The one thing that makes kindergarten work is routines and procedures. I’ve learned over the years
that if you have a strong morning routine, the day is just about guaranteed to be a good one. You
know what I’m talking about! Have you ever had a day that started off horribly? It seemed as if
you couldn’t get your bearings and the day just went downhill after that!
Morning work is a buzz word that can swing from one end of the pendulum over to the other side.
The meaning of the word has grown to include everything from just extra worksheets all the way to
more hands-on activities. Over the years I’ve been refining our morning, especially since it sets the
tone for our day. A small part of that routine is our morning work.
Picture it……students come in and unpack (at my school we also eat breakfast in the classroom) so
what’s next? Morning work! In my classroom, it is a great way for us to transition from arrival into
what I like to call our learning zone.
Morning work is meant to be a time for students to independently practice different skills that are
academic in nature, as well as fine motor skills and activities that engage the senses. It’s most
important that we make sure that the activities our students engage with during this time are
purposeful. If it’s just busywork, then it’s pointless. If it’s too hard, then it will frustrate your
students.
In addition to our hands-on morning work routines, I decided to add digital morning work through
Boom Cards. I love it because it can be used for in-person teaching as well as remote learning. I’ve
found that a spiral review format is best. This way, no new skills are being introduced, and I can
make sure to include the math and literacy standards that my students are required to master.
This spiral review contains 2 literacy and 2 math slides. Directions are embedded directly into
the deck. If they do not understand the directions, all they have to do is tap on the speaker and it
will be read to them. As kindergarten teachers, we know that this is half the battle! The best part
is that when they are finished with the required slides for the day, the game ends!
If you’re looking for a new morning work routine, then this is it! Digital morning work lets
your students review academic skills quickly before they move on to fine motor tubs or other
hands-on activities. You can check it out here!
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