We Are Readers

This unit supports students in building routines and navigating through the beginning stages of reading. They will be exposed to high interest nonfiction books and emergent storybooks. Children will…

• learn classroom routines for reading workshop

• fall in love with reading

• begin to read on their own using pictures

• learn to read in a storytelling voice

You’ll see emergent story books coming home during this unit (i.e. Three Billy Goats Gruff).

Emergent Reading: Looking Closely at Familiar Texts

This unit gives students more time to gain a deeper understanding of a story and a stronger sense of language. It strengthens their willingness to read and builds reading confidence. Children will…

• read emergent storybooks (i.e. Billy Goats Gruff, Carrot Seed, etc.)

• look closer at the books they read to learn more and say more

• practice using early literacy behaviors (leveled text shared in class)

• read books using pictures and words

• perform emergent storybooks students know very well

Super Powers

This unit looks more like conventional reading. Students point to and read the words/patterns in their books.

• Children will use superpowers to become better readers: snap word power, picture power

You’ll see early leveled books coming home during this unit (most students will be taking home A/B books). The books follow a pattern. Children should touch each word as they read and they should use the picture to figure out “tricky” words. They will continue to practice letter/sounds and sight words regularly.

Bigger Books, Bigger Reading Muscles

In this unit, students will continue to use their conventional reading strategies and grow them. They will strengthen their reading super powers to read harder books. Children will …

• learn superpowers to become even better readers (i.e. pattern power, sound power)

• use their knowledge of letters and sounds to figure out unknown words. They will still use the picture, but make sure that the first letter matches the sound they say (i.e. picture of a dog but the word says puppy)

Becoming Avid Readers

In this unit we celebrate students being avid readers (people who love reading and read all sorts of things). Children’s comprehension will continue to grow. Children will…

• read for longer periods of time (build stamina)

• read a combination of fiction, non-fiction and poetry

• engage in beginning book clubs

Growing Expertise in Little Books: Reading FOr Information

This nonfiction reading unit will help students to read, think, and gain information about the world. Children will tackle big kindergarten reading questions like: What was this book about? What did it teach me? What can I teach someone else about this book? Children will…

• learn to ask questions about their books to learn more

• work with their partners to teach each other about the topics learned in their books

• learn new topic-specific vocabulary in the books they read

• learn more from looking closely at the pictures

• compare and contrast books on the same topic

Giving the Gift of Reading

This unit encourages the orchestration of accuracy, fluency and comprehension. Children will…

• choose specific books to share with a classmate

• learn to use content, genre and language of a book to improve fluency

• learn to stop at trouble while reading and use all they have learned to check their trouble

• spend time planning for a reading presentation for their partner

Launching the Writing Workshop

This unit supports students in building routines for writing workshop and beginning writing. Children will…

• • learn classroom routines for writing workshop

  • fall in love with writing and become authors

  • write both fiction and nonfiction (informational) pieces

  • generate topics, draw pictures to match their topic, and approximate writing

  • learn to self-assess their writing

  • publish a piece of writing

Show & Tell: From Labels to Pattern Books

In this unit, children will be writing informational pieces. Children will…

• begin to use their knowledge of letters/sounds to label their drawings

• build their volume by writing as much as they can about their topic

• write pattern books to mimic the books they are reading (i.e. Look at the presents. Look at the cake. Look at the hats.)

• studying how sentences look

• creating an ending to their books

Launching & Writing for Readers

In this unit, children will be writing more conventionally by writing personal narratives (true stories about their lives). Children will…

• be reading and writing with letter/sounds

• write a story across pages

• practice rereading their own writing

• begin to write more conventionally

• revise/edit their own writing to make it even better

• publish their writing

Persuasive Writing of all Kinds

This unit instills in children that their words are powerful. The children look for problems that need “fixing” and use their words to make it better. Children will…

• write letters, poetry, signs, songs, and/or petitions to persuade

• state their opinion

How to Books: Writing to Teach Others

This is a procedural writing (nonfiction) unit. Students will be writing pieces to teach. Children will…

• use ordinal words (first, then, next, last) in their writing

• draw/write steps for how to do something (i.e. how to brush your teeth…how to make a turkey sandwich)

• think about their audience when writing

All About Books

This unit is an informational writing unit. Children will write about topics they know a lot about. Children will…

• use all they’ve learned about planning, drafting, revising, editing and publishing to write nonfiction

• publish books that have more details than in their previous writing

• increase independence in writing

• experiment with text features (headings, diagrams, etc.)

Crafting Stories: Using All We Know About Narrative Writing

This is a narrative writing unit. Children will write true stories about a time in their lives. Children will…

• write a story across multiple pages and stay on topic

• create stories that have a beginning, middle, and end

• plan their story by orally rehearsing

• write more and more (increase volume/stamina)