Establish a positive learning environment by letting your kindergartners know that you asked for a special "batch" of smart children this year, and that your request was granted. To celebrate, you are going to put the names of all the smart children on a bulletin board. Give each child a large cookie-size piece of brown construction paper with their name written on it. Have them draw chocolate chips and M&M's on the paper. Staple their finished cookies to a bulletin board covered with aluminum foil (to suggest a cookie sheet) and title it "Batch of Smart Cookies."
Set a tone of cooperation and goodwill in your classroom. Discuss with students the many ways they can be helpful to one another and to you. Give each child a piece of construction paper and have them trace their hand on it. Give children markers or crayons and instruct them to draw a picture of themselves doing something helpful. Have the children use safety scissors to cut out the hands and attach them to a bulletin board that has a large tree on it and the title "Lend a Hand." The hands make up the leaves of the tree.
Children love to be recognized for their birthdays and dedicating a bulletin board to these special days welcomes them to your classroom. Cover the bulletin board with brightly colored background paper (yellow works well). Attach a large cake shape cut from white paper and decorated to look like it has icing on it. Attach candles to the top of the cake that have each child's name and birth date written on them. Title the bulletin board "Make a Birthday Wish." Visit the bulletin board as a group and have the children take turns finding the candle with their name written on it.
Teach math and reading skills while learning more about each child. Create a bulletin board that has a chart on it with at least four columns. Title the bulletin board "Things We Like to Do." Label the top of each column with popular activities like "Swimming," "Bike Riding," "Camping" and "Reading." Give each student two index cards and have them write their names on them. Visit the bulletin board together and discuss what is written on it. Have each student select two favorite activities and attach an index card in the corresponding columns. Discuss the results.