Kindergarten ELA Curriculum Focuses on Nature

Isaac School District No. 5
English Language Arts Curriculum Map: Kindergarten

Unit 6: Wonders of Nature: Plants, Bugs, and Frogs - In this unit, students enjoy reading emergent-reader informational texts and
listening as picture books by Eric Carle and Robert McCloskey are read aloud.
Overview: They build on the phonological and phonemic work done all year in Kindergarten by reading with the support of teachers and
peers. Focusing on relationships among ideas in texts, students see growth and change through the lens of both fiction and informational
texts. Learning about “cause and effect,” students recognize interactions in nature and note the role that people can play in preserving
nature. Students read about Monet, an artist who was inspired by the wonder of nature, as an introduction to revision in the creative
process. Extension: Teachers introduce the work of Monet or other artists who were inspired by the wonder of nature, as an introduction
to revision in the creative process.
Big Ideas: Essential Questions: Vocabulary:

Good readers use many strategies when What is a good reader? creative
they read. different
Why do people read and write? explain
Learners share what they learn to help explanatory writing
others. Why is it important to share what we know revision
and learn? similar
Writers share their knowledge so readers opposites
can learn. antonyms

ELA Standards/ELP Standards: Sample Activities/Assessments
Reading Foundations (RF)
K.RF.1 Demonstrate understanding of the
organization and basic features of print.

I-R-1 The students will demonstrate
understanding of print concepts of the
English language.

BOLD: ELA Focus Standards Underlined Vocabulary = Tier 2 Words Adapted from Common Core Curriculum Maps, 2010.
Italics: ELP Standards *ELD Methodology
(ELP Direct Alignment) 7-13-2011
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K.RF.1d Recognize and name all the upper- *Language Warm-Up (I-R-2(D): HI-1; I-LS-2: HI-1)
and lower-case letters of the alphabet.

I-R-2(D): HI-1: Naming all upper and lower-
case letters of the alphabet with different
fonts out of sequence.

I-LS-2: HI-1: Naming upper and lower-case
alphabet letters in random order with
accurate pronunciation.

K.RF.2 Demonstrate understanding of
spoken words, syllables, and sounds
(phonemes).

I-R-2(PA) The students will identify and
manipulate the sounds of the English
language and decode words, using
knowledge of phonics, syllabication, and
word parts.

K.RF.2a Recognize and produce rhyming
words.

I-R-2: LI-4: Producing rhyming words in
response to an oral prompt.

I-LS-2: HI-10: Producing rhyming words
and short, simple, rhyming phrases and
songs using accurate pronunciation as well
as expressive phrasing and intonation.

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K.RF.2b Count, pronounce, blend, and
segment syllables in spoken words.

1-R-2(PA): HI-3: Blending two or three
spoken syllables to produce words.

K.RF.2c Blend and segment onsets and
rimes of single-syllable spoken words.

I-R-2(PA): HI-4: Orally forming words by
substituting simple onsets (/c/) with given
rimes (/at/).

K.RF.2d Isolate and pronounce the initial,
medial vowel, and final sounds
(phonemes) in three-phoneme
(consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC)
words.* (This does not include CVC
words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

I-R-2(PA): HI-2: Orally producing groups of
words that begin with the same initial
sounds.

I-LS-2: HI-3: Producing initial and final
sounds of words using accurate articulation.

I-LS-2: HI-4: Producing and blending the
initial, medial and final sounds of CVC
words using accurate articulation and
pronunciation.

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initial, medial and final sounds of grade-
appropriate words using accurate
articulation and pronunciation.

K.RF.2e Add or substitute individual sounds
(phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to
make new words.

1-R-2(PA): HI-4: Orally forming words by
substituting simple onset (/c/) with given
rimes (/at/).

K.RF.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics
and word analysis skills in decoding words.

I-R-2(D) The student will identify and
manipulate the sounds of the English
language and decode words, using
knowledge of phonics, syllabication, and
word parts.

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K.RF.3a Demonstrate basic knowledge of *Language Warm-Up (I-R-2(D): HI-2, HI-6; I-LS-2: HI-2, HI-5)
one-to-one letter-sound
correspondences by producing the
primary or many of the most frequent
sounds for each consonant.

I-R-2(D): HI-2: Producing letter sounds
represented by the single lettered
consonants and vowels.

I-R-2(D): HI-6: Decoding common CVC
words.

I-LS-2: HI-2: Producing all individual
phonemes in words from print using
accurate articulation.

initial, medial and final sounds of grade-
appropriate words using accurate
articulation and pronunciation.

K.RF.3b Associate the long and short *Language Warm-Up (I-R-2(D): HI-2)
sounds with common spellings
(graphemes) for the five major vowels.

I-R-2(D): HI-2: Producing letter sounds
represented by the single lettered
consonants and vowels.

K.RF.3c Read common high-frequency
words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she,
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my, is, are, do, does).

I-R-2(D): HI-3: Reading high frequency
words with automaticity in context.

K.RF.3d Distinguish between similarly *Language Warm-up (I-R-2(D): HI-4, HI-5)
spelled words by identifying the sounds of
the letters that differ.

I-R-2(D): HI-4: Producing new words when
initial sound(s), including diagraphs, are
changed (i.e., word families).

1-R-2(D): HI-5: Decoding a new word when
a specific letter is changed, added, or
removed.

K.RF.4 Read emergent-reader texts with
purpose and understanding.

No Alignment

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ELA Standards/ELP Standards: Sample Activities/Assessments:
Reading Literature (RL)
K.RL.3 With prompting and support, identify
characters, settings, and major events in a
story.

1-R-3: HI-7: Describing the main
characters of a story. (B-7)

1-R-3: HI-8: Describing the setting of a
story. (B-8)

1-R-9: HI-9: Describing the key events of a
story. (B-9)

K.RL.10 Actively engage in group
reading activities with purpose and
understanding.

No Alignment

Reading Informational Text (RI)
K.RI.8 With prompting and support, Read a book such as “Earth Day.” As you read, encourage the students to think about why
identify the reasons an author gives to we need “Earth Day” and how celebrating this special day helps the earth. Build in personal
support points in a text. accountability by asking students to draw, write, or dictate what they learned about caring
for the earth. (K.RI.8, K.RI.10, K.SL.6)
1-R-3: HI-3: Using key words, phrases, and
complete sentences to answer open-ended
comprehension questions when responding
to text.

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K.RI.9 With prompting and support, Read a book such as “From Tadpole to Frog” and then read “Red-Eyed Tree Frog.” (These
identify basic similarities in and books are both non-fictional books and they both talk about “toads.”) Ask what the students
differences between two texts on the noticed about how these books were the same and how they were different. (K.RI.9,
same topic (e.g., in illustrations, K.RI.10, K.SL.6)
descriptions, or procedures).

1-R-3: HI-3: Using key words, phrases, and
complete sentences to answer open-ended
comprehension questions when responding
to text.

K.RI.10 Actively engage in group reading
activities with purpose and understanding.

No Alignment

K.RI.10a Actively engage in group reading
of informational and functional texts,
including history/social studies, science, and
technical texts, with purpose and
understanding.

1-R-3: HI-6: Identifying facts from text read
aloud.

Writing (W)
K.W.2 Use a combination of drawing, After reading an informational text detailing a process, such as the life cycle of a butterfly or
dictating, and writing to compose informative frog, have the students create a four page booklet showing the stages of growth in
/explanatory texts in which they name what illustrations. Have students add a complete sentence for each illustration. (K.W.2, K.L.2)
they are writing about and supply some
information about the topic.
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1-W-3: HI-1: Generating or expanding on
ideas independently by drawing pictures and
using key vocabulary in graphic organizers
(e.g., storyboard).

1-W-1: HI-3: Writing to provide directions
or information related to real world tasks
using simple sentences that include sight
words, CVC words, and phonetic spelling.

K.W.3 Use a combination of drawing, After following a story board and rehearsing a story orally, encourage students to write
dictating, and writing to narrate a single several sentences connected by a narrative sequence. Encourage phonetic spelling of
event or several loosely linked events, tell unknown words and correct spelling of the highest frequency words that have
about the events in the order in which they been practiced. (K.W.3, K.L.1, K.L.2)
occurred, and provide a reaction to what
happened.

1-W-1: HI-1: Writing narratives using
simple sentences that include sight words,
CVC words, and phonetic spelling to
express ideas.

1-LS-1: HI-4: Sequencing events from
read-alouds, presentations, and
conversations.

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K.W.4 With guidance and support from
adults, produce writing in which the
development and organization are
appropriate to task and purpose. (Grade-
specific expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1–3 above.)

I-W-1 The student will express his or her
thinking and ideas in a variety of writing
genres.

1-W-3: HI-2: Experimenting with writing a
draft for a specific purpose.

K.W.4a With guidance and support from
adults, produce functional writing (e.g.,
classroom rules, experiments, notes
/messages, friendly letters, labels, graphs
/tables) in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task and
purpose.

I-W-1: HI-3: Writing to provide directions,
or information related to real world tasks
using simple sentences that include sight
words, CVC words, and phonetic spelling.

I-W-1: HI-4: Writing friendly letters or thank
you notes using simple sentences that
include sight words, CVC words, and
phonetic spelling.

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K.W.5 With guidance and support from Claude Monet painted water lilies over and over again. Tell the students to look at his
adults, respond to questions and paintings to see how they changed with the shifting light in his garden. Display the three
suggestions from peers and add details to paintings in chronological order, but spend time on the first one before showing the next
strengthen writing as needed. one. Ask the students if they think he was doing the same painting over and over again or if
he was painting it differently each time. Ask them what changed. Relate this idea to the
1-W-3: HI-3: Revising original draft for revision process when writing stories. Distribute a previously written story and ask the
clarity by adding additional details to students to revise their paper by adding new details. Publish the writing in a digital format
improve audience understanding. by scanning the student work and inserting it into a Power Point presentation. Students will
present the work to parents as a culminating writing activity for the year. (K.W.5, K.W.6)

K.W.6 With guidance and support from
adults, explore a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in
collaboration with peers.

I-W-3 Students use the steps of the writing
process as a writing piece moves towards
completion.

I-W-3: HI-3: Revising original draft for
clarity by adding details to improve audience
understanding.

I-LS-1: HI-6: Responding to comments and
questions in social conversations by asking
questions, sharing one’s experiences, and
expressing one’s thoughts.

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Language (L)
K.L.1 Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.

I-L-1 The student will identify and apply
conventions of English in his or her
communications.

I-W-2 The student will identify and apply
conventions of standard English in his or her
communications.

K.L.1a Print many upper and lower-case
letters.

I-W-2: HI-1: Writing legibly and with correct
formation all of the upper-case and lower-
case letters of the alphabet.

K.L.1d. Understand and use question words *Function Junction (I-L-1(Q): HI-1)
(interrogatives) (e.g., who, what, where,
when, why, how). *The Big Cheese (I-L-1(Q): HI-1)

I-L-1(Q): HI-1: Producing questions with * Reverse Questioning (I-L-1(Q): HI-1)
inflections.

K.L.1e Use the most frequently occurring *Prepositions for Location (I-LS-1(PREP): HI-1)
prepositions (e.g., to, from, in, out, on, off,
for, of, by, with).

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I-LS –1 (PREP): HI-1: Using prepositions
of location (e.g., up, down, over).

I-LS-1 (PREP): HI-2: Using prepositions of
direction (e.g., on, in, near, behind).

I-LS-1 (PREP): HI-3: Using prepositions of
time (e.g., on, at, in, by).

K.L.1f Produce and expand complete *Verb Tense Study (1-LS-1(SC): HI-1 thru HI-10)
sentences in shared language activities.

1-L-1(SC): HI-1 thru HI-10: Go to the
Sentence Construction (SC) section of the
Language Strand (pgs. 10-13)

K.L.2 Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.

I-L-1 The student will identify and apply
conventions of English in his or her
communications.

I-W-2: The student will identify and apply
conventions of standard English in his or her
communications.

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K.L.2c Write a letter or letters for most
consonant and short-vowel sounds
(phonemes).

I-W-2: HI-1: Writing legibly and with correct
formation all of the upper and lower-case
letters of the alphabet.

K.L.2d Spell simple words phonetically,
drawing on knowledge of sound-letter
relationships.

1-W-2: HI-2: Applying letter-sound
relationships to write simple CVC words and
attempt more complex words.

K.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on kindergarten reading and
content.

I-L-2 The students will acquire English
language vocabulary and use it in relevant
contexts.

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K.L.4a Identify new meanings for familiar
words and apply them accurately (e.g.,
knowing duck is a bird and learning the verb
to duck).

1-L-2: HI-5: Determining word meaning
within context.

K.L.4b Use the most frequently occurring Create a word bank for “Ways Animals Move” (e.g., dart, fly, hop, and swim). Have
inflections and affixes (e.g., -ed, -s, re-, students act out the words after they write them. Use these verbs to teach the -ed, -s, and -
un-, pre-, -ful, -less) as a clue to the ing suffixes. (K.L.4b, K.L.5b)
meaning of an unknown word.
*Morph House (K.L.4b)
No Alignment

K.L.5 With guidance and support from
adults, explore word relationships and
nuances in word meanings.

I-L-2 The students will acquire English
contexts.

K.L.5b Demonstrate understanding of
frequently occurring verbs and adjectives by
relating them to their opposites (antonyms).

I-L-2: HI-5: Determining word meaning
within context. (B-5)

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K.L5d Distinguish shades of meaning *Vertical Sentence (I-L-2: HI-5)
among verbs describing the same general
action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance) by
acting out the meanings.

I-L-2: HI-5: Determining word meaning
within context.

K.L.6 Use words and phrases acquired
through conversations, reading and being
read to, and responding to texts.

I-L-2 The student will acquire English
contexts.

Speaking and Listening (SL)
K.SL.4 Describe familiar people, places,
things, and events and, with prompting and
support, provide additional detail.

1-LS-1: HI-6: Responding to comments
and questions in social conversations by
asking questions, sharing one’s
experiences, and expressing one’s
thoughts.

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K.SL.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts,
feelings, and ideas clearly.

1-LS-1: HI-6: Responding to comments
and questions in social conversations by
asking questions, sharing one’s
experiences, and expressing one’s
thoughts.

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Teacher’s Notes UNIT 6:

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Suggested Works
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA) indicates a text from a writer with other works identified as exemplars.
Highlighted titles indicate works referenced in Unit 6.
Picture Books (Read Aloud) Poems (Read Aloud) Informational Text (Read Aloud)

Days with Frog and Toad (Arnold Lobel) (EA) “Two Tree Toads” in Orangutan Tongs: Follow the Water from Brook to Ocean (Arthur
The Carrot Seed (Ruth Krauss and Crockett Poems to Tangle Your Tongue (Jon Agee) (E) Dorros) (E)
Johnson) Selections from Insectlopedia (Douglas “Our Good Earth” in National Geographic
The Tiny Seed (The World of Eric Carle) (Eric Florian) Young Explorer! (April 2009) (EA)
Carle) “Little Black Bug” (Margaret Wise Brown) The Reasons for Seasons (Gail Gibbons)
A Tree is Nice (Janice May Udry and Marc “The Caterpillar” in Rossetti: Poems (Christina (EA)
Simont) Rossetti) (EA) The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree (Gail
Time of Wonder (Robert McCloskey) “Trees” (Sarah Coleridge) Gibbons) (EA)
One Morning in Maine (Robert McCloskey) “Over in the Meadow” (John Langstaff and Red-Eyed Tree Frog (Joy Cowley and Nic
Jack and the Beanstalk (Steven Kellogg) Feodor Rojankovsky) (E) Bishop)
Kate and the Beanstalk (Mary Pope Osborne “Wouldn’t You?” in You Read to Me, I’ll Read
and Giselle Potter) to You (John Ciardi) (E) Informational Text (Read Aloud / Independent)
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a
Fly (Simms Taback) Nursery Rhymes (Read Along) Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to
Fireflies (Julie Brinckloe) Life (Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm) (EA)
The Very Lonely Firefly (Eric Carle) “Mary, Mary Quite Contrary” A Tree is a Plant (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out
The Grouchy Ladybug (Eric Carle) “Ladybug, Ladybug” Science) (Clyde Robert Bulla and Stacey
The Very Quiet Cricket (Eric Carle) Schuett) (E)
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle (Eric Carle) Songs (Sing Along) From Seed to Pumpkin (Let’s-Read-and-Find-
It’s Earth Day (Mercer Mayer) Out Science) (Wendy Pfeffer and James
“The Ants Go Marching One by Graham Hale) (E)
Picture Books (Read Aloud / Independent) One”“Itsy Bitsy Spider” From Tadpole to Frog (Let’s-Read-and-Find-
Out Science) (Wendy Pfeffer and Holly Keller)
Hi! Fly Guy (Tedd Arnold) (E) (E Series)

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Art, Music, and Media (Continued)

Art Informational Text (Read Aloud / Independent)

Claude Monet, Water Lilies (The Clouds) From Caterpillar to Butterfly (Let’s-Read-
(1903) and- Find-Out Science) (Deborah
Claude Monet, Water Lilies (1906) Heiligman and Bari Weissman) (E Series)
Claude Monet, Water Lilies (1916-1923) How a Seed Grows (Let’s-Read-and-
Find-Out Science) (Helene J. Jordan and
Books (art-related) Loretta Krupinski) (E Series)
Frogs and Toads and Tadpoles, Too!
The Magical Garden of Claude Monet (Rookie Read-About Science) (Allan
(Laurence Anholt) Fowler)
A Blue Butterfly (Bijou LeTord) From Seed to Plant (Rookie…) (Allan
Fowler)
Media Taking Root (Rookie…) (Allan Fowler)
Inside an Ant Colony (Rookie…) (Allan
Linnea in Monet’s Garden (1999) Fowler)
Maple Trees (Rookie…) (Allan Fowler)
Pine Trees (Rookie…) (Allan Fowler)
Cactuses (Rookie…) (Allan Fowler)
It Could Still Be a Flower (Rookie…)
(Allan Fowler)
Plants That Eat Animals (Rookie…) (Allan
Fowler)
It’s a Good Thing There are Insects
(Rookie…)(Allan Fowler)
Spiders Are Not Insects (Rookie…) (Allan
Fowler)
Earth Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays)
(Trudi Strain Trueit)

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Website References

Instructional Routines:
http://csi.boisestate.edu/readingfirst/resources/coaches.sht
ml

*ELD Methodologies
The methodologies indicated below support the identified standards that are presented in Unit 6. Standards may lend themselves to additional methodologies.

*Language Warm-Up

*Function Junction

*The Big Cheese

*Reverse Questioning

*Prepositions for Location

*Verb Tense Study

*Morph House

*Vertical Sentence

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