanted phonics learning to feel accidental or something students were expected to “pick up” on their own. We taught these skills intentionally every single day using a clear, predictable sequence.
That consistency matters more than people often realize. When students know what to expect during phonics instruction, they can focus their energy on learning instead of trying to figure out the routine. Predictable lessons create confidence, especially for beginning readers.
I used phonics slides to support this part of our literacy block. The lesson plans are designed around a structured literacy approach and include explicit phonics instruction, phonemic awareness practice, and routines that build reading confidence over time.
Explicit Phonics Lesson and Fluency Practice (9:20-9:50)
Science of Reading kindergarten routines are all about pulling everything together. We worked through fluency drills, dictation, new high-frequency words, blending, segmenting, and orthographic mapping practice. It sounds like a lot packed into thirty minutes, but once students knew the routine, the pace felt smooth and predictable.
The dictation piece is one I always felt strongly about. When students have to retrieve what they know and apply it to writing a word or sentence, the learning sticks in a different way than simply reading words from a card. That active recall strengthens both reading and spelling skills at the same time.
I’ll also say this because I think it matters. Teaching phonics explicitly and systematically is not just good instruction. It’s actually helps to prevent learning delays. Over the years, I saw firsthand that many students who later struggled with reading simply needed stronger foundational instruction from the beginning. When kindergarten students receive direct, structured literacy instruction consistently, fewer gaps tend to show up later on. That doesn’t mean every student will progress at the same pace, but strong early instruction absolutely makes a difference.
If your district is still moving toward a Science of Reading approach, it’s worth learning more about why explicit phonics instruction, fluency practice, and orthographic mapping are such important pieces.
The lessons and routines includes structured phonics lessons, dictation, decodable reading practice, and fluency routines designed specifically for kindergarten students.
Each week students also had a decodable text that lined up with what we were working on. Same sounds, same blending patterns, same sight words, same concepts. Reading connected text with the skills they just learned is what makes it click.
Teacher Planning Period (9:40-10:30)
I’ll be honest with you. This time rarely feels like prep time. Meetings, paperwork, mandatory this and that. If you managed to use the restroom, it was a productive day.
What Happens During Small Group Reading Time in Kindergarten?
Small Group Reading and Literacy Centers (10:30-11:10)
This block is one of my favorites. Students work at literacy centers while I pull small groups for reading instruction. That time with a small group of kids, focused on exactly where they are, is some of the most valuable teaching I did all day.
I didn’t start small groups right away at the beginning of the year though. The first four to six weeks we spent learning how to do centers. How to work independently, how to stay on task, what to do when you finish, what not to do when I’m with a group.
That investment of time at the start of the year is what makes the rest of the year work. If kids can’t function at centers without you, small group falls apart. So we practiced. A lot. By the time I pulled my reading first group, kids knew exactly what was expected and could handle it.
This task board tells my students where they will be going for the day. These visual supports and schedule helps students gain independence cards
Students spend 20 minutes at each rotation. I pull students from their stations or centers to meet with me for small group.
At my table we do word work, high-frequency word work, blending practice, and read a text.
We also work on decoding and encoding words.
How Decodable Readers Fit Into Small Group
Small group is also where decodable readers come in. Kids need more than one exposure to a skill before it sticks. Whole group instruction introduces it. Small group is where they practice it with books in their hands, applying what they learned to actual reading. That repetition is what makes the skill transferable. It moves from something they did once during phonics time to something they actually use when they read.
Some kids need to see a skill three to five times before it sticks. Others may need twenty or even thirty exposures before they feel confident with a decodable text. That range is completely normal in kindergarten, and honestly, it’s one of the biggest reasons small group instruction matters so much. Small group is where you slow down without losing the rest of the class.
During our small group time, we focused on much more than decoding words. We also worked on vocabulary, dictation, and encoding practice because all of those pieces support strong readers and writers. Reading a word and writing a word from memory are two very different skills, and students need practice with both. Encoding activities helped my students connect sounds, letters, and spelling patterns while also strengthening their phonics skills.
Quick Handwriting Practice Between Rotations
Between rotations, we squeeze in a quick handwriting warm-up to keep letter formation fresh. Once students learned all of the letters, we added one-minute handwriting fluency timings. Those short bursts of practice helped build automaticity and muscle memory without taking up a huge chunk of instructional time. The best part? The kids loved trying to “beat their score” from the day before, so it felt more like a fun challenge than extra practice.
I used a simple handwriting practice activities to make these quick practice sessions easy to manage. The routines are simple, consistent, and designed to support strong handwriting habits and fluency practice.
How Do You Structure Writing Time in Kindergarten?
Writing Instruction: Writers Workshop (11:10-11:50)
Writing time is the best part of the day. I mean that. When the instruction is right, kindergarteners will write for longer than you’d expect. We break this time into: mini-lessons, student independent writing, conferring with writers, and students sharing their work.
We don’t wait until they know all of their letters and sounds, instead, we lean into the idea that drawing is composing. As their transcription skills grow during the year, students start to add letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs!
They have things to say, and when you give them the time and the tools to say it, they do.
With the right writing lessons for kindergarten, students can to begin write at the start of the year.
What Does the Afternoon Look Like in a Kindergarten Schedule?
Reading Comprehension and Interactive Read Alouds (12:40-1:20)
This block is also one of my favorites. We use picture books to teach comprehension, and I want to be clear that this is not just story time. There is real instruction happening here.
I call these lessons Engaging Readers, because that is exactly what they are. In kindergarten, the teacher does the decoding work so students can focus entirely on the thinking work. That’s the point. Kids who are still learning to read can still think deeply about a text. They just need someone to read it to them.
Students work with a reading buddy to discuss text dependent questions. Not “did you like the story” questions. Actual questions that require them to go back to the text, think about what happened, and talk it through with a partner. The conversation that comes out of that is worth hearing.
I always recommend teaching with the actual picture book in your hands. That said, Storyline Online is a resource worth knowing about. Hearing another fluent reader brings something different to the experience, and kids respond to it well.
TIP: Have the students come to the carpet with all of their supplies (notebooks, lapboards, crayon/pencil box). During your lesson have them sit on their notebooks and lapboards and train them to not fiddle with their crayon box. Then when they are ready to respond in writing you will not waste the transition time.
Science and Social Studies in the Afternoon (1:20-1:40)
Yes, we fit science and social studies in. I know it can feel like there’s no room for it, but we made it work.
A lot of the time our science and social studies topics tied directly into what we were reading during our comprehension block. That connection makes the content stickier for kids and it makes your planning more manageable. You’re not teaching six separate things. You’re building on the same ideas from different angles.
Deanna Jump and I had a lot of fun creating science and STEM activities that match up with the Engaging Readers books. If you’re already using those read alouds, the connection is built in.
Recess 1:40–2:00)
Yay! Yes… you get to go play AGAIN! RUN! PLAY! Outdoor activities are always welcome!
How Do You Make Math Work in a Kindergarten Daily Routine?
Whole Group Math Instruction (2:00-2:30)
My district had a kindergarten math curriculum that was not hands on. At all. That was a problem for me, so Deanna Jump and I created our own math lesson activities. We started using them on the first day of school and our kindergarten students had real success with them.
Kindergarteners need to touch things, move things, and do things to understand math concepts. Sitting and watching doesn’t cut it at this age. When you build in the hands on piece, the engagement follows.
Daily Math Journals (2:40-2:50)
Math journals were a big part of this block too. They take ten minutes at most. Fast, focused, and kids have something concrete to show for their thinking. We are also able to spirally review a math concept at multiple times of the year.time
I cut out the journal prompts and the individual students glue them in their journals directly… want more on how I do math journals quickly?
Math Centers and Small Group Math (2:50-3:20)
Making time for small group math instruction is important. That is where math stations made it onto the schedule and I’m glad they did. This is where kids practice skills they’ve already been taught. It looks like play. It is play. But they’re also over-learning concepts, which means when we move on to something new, they don’t lose what they already knew.
That’s the piece that matters most to me about stations. Kindergarteners can drop a skill fast if they don’t keep using it. Stations keep everything in rotation without adding more whole group time to your day.
This was also the end of the day, and tired kindergarteners are a real thing. I needed something engaging enough to hold them together for that last stretch. Math centers did the job. Kids who get to use a cube and move around a game board stay with you a lot longer than kids sitting at a desk with a worksheet.
This activity is from this unit: Math Task Cards for Kindergarten.
How Do You Fit Everything Into a Half-Day Kindergarten Schedule?
Fitting everything into a half day is tough. I won’t pretend otherwise. But here’s what I’d suggest if that’s what you’re working with.
Combine your stations into one block. Make half the activities literacy based and the other half math based. That way kids are still getting practice in both areas without needing two separate rotations.
For writing and reading, alternate. Writers Workshop one day, whole group reading and interactive writing the next. You’re not dropping either one, you’re just spreading them across the week instead of fitting both into every day.
It’s not perfect, but it works.
Full-Day Kindergarten | Half-Day Kindergarten |
|---|---|
Separate literacy and math center rotations | Combine into one blended station rotation |
Writers workshop daily (30-40 mins) | Alternate Writers workshop and responding to literature |
Two recess plus lunch | One recess |
Math journals as a separate block | Weave math journals into math lessons to save time |
Frequently Asked Questions About the Kindergarten Daily Schedule
How long should each subject block be in a kindergarten daily routine?
Most kindergarten subject blocks work best when kept between 20 and 40 minutes. Young learners have shorter attention spans, so shorter, focused blocks with transitions built in are more effective than long stretches of one subject. Phonics and reading instruction typically get the longest blocks (30–40 minutes), while activities like math journals or poetry can be done in as little as 10 minutes.
What is a good kindergarten morning routine?
A good kindergarten morning routine starts with a consistent arrival activity students can do
independently, such as morning work or morning tubs, followed by a 10-15 minute morning meeting. Keeping the same sequence every day reduces transition time and allows students to focus on learning instead of figuring out what comes next.
How do you structure a half-day kindergarten schedule?
In a half-day kindergarten schedule, the key is combining and prioritizing. Merge your literacy and math centers into one rotation block, alternating Writer’s Workshop with whole-group reading on different days. Protect time for phonics and explicit reading instruction. Kids who get strong phonics instruction early don’t have to spend years catching up. That’s the whole point of doing it right in kindergarten.
How much time should kindergarten spend on reading vs. math?
Most kindergarten schedules dedicate the most time to literacy — typically 90 to 120 minutes total across phonics, small group reading, writing, and comprehension. Math generally receives 45 to 60 minutes. This balance reflects where foundational skill-building matters most in the early years, though your school or district may have specific requirements that guide your time allotments.
Free Kindergarten Printable Schedule Template (Editable)
Establishing a consistent kindergarten daily schedule is one of the best ways to create a calm, productive learning environment. Whether you’re setting up your routine for the first time or refining it for the new school year, having a structured plan makes a world of difference.
Want a visual version of this schedule to hann in your classroom or share with families? Click below to grab the free printable template. It’s editable, so you can adjust the times to fit your school day.
Deedee Wills
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85 Responses
Oh how I love thee…let me count the ways!! I am just getting to the point in planning where I need to iron out my schedule- so this was perfect timing! I can’t wait to hear what you and Deanna are cooking up for Content Area Studies- sign me up! I feel like that is an area that goes to the back burner, but I don’t want it to! It’s important too- but like you said, how do we fit it all in!?!
I’m so glad this is helpful. I THINK we will have it ready to go by the first week in August. We are pretty excited!
Deedee, does your school not have specials? (art, music, P.E. etc.) Ours is 50 minutes long, so that takes up a lot of time.
Maryann
Yes, they sure do. I have it listed in my post. 50 minutes here too!
Super excited for some science and social studies!
Do you not have free choice centers such as blocks and housekeeping ?
Yes, we have a free choice time throughout the week. We sometimes swap one of the math center rotations for this time.
I’m a newer kinder Kinder teacher (2nd year) and struggling a bit. Most of my students are low or barely know their sounds, then I have 1 advanced 2nd grade level reader in my class as well. I’m struggling to differentiate for him, so he’s not bored or stagnant. Any blogs or tips to help with those highly advanced students amidst a low class?
Hi Jessica,
I’m sorry I missed this comment earlier.
YES! Guided reading would be perfect for this guy!
Here is a blog post that might help:
https://mrswillskindergarten.com/guided-reading-2-day-lesson-plans/
This is soooo perfect! Now you will have to help me come up with the perfect half day schedule! Ha! Ha!
Love all your ideas and I feel like I’m heading towards a schedule like yours. But trying to clear out the bumps that I’ve encountered along the way. During your guided reading/ literacy time how many groups do you meet with a day? How often do rotate the stations you have set up for them? Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas and suggestions!
Love, love, love this post!!
I have been a long time reader but have never commented. I just love your blog! Thank you for always posting things that are on my mind:) This post is especially helpful since I will be re-evaluating our K schedule for the upcoming year.
I love all your ideas. Do you have any suggestions for making this work for a half-day schedule in a very small room? How would you prioritize?
For half day I would do just one station time. I would mix math with literacy activities during that time. You might also want to alternate writers workshop with the reading response/interactive writing.
Bless your heart! This is such a challenge for you I am sure!
Idea for math journals…I do them too! What works for me is to print the journal prompt on address labels then I can quickly scoot around and hand the labels to the students to stick in – no glue!
I have heard of others doing that, but I am cheap! Ha! I print out all the prompts, but only use 20 a month. It is hard for me to know which ones I want to use until I see how they did on the last one… so I would end up throwing the unused labels away. I would CRY! ha!
This was such a great post that will come in very handy this year to compare to since we are finally moving to Readers Workshop and leveled groups.
You are truly a blessing and so helpful to so many. Thanks for sharing!
It was great to finally meet you at the TPT Conference.
Thank you so much!!!!
Your kids and you have a really long day…at least longer than we do. Are the little ones able to keep up with this schedule or do you have a rest time at the beginning?
Yes! It is a full day. My students didn’t seem to have a hard time. We did have a bit of rest time for the first 4 weeks. Then we hit the ground running… ha! A few times students fell asleep, but they were sick or had a tough night the night before. I just gave them a blanket and they would rest in our class library or go to the nurse.
Thank you for your info…. I too, like many on this post, am so happy for your input into our classrooms. Thank you for all that you do!! 🙂
This post was great! The video was super cute!! You girls are AMAZING!!! Makes me even more excited for the new school year!!!
Thank you friend!!!! I hope you have a fantastic YEAR!
Love it!! Thank you so much for sharing your hard work and talent with fellow teachers. Your passion is so greatly appreciated. Such an inspiration!!
I am very impressed with your blog. I am curious about your use of technology with the students. I noticed you did not mention them ever being on the computer. Please share your thought on that.
Carolyn
Great question! We use our computer all day in fact. My students and I use my iPad to connect to the interactive white board throughout the day. We also have two stations that are computer/iPad station rotations. Additionally, we go to the computer lab during our specials time and I had the opportunity to bring the rolling computer lab to my room… which we did frequently. Thank you for asking the question!
Do you have suggestions for half day kindergarten? My district is not on board with full day. They continue to add academic content saying it’s only a 10 minute lesson, but with school being from 8:45-11:30 & 1:45-3:10 it’s getting tougher to get everything in!!
I just edited my post and added a few suggestions for half day… Bless you!
Deedee!! Thanks so much for this great post! Seeing your schedule and how you did fit it all in is a great way for me to assess my day with me kinder cubs. The timing for this was just PERFECT!! I am a super fan of yours and I really appreciate how you went step by step to show each section of your school day!! I am so thankful for teachers like you and Deanna who help little ole kindergarten teachers like me be the best that we can be. 🙂
You are so welcome! Thank you!!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing all of your great ideas! Do you schedule in a time for “free choice” centers, or is this a thing of the past? Once again, thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Wow! I have taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade here in Oklahoma. I am just now starting my journey teaching Kindergarten in Texas! This post has REALLY come in handy! I will refer to it often!!! I have decided to revamp my blog and post about the adventures in Kinder-Land as well as discuss real life lessons learned. I hope you would check it out! Thank you again for this post, it is helping give me a better picture of what I can expect during my day!
I just love your blog! This schedule is great – I wish I could fit it all in! My Kindergarten program is at a private urban school – our day starts at 9:30 and goes until 3, we spend a half hour on lunch and an hour nap (last year anyway..this year I’m hoping my group can handle a 30 minute rest period instead). The advantage though is that we get almost an hour of that much needed outside time! Fitting it all in is tough, especially when most of your students come in behind!
This is a great article. It gave me a lot of useful information. thank you very much.
If only I had the extra hour you have every day!!!! Our day is 9:00-3:10. We really don’t start instruction until almost 9:30 and walkers are dismissed at 3:15. We HAVE to have 30 minutes for recess (lunch is another 30mins) I just have not found a way to get it all in. Most blogs I have read have that extra hour.
AWW! That sure makes it hard when your day is shortened. So, then… I would think about what is essential to keep in… then shave a few minutes off of each activity. One thing that is a HUGE helper is to set a timer. I did it for a week when I was feeling dragged down and running out of time. I had an extra 20 minutes of the day… it was amazing!… I don’t recommend the timer until October. We all know that those first few weeks are a party and a half!
When do the children play or have choice time in the room? Do you have unit blocks, dramatic play, or small motor toys? Thanks!
When do you start those calendar books?
I start the calendar the first two weeks of school. Then the students get their OWN one to follow along on the 1st of September. That way they have had a chance to see how they work because we have modeled how to complete them on the the document camera. Does that make sense?
Do you staple each calendar book by units? Do the kids mark the page where they left off?
Hi there! Yes! I do staple a month together at a time. I select a variety of pages (about 20) for the month.
I don’t really have to point out where we left off. It only gets confusing if a student is absent for a period of time. The others help them find the right page though. It has been REALLY simple!
Great!! Thanks deedee!!
You are amazing! I love all of your ideas. Any plans to make videos for poetry unit 1?
Thank you Jenny! We are trying to make videos for the 1st edition, but it has been a bit of a struggle 🙂 We have not given up yet!
Hello Deedee,
Can you please tell me where I can find the math puzzles shown in your post above? I purchased the “math stations” and that center is not in that one. I would really like to use that with our little kinders.
.
Thank you so much!!!
Hi there! It is in my Nursery Rhyme unit. You can find that in the link below.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Nursery-Rhyme-Literacy-and-Math-Stations-for-Back-to-School-CC-730150
I notice your Guided reading and literacy station time takes almost an hour (8:45-9:40). However, you said that you do two stations 20 minutes a piece. What are you doing the other 15 minutes. I’m really liking your schedule but I’m still having trouble fitting it all in so I’m just curious. Thanks!!!
GREAT QUESTION! So in between their first and second station we meet again. I always ask, “What did you do today to be a better reader or writer? Are there any problems I need to be aware of?” This is their rat-their-partner-out-time or their chance to tell me if the station needed something (paper or tech issues).
We also might take a brain break.
Thank you!
Do you have any free choice time? Dramatic play? I know many districts have taken this away from kindergarten. So sad! Just curious if thats the case in your school.
Yes, we have time during the last part of the day. Often times we forgo the second math rotation. However, I will say that we play all day long 🙂
Wow I wish I had as much time in my day as you do. I have to get all of what you do in half the amount of time. My students are in class from 8:45-1:05 with 45 mins for lunch, with only five minutes of recess if they’re lucky, and one fifteen minute recess. So just over three hours to get it all in and we’re a STEM school so we have that to work into our day as well. We can only keep low students after for an hour and no more than six can stay in a given block. I’m so jealous.
I love seeing all the great things you do in your classroom! I was curious about where I could find the Playdoh number mats that are shown in the post. Thanks!
Hi there! Thank you so much!
You can find those activities by clicking on this link:
Dough Centers
Wow, that is a long day, I teach first grade and we get outnat 2:35, every Tuesday we are out at 12:45. No wonder I can’t get everything done!
Yes! We are moving!!!!
This is EXTREMELY helpful ( and gives me hope) as a first year kindergarten teacher!
Thank youuuuuu I very much appreciate this 🙂
You are so WELCOME!!!!
So much to do and so little time, literally, Our first 5 weeks of school our students come 8:05-11:45… trying to figure out a good schedule for them…I just cant seem to fit everything in.. so what would you recommend??? I feel literacy and math should be our focus… recess is from 10:00-10:15… can you recommend anything to help?
I’m sorry! I wish I did have a suggestion… that is crazy! I would focus on routines for the first 5 weeks. 3 hours a day seems like it would be hard to gain any momentum.
Do you not do snack?
We sure do! Students take them out with them to recess.
I have 2 hours and 10 minutes for our reading block. 810-840 is a district required phonics/handwriting practice called CARE. 840-920 is whole group reading, which is usually a read aloud and some follow up activity like sequencing, comprehension, etc. 920-950 is writing and 950-1020 is literacy centers. Then we have a 5 minute morning wrap up before lunch. I feel like my literacy block is so fast paced and we don’t get to anything. By the time we get to writing and they start writing, our time is up. Also, I have an incredibly talkative class that spend so much time talking during writing that it takes 20 minutes to write 1 sentence and illustrate it. In years past, it has never taken that long. Any ideas for fitting everything into a 2 hour block? I noticed that yours is closer to 3.
I think your best bet is to see what is important. I embed phonics work into my small group lessons. In this way, I can keep the instruction within the students’ zone of proximal development. Perhaps you could talk to your administration about differentiating your phonics instruction so it is more effective (vs… one size fits all… which is not considered best practices).
I would take 30 mins from the CARE instruction and add it literacy centers so you could meet with 2-3 small groups. Then I would take the remaining 10 mins and put it towards writers workshop.
Yes, we had a healthy literacy block because that is what research suggests is best for early learners. We were able to integrate content areas like science and social studies through our literature, so we were able to do double duty.
I just bought your small group math and I already use the guiding kinders math. Do you have a schedule for how you use them together. I guess my struggle is lesson planning. Do you teach all of the units in order? Do you pick and choose? Really I need your lesson plans for the whole year!!! I am struggling!
Hi Angie! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you! I used them as an intervention when students need additional practice or when students are so far above the rest of the class that they need a challenge. So when I’m teaching my whole group, I can see who needs additional support. Then I pull that group of students and apply the lessons accordingly. Does that make sense?
How far in advance to you post your lesson plans? I teach first grade but would love to have them and tweak them for first grade. We’ve done pumpkins this past week, so what will be your Nov. 5-9th plans?
I try to post them a bit ahead. I just posted Week 14. I should be posting Wemberly Worried for Week 15 this Saturday.
Play where is it? I won’t give it up.
Hello,
I love your blog! I was wondering how many groups you meet with each day and for how long?
So how often do you meet with each group each week?
Currently I meet with all of my students everyday, but I don’t feel like I am getting the most “bang for my buck”.
Thank you.
I met with 3 groups a day for 20-25 mins each. I meet with 2 groups during literacy center time, and 1 literacy group during my math center time. I had anywhere between 5-6 groups.
Unless you have a trained para in your room, it would be almost impossible to deliver a quality lesson to every student, every day. So I agree with you. I hope that helps.
I see from a previous comment that you have free choice time every day. Unstructured play is such an important piece of 5 and 6 year old’s educations. It would be great if you would highlight this as an important part of fitting it all in. Especially for those who are just beginning their careers in early childhood education. I love all of the ways you promote hands on learning, but nothing can replace unstructured free play. It is important for that message to be communicated by the experts (early childhood education teachers ) so we don’t continue down the road of schedules that are too rigorous and not developmentally appropriate.
Yes, I hear many teachers lament, “My kids don’t get to play.” which makes me worried about what type of activities that are happening in the classroom. Yes, I agree, children are too structured as they are rushed from soccer to dance and then to piano lessons. Then when they are given “free time to play” it often looks more like screentime. I would encourage you to openly explore academic articles that debunk the myth that students are not capable of having a happy, healthy, developmentally appropriate kindergarten that also provides academic growth. The art of teaching happens when the teacher sees what each child needs and invites them to step into that new challenge. It looks different for every student. Here is an article I most recently read that you may find helpful:
Kindergarten classes are getting more academic. New research says the kids are all right.
Naturally, teachers can find research to help support their own beliefs. I like to take notice of what is actually happening in my classroom and adjust my pace to match the needs of my students.
I sure hope this helps!
My intention was not to imply that academics are not developmentally appropriate for kindergarten students. What I was pointing out is that the importance of providing time for self-directed play should also be highlighted as a priority in every kindergarten schedule. The over-scheduled time after school that kids are experiencing is not what I am referring to; although that mindset speaks to the trend of removing play time from the school day. It is about early education teachers advocating for students and supporting their need to have the opportunity to learn to problem solve and socialize with guidance when needed. It is also important for students to have that time to decompress from the rigors of what we are expecting them to accomplish each day. My students do all the academics–small guided reading groups, large group reading/vocabulary/phonics, hands-on math activities, hands-on literacy activities, guided and independent writing and they make huge growth throughout the year. We do this without giving up dedicated free choice time along with three recesses every day. It just honestly makes me sad to see this important aspect of learning not being prioritized in so many school districts. I would be interested in hearing the reasons not to support and advocate for self-guided play for 5 and 6 year old children (other than meeting standards). Thanks in advance for posting my reply!
I am going to be doing 12 centers also with 24 students and 2 in each group. We do 4 centers a day for 15 minutes. I am trying to figure out how to set up my rotations so that they do to 10 centers two times in a week and the other 4 only once. Any suggestions?!
Do you think this blog post might help you?
How many activities are at each center? How often do you change out the independent center activities? How many kids are at a center at a time? Do you make sure that all the kids get a chance to visits all of the independent centers? Thanks so much!!!
Hi there, I have a link to a blog post in this post that will answer all of your questions on how I manage centers.
Hi Deedee!
I just purchased the NYMSW and your decodables bundles. Engaging readers are in my cart. EEKK! My brain is on overload, so this blog post helped with how to fit it all in. The photo with your labeled dividers for the decodables caught my eye, and the ocd organizer in me has to have them. 🙂 Did I miss them in the decodable bundle! Where can I find them? Thank you!
The labeled dividers are available in the “Bonus” folder in the bundle download. After you extract that file, you will see a PDF for each set of decodable readers.
Thank you for sharing your experience and guidance on this wonderful blog! It has been my lifeline since taking over teaching a K/1 class in mid-November! Small groups are going well but I am having trouble figuring out how to differentiate my whole group instructional time for phonemic awareness, phonics and math. Some of my firsties are for sure benefiting from the review of concepts they learned last year but there are several that are not engaged because they “already know it”. Any suggestions on how to pull those kids in?
Hi Melissa!
I am going to send you an email.