Kindergarten English Language Arts
Welcome to our Kindergarten English Language Arts program! Here, we foster a love for and writing through engaging activities and playful learning experiences. Our curriculum is designed to help young learners develop essential language skills while encouraging creativity and communication. We that every child has the to become a confident reader and writer, and we are excited to embark on this journey together!
Phonemic Awareness & Letter Recognition (Weeks 1–8)
Learning Objectives
- Identify and name all uppercase and lowercase letters.
- Recognize and produce rhyming words.
- Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
- Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words.
Content Standards (MCCRS)
- RF.K.1d: Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
- RF.K.2a: Recognize and produce rhyming words.
- RF.K.2b: Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words.
- RF.K.2d: Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (CVC) words.
Instructional Strategies
- Daily interactive read-alouds emphasizing sound patterns.
- Letter-matching games and songs.
- Phonics manipulatives and picture card activities.
- Use of digital phonics tools and letter tracing software.
Assessment Methods
- Weekly phonics assessments (oral and digital).
- Alphabet knowledge checklists.
- Informal teacher observations during group literacy centers.
- Sound matching and rhyming exit tickets.
Sounding Out & Blending Words (Weeks 9–16)
Learning Objectives
- Blend individual sounds to form consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words.
- Segment CVC words into individual sounds.
- Decode simple words using phonics skills.
- Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.
Content Standards (MCCRS)
- RF.K.2e: Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to make new words.
- RF.K.3a: Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.
- RF.K.3b: Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings for the five major vowels.
- RF.K.4: Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.
Instructional Strategies
- Guided practice in sound blending using magnetic letters and whiteboards.
- Digital CVC word-building games.
- Choral reading and echo reading of simple decodable texts.
- Small group instruction with phonics readers.
Assessment Methods
- Running records of student reading.
- Sound segmentation oral assessments.
- Phonics mini-quizzes.
- Daily reading logs and student self-assessments.
Sight Word Recognition (Weeks 17–24)
Learning Objectives
- Recognize and read high-frequency sight words by sight (e.g., the, is, to, and, you, he).
- Use sight word knowledge to read emergent texts fluently.
- Distinguish between decodable and non-decodable words in context.
Content Standards (MCCRS)
- RF.K.3c: Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).
- RF.K.4: Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.
Instructional Strategies
- Use of flashcards, songs, and chants to reinforce sight words.
- Interactive sight word games (e.g., bingo, memory).
- Shared reading of texts embedded with weekly sight words.
- Anchor charts and sight word walls for visual reinforcement.
Assessment Methods
- Weekly sight word recognition quizzes.
- Fluency checks during guided reading.
- Sight word tracking sheets.
- Observation checklists during literacy centers.
Reading Comprehension Strategies (Weeks 25–32)
Learning Objectives
- Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- Retell familiar stories including key details.
- Identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
- Describe the relationship between illustrations and the story.
Content Standards (MCCRS)
- RL.K.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- RL.K.2: With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
- RL.K.3: With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
- RL.K.7: With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear.
Instructional Strategies
- Read-aloud and guided questioning using picture books.
- Use of graphic organizers (story maps, character charts).
- Partner retelling and role-playing.
- Story sequencing activities using visuals.
Assessment Methods
- Oral and written retelling of stories.
- Comprehension rubrics and checklists.
- Small group discussions and teacher observations.
- Responses to reading in journals or drawing.