Curriculum

Children will recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. For example, they will be able to read words such as "said," "where," "come," and "live" without relying solely on phonetic decoding, as these words do not follow standard spelling patterns.

Children will orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends. For example, when given the individual sounds /s/, /t/, and /op/, they will blend them together to say "stop." They might also be prompted to blend sounds like /b/, /l/, and /ock/ to produce the word "block."

Children will read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. For example, as they read aloud, they will focus on pronouncing words correctly, using appropriate pacing, and applying expression to ensure that they understand the text. They might practice reading familiar stories or grade-level texts multiple times to build their confidence and fluency.

Children will isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words. For example, when given the word "cat," they will identify and say the initial sound /k/, the medial vowel sound /æ/, and the final sound /t/. Similarly, for the word "dog," they will isolate and pronounce the initial sound /d/, the medial vowel sound /ɔ/, and the final sound /g/.

Children will read on-level text with purpose and understanding. For example, when reading a story appropriate for their grade level, they will be able to identify the main idea and details, make predictions about what might happen next, and ask questions about the text. During reading activities, they might discuss the characters and settings, or summarize the story in their own words to demonstrate their comprehension.

Children will ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally.For example, after a story, they might ask, "Why did the character feel sad?" and respond, "The character felt sad because they lost their favorite toy." This encourages them to understand the main ideas and details from the discussion.

Children will ask and answer questions about what a speaker says to gather additional information or clarify something they do not understand. For example, if a teacher talks about a field trip, a child might ask, "What time will we leave?" or say, "Can you explain what we will do there?" This helps them gain a better understanding of the information being shared.

Children will describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing their ideas and feelings clearly. For example, when talking about a birthday party, a child might say, "My friend’s party was fun! There were colorful balloons, a big chocolate cake, and we played games outside." This allows them to share their experiences in a vivid and relatable way.

Children will be able to define words by category and by one or more key attributes.** For example, they might say, "A duck is a bird that swims," or "A tiger is a large cat with stripes."

Children will add drawings or other visual displays to their descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. For instance, after describing their favorite animal, a child might draw a picture of that animal and label it, saying, "This is my dog, Max. He is brown and loves to play fetch!" This helps enhance their verbal descriptions and provides a clearer understanding of their ideas.