About the Teacher

Miss. M. Urrutia

Kindergarten Teacher

Salem Lutheran School

Ms. Urrutia has a love for children and teaching. She believes that it is essential for children to learn in an environment where they feel happy and secure.
Ms. Urrutia attended Cal State Los Angeles and earned her Bachelor of Art degree in Child Development as well as her Teaching Credentials. Currently she is pursuing her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Concordia University. She has been at Salem for five years and has taught Spanish, Reading and worked in Day Care.

Curriculum & Information

Kindergarten is a year of confidence building. Children will sharpen their listening and speaking skills and learn to read and write. They will be encouraged to share information, formulate opinions, and ask questions.
Through artistic expression and song, they will have a broad learning experience and hands-on fun. Children also discover the stories and meaning for our love of Christ.
The confidence and academic foundation they build in Kindergarten will prepare them for first grade and beyond.

Subjects covered in Kindergarten grade include, but are not limited to:

Science

Students will learn that properties of material can be observed, measured and predicted. They will communicate, compare and sort objects based on physical attributes orally and in drawings. They will learn about the earth and God’s creations, as well as the five senses. The class will also do a group project for Salem’s annual Science Fair.

Physical Education

Kindergarteners attend P.E. class in the gym three times a week. Fitness, health, and sportsmanship are taught through games, sports and exercise.

Social Studies

Children will learn about their responsibility to be a good citizen and learn more about the world around them. They will recognize and respect national and state flags. They will gain an understanding that history relates to events, people and places of other times.

Math

Using Saxon based material, Kindergarteners will count orally by 1’s, 5’s and 10’s, recognize and sequence numbers, sort, identify patterns, graph objects and pictures, identify fractions, measure, tell time to the hour, use a calendar, and write numbers to 50 or beyond. Basic addition and subtraction are reviewed, and children will learn to estimate, problem solve, and compare. Students will develop a strong understanding about the relationship of numbers and quantities.

Music

Kindergarteners will develop skills in singing and movement. In addition to learning how to listen to the specific qualities of music, they will use music as a celebration of God’s love. Music will play a role in special occasions and holidays.

Spanish

Children are exposed to introductory Spanish twice a week through songs, flash cards and stories. They learn colors, locations, numbers, and simple sentences.

Art

Kindergarteners will create pictures, paintings and drawings to build self-esteem and have fun. They will use a variety of media to express ideas, feelings, and creativity. They will learn how to mix colors and shade.

Language Arts

Reading is taught using the Open Court Curriculum. Children will learn concepts about print and identify parts of a book. They will track words from left to right and top to bottom, count syllables in words, match oral words to written words and blend vowel-consonant sounds orally to make words. They will distinguish between upper and lowercase letters, and develop phonemic awareness.

Bible

Bible stories from the Old and New Testament and how they relate to today are taught. Children will learn of God’s unconditional love, and plan of salvation in Jesus Christ.
All students (Junior Kindergarten through sixth grade) attend chapel services each Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. conducted by the School Chaplain. Children have the opportunity to sing, worship, pray and read scripture. Parents are always welcome to attend chapel.

More information is available about the General Curriculum used at Salem.