Reading and Literature Strand

..
English Language Arts Curriculum
for
Early Childhood, Pre K - K
Holyoke Public Schools
~
Vision Statement
The early childhood curriculum ofthe Holyoke Public Schools is
designed to be developmentally appropriate and child centered. It
is our intent to provide instructional practice that teaches the
whole child, focusing on all domains ofdevelopment - cognitive,
physical, social, and emotional. We recognize parents as
children's first teachers and strive to make families active partners
in the school based education oftheir children. We honor the rich
diversity that is Holyoke's history and design instruction that is
respectful ofindividual differences and capabilities. It is our goal
to develop independent, compassionate, and responsible life long
learners who will contribute meaningfully to our society.
MA ELA Standards
Kindergarten
Language Strand
Students will be able to:
1.1 Follow agreed-upon rules for discussion (raising one's hand, waiting one's turn,
speaking one at a time).
2.1
Contribute knowledge to class discussion in order to develop a topic for a class
project.
3.1
Give oral presentations about personal experiences or interests, using clear
enunciation and adequate volume.
3.2
Maintain focus on the topic.
4.1
Identify and sort common words into various classifications (colors, shapes,
textures).
4.2
Describe common objects and events in general and specific language.
5.1
Use language to express spatial and temporal relationships (up, down, before,
after).
5.2
Recognize that the names of things can also be the names of actions (fish, dream,
run).
5.3
Identify correct capitalization for names and places and correct capitalization and
commas in dates
5.4 Identify appropriate end marks (periods, question marks).
6.1
Identify formal and informal language in stories, poems, and plays.
Reading and Literature Strand
Students will be able to:
7.1
Demonstrate understanding of the forms and functions of written English:
• recognize that printed materials provide information or entertaining stories;
• know how to handle a book and turn the pages;
• identify the covers and title page of a book;
• recognize that, in English, print moves left to right across the page and from top
to bottom;
• identify upper- and lower-case letters;
• recognize that written words are separated by spaces;
• recognize that sentences in print are made up of separate words.
7.2
Demonstrate orally that phonemes exist and that they can be isolated and
manipulated:
• understand that a sound is a phoneme, or one distinct sound;
• understand that words are made up of one or more syllables;
• recognize and produce rhyming words;
• identify the initial, medial, and final sounds of a word;
• blend sounds to make words.
7.3
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
9.1
9.2
10.1
11.1
12.1
13.1
13.2
13.3
13.4
13.5
14.1
15.1
16.1
16.2
16.3
17.1
18.1
Use letter-sound knowledge to identify unfamiliar words in print and gain
meanmg:
• know that there is a link between letters and sounds;
• recognize letter-sound matches by naming and identifying each letter ofthe
alphabet;
• understand that written words are composed of letters that represent sounds;
• use letter-sound matches to decode simple words.
Make predictions using prior knowledge, pictures, and text.
Retell a main event from a story heard or read.
Ask questions about the important characters, settings, and events.
Make predictions about the content of the text using prior knowledge and text
features (title, captions, illustrations).
Retell important facts from a text heard or read.
Identify similarities in plot, setting, and character among the works of an author
or illustrator.
Identify different interpretations of plot, setting, and character in the same work
by different illustrators (alphabet books, nursery rhymes, counting books).
Identify differences among the common forms of literature: poetry, prose, fiction,
nonfiction (informational and expository), and dramatic literature.
Relate themes in works of fiction and nonfiction to personal experience.
Identify the elements of plot, character, and setting in a favorite story.
Identify and use knowledge of common textual features (title, headings, captions,
key words, table of contents).
Identify and use knowledge of common graphic features (illustrations, type size).
Make predictions about the content of a text using prior knowledge and text and
graphic features.
Explain whether predictions about the content of a text were confIrmed or
disconfirmed and why.
Restate main ideas and important facts from a text heard or read.
Identify a regular beat and similarities of sounds in words in responding to rhythm
and rhyme in poetry.
Identify the senses implied in words appealing to the senses in literature and
spoken language.
Identify familiar forms of traditional literature (Mother Goose rhymes, fairy tales,
lullabies) read aloud.
Retell or dramatize traditional literature.
Identify and predict recurring phrases (Once upon a time) in traditional literature.
Identify the elements of dialogue and use them in informal plays.
Rehearse and perform stories, plays, and poems for an audience using eye contact,
volume, and clear enunciation appropriate to the selection.
Composition Strand
19.1
19.2
19.3
19.4
20.1
21.1
22.1
23.1
23.2
24.1
25.1
Draw pictures and/or use letters or phonetically spelled words to tell a story.
Dictate sentences for a story and collaborate to put the sentences in chronological
sequence.
Draw pictures and/or use letters or phonetically spelled words to give others
information.
Dictate sentences for a letter or directions and collaborate to put the sentences in
order.
Use a variety of forms or genres when writing for different purposes.
After writing or dictating a composition, identify words and phrases that could be
added to make the thought clearer, more logical, or more expressive.
Print upper- and lower-case letters of the alphabet.
Arrange events in order when writing or dictating.
Arrange ideas in a way that makes sense.
Generate questions and gather information from several sources in a classroom,
school, or public library.
Support judgments about classroom activities or presentations.
Media Strand
26.1 Identify techniques used in television (animation, close-ups, wide-angle shots,
sound effects, music, graphics) and use knowledge of these techniques to
distinguish between facts and misleading information.
27.1 Create radio scripts, audiotapes, or videotapes for display or transmission.
Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children
page 15 of 16
A position statement of the International Reading Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children
Continuum of Children '5 Development in Early Reading and Writing
Note: this list is intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive. Children at any grade level will junction at a variety oj phases along the
reading/writing continuum.
Phase 1: Awareness and exploration (goals for preschool)
Children explore their environment and build the foundations
for learning to read and write.
Children can
• enjoy listening to and discussing storybooks
• understand that print carries a message
• engage in reading and writing attempts
• identify labels and signs in their environment
• participate in rhyming games
• identify some letters and make some letter-sound matches
• use known letters or approximations of letters to represent
written language (especially meaningful words like their name
and phrases such as "I love you")
What teachers do
• share books with children, including Big Books, and model
reading behaviors
• talk about letters by name and sounds
• establish a literacy-rich environment
• reread favorite stories
engage children in language games
• promote literacy-related play activities
encourage children to experiment with writing
What parents and family members can do
• talk with children, engage them in conversation, give names
of things, show interest in what a child says
• read and reread stories with predictable text to children
• encourage children to recount experiences and describe ideas
and events that are important to them
• visit the library regularly
provide opportunities for children to draw and print, using
markers, crayons, and pencils
Phase 2: Experimental reading and writing (goals for kin­
dergarten)
Children develop basic concepts of print and begin to en­
gage in and experiment with reading and writing.
Kindergartners can
• enjoy being read to and themselves retell simple narrative
stories or informational texts
• use descriptive language to explain and explore
recognize letters and letter-sound matches
show familiarity with rhyming and beginning sounds
• understand left-to-right and top-to-bottom orientation and
familiar concepts of print
match spoken words with written ones
begin to write letters of the alphabet and some high-frequency
words
What teachers do
encourage children to talk about reading and writing exper
ences
provide many opportunities for children to explor
and identify sound-symbol relationships in meaningful COl
texts
• help children to segment spoken words into individual soum
and blend the sounds into whole words (for example, t
slowly writing a word and saying its sound)
frequently read interesting and conceptually rich stories 1
children
provide daily opportunities for children to write
help children build a sight vocabulary
create a literacy-rich environment for children to engage il
dependently in reading and writing
What parents and family members can do
daily read and reread narrative and informational stories'
children
• encourage children's attempts at reading and writing
allow children to participate in activities that involve writir
and reading (for example, cooking, making grocery lists)
play games that involve specific directions (such as "Simc
Says")
h ave conversations with children during mealtimes ar
throughout the day
Phase 3: Early reading and writing (goals for first grad,
Children begin to read simple stories and can write about
topic that is meaningful to them.
First-graders can
• read and retell familiar stories
• us e strategies (rereading, predicting, questionin
contextualizing) when comprehension breaks down
• use reading and writing for various purposes on their ov
initiative
orally read with reasonable fluency
• use letter-sound associations, word parts, and context to idE
tHy new words
identify an increasing number of words by sight
sound out and represent all substantial sounds in spellin~
word
write about topics that are personally meaningful
• a ttempt to use some punctuation and capitalization
What teachers do
• support the development of vocabulary by reading daily
the children, transcribing their language, and selecting IT
terials that expand children's knowledge and language c
velopment
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. National Association for the Education of Young Children. In Young Children, July 1998, 53 (4): 30-46.
1509 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-1426 .202-232-8777 .800424-2460 • FAX: 202-328-1846
Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for YOlmg Children
page 15 of 16
A position statement of the International Reading Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children
Continuum of Children'5 Development in Early Reading and Writing
Note: this list is intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive. Children at any grade level will function at a variety of phases along the
reading/writing continuum.
Phase 1: Awareness and exploration (goals for preschool)
Children explore their environment and build the foundations
for learning to read and write.
Children can
• enjoy listening to and discussing storybooks
• understand that print carries a message
• engage in reading and writing attempts
• identify labels and signs in their environment
• participate in rhyming games
• identify some letters and make some letter-sound matches
• use known letters or approximations of letters to represent
written language (especially meaningful words like their name
and phrases such as "I love you")
What teachers do
• share books with children, including Big Books, and model
reading behaviors
• talk about letters by name and sounds
establish a literacy-rich environment
• reread favorite stories
engage children in language games
promote literacy-related play activities
encourage children to experiment with writing
What parents and family members can do
• talk with children, engage them in conversation, give names
of things, show interest in what a child says
read and reread stories with predictable text to children
encourage children to recount experiences and describe ideas
and events that are important to them
• visit the library regularly
• provide opportunities for children to draw and print, using
markers, crayons, and pencils
Phase 2: Experimental reading and writing (goals for kin­
dergarten)
Children develop basic concepts of print and begin to en­
gage in and experiment with reading and writing.
Kindergartners can
• enjoy being read to and themselves retell simple narrative
stories or informational texts
• use descriptive language to explain and explore
recognize letters and letter-sound matches
show familiarity with rhyming and beginning sounds
understand left-to-right and top-to-bottom orientation and
familiar concepts of print
match spoken words with written ones
begin to write letters of the alphabet and some high-frequency
words
What teachers do
encourage children to talk about reading and writing exper
ences
provide many opportunities for children to explor
and identify sound-symbol relationships in meaningful cor
texts
help children to segment spoken words into individual soune
and blend the sounds into whole words (for example, b
slowly writing a word and saying its sound)
• frequently read interesting and conceptually rich stories t
children
• provide daily opportunities for children to write
• help children build a sight vocabulary
• create a literacy-rich environment for children to engage ir
dependently in reading and writing
What parents and family members can do
daily read and reread narrative and informational stories 1
children
encourage children's attempts at reading and writing
a llow children to participate in activities that involve writir
and reading (for example, cooking, making grocery lists)
play games that involve specific directions (such as "Simc
Says")
have conversations with children during mealtimes an
throughout the day
Phase 3: Early reading and writing (goals for first grad4
Children begin to read simple stories and can write about
topic that is meaningful to them.
First-graders can
• read and retell familiar stories
use strategies (rereading, predicting, questionin!
contextualizing) when comprehension breaks down
• use reading and writing for various purposes on their OIA
initiative
orally read with reasonable fluency
use letter-sound associations, word parts, and context to ide
tify new words
• identify an increasing number of words by sight
sound out and represent all substantial sounds in spelling
word
• write about topics that are personally meaningful
• a ttempt to use some punctuation and capitalization
What teachers do
• support the development of vocabulary by reading daily
the children, transcribing their language, and selecting m
terials that expand children's knowledge and language d
velopment
Copyright © 1998. Al1 rights reserved. National Association for the Education of Young Children. In Young Children, July 1998, 53 (4): 30-46.
1509 16th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036-1426 .202-232-8777 .800-424-2460 • FAX: 202-328-1846
English Language Arts Curriculum
Holyoke Public Schools
English Language Arts Curriculum for Early Childhood, PreK-K
Table of Contents
Language Strand
1
Reading and Literature Strand
11
Comprehension Strand
31
Media Strand
42
Language Strand
Learnin~ Standards for Grades PreK-2
1.1
General Standard 1: Discussion *
Follow agreed upon rules for discussion (raising one's hand, waiting one's turn, speaking one at a time.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Use hand puppets to role play appropriate behavior for discussion.
K
During morning meeting, use a ball and roll it to a child who is
demonstrating good listening and speaking behavior. After that child
shares, he/she may role the ball to select another child who is following
class rules for discussion.
Form a "talking circle" so that everyone can see each other. Discuss
rules of discussion that enable each child to be heard.
Use specific items such as a talking stick, a name spinner, or a name
chart to provide visualconfirmation of the designated speaker.
Develop written class rules to provide a written reminder of agreed
upon rules of discussion.
*This standard is assessed at the local level.
Children may use puppets in the
dramatic play area to recreate situations
that require good listening and
speaking.
Teacher observation of turn taking.
Teacher observation of turn taking.
Photos of children participating in circle
time to document for portfolios.
1
Language Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
2.1
General Standard 2: Questioning, Listening, and Contributing*
Contribute knowledge to class discussion in order to develop a topic for a class project.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Ask the children to complete specific open ended sentences such as-"
When I got up this morning, Mom said ...."
Tape record responses. Determine if
answers are related to the topic.
Use family pictures of each child to make a visual chart of different
types of families. Develop a language experience chart with the class
that records information on the topic of families.
Reread language experience chart to
determine that the recorded information
is on topic
Introduce a new topic. Model a webbing activity to bring up questions
to research and develop activities on the topic.
Develop list of questions to research or
activities for centers based on topic
web.
Teacher documentation of activity with
chart, poster, or photos for portfolio.
K
Use various graphic organizers such as a KWL chart, a web, or a
category chart to record brainstorming on a particular topic such as
living/nonliving things.
Share news from home on particular topics such as pets, holiday
celebrations, favorite family activities.
Document oral news in visual form for
portfolio-drawings, murals, collages,
and!or dictated stories that reflect stated
topic.
*This standard is assessed at the local level.
2
Language Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
3.1
General Standard 3: Oral Presentation*
Give oral presentations about personal experiences or interests, using clear enunciation and adequate volume.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
During sharing time, individual children will have an opportunity to
share a personal experience or special interest
Ongoing audio or video tape of
individual children sharing personal
experiences for portfolios
Children will bring in a special item from home such as a teddy bear or
favorite stuffed animal and describe it to their classmates.
Take dictated stories from individual
children about their teddy
bear or stuffed animal to make a class
book, "Our Special Friends".
Take photos of children describing their
special item. Record anecdotal
information on oral presentation for
portfolio.
Assess project using teacher generated
rubric with project specific criteria.
K
Ask children to contribute a special item from home to put into class
box-"Our Special Things". Select items one at a time and ask owner
general questions to help them describe item to class.
Students will create projects related to a theme study in the area of
science or social studies, ie., Native American homes, plant parts. The
project could take the form of a shadow box, diarama, or mobile.
Each week a different student will be selected to be Student of the
Week. Parents will help them select material to share on these topics:
picture, favorite color, toy, food, game, etc. Child will give oral
presentation about personal interests.
Display a picture board with items
selected by each child to describe their
special interests.
*This standard is assessed at the local level.
3
Language Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
4.1
General Standard 4: Vocabulary and Concept Development
Identify and sort common words into various classifications (colors, shapes, and textures).
Assessment
Activity
Pre-K
Use feely box or texture board to name, sort, and categorize various
objects.
Self checking, items color or number
coded.
Use cardboard boxes to set up different types of stores-pet store,
bakery, etc. Children will sort assorted items and act out putting them
for sale in the appropriate store.
Teacher observation and discussion
with students of reasons for sorting
items.
Go for a "shape, color, or texture walk"either indoors or outdoors.
Collect examples of colors, shapes, or textures with camera.
Display photos of shapes, colors, or
textures collected on walk
After drawing a farm scene and a jungle scene, children will sort small
classroom animals into the correct setting.
Teacher observation and discussion
with students of reasons for sorting
animals
During interactive writing, make a list of color words. In the Art
Center, make pictures of classroom items of various colors to add to
the revision of the interactive writing.
Interactive writing sample with color
words and pictures of items correctly
matched.
K
4
Language Strand
Learnin1!; Standards for Grades PreK-2
4.2
Pre-K
K
General Standard 4: Vocabulary and Concept Development
Describe common objects and events in general and specific language.
Activity
Assessment
Select an item from a collection of common items, Identify the item ­
It's an apple. Then identify the item using more specific language - It's
a red apple.
Use tape recorder to record children's
responses. Play back to identify more
specific language.
During shared writing, teacher will make a general list of things that
the children like, ie. I like dogs. On the following day, revise the
shared writing with the children to make it more specific, ie. I like
brown dogs.
Using letter sort tubs of small toys, children will select an item, name
it, and then describe it using specific details.
Revised shared writing with more
specific details.
Play "I Spy" using classroom items that are in full view. Guide
children to give initial clues in general language and to get
oro1!fessivelv more soecific.
Review general classroom schedule using visual cues. Describe each
activity more specifically - what happens at this time, what materials
do we use?
Assess language usage with teacher
designed rubric. Criteria should reflect
use of specific detail.
Teacher observations, anecdotal notesAre children able to correctly identify
items after having more specific cues?
Teacher observation book with pictures
of each center. Teacher will record
students' specific descriptions of each
area.
5
Language Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
5.1
Pre-K
K
General Standard 5: Structure and Origins of Modern English
Use language to express spacial and temporal relationships (up, down, before, after).
Activity
Assessment
Read the book Over, Under, and Through by Tana Hoban. Have the
children demonstrate positional concepts in the book using beanbags.
Review the book and act out sections
with individual children to assess
understanding of positional concepts.
Review visual schedule of daily activities. Discuss what we do
"before" and "after". Scramble pictures and reorder in temporal
sequence.
Observe 1-1 sequencing of schedule
cards.
During daily use of the word wall and calendar, discuss the location of
words and/or dates. Use positional and directional words to locate
particular words and dates.
Observation of individual children to
determine if they are able to locate
specific words and dates using
positional words
Observe and record successful
navigation of obstacle course.
Create an obstacle course in the gym, motor room, or outdoors.
Children must follow spatial and positional directions to navigate the
course successfully.
Create mini books of students' stories that focus on position or
directionality such as Go, Penguins, Go or Rosie's Walk. Children
may highlight positional and directional words.
Review books and monitor for
highlighting of positional words.
6
Language Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
5.2
General Standard 5: Structure and Origins of Modern English
Recognize that the names of things can also be the names of actions (fish, dream, run).
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Make classroom game "Fish for Your Fish". Children may use
magnetic fishing poles to fish for fish with their own name on it.
Anecdotal records on students' activity.
Are they able to distinguish verbally
between the action and the object?
Read and discuss age appropriate stories that feature words that can be
both nouns and verbs, ie. Rainbow Fish.
Act out nonsense skits based on related
stories-the Rainbow Fish Goes Fishing.
Compile ongoing class chart for writing center of color coded words
that can be used as either nouns or verbs. Have children illustrate
pictures to accompany chart.
Organize motor activities that focus on acting out verbs and identifying
words that describe actions. Playas a guessing game similar to
pantomines.
Teacher observation: Are children able
to use words correctly in daily
conversation?
Teacher observation: Are the children
able to accurately guess the pantomined
action and identify the verb orally?
K
7
Language Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
5.3
General Standard 5: Structure and Origins of Modern English
Identify correct capitalization for names and places (Janet, I, George Washington, Springfield), and correct
capitalization and commas in dates (February 24,2001)
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Expose children to capital letters and commas in name charts,
calendars, and poems.
Teacher observation, anecdotal records
Use name cards for attendance and job charts. Encourage children to
find their own name as part of the daily routine.
Performance based observation - Are
individual children able to locate and
identify their own names consistently
as part of daily attendance and job
assignments?
Hard copy of morning message with
highlighted or circled capital letters and
commas
Revised interactive writing piece with
corrected capitals and commas.
K
During morning message, have individual children circle or highlight
capital letters and commas.
While revising interactive writing, have children correct/change lower
case letters to capital letters at the beginning of sentences and in
names.
In writing center, have children glue uncooked macaroni noodles onto
prewritten date card where the commas should be.
Teacher observation: Are noodles glued
correctly in the place of commas?
8
Language Strand
Learnin~ Standards for Grades PreK-2
5.4
Pre-K
General Standard 5: Structure and Origins of Modern English
Identify appropriate end marks (periods, question marks).
Activity
When rereading familiar stories or poems, such as The Little Red Hen,
children will hold up stop sign to indicate end of sentence.
Question of the Day -"Do you like
? Children answer by placing
a happy face or sad face card in pocket chart to complete survey and by
framing? with a framer.
K
Assessment
Performance based observation: Are
individual children able to hold up stop
sign at the correct point in the story or
poem?
Teacher observation: Are children able
to correctly frame?
During shared reading, ask individual children to identify punctuation
in the story and mark it in the big book with a sticker or post-it.
Correctly marked punctuation in big
book.
Have children put. and ? at the end of asking and telling sentences on
white board using magnetic punctuation. This activity can be extended
as a center activity after modeling and practicing in whole group
As a center activity after shared reading, have children mark
punctuation in individual copies of story. Periods and question marks
can be indicated by color coded dots or post- its.
Teacher observation: Are children
placing the correct punctuation at the
end of telling and asking sentences?
Monitor individual copies of books to
determine if punctuation has been
correctly identified and marked.
9
Language Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
6.1
Pre-K
K
General Standard 5: Structure and Origins of Modern English
Identify appropriate end marks (periods, question marks).
Activity
Assessment
Using a variety of both traditional and contemporary literature, expose
children to both formal and informal language
Brainstorm and list examples of formal
and informal language found in both
traditional and contemporary literature.
In dramatic play center, role play different situations that may involve
formal and/or informal language such as: playing outside with friends,
going to the doctor's, being at a church service.
Audio or videotape students role
playing various situations. Replay and
discuss formal and informal language
usage in different situations
Class list of situations children might be
in and what type of language might be
appropriate at each occasion.
During story time, read a variety of stories that utilize both formal and
informal speech: The Talking Eggs, Abuela, Aunt Flossie's Hat,
Chicken Sunday. Discuss why language usage is different in each
situation.
Play recordings of famous speeches such as "I Have a Dream"(MLK).
Highlight formal vocabulary and sentence structure. Discuss how this
soeech may be different than the way MLK sooke at home to family.
View videotapes of traditional fairy tales along with contemporary
versions-ie. Sesame Street. Highlight formal language present in
traditional versions and compare to contemporary retellings.
Video children acting out MLK at home
and while giving a sermon or speech
using formal and informallammaQ:e.
Create class chart to compare language
in both a traditional and contemporary
version of the same story.
10
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnine; Standards for Grades PreK-2
7.1
General Standard 7: Beginning Reading
Demonstrate understanding of the forms and functions of written English. (Concepts of Print)
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Label classroom materials, daily routine charts, and name charts with
written words as well as graphics/photos so that children connect
spoken and written word.
Play movement games that build left to right progression and top to
bottom visual progression such as mazes, step on dot games, sewing
and lacing cards.
K
Teacher will write down children's news as morning message
highlighting concepts of print such as left to right progression, line
sweep, spacing, concept of letter and word.
Children will recreate familiar poems and chants in the poetry center
using cut up sentence strips and models of whole poem.
Teacher observation- Are children able
to return materials to correctly labeled
area, indicate daily routines on written
charts, and identify own name and
classmates's names on name chart?
Teacher will monitor correct playing of
games and model skills as necessary.
Individual children will be asked to
highlight specific concepts of print
contained in writing sample.
This activity can evolve into interactive
writing as the year progresses.
Completed pocket chart with poem
correctly reassembled using left to right
progression, line sweep, and spacing.
11
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
7.2
General Standard 7: Beginning Reading
Demonstrate orally that phonemes exist and that they can be isolated and manipulated.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
While playing a name game, clap out the syllables of children's names
so that phonemes can be identified.
Tape record children clapping out name
syllables
Use familiar rhymes to highlight words that begin or end with similar
sounds. Play rhyming games that substitute different beginning sounds
as children "play" with language
Teacher observation: Are children able
to form new words orally by changing
beginning and ending sounds?
Use children's names as an initial vehicle to develop phonemic
awareness in attendance charts, name books, word wall, and morning
message.
Anecdotal observations: Are children
able to match names and pictures? Do
they use names to find similar
beginning sounds, ie. run starts like
Roberto.
Matching of name cards and work cards
to letters formed on overhead projector.
K
Use overhead projector and magnet letters for children to begin to form
names and/or familiar words from poems and charts.
27
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
7.3
Pre-K
K
General Standard 7: Beginning Reading
Use letter sound knowledge to identify unfamiliar words in print and gain meaning.
Activity
Assessment
Make feely letters of different textures such as glue, sandpaper, yam,
pasta to help children identify individual letters and sounds.
Work samples of individual letters
Create print rich environment in classroom so that letters and sounds
are linked to both the spoken and written word in labels, signs, lists,
and charts
Observe children "reading the room."
Are they able to match written words
with known materials and items? .
Create ongoing individual ABC book in which children add drawings
or magazine cutouts of items that begin with designated letters.
Portfolio sample of individual ABC
book with pictures and/or magazine
cutouts of items matched to appropriate
initial sounds.
Teacher observation: Are children able
to correctly recreate words or sentences
using magnet letters?
In ABC Center, children will use magnet letters or word tiles to
recreate words or sentences.
13
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
8.1
General Standard 8: Understanding a Text
Make predictions using prior knowledge, pictures, and text.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
Using the book Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins, use illustrations to
predict what will happen next to the fox.
Draw a picture from the story that gives
a clue to what will happen next.
Read a series of stories by an author such as Ezra Jack Keats or Marc
Brown. Use prior knowledge of familiar character to predict what
he/she will do in a new situation.
In dramatic play area, role play
situations with familiar characters.
Verbally identify how character would
act- ie. I think this is what Peter would
do.
Hold up stick puppets of nursery rhyme
characters to predict which one will
come next to help.
Confirm predictions using book as
reference.
Use the story The Enormous Watermelon by Joy Cowley to predict
which nursery rhyme character will come next to help using
illustrations as clues.
Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? or The Very
Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Engage the students in predicting
what they will happen next.
14
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin~ Standards for Grades PreK-2
8.2
General Standard 8: Understanding a Text
Retell a main event from a story heard or told.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
After reading The Mitten by Jan Brett, children will act out story in
dramatic play area using character masks.
Video tape dramatic rendition of story
retelling.
Create props in the block area to symbolize the houses of The Three
Little Pigs - straw, sticks, and bricks. Retell story using props.
Perform a dramatic presentation of the
story for another class using created
props and setting.
After reading A Kiss for Little Bear or Corduroy, children will draw
favorite scenes from the story.
Compile a book of "Our Bear Stories"
for the classroom library.
Use flannel board to retell favorite scenes from both traditional and
contemporary classics such as Three Billy Goats, The Tortoise and
The Hare, and Goodnight Moon.
Transfer retellings to class mural of
favorite stories.
15
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
9.1
Pre-K
K
General Standard 9: Making Connections
Identify similarities in plot, setting, and character among the works of an author or illustrator.
Activity
Assessment
Read several of the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel. Discuss
how Frog and Toad act towards each other and how their actions show
friendship.
Use puppets to act out Frog and Toad
stories, making the puppets act just like
Frog and Toad.
Discuss how author Mercer Mayer develops character in his wordless
picture books through the illustrations.
Make a video of a Mercer Mayer book
such as A Boy, A Dog, and A Frog
using only actions and no words.
Compare the settings in many Eric Carle books. Discuss how the
author uses tissue paper to create settings and characters in his books.
Create scenes from favorite Eric Carle
books using tissue paper collage.
Describe the continuing characters in the Arthur series by Marc Brown.
What is each character like?
Use masks of the Arthur characters to
act out scenes from various Marc
Brown books, making sure to "keep in
character."
16
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
9.2
General Standard 9: Making Connections
Identify different interpretations of plot, setting, and character in the same work by different illustrators (alphabet
books, nursery rhymes, counting books).
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Compare Kate Greenway collection of nursery rhymes to Tomie
dePaola's version. Discuss why authors and illustrators choose to
present rhymes differently.
Make list of nursery rhymes that are
class favorites. Represent them in a
classroom mural for display.
, Take photos of everyday objects using a
theme of ABC's or number. Create a
class book in the photo style ofTana
Hoban.
Compare a familiar nursery rhyme such
Collect anthologies of nursery rhymes both classic and contemporary.
as 3 Little KittensJrom two different
Discuss different ways in which familiar rhymes are presented.
sources. Describe orally how they are
alike and different.
Create a classroom collection of counting or ABC books. Compare and Make individual pages of a class
counting or ABC books using a variety
contrast the different ways numbers and counting are presented, ie.
of techniques.
collage, photos, drawings.
Explore the concept books of author Tana Hoban to illustrate using
photos to teach an idea such as number or letter.
K
18
-­
10.1
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin~ Standards for Grades PreK-2
General Standard 10: Genre
Identify differences among the common forms of literature: poetry, prose, fiction, nonfiction (infonnational and
expository), and dramatic literature.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
Laminate copies of book covers. Discuss with children whether these
books are fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.
Children will sort laminated book
covers into categories by genre.
As different books are read during the school year, identify them as
various genres. Discuss the characteristics of each genre as each book
is introduced.
Create an ongoing class mural of
"Books We Have Read." Have different
sections of the mural for various genres.
After a visit to the school library, sort books that children have selected
into fiction and nonfiction groups.
Use hula hoops to create large Venn
Diagrams on rug. Sort books into
"graphic organizer" by genre.
Teacher observation: Are children able
to return books to the correct browsing
box and sort by genre?
Set up class library or browsing boxes in color coded categories that
reflect a variety of genres.
19
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
11.1
General Standard 11: Theme
Relate themes in works of fiction and nonfiction to personal experience.
Activity
Pre-K
Read books that share the common theme of developing self concept
such as A Color ofMy Own by Leo Lionni. Discuss how each child is
umque.
After reading several Mercer Mayer books - Just Me and My Mom,
Just Me and My Dad - discuss the elements that make a family a
family.
K
Assessment
Take photos of each child for individual
books, "I am Special." Children will
illustrate additional pages and dictate
captions to adult for recording.
Role play various family roles in the
dramatic play center.
Share several books on the theme of friendship such as Will You Be
My Friend? and Who Will Be My Friend?
Create a class piece of interactive
writing describing friends.
Read Mine, Mine, Mine by Leo Lionni. Discuss sharing and what
happens when it is hard to share.
Videotape children acting out scenarios
of sharing well and/or having difficulty
sharing. View tapes and discuss.
20
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
12.1
General Standard 12: Fiction
Identify the elements of plot, character, and setting in a favorite story.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
After reading familiar fairy tales such as Three Liule Pigs andThree
Bears, create models of the settings in the block area.
Use models of settings created in the
block area to reenact familiar stories.
Read story to children that has a clearly defined beginning, middle and
end such as Three Billy Goats Gruff.
Children will retell story using flannel
board figures, accurately depicting
beginning, middle, and end of story.
In Roxaboxen by Alice McClerran, children create an imaginary town
using common items such as stones, sticks, and boxes. Plan to create
an imaginary town in the classroom.
Teacher observation: Are the children
able to create a town using common
items? What elements of a town are
present in their creations?
Using masks downloaded from Jan
Brett's web site, children will retell the
plot of The MiUen in correct sequence.
After reading The MiUen by Jan Brett, have the children identify the
order in which the animals crept into the mitten.
21
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
13.1
General Standard 13: Nonfiction
Identify and use knowledge of common textual features (title, headings, captions, keywords, table of contents).
Activity
Pre-K
Using nonfiction books by Aliki and Gail Gibbons, read title to
children and ask them to predict content of book.
Highlight key words emphasized in content area literature. Identify key
words to children as important words on a specific topic. Put key
words on word wall or on word rings.
K
Keep an ongoing class list of nonfiction books read in class citing title
and author.
Demonstrate use and purpose of table of contents in big books used for
content areas such as science and social studies.
Assessment
Children will orally predict content of
book based on title and confinn
predictions after reading the book with
teacher.
Children will use word wall or word
rings as reference and identify words as
being important words about specific
topics, ie. Cat is an animal. We saw
that word in the book about animals.
As a center activity, have children
match title cards and author cards to
real nonfiction books. They may also
sort cards into groups by title and by
author, using the real books as visual
cues.
Children will work in small groups with
big books for science and social studies.
They will try to use table of contents to
find specific sections of text.
22
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
13.2
General Standard 13: Nonfiction
Identify and use knowledge of Common graphic features (illustrations, type size).
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
Demonstrate the use of diagrams in infonnational text to children as in
the illustration of the parts of a cow's body in Milk Makers by Gail
Gibbons.
Children will correctly identify body
parts of a cow using the diagram in
informational text.
Using infonnational magazines such as Zoo Books, read sections on
specific content areas such as animals getting ready for winter to class.
Create class chart of information
learned on specific content area such as
animals getting ready for winter using
interactive writing.
Children will reread text in small
groups, identify words in bold print and
discuss why those words are important
to the text.
Children will sort pictures of items
from informational text into groups as
living or nonliving things.
While reading infonnational text, highlight text that is in bold print for
emphasis.
Using illustrations in content area text, discuss which items are living
and/or nonliving things.
23
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
13.3
General Standard 13: Nonfiction
Make predictions about the content of a text using prior knowledge and text and graphic features.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
When introducing a new nonfiction book, gather infonnation from
children about other books they may have read on the same topic, ie.
plants.
Make an ongoing class list of books
read on certain topics, ie, books on
plants.
Do a picture walk through a new infonnational text, ie., on going to
school, prior to reading to class. Emphasize infonnation that can be
gathered from graphics.
Compile language experience chart
listing things we know about school
from the illustrations of the text.
Before reading an infonnational text, such as Digging for Dinosaurs
by Aliki, gather prior infonnation using the KWL process
Prior to reading the infonnational text
and using the shared writing process,
gather infonnation from the class and
fill in chart, What Do We Know About
Dinosaurs?
Confinn predictions orally after reading
complete nonfiction text on balance.
Stop after reading several pages of infonnational text and record
predictions about what else we willieam on topic, ie, balance
24
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
14.1
General Standard 14: Poetry
Identify a regular beat and similarities of sounds in words in responding to rhythm
and rhyme in poetry.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
Play clapping and chanting games that have a repetitive beat such as
Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?
Teacher observation: Are the children
able to maintain the beat of the chant
while clapping and singing?
After rereading familiar nursery rhymes such as Hickory, Dickory
Dock on chart paper, cover rhyming words with post its. Have children
predict what the covered words are.
Individual children will reread poems
and remove post its from rhyming
words to confirm predictions.
Teach songs that contain nonsense rhymes such as A Hunting We Will
Go and Down By the Bay.
Students will complete nonsense
rhymes with new rhyming patterns such
as "Did you ever see a bear. ....combing
his hair?" or "We'll catch a fox and put
him in a box..."
Establish a poetry center. During center
time, small groups of children can read
and recite familiar poems from charts
and clap out rhythms.
During morning meeting, introduce seasonal and thematic poems as
part of shared reading. Children will reread poems and clap out
rhythms.
25
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
15.1
Pre-K
K
General Standard 15: Style and Language
Identify the senses implied in words appealing to the senses in literature and spoken language
Activity
Assessment
Introduce children to songs and action games that use sensory language
such as Witches Brew by Hap Palmer.
Make a list of "scary mood" descriptive
words in Witches Brew by Hap Palmer.
Describe the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood_who had big ears "all
the better to hear with..." and big eyes "all the better to see with..."
Have students put on fake glasses and
ears to pretend to be the wolf. Tape
record student language describing
what the wolf might see and hear with
his "big" body parts.
Create colorcoded "word splashes" that
list varieties of words that describe
colors using vivid language.
Use skin tone paints and markers to
draw selfportraits. Dictate descriptive
language to teacher to describe self such
as "My skin is the color of warm
toast. .."
Read poetry collections that contain sensory words that describe colors
such as Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O'Neill
After reading Colors ofthe Earth, make a class list of ways the author
describes varieties of skin and hair color such as "Some children have
hair that is bouncy like spring lambs..."
26
Reading and Literature Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
16.1
General Standard 16: Myth, Traditional Narrative, and Classical Literature
Identify familiar forms of traditional literature (Mother Goose rhymes, fairy tales, lullabies) read aloud.
Activity
Pre-K
Students will participate in interactive readalouds of folk tale, The
Gingerbread Man, and chant refrain-"Run, fUll, as fast as you can!
You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"
Read traditional tales from a variety of cultures such as Perez y
Martina from Puerto Rico.
K
Create prop boxes of items that can be used to act out nursery rhymes
such as Jack Be Nimble's candlestick and Mary, Quite Contrary's
watering can.
Create a classroom collection of fairy tales that have different versions
and exist in many cultures such as Cinderella and The Three Pigs:.
Assessment
Record children's choral reading of tale.
Play back in listening center for
children to become familiar with the
story.
During retelling of Perez y Martina, the
children will create the appropriate
animal noises at the correct places in
the story.
Videotape children acting out nursery
rhymes with props in dramatic play
center.
During shared writing, compare and
contrast different versions of traditional
tales. List how they are similar and
different.
27
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
16.2
Pre-K
General Standard 16: Myth, Traditional Narrative, and Classical Literature
Retell or dramatize traditional literature.
Activity
After reading The Little Red Hen, create a prop box of items used in
the story such as planting and baking tools.
Read versions of the traditional "3" stories to class such as Three
Bears, Three Pigs, and Three Billy Goats.
K
Make paper plate masks of pigs and wolf from The Three Pigs.
Share several versions of the traditional tale, The Sun and the North
Wind.
Assessment
Children can use props to recreate The
Little Red Hen in the Family Living
Center, acting out planting and
harvesting the grain and baking the
bread.
Use puppets or flannel board to retell
familiar "3" stories in the Dramatic
Play Center,
Video childrens' version of The Three
Pigs with the children wearing their
masks.
Have small groups of children prepare a
dramatic retelling of The Sun and the
North Wind. Present plays to the whole
class.
28
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
16.3
Pre-K
General Standard 16: Myth, Traditional Narrative, and Classical Literature
Identify and predict recurring phrases (Once upon a time) in traditional literature.
Activity
During shared writing, create a list of phrases that recurr in traditional
literature such as "once upon a time" and "happily ever after."
While reading The Grouchy Ladybug_by Eric Carle, emphasize the
repetitive phrase, "Do you want to fight?"
K
Create recurring phrase cards and attach to tongue depressors. Teacher
will model holding them up at appropriate times during the reading of
traditional stories.
After reading several traditional tales that have recurring phrases such
as "He huffed and he puffed...." and "Trip, Trap, Trip, Trap...",
highlight and identify phrases from each story.
Assessment
Post list of recurring phrases in
Dramatic Play Center. Observe the
children's inclusion of these phrases in
their play.
During rereading of The Grouchy
Ladybug, teacher will pause and
children will join in responding to the
repetitive phrase, "Do you want to
fight?"
While retelling traditional tales in the
Dramatic Play Center, children will
hold up phrase cards such as "once
upon a time" at the appropriate places
in the story.
As a center activity, have children
match sentence strips with repetitive
phrases on them to copies of the
traditional literature that contain the
phrases.
29
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
17.1
Pre-K
General Standard 17: Dramatic Literature
Identify the elements of dialogue and use them in informal plays.
Activity
Place stories that have predictable dialogue such as The Three Bears
or The Three Little Pigs in the Listening Center for children to listen
to and repeat dialogue.
Place puppets that represent characters from familiar stories in
dramatic play area. Children will act out stories using dialogue
appropriate for each character.
K
In the Writing Center, have children match story characters with
dialogue specific speech bubbles.
In the Dramatic Play Center, children will act out family scenarios
using doll houses and play figures that represent family members.
Assessment
Teachers will observe and make
anecdotal notations of children orally
chiming in at points of dialogue during
"Listen and Read " activity.
Videotape children acting out familiar
stories using dialogue.
Teacher observation - have the children
correctly matched the story characters
to the appropriate speed bubbles.
Children will audio tape their acting out
of family scenarios and replay the tapes
to self assess use of dialogue - "How
else could a parent say that?" "Did that
sound like a child talking?"
30
Reading and Literature Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
18.1
General Standard 18: Reading and Performance
Rehearse and perfonn stories, plays, and poems for an audience using eye contact, volume, and clear enunciation
appropriate to the selection.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
During sharing time, encourage students to look at audience when they
speak and to use a voice that is clear and understandable.
Videotape children during sharing time.
Note amount of eye contact and voice
level and clarity.
Read books to the class that encourage a choral response that can be
perfonned such as "Did you milk my cow? Yes, Ma'am!" in the Story
Box Big Book, Yes, Ma 'am.
Perfonn Big Book for another class.
Note children's use of eye contact and
voice level.
During shared writing, establish a class list of criteria for perfonnances
such as:
We look at the audience.
We use clear voices .
Teacher will model and then ask children to demonstrate using big,
medium, and little voices during reading and acting out of stories.
In small groups, have children
exchange roles of audience and
perfonner. Discuss if perfonners are
using class criteria for perfonning.
Teacher observation ofperfonnancesAre children able to use big, medium,
and small voices appropriately in
stories, poems, and plays?
K
31
Composition Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
19.2
General Standard 19: Writing
Dictate sentences for a story and collaborate to put the sentences in chronological order.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Make a classroom book of daily routines with accompanying photos.
During shared writing, make a sentence strip to accompany each part
of the day.
Children will match sentence strips to
photos and put them in the order of the
day.
Children will follow a visual sequence of events with accompanying
sentence strips when completing a cooking activity such as making
fruit salad or pizza.
During Dramatic Play, children will act
out cooking activity using visual and
written directions to follow correct
sequence to prepare food.
Children will read dictated sentence
strips from Make Way for Ducklings
and put them in chronological order in
pocket charts.
Children will reread text during buddy
reading and match sentence strips to
illustrations in the correct sequence.
K
Read Make Way for Ducklings:.. Brainstorm sequence of events in
story. Use sentence strips to collect children's dictation of events.
Use an enlarged version of a wordless picture book such as Pancakes
for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola. Children will dictate sentence strips
to accompany illustrations.
32
Composition Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
19.3
General Standard 19: Writing
Draw pictures and/or use letters or phonetically spelled words to give others infonnation.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
During shared writing, class will use print and pictures to create an
invitation to a school activity that gives infonnation about time and
location of event.
Completed invitations will be sent to
families with infonnation so that they
can attend school event.
Use print and pictures to make a list of class favorites such as: books
we have read, places we have visited.
Children will reread class favorites lists
to confinn infonnation.
Children will use print to label block structures so that others will be
able to identify name and type of structure.
Photos of block structures with
children's identifying labels.
Create a "How To" interactive writing with class on topic such as how
to care for a pet or how to prepare a favorite snack.
Reader is able to reread interactive
writing and understand how to follow
the stated directions.
K
33
Composition Strand
Learnin~ Standards for Grades PreK-2
19.4
General Standard 19: Writing
Dictate sentences for a letter or directions and collaborate to put the sentences in order.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Create a map of the school with words and pictures.
Walk around the school using the map
to confirm directions and locations of
classrooms.
Stock writing center with materials for letter writing - assorted
stationary and envelopes, postcards, stickers and stampers.
Children's letters to each other and staff
During shared writing, children will compose a letter to their parents
with directions on how to get to their classroom for Open House.
Completed invitations with directions
for families
Class will compose thank you letter to special teachers such as art and
music thanking them for activities during the year.
Cut up thank you letter into sentence
strips. Children will decide
collaboratively on the best arrangement
of sentences.
K
34
Composition Strand
Learnin2 Standards for Grades PreK-2
20.1
Pre-K
K
General Standard 20: Consideration of audience and purpose
Use a variety of forms or genres when writing for different purposes.
Activity
Assessment
Children will dictate a script for a puppet show that demonstrates
dialogue and character development.
Tape recording of completed script to
be used in the Dramatic Play Center
Class will write directions during shared writing for parents to follow
in order to complete an arts and crafts activity at Open House.
Photos of families completing activity
at Open House and successfully
following directions
Students will use a variety of materials to write for different purposes
in the writing center - journals, letters, invitations, descriptive writing,
poetry, how to's.
Class will write a group thank you letter after a field trip to thank the
host.
Samples of variety of writing will be
saved for portfolios
Completed thank you letter to field trip
host
35
Composition Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
21.1
General Standard 21: Revising
After writing or dictating a composition, identify words and phrases that could be added to make the thought
clearer, more logical, or more expressive.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
After creating a class web on things we know about families, revisit the
web to determine if more details or information can be added.
Compare original and revised web for
clarity and added details.
Review a class book written earlier in the year. Decide on revisions
that will give more detail and clarify information in the "first edition."
Revised version of class book.
Students will work together to make a class big book on a theme.
Teacher will model techniques to add detail such as descriptive words,
speech bubbles, bold print, and dictated text.
Create class list of other words to use for common words such as
"said" ie-replied, answered, responded.
Finished product-class big book with
added details after revision.
K
Teacher will record observations of
children's extended use of language
both oral and written.
36
Composition Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
22.1
Pre-K
K
General StaIJdard 22: Standard English Conventions
Print upper and lower case letters of the alphabet.
Activity
Assessment
Children will explore letter formation using a variety of writing
utensils, write on boards, magnadoodles, and touch boards, play dough,
and shaving cream.
Teacher observation of children's
explorations of letters. Record
observations for portfolios
After reading Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom~ make an alphabet tree for
the ABC center. Children will match upper and lower case letters as
they attach them to the tree.
Teacher will visually scan alphabet tree
to see if upper and lower case letters are
correctly matched.
Sort upper and lower case magnetic letters. Then match upper case
letters to their lower case "partners"~
Recording sheet of upper and lower
case letters matched
During shared writing, teacher will model letter formation,
directionality, spacing and size.
Children will practice letter formation
during interactive and independent
writing. Journals, writing samples, and
class charts will be saved for portfolios.
37
Composition Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
23.1
General Standard 23: Organizing Ideas in Writing
Arrange events in order when writing or dictating.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
Class will participate in shared writing experience where they list the
steps necessary to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Successful construction of peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches following
directions compiled in shared writing
Children will dictate sequence of familiar story to teacher who will
record sentences on sentence strips.
Children will recreate story in correct
order in Language Center by placing
dictated sentence strips in pocket charts.
After hearing a traditional tale, children will create a "story ladder"
that identifies beginning, middle, and end of story with illustrations
and emerging text.
Completed "story ladders" with
beginning, middle, and end of story
clearly depicted with illustrations
and!or emerging text
Each group will be responsible for
illustrating their assigned section of the
story. Whole class will recreate story in
correct order using illustrations from
each group.
Students will be divided into three groups each assigned to listen for
the beginning, middle, or end of a story that is read to them.
38
Composition Strand
Learnin~ Standards for Grades PreK-2
23.2
Pre-K
K
General Standard 23: Organizing Ideas in Writing
Arrange ideas in a way that makes sense.
Activity
Assessment
Children will take visual cards representing daily classroom activities
and place them in the usual order of daily routine.
Completed line up of visual cards that
represent a typical daily routine in
correct fashion
Students will create whole class big books of stories with predictable
patterns such as Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Did You Hear? and
arrange pages in a way that makes sense.
Completed big book with illustrations
and innovative text that is completed in
a manner that makes sense
Teacher will model writing a story but put the events" scrambled egg"
order. Children will reread story with teacher and suggest order that
makes sense.
Children will dictate steps in a" how to" such as "how to plant seeds"
to teacher who will write steps on sentence strips.
Revised class story in correct sequence
Students will recreate order of project
by placing sentence strips in pocket
chart in correct order.
39
Composition Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
24.1
General Standard 24: Research
Generate questions and gather information from several sources in a classroom, school, or public library.
Activity
Assessment
Pre-K
Children will use alphabet books, word walls and picture cards to
reference letters, words, and beginning sounds.
Child generated ABC books and
dictated word lists-"Words I Know"
Students will assist teacher in setting up classroom library with book
boxes or baskets for different genres of literature.
Children will be able to use beginning
reference skills to find selected
literature as organized by genre.
Children will use classroom magazines such as Zoo BooksJo gather
information on topics being studied.
Oral reports on topics with information
gathered from classroom magazines
After using KWL process in whole group, students will search internet
to locate information on topic being studied-ie. dinosaurs
Illustrated booklet with emergent text
that demonstrates knowledge on
designated topic-ie.,dinosaurs
K
40
Composition Strand
LearninJ?; Standards for Grades PreK-2
25.1
Pre-K
K
General Standard 25: Evaluating Writing and Presentations
Support judgments about classroom activities or presentations.
Activity
Assessment
During sharing time, teacher will model supportive comments such as
"I liked the way you described your trip. You gave a lot of details
about what you saw."
Record instances of child generated
comments that support other student's
presentations.
After viewing a presentation or play, class will dictate a thank you note
that contains specific comments about the production such as "The
characters seemed like real people because...."
Completed thank you note with
comments specific to the presentation.
Teacher will model appropriate questions and comments to pose to
authors during writing workshop such as: I liked your description of...,
Could you give more details about. ..?
During writing workshop, teacher will use specific evaluative
comments regarding student work such as "I like the way you matched
pictures to your words."
Videotape writer's workshop to record
comments and questions used to
evaluate presentations.
Class generated list of specific
comments that help us to improve our
work.
41
Media Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
26.1
General Standard 26: Analysis of Media
Identify techniques used in television (animation, close-ups, wide angle shots, sound effects, music, graphics) and
use knowledge of these techniques to distinguish between facts and misleading information.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
Children will participate in dramatic play around the theme of a
television station using the resources of the Holyoke Children's
Museum to explore television production techniques.
Videotape children's play at the
Children's Museum to play upon return
to school.
Play Sounds ofNature Bingo in either whole or small groups.
Class list of nature sounds identified in
bingo game.
Children will watch animated version of Corduroy and discuss whether Brainstorm list of differences between
animate and inanimate objects.
a stuffed bear could really walk up stairs or think like a human
Children will experiment with an empty automatic zoom lens camera
to explore the technique of close- ups
Sort photos into groups of close-ups
and standard distance.
42
Media Strand
Learning Standards for Grades PreK-2
27.1
General Standard 27: Media Production
Create radio scripts, audiotapes, or videotapes for display or transmission.
Activity
Pre-K
K
Assessment
Students will audiotape themselves reciting favorite nursery rhymes
and poems.
Replay poems and rhymes to chant
along with in Listening Center.
Videotape daily class activities such as morning meeting, centers,
lunch, and outdoor play.
Present video, Our Preschool Day, at
Family Night.
Take a building walk and audiotape the "sounds of our school."
Play tape back at circle time and
identify building sounds and where they
occurred.
Make book review video available in
the library for other classrooms to
check out and view.
Videotape reviews of favorite children's books in the style of Reading
Rainbow.
43
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ahlberg, Allan and Janet. The Jolly Postman. Little Brown, 200l.
Barrett, Judi. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Aladdin, 1982.
Brett, Jan. Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Putnam, 1996.
Carle, Eric. Have You Seen My Cat? Aladdin, 1997
dePaola Tomie. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. Putnam, 1996.
Fleming, Maria. 25 Emergent Reader Mini Books, "Go, Penguins, Go", Scholastic,1997.
Dorros, Arthur. Abuela. Picture Puffins, Puffin, 1997.
Galdone, Paul. The Little Red Hen. Clarion, 1985.
Gynne, Fred. The King Who Rained. Aladdin, 1988.
Hoban, Tana. Over, Under, and Through. Simon & Schuster, 1973.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald and Ransome, James. Aunt Flossie's Hat (and Crab Cakes Later). Clarion, 1995.
Hutchins, Pat. Rosie's Walk, Aladdin, 1971.
Jones, Carol. The Lion and the Mouse. Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
Parrish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia. Harper Trophy, 2003.
Pfister, Marcus. Rainbow Fish, North -South, 1992.
San Souci, Robert and Pinkney, Jerry. The Talking Eggs. Dial, 1989