Category: Kindergarten ELA

What is a Reader and a Writer?: Using a balance of literature and informational texts, students will begin to learn the foundational skills needed to become a reader and writer. The students will become familiar with text structures. This unit should be paired with the Reading Foundations units which focus on print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition and building fluency. It is essential that these skills are not taught in isolation, but applied within students reading and writing.

Print Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Word Recognition: This unit consists of 3 sub-units designed to provide students with basic foundational skills for word work, closely following the Next Generation Foundation Skills standards. The first part focuses on print concepts, the second on phonological awareness and the third on phonics and word recognition. It is essential that a word-work curriculum closely aligns/integrates with reading and writing instruction, supporting how students develop as writers, readers, speakers, and listeners. Additionally, in keeping with the recommendations of the Next Generation Learning Standards, it is important that kindergarten units are developmentally appropriate, with play and hands-on learning underpinning all instruction.

Using a balance of fiction and nonfiction texts, students will explore different genres of text and develop their knowledge as readers and writers. Students will engage in group and individual reading and writing activities as well as engage in dictation, drawing for meaning, responding to writing, and other various skill building activities. 

Using a balance of provided texts, students will identify specific information to support ideas in a text and make connections as readers and writers between self, text and the world. These texts will include but are not limited to picture books, stories, poetry, tall tales, fiction, etc. Students will also begin to become independent readers through engagement in small group, large group and individual activities.

Using a variety of genres, students will use prior knowledge and skills learned throughout the year to be independent readers and writers.  Students will demonstrate these skills through discussion, written language, drawing, and playing.