Thursday, March 28, 2024, 8:35 AM
Site: Learnbps
Class: BPSS (ELA) English Language Arts Standards (S-ELA)
Glossary: K Grade English
PRIORITIZED STANDARDS

ELA-00.L

Narrative for the Language Strand:

As they move through formal schooling, students must gain control over the many conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics. They must also learn various ways to convey meaning effectively. Language standards include the rules of standard written and spoken English as well as the use of language as craft and informed choice among alternatives. The vocabulary standards focus on understanding words and phrases (their relationships and nuances) and acquiring new academic and domain-specific vocabulary. 

English grammar conventions, knowledge of language, and vocabulary extend across reading, writing, speaking, and listening and, in fact, are inseparable from these contexts. As students grow in their understanding of patterns of English grammar, they can use this knowledge to make more purposeful and effective choices in their writing and speaking and more accurate and rich interpretations in their speaking and listening. 

Kindergarten students learn to recognizeand write upper and lower case letters and when to use capital letters in writing. Students also learn about basic punctuation marks, how to verbally use singular and plural nouns, and verbs in the past, present and future tense.

How to help your child with the standards in the Language Strand:

  • Help your child understand the relationship between letters (upper and lowercase) and sounds by helping them print the alphabet letters.
  • Help your child recognize words that start with a capital, and notice the how the begining word of a sentence begins with a capital when reading favorite books.
  • Use words like in, out, under, around, on top of, for, by, with........
  • Help your child understand that adding -s or -es makes a word plural, and that adding beginnings and endings like -ed and -ing changes the word.
  • Encourage your child to sort words into categories like foods, birds, colors
  • Show your child opposites like hot/cold, big/small, smile/frown
  • Help your child find and use words that have similar meanings like cold/frosty/icy/frigid
  • Encourage your child to use new words that he/she hears, adding to his/her vocabulary

Resources

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

ELA-00.L.02

ELA Language Strand Logo Kindergarten (ELA) Targeted Standard
(L) Strand: Language
Cluster: Conventions of Standard English

ELA-00.L.02 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

Sub-Standards:

Introduce:
a. Recognize and name end punctuation.
b. Use end punctuation for sentences.
c. Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
d. Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions
e. Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words.
f. Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed and/or using spelling patterns and generalizations (e.g., word families, position-based spelling, syllable patterns, ending rules, meaningful word parts).

Display proficiency in:
g. Capitalize the first word in a sentence and the pronoun I.
h. Write a letter or letters for most consonant and short-vowel sounds (phonemes).
i. Spell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.

ELA-00.RF

Narrative for Reading Foundations Strand:

The Foundational Skill standards are directed toward fostering students' understanding and working knowledge of:

Concepts of Print:  Recognizing the features print (ex. how to hold a book, knowing where to start reading....)

Phonological Awareness:  Understanding how spoken words work (rhyming, hearing the individual sounds in words such as the first sound in the word cat is /c/).

Phonics and Word Study:  The relationship between letters and sounds in language.  Students will learn to recognize high-frequency words (ex. I, and, go, is, the) automatically. 

Fluency:  The ability to read smoothly and expressively, and in kindergarten students will participate in shared reading experiences and hear teachers reading aloud.  This helps kindergarteners understand that we read with purpose and understanding. 

How to help your child at home with the foundational skill strand:

  • Re-read favorite books to build awareness of how print works 
  • Have your child play matching games with alphabet letters (matching upper to lowercase)
  • Point out and read billboards, signs, package labels and any other print encountered, pointing out letters
  • Play rhyming games together in the car (What rhymes with tree?)
  • Play word games, taking turns saying syllables and the partner guesses the word (el-e-phant=elephant)
  • Discuss which letters and letter combinations go with which sounds in what you and your child are reading
  • Help your child to decode (take apart) common words so that he/she becomes familiar with how to sound words out
  • Have your child find high-frequency words in magazines or newspapers (kindergarteners work on recognizing 75 words automatically by the end of the year)
  • Read higher levels of text to your child so that he/she can hear you read with accuracy, appropriate speed, and expression

Resources

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

ELA-00.RF.01

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Print Concepts

ELA-00.RF.01 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
GoogleDrive logoTeacher Proficiency Scale

Sub-Standards:

a. Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.
b. Recognize spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.
c. Understand words are separated by spaces in print.
d. Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can hold a book correctly.
  • I can recognize that books are read from left to right and top to bottom.
  • I can recognize that letters make up words.

Reasoning Targets

  • I can recognize that words are separated by spaces before and after them.
  • I can recognize the difference between upper- and lowercase letters.

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Proficiency Scale

The student can ...
1 Beginning
... with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes (Score 2.0 content) and some of the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
Novice
2 Developing
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • recognize or recall specific terminology, such as:
    • letter, word, sentence, space, uppercase, lowercase, left, right, top, bottom, tracking, 
  • perform basic processes, such as:
    • (a) shows where to start reading, where to go next
    • (a) knows left page/right page (where to start)
    • (b) identify the number of words in the sentence
    • (c) know the difference between a letter, word and sentence
    • (d) recognize all uppercase letters
    • (d)recognize all lowercase letters
3 Proficient
“The Standard.”
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations.
  • demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print:
    • follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page
    • recognize spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters
    • understand words are separated by spaces in print
    • recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet
4 Advanced
... demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.
Complex

Resources

Vocabulary

  • Alphabet
  • Uppercase letter
  • Lowercase letter
  • Right side up
  • Left
  • Right
  • Order
  • Word

Websites

ELA-00.RF.01.p1

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarten (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Print Concepts

ELA-00.RF.01 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
ELA-00.RF.01.p1 Part 1
  • d. Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale LDI Curriculum ResourcesCurriculum Resources

ELA-00.RF.01.p2

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Print Concepts

ELA-00.RF.01 Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
ELA-00.RF.01.p2 Part 2
  • a) Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page

  • b) Recognize spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.

  • c) Understand words are separated by spaces in print.


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RF.02

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarten (ELA) Targeted Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonological Awareness

ELA-00.RF.02 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes)
GoogleDrive logoTeacher Proficiency Scale

Sub-Standards:

a. Recognize and produce rhyming words.
b. Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words.
c. Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words.
d. Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/).
e. Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, single-syllable words to make new words.

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can recognize words that begin with the same sound (dog/dish).
  • I can recognize words that end with the same sound (man/tin).
  • I can recognize words that have the same middle sound (pen/bet).

Reasoning Targets

  • I can

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can take apart a word and tell you the beginning sound, middle sound and ending sound.

Proficiency Scale

The student can ...
1 Beginning
... with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes (Score 2.0 content) and some of the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
Novice
2 Developing
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • recognize or recall specific terminology, such as:
    • rhyming word, syllable, blend, segment, vowel, consonant, substitute
  • perform basic processes, such as:
    • (a) recognize rhyming word pairs or sets
    • (b) blend and pronounce syllables in a word
    • (c) blend onset-rime in words
    • (d) isolate the initial sound in CVC words
    • (d) isolate the final sound in CVC words
    • (e) discriminate between words with same or different initial sounds
3 Proficient
“The Standard.”
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations.
  • demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes):
    • (a) recognize and produce rhyming words
    • (b) count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words
    • (c) blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words
    • (d) isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/)
    • (e)add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, single-syllable words to make new words
4 Advanced
... demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.
Complex

Resources

Vocabulary

  • Beginning sound
  • Middle sound
  • Ending sound
  • Phoneme
  • Sound
  • Vowel
  • Letter

Websites

ELA-00.RF.02.p1

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonological Awareness

ELA-00.RF.02 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes)
ELA-00.RF.02.p1 Part 1
  • a) Recognize and produce rhyming words


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RF.02.p2

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonological Awareness

ELA-00.RF.02 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes)
ELA-00.RF.02.p2 Part 2
  • b) Count, pronounce, blend and segment syllables in spoken words


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RF.02.p3

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonological Awareness

ELA-00.RF.02 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes)
ELA-00.RF.02.p3 Part 3
  • c) Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words.

  • d) Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/).

  • e) Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, single-syllable words to make new words


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RF.03

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonics and Word Recognition

ELA-00.RF.03 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
GoogleDrive logoTeacher Proficiency Scale

Sub-Standards:

a. Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.
b. Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five vowel sounds.
c. Decode and use CVC words.
d. Read common high-frequency words by sight.
e. Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Student Learning Targets:

Knowledge Targets

  • I can identify the five major vowels.

Reasoning Targets

  • I can

Skills (Performance) Targets

  • I can say the most common sound of each consonant.
  • I can say the long and short vowel sounds for each vowel.
  • I can blend the sounds of the letters to read a word.
  • I can read common words without having to sound them out.

Proficiency Scale

The student can ...
1 Beginning
... with help, demonstrates a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes (Score 2.0 content) and some of the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • Novice
2 Developing
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but exhibits major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes (Score 3.0 content).
  • recognize or recall specific terminology, such as:
    • letter names, letter sounds, word, sight words, decode, blend, sound out, consonant, vowel
  • perform basic processes, such as:
    • (a) demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant
3 Proficient
“The Standard.”
... demonstrates no major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and processes that were end of instruction expectations.
  • (b) associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five vowel sounds
  • (c) decode and read CVC words
  • (d) read common high-frequency words by sight
  • (e) distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ
4 Advanced
... demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications regarding more complex material that go beyond end of instruction expectations.
  • transfer phonics / decoding skills to authentic reading and writing

Resources

Vocabulary

  • Sound
  • Consonant
  • Letter
  • Short Vowel
  • Long Vowel
  • High-Frequency Word
  • Read

ELA-00.RF.03.p1

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonics and Word Recognition

ELA-00.RF.03 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
ELA-00.RF.03.p1 Part 1
  • a) Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.

  • b) Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RF.03.p2

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonics and Word Recognition

ELA-00.RF.03 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
ELA-00.RF.03.p2 Part 2
  • c) Decode and use CVC words.

  • e) Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RF.03.p3

ELA Reading Foundations Strand Logo Kindergarden (ELA) Targeted Sub-Standard
(RF) Strand: Reading Foundations/Skills
Cluster: Phonics and Word Recognition

ELA-00.RF.03 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
ELA-00.RF.03.p3 Part 3
  • d) Read common high-frequency words by sight


proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RI

Narrative for Informational Reading Strand:

The primary purpose of informational text (non-fiction) is to inform the reader about the natural or social world. Different from literaure (fiction), informational text does not utilize characters.  In this strand students are expected to determine the topic (who or what the text is about).  Students will also ask and answer questions about the topic of the text and retell what they read. 

Informational text offers a variety of structures to assist the readers in finding information quickly and efficiently. These might include a table of contents, bold or italicized text, gloassaries, embedded definitions for specialized vocabulary, realistic illustrations of photos, captions and other labels, and graphs and charts. 

Continued work on reading comprehension standards will heighten student abilities to read more age appriopriate informational (non-fiction) text.  Teachers use assessment and observation to determine if students are ready to progress to more challenging reading selections.  Each child is unique, so be flexible, and trust your judgment as you assist your child.  Together teachers and parents can help students make better choices when selecting books to read.  Our youngest readers benefit from rereading text and text with high repetition.  Although levels of reading determined through observation and assessment are valuable, caution is important in not confining children to a text level.  Young readers can progress through levels of text quickly, but not all children progress at the same pace, which is expected.  Increasing the frequency of reading is the highest predictor of success at any grade level. Building a child’s confidence, through successful experiences with reading, will encourage that desire to read more. Developing successful, life-long readers is our ultimate goal.

 

How to Help Your Child At Home with the Informational Text Strand:

  • Ask questions about the topic being read (What does this book tell us about bears?)
  • Go beyond just naming the topic, ask your child to tell you details about the topic 
  • Have your child retell the information on the topic they read about
  • Re-read favorite books to build fluency, comprehension and confidence
  • Discuss the informational topics you read about
  • Read aloud frequently.  Children love to listen to non-fiction stories that are more complicated than they can read on their own
  • Bring attention to bold wordscaptions and  glossaries that will help locate key facts or information in a text
  • Read magazines and newspapers for information and entertainment - the pictures and current event topics offer a high-interest way for readers to attemp more difficult reading than they may in a book
  • Read directions on packages, forms, games and recipes - this helps children see that we read many things to gain information
  • Make regular visits to a public library to select informational (non-fiction) reading material

 

Resources

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

ELA-00.RI.01

ELA Reading Informational Strand Logo Kindergarten (ELA) Targeted Standard
(RI) Strand: Reading Informational/Nonfiction
Cluster: (RI) Key Ideas and Details

ELA-00.RI.01 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key/supporting details in a text.

proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.RL

Narrative for Literature Strand:

Reading literature (fiction) allows students to learn about other lives and times that relate to their own personal experiences. In this strand, students will ask and answer questions about key details (characters, setting, plot), along with retelling what they have read.  Literature (fiction) helps readers learn important life lessons through the lives of the characters, comparing their own experiences with the experiences of the characters they read about. Reading literature (fiction) allows us to learn to appreciate the beauty of the language, and to be articulate speakers and writers.  

Continued work on reading comprehension standards will heighten student abilities to read more complex literature (fiction) text.  Teachers use assessment and observation to determine if students are ready to progress to more challenging reading selections.  Each child is unique, so be flexible, and trust your judgment as you assist your child.  Together teachers and parents can help students make better choices when selecting books to read.  Our youngest readers benefit from rereading text and text with high repetition.  Although levels of reading determined through observation and assessment are valuable, caution is important in not confining children to a text level.  Young readers can progress through levels of text quickly, but not all children progress at the same pace, which is expected.  Increasing the frequency of reading is the highest predictor of success at any grade level. Building a child’s confidence, through successful experiences with reading, will encourage that desire to read more. Developing successful, life-long readers is our ultimate goal.

Continued work on reading comprehension standards will heighten student abilities to read age appropriate literature (fiction) text.  Teachers use assessment and observation to determine if students are ready to progress to more challenging reading selections.  Each child is unique, so be flexible, and trust your judgment as you assist your child.  Together teachers and parents can help students make better choices when selecting books to read.  Our youngest readers benefit from rereading text and text with high repetition.  Although levels of reading determined through observation and assessment are valuable, caution is important in not confining children to a text level.  Young readers can progress through levels of text quickly, but not all children progress at the same pace, which is expected.  Increasing the frequency of reading is the highest predictor of success at any grade level. Building a child’s confidence, through successful experiences with reading, will encourage that desire to read more. Developing successful, life-long readers is our ultimate goal.

 

 

How to Help Your Child At Home with the Literature Strand:

  • Read to your child often, and let him/her read books to you as they emerge as a reader
  • Ask questions about what is being read  
  • Go beyond just naming the character and setting, have your child describe the characters and settings with details (ex. "What character traits did the characters have?" (kind, mean, creative, patient, messy)? How do you know?)
  • Have your child retell a story they have read with the beginning, middle and end
  • Discuss favorite stories together and talk about the characters and details about the characters
  • Read aloud frequently.  Children love to listen to stories that are more complicated than they can read on their own.  
  • Don't forget - poetry can be a great read aloud
  • Make regular visits to a public library to select literature (fiction) reading material

 

Resources:

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

ELA-00.RL.01

ELA Reading Literature Strand Logo Kindergarten (ELA) Targeted Standard
(RL) Strand: Reading Literature/Fiction
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details

ELA-00.RL.01 With prompting and support, Ask and answer questions about key/supporting details in a text before, during, and after reading.

proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.SL

Narrative for the Speaking and Listening Strand:

Speaking and listening standards require students to develop a range of oral communication and interpersonal skills that facilitate various types of discussion and oral exchange. Students must learn to work together, express and listen carefully to ideas, and integrate information from various sources, (e.g., oral, visual, quantitative, and media). Students must also gain skills in evaluating what they hear, use various sources to support what they are communicating, and adapt their speech to the content and the task at hand. 

Speaking and listening skills are necessary prerequisites for reading and writing. Oral language development precedes and is the foundation for writing. A student’s listening and speaking vocabulary sets boundaries on what that student can read and understand no matter how well they decode. In addition, new technologies have expanded the role speaking and listening play in acquiring and sharing ideas, tightening their link with other forms of communication.
 

Students in kindergarten participate in discussions with peers and adults about grade level topics and texts they have heard read aloud or presented orally or through other media. They learn and practice rules of discussion such as taking turns and listening to others. They ask and answer questions about key details in texts and other information presented orally. They also use questioning to acquire additional information and to clarify something that is not understood. 

How to help your child with the Speaking and Listening Standards:

  • At dinner time or in the car, have conversations with your child to allow him/her to practice the art of conversation
  • Respond to your child in sentences to model for him/her the correct way to talk
  • Ask for details about books, movies, and television shows you are viewing with your child
  • Ask your child to tell you in his/her own words about what he/she hears and sees
  • Encourage your child to describe his/her feelings and ideas in phrases and sentences that are more descriptive than just one word
  • Use complete sentences when you talk to your child and encourage him/her to speak in the same way

Resources

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

ELA-00.SL.01

ELA Speaking and Listening Strand Logo 00 Grade (ELA) Targeted Standard
(SL) Strand: Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Comprehension and Collaboration

ELA-00.SL.01 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
a. Follow agreed upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.

proficiency scale iconProficiency Scale

ELA-00.W

Narrative for the Writing Strand:

The standards in this strand include three kinds of writing: opinion, informative, and narrative. Opinion and informative writing will likely start with kids reading one or more books and responding to what they’ve learned. In an opinion piece, your child introduces the book or topic he’s writing about, states his opinion or preference about it, gives a reason or two to support his opinion (e.g. Goldilocks was wrong to go into the home of the 3 bears.)  The kindergarten writer is also learning to use conclusions.

In an informative piece, your child names what he’s writing about and gives some information, facts, or details about it (e.g. Dogs bark and come in many sizes).

Writing a narrative is like writing a story, and your child’s story may be inspired by books, experiences, or pure imagination. Your child's story should describe an events with some details about the event  (e.g. I went to the circus and I saw a clown) and give some sense of the story coming to an end (It was fun).

In kindergarten written language skills are emerging. Students will be using thier inventive spelling as they emerge as writers (bunny may first be spelled with the beginning sound "b" or spelled "bne"). Written language skills are addressed in the Language standards strand.  

 

How can I help my child at home with the writing strand standards?

  • Let your child see you write - notes, letters, memories.  Read aloud what you have written.
  • Establish a place to leave messages for each other such as a wipe-off or cork board (your child may draw you a picture message to begin with)
  • Talk with your child about their opinion about a topic or book by stating the opinion and giving a reason for his/her thinking“My favorite book is … because …”.   Model this by giving your own opinions about topics or books.
  • Have your child write/draw about a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and find a way to close/end the piece.  
  • Help your child see that order is important in writing about a story or happening, using a proper sequence of events.
  • Help your child to use the computer, pens, crayons, paint, etc. to produce and publish what he/she has written/drawn.  Have them read aloud what they have written.
  • Do simple research about a given topic together – write down the facts and details you find about the topic
  • Help your child to recall information about his/her own experiences, or what he/she has read or researched, to answer questions

 

Resources

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.