Language Arts Curriculum-
The goal of our curriculum is to teach all of our students how to read and to develop a life-long love of reading. In our program, students are informally evaluated during the first few weeks of school. Each kindergarten teacher instructs one group of students for the entire year. Groups are flexible and changes are made in order to challenge each student, while allowing for maximum success. The corner stone of our curriculum is based on the use of an explicit, systematic phonics instruction program for word blending and word building as well as a level reading series. Comprehension is taught through the use of various genres of literature. Students engage in a variety of activities including phonemic awareness activities, oral work, written dictation work, co-operative learning in centers, story time, handwriting instruction, and written expression through the use of journals. All Kindergarten students will leave our program reading books with consonant-vowel-consonant words and reading numerous sight words.
Handwriting Curriculum-
Clear handwriting instruction in kindergarten is essential to ensure success for all students. Our goal is to teach developmentally appropriate handwriting skills in an active and joyful way. Students’ fine motor skills are strengthened each day through a variety of multi-sensory activities. Letter formation is taught in a step by step process through direct instruction and daily practice.
Reading Skills:
By the end of Kindergarten all students will be able to:
- Read simple, patterned text using grade appropriate reading strategies
- Recognize the Pre-Primer and Primer word list from Dolch List
- Read with grade level fluency to support comprehension and reading grade level text with purpose and understanding
- Understand and comprehend stories read aloud together
Written and Spoken Language Skills:
By the end of Kindergarten all students will be able to:
- Print upper-and lower case letters accurately
- Begin to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing
- Draw a detailed picture and write a sentence or two to tell about the illustration
- Participating in collaborative conversations with diverse partners
,During Literacy Centers we continue to work on the letter sounds
t top /t/ b bat /b/ f fun /f/ m man /m/ n nut /n/ u up /u/ i itch /i/
c cat /c/ o octopus /o/ a apple /a/ g game /g/ d dog /d/ s snake /s/
r rat /r/ e edge /e/ h hat /h/ j jug /j/ k kite /k/ l lamp /l/ v van /v/
w wind /w/ p pan /p/
Sight Words that have been introduced-
a, and, the, I, for, said, you, in, it , up, look, is, go, we, little, down, can, not, see
me, my, one, big, come, here, make, help, away, yellow, two, play, run, find, three, funny
Primer List
he, was, that, she, on, they, but, all, be, there, out, have, am, do, did , like, get, so, will, this, yes, what, went, are, now, no, came, ride, into, good, want, too, pretty, four, saw, ran, well, brown, put, eat, who, new, must, black, white, soon, our
t top /t/ b bat /b/ f fun /f/ m man /m/ n nut /n/ u up /u/ i itch /i/
c cat /c/ o octopus /o/ a apple /a/ g game /g/ d dog /d/ s snake /s/
r rat /r/ e edge /e/ h hat /h/ j jug /j/ k kite /k/ l lamp /l/ v van /v/
w wind /w/ p pan /p/
Sight Words that have been introduced-
a, and, the, I, for, said, you, in, it , up, look, is, go, we, little, down, can, not, see
me, my, one, big, come, here, make, help, away, yellow, two, play, run, find, three, funny
Primer List
he, was, that, she, on, they, but, all, be, there, out, have, am, do, did , like, get, so, will, this, yes, what, went, are, now, no, came, ride, into, good, want, too, pretty, four, saw, ran, well, brown, put, eat, who, new, must, black, white, soon, our
Searching for Sight Words and 4 in a Row CVCe words
Digraph Sorting and Mixed Up Sentences
Alphabet Stew
Comprehension Questions to ask before, during and after Reading
Prior to reading
Based on the cover and title, make predictions about the book.
Take a picture walk through the book to look for clues in the story.
Fiction
During reading
What do you think will happen next?
After reading
What is the setting of the story?
(Where and when does the story take place? How can you tell?)
Who is the story about?
Who are the characters in the story?
Who is telling the story?
What happens at the beginning of the story?
What happens in the middle of the story?
What happens in the end of the story?
What is the problem in the story?
How is the problem solved?
Can you think of a different way to solve the problem?
Does this book remind you of anything that has happened to you?
Does this book remind you of another story you have read?
Non-Fiction
What was the book about?
What is an interesting fact that you learned?
What is a new fact that you learned?
Is there a fact that you know that wasn’t in the book?