•   Art

•  General Music

•  Health Education

•  Information Literacy

•  Mathematics

•  Physical Education 

•  Reading

•  Science & Engineering

•  Social Studies

•  Writing

A P A R E N T ’ S G U I D ET O

KindergartenIntegrated Curriculum

VISIONA high-quality education is the fundamental right of every child. All children will receive the respect, encouragement, and opportunities they need to build the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be successful, contributing members of a global society.

Board of Education

Mr. Christopher S. BarclayPresident

Ms. Shirley BrandmanVice President

Ms. Laura Berthiaume

Dr. Judith R. Docca

Mr. Michael A. Durso

Mr. Philip Kauffman

Mrs. Patricia B. O’Neill

Mr. Alan XieStudent Member

School Administration

Dr. Joshua P. StarrSuperintendent of Schools

Mr. Larry A. BowersChief Operating Officer

Dr. Frieda K. LaceyDeputy Superintendent of Schools

850 Hungerford Drive Rockville, Maryland 20850 www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org

Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum • 1

ArtGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to creating, analyzing, and responding to art by—  •   identifying, describing, representing, and comparing com-

ponents of the environment in visual compositions;  •   identifying, selecting, and organizing the elements of art 

and principles of design to create visual compositions using appropriate processes and materials; and

  •   generating a variety of responses to artwork, including transforming personal thoughts and feelings into visual compositions using the elements of art and principles of design.

General MusicGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essen-tial to creating, performing, and responding to music by—  •   organizing musical ideas and sounds creatively;  •   refining skills necessary to perform alone and in an 

ensemble while learning to read and notate music; and  •   making aesthetic judgments through music analysis and 

response.

Health EducationGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to developing behaviors and strategies that promote lifelong wellness by—  •   identifying and describing strategies to stay safe;  •   understanding accurate health information; and  •   making healthful decisions throughout their lives.

Information LiteracyGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to becoming lifelong learners who are information  literate by—   •   locating and evaluating resources;  •   analyzing and synthesizing information to ethically com-

municate new understandings; and   •   following an inquiry process—analyzing information 

needs, thinking critically, solving problems, and communi-cating effectively using literature and multimedia resources. 

MathematicsGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to achieving mathematical proficiency by—  •   developing both conceptual understanding and proce-

dural fluency;  •   thinking and reasoning mathematically; and   •   using mathematics to solve problems in authentic contexts.

Physical EducationGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to becoming responsible citizens who are both physi-cally educated and health literate by—  •   setting and achieving personally challenging goals to dis-

play the skills and practices needed in physical activity;  •   applying higher order thinking skills to human movement; and  •   designing personal movement and fitness plans that sus-

tain a healthy lifestyle. 

ReadingGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to becoming literate, thoughtful communicators, capable of controlling language effectively by—  •   strategically reading literary and informational 

instructional-leveled texts with fluency, purpose, and comprehension;

  •   using skills and strategies widely as tools for learning and reflection; and 

  •   understanding and appreciating language and literature as catalysts for deep thought and emotion.

Science & EngineeringGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to becoming literate in science, technology, and engineering by—  •   thinking critically, solving problems, and communicating 

effectively;   •   tackling ever more challenging issues; and   •   seeking understanding to support solutions.

Social StudiesGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to developing a balanced and integrated understand-ing of systems of culture, economics, geography, and politics and the history of their development by—  •   applying concepts and knowledge of the past to problem-

solving real-world issues of the present;  •   critically examining human interactions and evaluating 

their role as an effective citizen; and  •   communicating social studies concepts clearly in multiple 

formats and putting theory into practice as a citizen.

WritingGOALS:  Students will develop the knowledge and skills essential to becoming literate, thoughtful communicators, capable of controlling language effectively by—  •   composing narrative, informative/explanatory, and opin-

ion texts as tools for learning and reflection;  •   conducting research and writing projects for a range of 

discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences; and   •   evaluating relevant information from print and digital 

sources and using a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing.

Montgomery County Public Schools Pre-K–5 Instructional Programs

2 • Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum

Kindergarten Integrated CurriculumThe Elementary Integrated Curriculum (EIC) blends reading and mathematics instruction with lessons in science, social studies, music, art, information literacy, health education, and physical education in a way that spurs creativity and critical thinking skills. Students will receive robust instruction across all subjects in the early grades. The curriculum is built around developing students’ critical and creative thinking skills, as well as essential academic success skills, which will lead to college and career readiness in the 21st century. 

In the Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum, critical and creative thinking skills as well as academic success skills are identified for each marking period. These skills are explicitly taught using concepts and topics identified by marking period in each content area and provide a focus for integration across content areas. This document provides an outline of these skills and the curriculum concepts and topics that are the focus of instruction for Kindergarten students by marking period.

Kindergarten Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, and Academic Success Skills

Marking Period 1Analysis (critical thinking skill)—breaking down a whole into parts that may not be immediately obvious and examining the parts so that the structure of the whole is understood:

•  Identify and describe attributes•  Compare by identifying similarities and differences•  Sort and classify into categories•  Identify and describe patterns and the relationships 

within patterns

Collaboration (academic success skill)—working effec-tively and respectfully to reach a group goal:

•  Demonstrate active listening and empathy in com-municating with group members

•  Solicit and respect multiple and diverse perspectives to broaden and deepen understanding

•  Demonstrate teamwork by working productively with others

Marking Period 2Fluency (creative thinking skill)—generating multiple responses to a problem or an idea:

•  Generate many ideas •  Represent and describe ideas or solutions in a variety 

of ways

Intellectual Risk Taking (academic success skill)—accept-ing uncertainty or challenging the norm to reach a goal:

•  Adapt and make adjustments to meet challenges when seeking solutions 

•  Demonstrate willingness to accept uncertainty by sharing ideas, asking questions, or attempting novel tasks

Marking Period 3Synthesis (critical thinking skill)—putting parts together to build understanding of a whole concept or form a new or unique whole:

•  Organize parts to form a new or unique whole

Effort/Motivation/Persistence (academic success skill)—working diligently and applying effective strategies to achieve a goal or solve a problem; continuing in the face of obstacles and competing pressures: 

•  Demonstrate strategies to achieve a goal or solve a problem

•  Self-assess effectiveness of strategies and redirect efforts to achieve a goal or obtain a solution to a problem

Marking Period 4Originality (creative thinking skill)—creating ideas and solutions that are novel or unique to the individual, group, or situation:

•  Create a new idea, process, or product using multiple and varied formats 

•  Plan and formulate a new, unique, or alternative solution to a problem or situation 

•  Transform an idea, process, or product into a new form

Metacognition (academic success skill)—knowing and being aware of one’s own thinking and having the ability to monitor and evaluate one’s own thinking:

•  Examine one’s own thoughts and ideas to identify background knowledge

•  Explain thinking processes 

Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum • 3

Con

cept

s and

Top

ics

Stud

ents

Lea

rn in

Kin

derg

arte

nM

arki

ng P

erio

d 1

Ana

lysi

s and

Col

labo

rati

on

Gen

eral

Mus

ic• 

Stea

dy b

eat

• D

iff er

ent m

eter

s• 

Voca

l and

 instr

umen

tal t

one 

colo

rs• 

Hig

h an

d lo

w/lo

ng a

nd sh

ort i

cons

Info

rmat

ion

Lite

racy

• Bo

rrowi

ng ro

utin

es an

d ru

les• 

Book

 selec

tion 

and 

care

• O

rgan

izatio

n of

 libr

ary 

med

ia ce

nter

• St

ory 

elem

ents

• Q

uesti

onin

g str

ateg

ies

Mat

hem

atic

s• 

Mat

h ro

utin

es• 

Dire

ctio

nal a

nd p

ositi

onal

 wor

ds• 

Attr

ibut

es: s

ortin

g, e

xpla

inin

g th

e so

rtin

g ru

le• 

Dat

a co

llect

ion:

 bar

 gra

phs, 

pict

ogra

phs

• Re

peat

ing 

patte

rns

• C

ount

ing 

and 

num

eral

s

Wri

ting

• W

orks

hop 

rout

ines

• Id

eas a

nd d

evel

opm

ent

• O

rgan

izatio

n: b

egin

ning

, mid

dle,

 end

• W

ord 

choi

ce• 

Con

vent

ions

 (spa

cing

)• 

Editi

ng (s

pelli

ng si

ght w

ords

)• 

Pres

enta

tion 

(sha

ring 

wor

k)

Art

• Li

ne:  

dire

ctio

n, m

ovem

ent

• Sh

ape:

  ide

ntifi 

catio

n, a

ttrib

utes

• C

olor

:  id

entifi

 cat

ion,

 prim

ary, 

seco

ndar

y,  

mix

ing

Rea

din

g• 

Lite

racy

 Rou

tines

• Li

tera

ry T

ext: 

story

 elem

ents

•  In

form

atio

nal T

ext: 

pred

ictio

ns, q

uesti

ons, 

conn

ectio

ns, r

ecal

l/ret

ell in

form

atio

n• 

Voca

bula

ry• 

Phon

ics, 

wor

d re

cogn

ition

, rea

ding

 fl ue

ncy

• H

andw

ritin

gSoci

al S

tud

ies

• C

lass

room

 rout

ines

 and

 sche

dule

s• 

Rig

hts a

nd re

spon

sibili

ties a

t sch

ool a

nd h

ome

• C

omm

on U

nite

d St

ates

 sym

bols 

and 

prac

tices

• C

ontr

ibut

ions

 of p

eopl

e to

 the 

Uni

ted 

Stat

es

Scie

nce

& E

ngin

eeri

ng• 

Wea

ther

 obs

erva

tions

• W

eath

er a

ttrib

utes

 and

 pat

tern

s• 

Seas

onal

 cha

nges

Phy

sica

l Ed

ucat

ion

• Ro

utin

es a

nd p

erso

nal r

espo

nsib

ilitie

s• 

Star

t/sto

p sig

nals

• Sp

atia

l aw

aren

ess (

gene

ral, 

self

)• 

Loco

mot

or sk

ills (

walk

, run

, hop

, jum

p, g

allop

)• 

Non

-loco

mot

or sk

ills (

bend

, tw

ist, c

url, 

stret

ch)

• Eff

 ect

s of e

xerc

ise (h

eart

, lun

gs)

Hea

lth

Ed

ucat

ion

• Em

otio

ns• 

Pers

onal

 car

e• 

Stre

et a

nd p

edes

tria

n sa

fety

• C

omm

unic

atio

n• 

Illne

ss a

nd d

iseas

e pr

even

tion

• Em

erge

ncy 

resp

onse

4 • Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum

Con

cept

s and

Top

ics

Stud

ents

Lea

rn in

Kin

derg

arte

nM

arki

ng P

erio

d 2

Inte

llect

ual R

isk

Taki

ngan

d Fl

uenc

y

Gen

eral

Mus

ic• 

Stea

dy b

eat

• D

iff er

ent m

eter

s• 

Voca

l and

 instr

umen

tal t

one 

colo

rs• 

Hig

h an

d lo

w/lo

ng a

nd sh

ort i

cons

Info

rmat

ion

Lite

racy

• C

hara

cter

istic

s and

 rela

tions

hips

 am

ong 

 lib

rary

 reso

urce

s• 

Que

stion

ing 

(inqu

iry) s

trat

egie

s bas

ed o

n  

info

rmat

iona

l nee

d (w

ho, w

hat, 

whe

re, w

hen,

  

why

, how

)• 

Stra

tegi

es fo

r fi n

ding

 and

 reco

rdin

g an

swer

s to

  q

uesti

ons

Mat

hem

atic

s• 

Num

ber c

once

pts: 

coun

ting 

up to

 20 

obje

cts, 

 w

ritin

g nu

mer

als (

0–20

), co

untin

g to

 100

 by 

 1s

 and

 10s

• C

ompa

rison

 of s

ets o

f obj

ects:

 mor

e, le

ss/

 fe

wer

, or e

qual

• Re

pres

enta

tion 

of n

umbe

rs to

 10 

in a

 var

iety

  

of w

ays

• O

rdin

al n

umbe

rs (fi

 rst t

hrou

gh fi 

fth)

Wri

ting

• Id

eas a

nd d

evelo

pmen

t (m

emor

ies, s

hort 

storie

s)• 

Org

aniza

tion:

 beg

inni

ng, m

iddl

e, e

nd• 

Wor

d ch

oice

 (sen

sory

 wor

ds)

• C

onve

ntio

ns (s

paci

ng)

• Ed

iting

 (spe

lling

 hig

h-fre

quen

cy w

ords

)• 

Pres

enta

tion 

(sha

ring 

wor

k)

Rea

din

g• 

Lite

racy

 Rou

tines

•  Li

tera

ry T

ext: 

story

 ele

men

ts, p

redi

ctio

ns, 

rete

lling

, Jun

ior G

reat

 Boo

ks sh

ared

 inqu

iry• 

 Info

rmat

iona

l Tex

t: te

xt fe

atur

es, g

ener

atin

g qu

estio

ns, r

etel

ling

• Vo

cabu

lary

• Ph

onic

s, w

ord 

reco

gniti

on, r

eadi

ng fl 

uenc

y• 

Han

dwrit

ing

Scie

nce

& E

ngin

eeri

ng• 

Basic

 nee

ds o

f pla

nts a

nd a

nim

als

• Li

fe c

ycle

s of p

lant

s and

 ani

mal

s• 

Com

paris

on b

etw

een 

off sp

ring 

and 

pare

nts

Phy

sica

l Ed

ucat

ion

• Re

latio

nshi

ps w

ith b

ody 

part

s (ro

und,

 nar

row,

  

wid

e, a

nd tw

isted

)• 

Rela

tions

hips

 with

 obj

ects 

(insid

e/ou

tside

,  

arou

nd, t

hrou

gh, u

nder

/ove

r, on

/off ,

 acr

oss, 

 ne

ar/fa

r, an

d in

 fron

t/beh

ind)

• C

atch

ing 

self-

toss

ed o

bjec

ts in

 self-

spac

e• 

Th ro

win

g un

derh

and

Hea

lth

Ed

ucat

ion

• Fo

od g

roup

s (nu

triti

onal

 val

ue)

• Em

otio

ns• 

Food

 and

 ene

rgy 

sour

ces

• Pe

rson

al c

are

• St

reet

 and

 ped

estr

ian 

safe

ty

Soci

al S

tud

ies

• To

ols u

sed 

to d

escr

ibe 

Eart

h’s su

rface

  

(pic

ture

s, m

aps, 

and 

glob

es)

• H

uman

-mad

e an

d ph

ysic

al fe

atur

es u

sed 

to 

 de

scrib

e Ea

rth’s

 surfa

ce• 

Hum

ans c

hang

e an

d ad

apt t

o th

e en

viro

nmen

t

Art

• Ta

ctile

 ver

sus v

isual

 text

ure

• Tw

o- a

nd th

ree-

dim

ensio

nal a

rt• 

Cre

atin

g an

d id

entif

ying

 pat

tern

s• 

Rela

tions

hip 

of o

bjec

ts in

 a c

ompo

sitio

n 

Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum • 5

Con

cept

s and

Top

ics

Stud

ents

Lea

rn in

Kin

derg

arte

nM

arki

ng P

erio

d 3

Eff o

rt/M

otiv

atio

n/Pe

rsis

tenc

ean

d Sy

nthe

sis

Gen

eral

Mus

ic• 

Long

 and

 shor

t/lou

d an

d so

ft so

unds

• So

unds

 on 

a be

at (o

ne a

nd tw

o)• 

Met

er a

nd m

ovem

ent

• Re

peat

ed se

ctio

ns in

 mus

ic 

Info

rmat

ion

Lite

racy

• Q

uesti

onin

g an

d ke

ywor

d (in

quiry

) str

ateg

ies 

 ba

sed 

on in

form

atio

nal n

eed

• St

rate

gies

 for fi

 ndi

ng a

nd re

cord

ing 

answ

ers t

o 

 que

stion

s• 

How

 and

 why

 to c

ite so

urce

s• 

Lite

rary

 text

 (pro

blem

 and

 solu

tion,

 poi

nt o

f  

view

, mai

n id

ea, p

atte

rns a

nd re

latio

nshi

ps)

Mat

hem

atic

s• 

Mea

sura

ble 

attr

ibut

es• 

Leng

th a

nd w

eigh

t: di

rect

 com

paris

on, 

 no

nsta

ndar

d un

its• 

2- a

nd 3

-dim

ensio

nal s

hape

s: at

trib

utes

,  

com

parin

g• 

Expl

orat

ion 

of sh

apes

: com

posin

g an

d  

deco

mpo

sing

• D

irect

iona

l and

 pos

ition

al w

ords

: des

crib

ing 

 sh

apes

 in th

e en

viro

nmen

t

Wri

ting

• N

arra

tive 

writ

ing

• In

form

ativ

e/ex

plan

ator

y w

ritin

g• 

Idea

s and

 dev

elop

men

t (to

pic,

 sens

ory 

deta

ils)

• O

rgan

izatio

n (ta

ble 

of c

onte

nts, 

 que

stion

s,  

pict

ures

, lab

els, 

revi

sions

)• 

Wor

d ch

oice

 (des

crip

tions

, det

ails)

• C

onve

ntio

ns (c

apita

l let

ters

)• 

Pres

enta

tion 

(sha

ring 

wor

k)

Art

• D

raw

ing 

from

 obs

erva

tion 

and 

imag

inat

ion

• C

eram

ics

• Te

xtile

s and

 pat

tern

s

Rea

din

g• 

Lite

racy

 Rou

tines

•  Li

tera

ry T

ext: 

story

 ele

men

ts, p

redi

ctio

ns, 

rete

lling

, Jun

ior G

reat

 Boo

ks sh

ared

 inqu

iry• 

 Info

rmat

iona

l Tex

t: te

xt fe

atur

es, g

ener

atin

g qu

estio

ns, r

etel

ling,

 sequ

enci

ng• 

Voca

bula

ry• 

Phon

ics, 

wor

d re

cogn

ition

, rea

ding

 fl ue

ncy

• H

andw

ritin

gSoci

al S

tud

ies

• Si

tuat

ions

 whe

re c

hoic

es a

re m

ade

• W

orke

rs a

nd th

e jo

bs th

ey d

o• 

Goo

ds p

eopl

e m

ake 

and 

grow

• Re

sour

ces u

sed 

to p

rodu

ce g

oods

 and

 pro

vide

  

serv

ices

• To

ols a

nd m

achi

nes u

sed 

to w

ork 

and 

play

• W

ays t

o ob

tain

 goo

ds a

nd se

rvic

es 

Scie

nce

& E

ngin

eeri

ng• 

Exte

rnal

 feat

ures

 of p

lant

s and

 ani

mal

s use

d  

for s

urvi

val 

• Id

entifi

 cat

ion 

of lo

cal p

lant

s and

 ani

mal

s• 

Anim

al c

lass

ifi ca

tion

• C

ompa

rison

 bet

wee

n pl

ants 

and 

anim

als, 

 in

clud

ing 

hum

ans

Phy

sica

l Ed

ucat

ion

• Eff

 ect

s of e

xerc

ise (h

eart

 rate

)• 

Activ

ities

 to p

rom

ote 

fi tne

ss (r

elat

ions

hip 

 be

twee

n nu

triti

on a

nd p

hysic

al a

ctiv

ity)

• Fu

ndam

enta

l jum

ping

 and

 land

ing 

patte

rns 

• St

atic

 bal

ance

• W

eigh

t tra

nsfe

r (ha

nds a

nd fe

et to

 trav

el, 

 ro

lling

  sid

eway

s)

Hea

lth

Ed

ucat

ion

• D

iseas

e pr

even

tion 

(cle

anlin

ess)

• C

hara

cter

 trai

ts an

d pe

rson

al u

niqu

enes

s 

6 • Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum

Con

cept

s and

Top

ics

Stud

ents

Lea

rn in

Kin

derg

arte

nM

arki

ng P

erio

d 4

Ori

gina

lity

and

Met

acog

niti

on

Gen

eral

Mus

ic• 

Met

er th

roug

h m

ovem

ent

• St

eady

 bea

t• 

Hig

h an

d lo

w/lo

ng a

nd sh

ort s

ound

s• 

Arra

ngin

g so

unds

• Si

ngin

g w

ithin

 a li

mite

d ra

nge

Info

rmat

ion

Lite

racy

• Q

uesti

onin

g an

d ke

ywor

d (in

quiry

) str

ateg

ies 

•  St

rate

gies

 for fi

 ndi

ng, o

rgan

izing

, and

 re

cord

ing 

answ

ers t

o qu

estio

ns• 

How

 and

 why

 to c

ite so

urce

s• 

Prod

uctio

n str

ateg

ies

• Li

tera

ry te

xt (t

ext t

o se

lf co

nnec

tions

, pro

blem

  

and 

solu

tion,

 them

es)

Mat

hem

atic

s• 

Part

-who

le c

once

pt (t

hrou

gh 1

0)• 

Qua

ntiti

es (j

oini

ng a

nd se

para

ting 

thro

ugh 

10)

• C

oins

 and

 val

ues (

penn

y, ni

ckel

, dim

e)• 

Mon

ey a

mou

nts (

thro

ugh 

19 c

ents)

• C

ount

ing:

 forw

ard 

from

 a nu

mbe

r oth

er th

an 1

• G

roup

ing 

quan

titie

s (11

–19)

 into

 10 

ones

 and

  

som

e ad

ditio

nal o

nes

Wri

ting

• N

arra

tive 

writ

ing

• In

form

ativ

e/ex

plan

ator

y w

ritin

g• 

Idea

s and

 dev

elop

men

t (ga

ther

ing 

info

rmat

ion,

 sta

ting 

an o

pini

on, u

sing 

fact

s, in

terv

iew

ing)

• O

rgan

izatio

n (r

evisi

on)

• W

ord 

choi

ce (f

eelin

gs, d

escr

iptio

ns, p

ersu

asiv

e  

wor

ds) 

• C

onve

ntio

ns (c

apita

lizat

ion,

 per

iods

)• 

Editi

ng (s

pelli

ng)

• Pr

esen

tatio

n (s

harin

g w

ork)

Art

• M

onop

rints

• Pu

ppet

s and

 stor

ytel

ling

• Bu

ildin

gs a

nd a

rchi

tect

ure

• Bo

ok A

rts

Rea

din

g• 

Lite

racy

 Rou

tines

•  Li

tera

ry T

ext: 

story

 stru

ctur

e, re

telli

ng, 

elem

ents 

of p

oetr

y, Ju

nior

 Gre

at B

ooks

 shar

ed 

inqu

iry• 

 Info

rmat

iona

l Tex

t: te

xt fe

atur

es, g

ener

atin

g qu

estio

ns, m

ain 

idea

, sim

ilarit

ies a

nd 

diff e

renc

es• 

Voca

bula

ry• 

Phon

ics, 

wor

d re

cogn

ition

, rea

ding

 fl ue

ncy

• H

andw

ritin

gSoci

al S

tud

ies

• C

hoic

es p

eopl

e m

ake 

abou

t mee

ting 

need

s  

(tool

s, to

ys, t

rans

port

atio

n, c

omm

unic

atio

n, 

 fo

od, s

helte

r)• 

Uni

que c

usto

ms, 

tradi

tions

, ski

lls, a

nd in

tere

sts 

of c

omm

unity

 mem

bers

• Fa

mily

 her

itage

• D

iff er

ence

s am

ong 

past,

 pre

sent

, and

 futu

re

Scie

nce

& E

ngin

eeri

ng• 

Sim

ilarit

ies a

nd d

iff er

ence

s of e

xter

nal f

eatu

res 

 an

d ad

apta

tions

 • 

Adap

tatio

ns o

f pla

nts a

nd a

nim

als t

o su

rviv

e in

  

an e

nviro

nmen

t• 

Inte

ract

ions

 bet

wee

n pl

ants 

and 

anim

als i

n an

  

envi

ronm

ent

Phy

sica

l Ed

ucat

ion

• C

oope

ratio

n, re

spon

sibili

ty, a

nd re

spec

t in 

 ph

ysic

al a

ctiv

ity se

tting

s• 

Strik

ing 

light

wei

ght o

bjec

ts w

ith b

ody 

part

s• 

Kic

king

 (sta

tiona

ry b

all)

Hea

lth

Ed

ucat

ion

• Em

otio

ns a

nd fe

elin

gs• 

Posit

ive 

char

acte

r tra

its• 

Pers

onal

 uni

quen

ess 

• Fa

mily

 uni

t str

uctu

re (m

embe

rs, b

irth 

orde

r)

Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum • 7

Curriculum ResourcesFor more information about the Elementary Integrated Curriculum, including videos, the EIC framework, and other resources, see www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/integrated/

Art•   National Art Educators Association, www.art

educators.org/. This dynamic community of practice is where visual arts teachers, scholars, researchers and professors, students, administrators, art museum educa-tors, and artists come together around a shared belief in the power of the arts in developing human poten-tial. Contact 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Suite 300, Reston, VA 20191. Call 703-860-8000.

•   Maryland Art Education Association, www.mdarted.org/index.html. The purpose of this organization is to encourage, strengthen, and promote the role of the visual arts in education.

•   Artful Thinking, www.pz.harvard.edu/at/index.cfm. The goal of the Artful Thinking program is to help students develop thinking dispositions that support thoughtful learning—in the arts and across school subjects. The program is one of several at Project Zero linked by the theme “Visible Thinking.”

General Music•   MENC, The National Association for Music Education, 

www.menc.org/. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. Contact  1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191.  Call 703-860-4000 or 800-336-3768.

•   Why Music Education?, www.menc.org/resources/view/why-music-education-2007. This resource contains a collection of facts, figures, and quotes speaking to the inherent value of music education and its role in educa-tion and in life.

•   Maryland Music Educators Association, www.mmeamaryland.org/. The mission of the Maryland Music Educators Association is to advance music education in Maryland schools.

•   Classics for Kids, www.classicsforkids.com/. The Classics for Kids® lesson plans and teaching resources give parents practical, effective plans and activities that use classical music to help children learn and meet national and state standards.

Health Education•   Montgomery County Public Schools Comprehensive

Health Education, www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/health/resources/. This link is part of the MCPS Comprehensive Health Education site. In addi-tion to this listing of web resources identified by units, key concepts, standards, and indicators can be accessed. Parents can learn more about the vision, goals, and instructional approach used to promote wellness and self-regulation. 

How Parents Can HelpYou want your child to succeed in school and in life. There are many ways to encourage him or her to achieve. Following are some of the many ways you can help your child get the most out of school:

• Show interest in what your child is doing in school.

• Set high expectations for your child. Make it clear that school should be his or her first priority.

• Dedicate at least 15 minutes each day to talking with your child and reading with him or her.

• Provide a quiet place for your child to study.

• Help your child with his or her homework.

• Limit the amount of television your child watches and discuss what he or she sees on television.

• Monitor the amount of time your child spends playing video games or surfing the Internet.

• Volunteer to help with school activities and try to get other parents involved as well.

• Talk with your child’s teachers regularly about your child’s progress and what you can do to help him or her improve.

• Encourage your child to complete challenging work.

Adapted from A Parent’s Guide to Achievement Matters Most, Maryland State Department of Education.

8 • Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum

•   National Institutes of Health, health.nih.gov/ and (National Institutes of Health) National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics. This site contains comprehensive lists of health and human development topics compiled by the Department of Health & Human Services. Also available on the sites are searchable lists of health pub-lications, links to health education projects, interactive student site links, and educational materials. Contact National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892. Call 301-496-4000.

•   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), www.cdc.gov/tobacco/. This site provides credible health information fact sheets, resources, and links to interac-tive student websites such as information related to the health risks from tobacco product use. Contact Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333. Call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

•   KidsHealth, kidshealth.org/. This is an interactive site for parents, students, and educators with research-based information about the most common health education topics.

Information Literacy•   American Association of School Librarians—Parents

page, www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aboutaasl/aaslcommunity/quicklinks/parents.cfm. This page contains many helpful links for parents.

•   Montgomery County Public Schools School Library Media Programs, www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/media/programs/. This page contains many helpful links for parents.

•   Montgomery County Public Schools Homework Resources, www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/students/homework.aspx. This site contains subscription and general resources for parents and students.

•   Commonsense Media, www.commonsensemedia.org/. This site is dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology. 

•   Boolify, www.boolify.org/index.php. This site makes it easier for students to understand their web search by illustrating the logic of their search, and by showing them how each change to their search instantly changes their results.

Mathematics•   National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Illuminations, illuminations.nctm.org/. This site pro-vides a comprehensive organization of math investiga-tions, lessons, tools, and resources. Call 703-620-9840.

•   Helping Your Child Learn Math, www2.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/index.html. This resource provides math applications to real-life situations. The second edition of Helping Your Child Learn Math is for parents of chil-dren in kindergarten through fifth grade. It has been revised to include a variety of activities that will help children learn and apply mathematical concepts such as geometry, algebra, measurement, statistics, and prob-ability in a useful and fun way. All of the activities in this book relate math to everyday life and complement many of the math lessons that children are learning in school. Call 800-USA-LEARN.

•   Common Core State Standards Initiative, www.corestan-dards.org/the-standards. The EIC is directly aligned with Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

Physical Education•   Montgomery County Public Schools Physical

Education, www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/physed/. This site contains resources for parents and students. 

•   National Association for Sport and Physical Education, www.aahperd.org/naspe/about/relatedLinks/parents.cfm. This site contains links and publications to help parents learn more about today’s physical education and how it contributes to a child’s complete education. Also links to resources that can help parents learn more about youth sports issues. 

•   Head Start Body Start, www.aahperd.org/headstartbodystart/. Parents will find activities and tools to inspire creative, movement-based play and healthy food choices at home.•  Let’s Move!, www.letsmove.gov/parentsmain This site 

provides helpful information and steps parents and children can take that make a real difference and help build healthy habits for life.

•   Kidnetic, www.kidnetic.com/Parents/. This site is a great resource for raising a healthy child and offers a special section just for parents. Check out the Bright Papers and Frequently Asked Questions to get the facts about children and physical activity, healthy eating, and self-esteem.

Reading, Writing, Language Arts•   National Council of Teachers of English, http://

www.ncte.org/positions/statements/readtogether. This site is designed specifically to help parents help their children. Assorted topics. Contact NCTE, 1111 Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096. Call 217-328-3870 or 877-369-6283.

Kindergarten Integrated Curriculum • 9

•  International Reading Association, http://www.reading.org/InformationFor/Parents.aspx. Go to a variety of topics—also in Spanish. Contact IRA, 444 North Capitol Street, NW, #630, Washington, D.C. 20001. Call 202-624-8800.

•  Helping Your Child Publication Series, http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/hyc.html. These resources provide parents with lessons and activities to help their school-aged and preschool children master reading, understand the value of homework, and develop skills.

•  Guide to Grammar and Writing, Capital Community College, Hartford, Conn. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar. This site contains an extensive collection of grammar, mechanics, language, usage, and writing topics, easily accessed by multiple indexes. This very comprehensive site addresses rules, examples, exercises, and quizzes. Call 806-906-5000.

•  Read, Write, Now! Activities for Reading and Writing Fun, http://www.udel.edu/ETL/RWN/Activities.html. This site includes reading activities and reading lists for children through Grade 6. The site is listed as a resource in MCPS website Weblinks/“Internet Resources: Great for Homework.” Call 800-860-9228 or 800-872-5327.

Science & Engineering•  “Online Services for Montgomery County Public

Schools,” part of the MCPS Science Curriculum web-site, http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/sci-ence/. All services are available for home use. Subjects are broken down by elementary, middle, and high school.

•  National Science Teachers Association, http://www.nsta.org/portals/parents/. This site offers resources for par-ents who wish to help their children in science. Contact NSTA, 1840 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201. Call 703-243-7100.

•  Helping Your Child Learn Science United States Department of Education booklet, http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Science/index.html. This site provides science activities for parents of children ages 3–10. Activities are available for home and the community. Call 800-USA-LEARN (800-872-5327) and ask for Publications for Parents.

•  Scholastic, http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/home.jsp. This is an interactive website with games, activities, and many resources for parents, teachers, and kids. Browse by grade level. Pre-K, K, 1–2, 3–5. 

Social Studies•  “Social Studies Resources and Links,” MCPS Social

Studies Curriculum website, http://www.montgom-eryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/socialstudies/. This site contains a very large number of resources, organized alphabetically by social studies topics.

•  Time for Kids, http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK. This site includes resources appropriate for early elementary school students. 

•  America’s Story from America’s Library, http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi. This Library of Congress site provides information on American history and includes video, audio, and interactive activities. 

•  National Geographic Xpeditions, http://www.nation-algeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/. Produced by the National Geographic Society, this series of lesson plans is aligned with the United States Geography Standards. The site sorts by topic, standard, and grade level and contains an extensive lesson plan bank, each linked to a U.S. Geography Standard. The site teaches clear applica-tion skills geared toward addressing real-world issues. Contact National Geographic Society, P.O. Box 98199, Washington, D.C. 20090-8199. Call 800-647-5463.

Rockville, Maryland

Published by the Department of Materials Managementfor the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs 

1507.11ct • Editorial, Graphics & Publishing Services • 15,400 • 8.11

There are so many upgrades to the Elementary Integrated Curriculum, we’ve taken to calling it Curriculum 2.0!

New internationally driven standards in math, reading, and writing

Renewed focus on teaching the whole child

• Nurtures skills that build confidence and success• Engages students beyond reading and math, to spark greater interest

in science, social studies, information literacy, art, music, physical education, and health

Integrates thinking, reasoning, and creativity for a lifetime of learning

• Enhances learning by connecting subjects

MCPS CurriCuluM 2.0 is built around developing students’ critical and creative thinking skills, as well as essential academic success skills, so that students are well prepared for a lifetime of learning. We are upgrading the existing MCPS curriculum for the elementary grades in a way that will better engage students and teachers, and dedicate more learning time to subjects such as the arts, information literacy, science, social studies, and physical education. By blending these subjects with the core content areas of reading, writing, and mathematics, students will receive robust, engaging instruction across all subjects in the early grades – in short, we are building a stronger foundation at the elementary level.

To learn more—www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/2.0/