Description Kindergarten English Language Arts integrates reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language. The major focus is learning concepts of print, phonemic awareness, beginning sounds, blending and reading strategies with an emphasis on print as a representation of spoken language. Students experience and respond to a variety of quality literature and informational text. Students learn to communicate using pictures, letters and phonetically spelled words. The writing process and six-trait writing provide the foundation for writing instruction. Credits Prerequisites Textbooks/Resources Focus Instructional Framework Word Study Handwriting Print and Digital Text- Building Book Rooms and Classroom Libraries Instructional Material Curriculum Companion, CESA 7 Phonics Lessons: Letters, Words, and How They Work, Heinemann Book of Minilessons, Teacher Resources Binder, and Teaching Resources CD- ROM, ISBN# 978-0-325-01061-7 Handwriting Without Tears Letters and Numbers for Me Teacher Edition, ISBN# 978-1-891627-58-3 Letters and Numbers for Me Student Workbook, ISBN# 978-1-891627-57-6 Variety of quality literature and informational text Required Assessments District-wide standards-based assessments identified Board Approved June 2012 Revised Board Approved: June 2012 Page 1
AASD Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning for K-12 Students: Every student has the right to learn. Instruction must be rigorous and relevant. Purposeful assessment drives instruction and affects learning. Learning is a collaborative responsibility. Students bring strengths and experiences to learning. Responsive environments engage learners. AASD Foundations for English Language Arts: English Language Arts is an integrated discipline. English Language Arts instruction builds an understanding of the human experience. Literacy is an evolving concept, and becoming literate is a lifelong learning process. Critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity are aspects of effective English Language Arts instruction and attributes of AASD graduates. Literacy, language, and meaning are socially constructed and are enhanced by multiple perspectives. AASD English Language Arts Goals for K-12 Students: AASD students who are college and career ready in English Language Arts will Demonstrate independence. Build strong content knowledge. Respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline. Comprehend as well as critique. Value evidence. Use technology and digital media strategically and capably. Come to understand other perspectives and cultures. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 2
Reading: Foundational Skills 1. Understands how print works (concepts about print). (RFS.K.1) a. listens and tracks print from left to right, top to bottom, return sweep, and page by page, when teacher reads text. b. recognizes that words are separated by spaces in print. c. recognizes the differences between sentences, words and letters, first and last words in a sentence, and first and last letters in a word. d. knows where to find the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book. e. recognizes and identifies all upper and lower case letters of the alphabet. f. recognizes and identifies word beginnings, word endings, and space between words. g. recognizes that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters. After modeling, the teacher will use a familiar piece of shared reading, such as a short poem or big book. The teacher reads, as the student uses a pointer to track the print. The teacher models through interactive writing to help students understand that anything spoken can be written. Students will orally rehearse their story and begin to write their own sentences. They will then read them to a partner. Through interactive writing, the teacher will encourage the students to help note spaces between two words. Students may use their thumb or the end of a pointer as they count and point to the words in the sentences. The teacher will lead students in reading of the sentences. Provide opportunities for letter recognition activities, such as using student s names, alphabet books, songs with letter pictures, letter sorting activities, letter guessing games, letter puzzles, and letter writing activities. For example, write the names of the students on chart paper; guide students as they read the names and say the letters in each name. Students can also be given wipe-and-write boards to practice writing the uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet in each name. See Kindergarten Phonics Lessons Board Approved: June 2012 Page 3
Reading: Foundational Skills 2. Demonstrate understanding of phonemic and phonological awareness (listening and hearing). (RFS.K.2) a. recognizes and produces rhyming words. b. hears and says syllables in a word (po-ta-to). c. isolates and pronounces phonemes (b-u-n) in words. d. blends two or three phonemes into words (s-a-d). e. identifies and says beginning phonemes (mat, mom, mad), ending phonemes (let, sit, hat), and medial vowel sounds (phonemes) in words (can, sat, dad). f. maneuvers phonemes and/or onset and rhymes in simple, one-syllable words to generate or make new words (at, hat, cat, bat). Ask students to identify rhyming words from poetry and shared reading The teacher will select several multisyllabic words from a readaloud text. Have students listen to the words and count, clap, or tap the number of syllables in the spoken words. After modeling and demonstration, the teacher will place two letters on the board or table: /a/ and /t/. Ask the child to blend the two sounds. Say: /at/. Using onset and rime cards the teacher will place the onset, the letter /s/ card, before the rime, -at and ask the child to blend the sounds /sat/. The teacher will say words to the student and they will identify the initial, medial, and final sounds of the spoken word. Students will write the letter that stands for each sound that they hear in the spoken word. See Kindergarten Phonics Lessons Board Approved: June 2012 Page 4
Reading: Foundational Skills 3. Know and apply grade level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words (RFS.K.3) a. demonstrates basic knowledge of one-to-one lettersound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant. b. reads common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, to, you, she, my, is, go). c. hears and identifies long and short vowel sounds in words. d. understands that as letters in words change, so do the sounds (e.g., run, bun; can, cat). e. reads familiar (high frequency/sight words for kindergarten) words in books, signs, and labels. The teacher will have a list of consonants posted on chart paper. Lead the student to say the name of the consonant and the sound. The teacher will prompt the students in recognizing words and objects that begin with the same letter. After reading a book aloud to the class, make a chart of the long and short vowel words heard in the book. Ask students to practice reading the words on the chart and identifying the long and short vowel sounds. Provide students with emergentreader texts that contain previously taught high-frequency words. Students will select a book to read with a partner. Note students ability to use these words in their writing and in their conversations. The teacher will have words from the same word family listed on chart paper. Students will identify how the words are alike and how they are different. Students will identify the sounds of the letters that are different. Student will take turns circling the letter that is different. See Kindergarten Phonics Lessons Board Approved: June 2012 Page 5
Language 4. Read emergent-reader stories/texts with purpose and understanding (RFS.K.4) a. recognizes environmental text (signs, logos, labels, etc.). b. memorizes or reads books with simple patterns. c. uses illustrations and print to gain meaning. d. uses a growing awareness of sound segments (phonemes, syllables, rhymes) to read words. e. begins to anticipate story meaning. f. begins to read independently for short periods, g. retells key details in literature. h. makes connections to real life. The teacher will provide a variety of emergent-reader texts for students to read (e.g., predictable, sequential, rhythmic, and repetitive). After reading the texts, with support the students will write about what they have read and share with the class. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 6
Reading: Literature / Informational Text 5. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details and unknown words in a shared text. (RL/RI.K.1/RL/RI.K.4) a. with prompting and support, uses writing, speaking, and/or drawing to ask and answer questions about key details in a text. b. with prompting and support, notices and inquires about unknown words in a text. After thorough demonstration and guidance regarding key details and how these key details can be discovered through questioning techniques, provide the opportunity for students to listen to a readaloud. Challenge them to create their own questions and record their responses. Observe their ability to connect the questions to the evidence from the text, and require the students to demonstrate their understanding of these key details by drawing a picture or writing a short response. The teacher will read a book aloud to the class and guide the class to participate in a 3-2-1 activity that will allow them to ask and answer questions about key details in the text. A 3-2-1 is three things they discovered, two things they found interesting, and one question they still have. The teacher reads the text aloud to the students and put emphasis on the unfamiliar words. At the conclusion of the read-aloud, ask the students to again make suggestions as to what they think the unfamiliar words mean. Do not allow them to provide one word answers, but insist that they explain the clues from the story that made them interpret the definition as they did. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 7
Reading: Literature / Informational Text 6. With prompting and support, retell familiar stories including key details and identify major events, characters, and setting. (RL.K.2/RL.K.3/RI.K.2) Describe the connection between two events, people, ideas, or information. (RI.K.3) a. with prompting and support, identifies the main topic of a text. b. with prompting and support, recalls and talks about characters, settings, and major events of a story. c. with prompting and support, retells familiar stories in logical order. d. with prompting and support, recalls important events and details. e. with prompting and support, describes how two pieces of information might be connected. Using props (sequencing pictures, puppets, charter pictures) have students retell a familiar story Using a mentor text, have students retell and assess with a common grade level rubric Using a grade level, informational text, student identifies the topic and two supporting details Using a read-aloud, discuss with the students the characters, the setting, and the major events of the story. Provide the students a story map upon which they will draw or write and dictate the main characters, the setting of the story, and at least three major events. Hide the covers of several informational books and allow the students to see the pages and pictures only. Ask them to decide what the main topic of the text would be based on details from the pictures. Then uncover the covers and see how many students were correct. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 8
Reading: Literature / Informational Text 7. Recognize common types of texts (e.g. storybooks, poems) (RL.K.5) Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book. (RI.K.5) a. uses features of common types of texts to identify them. b. identifies the following physical features of a book: front cover, back cover, and title page. Provide students with several examples of literary text (e.g. storybooks, poetry books, etc.) Allow students to work with a partner to select a book. Students will look at their book and determine if it is a storybook or poetry book. Students will share what type of text they selected and tell why it is a storybook or poetry book, etc. Have students write their own books about informational topic (choose something pertinent to the content being discussed in science and social studies). Each student should design the front cover, back cover, and title page of his book. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 9
Reading: Literature / Informational Text 8. With prompting and support name the author and illustrator, define their roles, and define the relationship between the illustrations and text. (RL/RI.K.6; RL/RI.K7; RI.K.8) a. with prompting and support, names and define the role of authors (write the words) and illustrators (draw the pictures) in telling stories and in presenting ideas or information. b. with prompting and support, tells about a moment in a story an illustration depicts or what part of a text an illustration shows. c. with prompting and support, identifies the reasons an author gives to support points or reasons in a text. During whole or small group instruction, encourage students to name the author and illustrator of the featured story. Prompt students to define the role of the author and illustrator during their discussion. Choose a book to be read aloud, but do not show the cover or the pictures. Read the book to the students. Place the students in groups of three and designate a job for each student in the group as follows: 1.) draw a picture of the setting; 2.) draw a picture of the main character, 3) draw a favorite part. Have students work with partners or in groups to select an informational topic. Students will create a book with illustrations and/or writing describing the topic. After a shared reading of informational text, the teacher will ask students what they have learned Board Approved: June 2012 Page 10
Reading: Literature / Informational Text 9. With prompting and support, compare and contrast two stories/texts (characters, experiences, illustrations, descriptions, procedures). (RL.K.9/RI.K.9) a. with prompting and support as needed, understands basic plot elements (events, problem, solution, characters, setting) in familiar stories. b. with prompting and support as needed, compares and contrasts the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories. c. with prompting and support as needed, identifies basic similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic. Read and reread familiar stories to students. Using a Venn diagram, prompt students to compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of the characters from both stories by describing how they are different and how they are alike. Encourage students to use comparing and contrasting words as they compare and contrast the characters' adventures and experiences. 10. With prompting and support, actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. (RL/RI.K.10) a. with prompting and support, engages actively and purposefully in group reading activities to understand text. Establish a purpose for reading. Students visit the media center and select appropriate books for reading (storybooks, poetry books, fairytales, etc.). After the reading has taken place, students will use drawings and writings as they share what they have read with the class. The teacher will model using comprehension strategies to understand informational text. Provide opportunities for students to engage in reading informational text that challenges their instructional reading levels and discuss what they have read. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 11
Writing 11. Write opinion, informative, and narrative pieces. (W.K.1/W.K.2/W.K.3) a. creates short pieces that convey a preference or opinion about a topic or book using common phrases for expressing opinions (e.g., my favorite book is... or I d rather eat or I don t like it when ). b. creates short pieces that names the topic, supplies some information, and informs or explains a topic (dogs are..). c. creates short pieces that tell a story about an event or events, supplies occurrences in correct sequence, and shares thoughts and feelings about the event(s). (Pieces may be a combination of drawing and writing that are connected in meaningful ways.) Student tells topic/title and states opinion with support- Why? Students will be given the opportunity to select their favorite book from a list of books that have been read aloud to them. Students will write and illustrate, My favorite book is using a combination of drawings, scribble-writing, letter-like forms, dictating, and writing as they compose opinion pieces about their favorite book. Students will share their writings with the class. Student writes a story or book on a nonfiction topic of their choice Student shows evidence in a science or social studies journal The teacher will read and reread an informational text to the students and will guide the class in using drawings, dictations, letters, and phonetically spelled words to create meaning as they write about what has been read to them Students make a small moments book Students act out a story showing beginning, middle and end Students sequence picture cards (draw, write, or tell) The teacher will provide students with events from a story already read aloud. The events are written on large sheets of paper. The teacher will read the events to the students. Working in groups, the students will use dictating, drawing, and writing to tell about the event and provide a reaction to what happened. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 12
Writing 12. With guidance and support from adults, respond to peer questions and suggestions as appropriate for the student, recall information from experiences, and gather information from provided sources to answer a question. (W.K.2/W.K.8/W.K.5) a. with guidance and support from adults, strengthens writing by responding to questions and suggestions from peers. b. with guidance and support from adults, strengthens writing by adding details. Student writes a story or book on a non-fiction topic of their choice Student shows evidence in a science or social studies journal The teacher will read and reread an informational text to the students and will guide the class in using drawings, dictations, letters, and phonetically spelled words to create meaning as they write about what has been read to them 13. With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including collaboration with peers (Kid Pix, scan to PowerPoint, project on Elmo/overhead). (W.K.6) a. with guidance and support from adults, explores a variety of digital tools to work with peers to produce and publish writing. Lead the class in publishing a class book about a topic. Use Microsoft Word, Publisher, Movie Maker, Photostory, etc., to complete the project by using simple word processing and invented spellings with teacher assistance as needed. Once the book is completed, the students will take turns reading the book. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 13
Speaking & Listening Writing 14. Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them). (W.K.7) 15. Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and stories/texts with peers and adults in a variety of group sizes. (SL.K.1) a. when working in a group with adult guidance, investigates several books by one author noticing similarities. b. when working in a group with adult guidance, uses dictation, drawing, and/or writing to express opinions about the works of that author. a. follows agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). b. responds and extend conversation much like adults and can sustain a topic through multiple turns. c. listens attentively. Students fill out KWL chart with support Students work in a small group to create a fact book The teacher provides a topic. The students will engage in research by looking at different books about the topic. The students will begin to work in groups to gather information. During the gathering of information, students may use drawings or other graphic features to help aid in presenting information orally to the class. Students raise hand to speak, take turns, make eye contact Students communicate with others during centers 16. Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, to confirm understanding, or clarify something that is not understood. (SL.K.2/SL.K.3) a. asks and answers questions to seek help or clarify something. Students answer wh questions in response to hearing a story, social situation, family or school event Student participates in show and tell asks the presenter questions, presenter provides answers Board Approved: June 2012 Page 14
Language Speaking & Listening 17. With prompting and support describe familiar people, places, things, and events. Students may provide additional details by adding drawings or other visuals. (SL.K.4/SL.K.5) 18. Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. (SL.K.6) 19. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. (L.K.1) a. orally describes familiar people, places, things, and events b. adds details using describing words (with prompting and support). c. creates a drawing or display to provide additional detail, if needed. a. articulates thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly in a variety of settings. b. articulates multi-word sentences (parts of speech, word order, and sentence structure) much like that of an adult. a. when writing or speaking, writes with many upper and lower case letters. b. when writing or speaking, uses frequently occurring nouns and verbs. c. when writing or speaking, forms plural nouns in speech. d. when writing or speaking, understands and uses question words (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how). e. when writing or speaking, uses frequently occurring prepositions (e.g., to, from, in, out, on, off, for, of, by, with). f. when writing or speaking, produces and expands complete sentences in shared language activities. The teacher will lead the class in a group writing experience to describe a familiar place. The teacher will provide basic details about the place and engage the students in providing additional details. Once the group writing experience is completed, students will draw pictures or write about their descriptions of the place. Students will share their writings. Students will role-play various situation s (PBIS) during large and small group that will require them to speak audibly and express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly (e.g., Your best friend does not want to play with you on the playground. You need to tell your friend how you feel. ) During retelling observe the student using appropriate grammar (prepositions, plurals, nouns/verbs) Check for prepositions, plurals, nouns, verbs in writing samples During interactive writing, show and tell, language experience, etc., observe students using frequentlyoccurring nouns and verbs in their speaking and writing Board Approved: June 2012 Page 15
Language 20. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. (L.K.2) 21. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content. (L.K.4) a. capitalizes the first word of a sentence and the pronoun I. b. recognizes and names end punctuation (.!?) and quotation marks. c. writes a letter or letters for most consonant and short vowel sounds (phonemes). d. spells simple words phonetically inventive (temporary) and conventional spelling. a. identifies new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately (e.g., knowing duck is a bird and learning the verb to duck). b. uses frequently occurring inflections and affixes (e.g., - ed, -s, re-, un-, pre-, -ful, -less) as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word. Interactive Writing-students provide punctuation, correct capitalization Collect writing samples, checking for punctuation, capitalization, and phonetic spelling During Shared Reading, have students read the story and point out the capital letters in the story Students will be given three index cards containing a period, question mark, and an exclamation mark. Cover the punctuation in a big book. During share dreading, students will hold up the correct punctuation that should be placed at the end of each sentence. Student locates base word and tells how the affix changes the word (-s, -ed) Students act out/tell the meaning of a word (duck/duck) During read-alouds and shared reading have students determine the meaning of the words Board Approved: June 2012 Page 16
Language 22. With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings. (L.K.5) a. sorts common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods). b. demonstrates understanding of frequently occurring verbs and adjectives by relating them to their opposites (antonyms). c. identifies real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., labeling objects). d. distinguishes differences in meaning among verbs describing the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by acting out the meanings. Guide the students in a discussion about the seasons of the year and the types of clothing to wear During the discussion students will name clothing associated with each season. The teacher will list the clothing words on chart paper as they are named by the students. Students will then be lead to sort the words into the correct category and tell why. The teacher will write the word on a chart that has been divided into four sections labeled spring, summer, fall, and winter. Following the discussion and sorting activity, the students will write about their favorite season using words from the chart. They will include drawings and phonetically spelled words to add meaning to their writing. Students will read their stories to the class. The teacher will help students identify a place at school that is quiet, smelly, etc. Lead the students in a discussion about words that have multiple meanings as they describe places in the school. Write the descriptions given by the students on chart paper. Include the word and other meanings for the word. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 17
Language 23. Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts. (L.K.6) a. comments on, produces, and comprehends words/phrases heard and used in reading discussions. Select several words from a readaloud text. Prior to or during the whole group reading time, studentfriendly definitions of the new vocabulary words may be provided to clarify their meanings in the text. Explain to the students that they will talk about what the new words meant in the story and they will use the words in other sentences. Make it a class activity to record when students hear or use the new word. Resources and learning activities that address essential learning objectives: Many classroom assessment ideas adapted from the Georgia Department of Education. Board Approved: June 2012 Page 18