Kindergarten children may feel intimidated in a new setting full of unfamiliar faces. In the first few weeks of school, teachers can ask parents to work with their children on a biography board, which tells the kids' stories in their own words and pictures. After sharing their bios with the group, students will be aware of their diversity and feel more comfortable together.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children lists "developing classroom rules with children" as a way to build in-school community. When young children contribute to the list of classroom rules, they collaborate and communicate about appropriate school behavior. Creating and assigning a set of class jobs also gives kindergartners a sense of responsibility, while a unit on community helpers allows the students to learn about people such as police officers, firefighters and librarians.
The school year provides about nine months to plant a garden and experience the full life cycle of plants -- from planting the seeds to harvesting the crops. Gardening activities also require students to take on a variety of tasks, exemplifying the inner workings of a community. By constructing a plan for the garden, kindergartners learn to value others' ideas.
While cooking and preparing recipes as a group, students practice taking turns and build math and science skills through sorting and measuring ingredients. Teachers can enhance the classroom community by finding recipes that require multiple ingredients and asking all students to contribute. Children can bring fruits to create a fruit salad or vegetables to make a signature classroom soup; a class garden could also serve as a source for recipe ingredients.