K-5
1st Quarter
K-5
2nd Quarter
K-5
3rd Quarter
K-5
4th Quarter
Learn about the following MyView topics!
What follows are the skills taught for each grade K-5 in each of the 5 Units. This includes reading, writing, spelling, language & conventions, phonics, vocabulary, and phonological awareness.
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Our new curriculum is rigorous. It is thorough when teaching our students foundational reading and writing skills through explicit instruction. Because of the high expectations of what students are learning and doing, students may find it difficult until they get used to it. All that we teach in literacy is from the VA Standards of Learning, These new standards (SOL), which are also rigorous, are taught through our curriculum, MyView.
Another part of the increased rigor includes the fact that our students are writing all the time! Students write in reading and in writing. They are writing vocabulary and spelling words. While it is wonderful for students to write a lot, writing is one of the most complicated and taxing things for a student to do. The act of writing by hand is a complex skill that goes beyond the simple act of putting pen to paper. It involves a symphony of cognitive, perceptual, and motor skills that intricately work together.
Finally, another reason MyView is so rigorous is the fact that we are asking students to do a lot of thinking! We are teaching children the process of thinking about what they are reading and writing and then being able to communicate that to us through speech and writing.
There are 5 Units for each grade in K-5 and each Unit has a different topic that connects to science or social studies content.
The Units are 6 weeks long. The first 5 weeks follow the same routine for Lessons 1-5 (see images below of the Reading Block Road Map). On lesson 5, there will be a spelling check and Progress Check-Up to make sure the students have learned the content of the week. Directly below is an example of a unit's flow.
The last 6th week is a project-based inquiry week where students combine all their literacy learning and create an end product.
In order for students to comprehend or understand a text, they must first be able to read the words. This is what we call decoding. After they can decode, or read, all the words, they need to be able to read them fluently. Once they read fluently, they can focus on the vocabulary, or meaning of the words, and then, finally, understanding the entire text.
Fluency is often a missed step when learning to read in Grades 1 -5. Reading fluency is the ability to read with accuracy (reading the words correctly), speed (not too fast and not too slow), and expression (like you talk, not a robot). It's a key component of literacy that helps readers understand what they're reading.
One way you can help your student become more fluent is by having them read to you often! As they are reading, provide them feedback on how they did using this kid friendly rubric. You can also have them self assess how they read.
Another way you can help your student become more fluent is by having them do Timed Repeated Readings.
1) Have a student read a short text out loud.
2) Next, have your student read the same text but this time keep track of how many words your student read correctly in one minute. Tell your student that you will time their reading for one minute.
3) After one minute, work together to figure out how many words your student read correctly by counting the total number of words read and subtract the number of words read incorrectly. For example, if the total was 65 words and 5 words were not read correctly, 5 would be subracted from 65. That means the student read 60 words correct per minute (60 wcpm).
4) Have your student read the same selection 2-3 times and record their best score on the Fluency Progress Graph for the week. Over time, your student's fluency rate should increase! Below are the Fluency norms or goals by the end of the year.
Kid Friendly Fluency Rubric
Fluency Progress Graph
Writing is a big focus for the units! Each unit focuses on a different writing genre and the students work through the writing process for the first 5 weeks. Here is the routine below.
In the 6th week, students write or create a different product to showcase their learning for the unit.
Not only do students write, but students also learn language and convention skills as well as spelling and handwriting.
Trace, copy, cover, closed (TCCC) is a multisensory practice activity that helps students learn to spell words through visual and muscle memory. It's a popular technique in the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach:
Trace: Students trace the word three times.
Copy: Students copy the word three times while looking at the traced word.
Cover: Students cover the word and spell it from memory three times.
Closed: Students flip the paper over and write the word three times with their eyes closed.
More information can be found here. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/early-literacy-development/articles/five-guidelines-learning-spelling-and-six-ways
What follows are resources to support your child with learning manuscript and cursive. Have your child circle the BEST letter!
Lower Case Manuscript Practice
Uppercase Letter Manuscript Practice
Cursive Practice
Each student is given a student interactive. The student interactive is like a workbook that looks more like a magazine. It houses all of the stories the class reads, anchor charts about what they are learning, and assignments that are completed in class for both reading and writing. Student Interactives are not sent home. However, pages from it may be coming home and at the end of the Unit or several Units, it will be sent home.
Progress Check-Ups: These occur at the end of each week on Lesson 5. They include questions on vocabulary, word study or phonics, and comprehension.
Unit Tests: These occur at the end of the unit, so week 5, and include all the things taught during that unit. This includes reading comprehension, word study or phonics, and grammar.
Writing: In each unit, the students work on writing with guidance from the teacher. During week 5, the students write that genre by themselves. This is graded with a rubric and teachers share feedback with the student.
If you have questions, ideas, or praise, please reach out!
We can chat over the phone, send emails, or schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting.
Haley Cooprider
Elementary Instructional Literacy and Preschool Coordinator: PreK-5th Grade and Dyslexia Advisor
call (757) 357-0758 or email hcooprider@iwcs.k12.va.us